Chương 7: Chapter Seven

The arguing had stopped, and the collective mana of… I have no idea how many… are swirling in the air. Joining and separating in a dance that is pulling in all the mana around us, even the stuff that normally drifts to me. No one was talking as the pressure built.

"What's the Telimet Accords?" I asked, my voice small. Mom's face scrunched and she looked even more mad now, causing me to shrink away. I could see her try to change her expression, but she failed. It was Evan who spoke up.

"Centuries again, Ga'Reth of the Toordor discovered that the elves were experimenting on demon children, experiments that killed the children." My breath caught.

"He was looking for his daughter… he was too late." He paused here, not taking his eyes off the three elves next to us, but I felt his desire to turn towards mom.

"He is… was my first husband." The pain in mom's voice forced me to see her. For the first time I saw past the anger and rage to the tears flowing down her face.

"The Accords are what they call the..."

"Utter idiocy." Mom cut in, Evan didn't even sigh.

"agreement that ended the war." Evan continued when it became clear mom wouldn't.

"And strictly spell out what elves can not do to demon children." Mom's voice dripped venom as she finished for Evan. The promise of violence in her voice surpassed anything that the villagers ever directed at me.

"Removing them from their parents custody is the first item on the treaty." In the brief moment it took them to explain this to me, the elves had all taken a step back. Well, not all. The robed one had if anything stepped forward. I could practically see them reclassify mom from an influential person to a veteran warrior held back from violence by a piece of paper that was looking awfully thin.

"We can not let…"

"You will be wanded like everyone else. If we don't find a magical item, you will be free to enter the city." The first guard said over top of whatever the robed man was saying.

"You can't let her in without quarantine! She'll destabilize the entire city. We need to understand how she's doing it so we can prevent…" The three guards, the silent one finally started speaking only to debase the robed elf's claims, but my attention was drawn to the mana structure in the sky. For all its pressure, it didn't feel dangerous. It felt like Middy, the baker's daughter, did when she threatened to tell on her brother for sneaking toads into his room. Only bigger. And more magic.

As I tried to figure out what those feeling meant, the tone shifted in the guards' argument.

"Then get your document signed. Until then, I'm following procedure which states that magical items past a certain threshold are not to be allowed into the city. But all people not carrying such a device are, unless they are wanted criminals." The first guard said, ending whatever conversation he had been having with Mr. Robes.

"I'll see you at the gate." He said, nodding in the general direction of me before turning his back on our wagon and walking to the gate. The robed man stayed for a moment longer before turning to stomp off. With the fight over, I thought the mana construct would disappear. Instead, mom's eyes narrowed at the man and a golden burst of mana left her and traveled to the collected mass. The whole collection flashed as Mom's mana touched it and it spread across the sky in an instant, dispersing in an instant.

The two guards stopped and stared at the ambient mana even now twirling in tune with the mass that had just vanished as the robed man stomped past them, not sparing a single glance to the sky. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. As the mana furthest from the mana construct began to turn towards me, golden mana passed through me in a wave that caught everyone in it. It brought foreign thoughts in mom's voice, and felt like the construct in the sky.

The elves have abandoned their Oath. Beware. Evan quieted, looking straight ahead, though I couldn't tell if he was seeing anything or not. Mom disappeared into the wagon after briefly squeezing my shoulder after Boyan started crying. What just happened? Do all spells use that much mana? I don't remember ever seeing a spell cast. My ears twitch in annoyance at the questions. Wagons started moving forward again, though one group was turning around. I could only watch and wonder about what happened.

After a couple of wagons moved forward, Evan started moving the wagon forward.

"Sorry Lyra." Evan's voice broke me out of my thoughts and I looked over at him. The weight was still here, but he was talking. I could barely squeeze out a hum to let him know I'm listening.

"We can't turn around. Several of our group would be ruined if we don't finish our business here." He shook, as though trying to get rid of the mood.

"We'll need to be careful, including you. I sent Neera ahead to get some help. But I don't want you going anywhere alone, okay?" I nodded mutely. I crush the tinge of resentment I feel for being treated like a child… but since I left Hindor the things I haven't known keep growing and I find myself feeling like a child more often than not. Especially when everyone not only treats me like one, but protects me like one. I just wish I understood. This felt bigger than… me.

Boyan quieted by the time we reached the gate, but mom didn't come out to join us. A host of elves swarmed the caravan, well, I say that but it was only two people going to each wagon. I got off the wagon along with Evan, who helped me down, my body really was height challenged. I couldn't stop my ears from twitching as they waved a stick around, first Evan then me. It glowed green at the tip and didn't do anything.

A robed elf, different than before, nodded before marking something on a scroll he was holding in place with a plate of wood. Evan didn't let me leave his side as he answered questions the guard asked in a rather bored voice, as though checking off a list he had long memorized. The underlying tension in his voice and in everyone's movement as they went through the motions of letting us in had me on edge.

Mom got out of the wagon with the guards' help, Boyan in her arms and came over as the guards entered the wagon to perform whatever search they were supposed to. The calm guard from earlier approached Evan as she did.

"Word's come in that a large percentage of our demon residents have begun packing." He didn't address Evan directly, but was watching the other guards past the wagon. Evan simply shrugged and accepted Boyan when mom handed him over after he reached for his dad. I couldn't help but make a face at him when he looked my way, causing him to giggle. Mom and Evan caught it and smiled causing me to blush to the top of my ears, which drooped. Mom ruffled my hair, which I immediately moved to stop.

"They remember the war, and are doing what they think is best for their families no doubt." Evan's response held the same emotionless quality the guards had. Not accusing. Not threatening. Just… reporting.

"Is that what that was? A declaration of war? Damn it." For the first time exasperation entered his voice.

"My father wasn't even alive for the war. It shouldn't return because of a noble with a wand shoved up his ass." Several guards had stopped what they were doing and looked over at us. I stepped closer to mom who was playing with Boyan who was reaching for her in Evan's arms. Obviously regretting his earlier decision and wanting mom after all.

"That was a warning, letting demons know that past… patterns have re-emerged." Evan said, choosing his words carefully, and delivered in the same tone as before.

"The hell it has!" The guard denied, but calmed himself quickly as mom glared at him.

"I've been to the crater of Mithinis, I've taken my children there. We don't want that to happen again." He whispered rather passionately. Evan raised his hands in an empty gesture saying without words there wasn't anything he could do after Boyan made good his escape by throwing himself at mom without a care for falling.

"We don't want that either. But we are watching now…"

"And we will not wait for the rivers to run red with our children's blood before we act. Not again. Never again." Moms voice didn't carry, but my ears folded back and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end hearing it. Thank the gods that wasn't directed at me. Evan cleared his throat.

"It would be better for everyone if elves remind elves of this. Because there are a lot of demons, us included, who lived through the wars." For the first time he turned away from the wagons and looked at the guard.

"The blood of our children started it, and Mithinis allowed for the chance of peace. It wouldn't be in anyone's interest for your people to forget and abandon the peace that atrocity allowed."