Out of Evenfall (BOOK 1)

Chapter 45

ADARA

"Kah'mai, and they didn't have the decency to alert us ahead of time?" Yuven snapped as he slammed his hand down on the table, where a map of the plains stretched from corner to corner. Adara looked between the Storm Wardens, but stayed by Fenrer's side as he folded his arms with a quizzical expression on his face. "And you say the Naveeran king didn't show his face? Do you yet know if he arrived at the designated area?" he asked a nearby Storm Warden.

"We are unsure, Captain Traye," they said. "We know he definitely arrived, but the Naveerans are uncertain."

"Of what?" Yuven asked, baring his teeth. "Of what are they so uncertain of?"

"They won't tell us."

Yuven groaned and brought both his hands up to his face, leaning forward into them. After a few long seconds, he dropped his arms back to his sides with a puff of breath, brushing strands of white hair back from his brow before turning back to the Wardens. "I want a few watchers posted on the southern hills," he said, the melody clear and authoritative. "Keep an eye on the wardstone facing the gorge. As for our unexpected arrivals..." Yuven glared down at the map. "The king will have to show himself eventually."

Adara jumped when a tourney trumpet thundered through the air. Yuven glanced out the window. "On time." He dismissed the Wardens with a wave of his hand, and they turned on their heels to stomp to their posts. He pushed past her and Fenrer.

"Where are you going?" Fenrer whispered.

"No worry," Yuven mumbled under his breath in response as he left the meeting room.

Fenrer sucked in a quizzical breath. "What is he up to?"

"We could follow him and find out."

It took a few moments for Fenrer to answer her, "No, allow him his thoughts. We have our own job to do." He smiled at her.

"Right, you mean the job you have to do and I have to watch you do as if that'll teach me something," Adara murmured, and breathed out a sigh. "Him and the old man would've gotten along great." I don't know what Yuven's trying to get at, but I suppose it's better than trying to read a book larger than my head and berating me for not being able to control myself. She groaned at the thought of him over her shoulder, clicking his tongue in disapproval or shattered expectations. Gods, if anything, he's worse than the old man. Never thought I'd see the day...

"I apologize if it seems you can't get away from us," Fenrer said solemnly.

Adara shook her head at him. "No, it's not that. I know it could be worse. As Yuven has reminded me once or twice."

Another battle horn sounded, and she stepped out of the hall with Fenrer behind her. There's a lot I don't know about his place, and I hate to say it, but Yuven was right that storybooks can't be how I base what I see here. Adara stepped down the hill, where the plains of light sent its own beams up into the sky to splash across the clouds with the fire of magick bouncing along the peaks of the hills. They wound their way through the Naveeran area, where so few Avaerilians shared their culture with the others. Some sat on the ground, others clung onto what they could for apparent comfort.

"They look so lost..." Adara commented, but stopped at a platform, where a couple of Hanekans and Dyrenji huddled around to view the stage. Her heart thrummed at the dance of snow shimmering in the sun. Sweat rolled off their brows from exertion as they tumbled, spun through the air, carried by the ice. Ribbons tied themselves around steady rapports. Another Avaerili strung strings on their pearl studded harp, the notes leaving each one soft and melodic. It told a story of another time. Another place. The dancers tossed wooden chakrams to each other and around themselves to spread the cold touch of snow. Strings of clear pebbles hung off their leather armor, tight against their bodies as they danced to the tune. It jangled with the pearls intertwining their feathers, while the masks of a wyvern hid their faces, but showed the truth within themselves.