Queen of the Night (Book One of the Elementals)

II. Helian

"Would you go away? I'm trying to soak up the sun."

The goat just stared at him with its dull, black eyes as it continued to chew on its disgusting cud.

Helian sighed in frustration as he sat up, crossed his legs atop the flat-topped rock, and glared at the stupid animal. Since the goat hadn't wanted to move, it blocked his view of monitoring the rest of the grazing herd of cattle and goats.

"Happy? I'm up."

It didn't react at all.

He huffed. What an exciting life being a farmer's son was. Helian long dreamed of a life filled with adventure and action; all he got was watching boring goats and cows. Defending the livestock from predators or Fangril's demons provided a thrilling change in his drab life, but now the hunters were aware of what stock Helian watched for an arrow would soon be the last they saw.

Bored with the slow-moving cows, his eyes drifted over to the back of his father's barn. The barn was solely for the use of the dairy cows and goats he watched now, no butchering. Pigs and a few chickens were the only other livestock providing the livelihood of him and his father. His mother had died in childbirth, so Helian grew up with only one parent—a very strict one.

He focused on the small cabin beside the barn, noting different patches of the barn roof needing re-thatching. His father would surely tell him to fix it—at least hard labor was better than being a shepherd. The cabin was small but not crowded with two people; Helian at least had his own bed crammed into the only bedroom, though.

The shine of the reflective solar panels on the roof caught his eye. Every building in Creta was equipped with at least one panel; he had heard that every building in Dantia ran on solar energy. Aawk had told him that the second largest city in Ethea—the largest in Dantia—Diwes, ran solely on solar energy. He had never seen so many solar panels before—on the roofs of every building, beside the buildings on the ground, on the very walls, and even just outside the city. The city was a sun.

Helian had even heard of cities being supported by wind-power, but that couldn't happen in Dantia—the wind wasn't strong enough. It had something to do with Air not being on good terms with the Sun. They weren't as compatible as it was with the Moon. Dantia was the land of the Sun, hence solar panels everywhere. If wind-energy powered cities, it would be in the land of Air—Agralea.

"You know, what about the lands of the Moon? Do they just have an eternal night?" Helian asked the goat. "Since we don't have a moon, do they not have a sun?"

It shook its head.

"Was that an answer, or was that because of a flea?"

The animal bleated.

"You do too have fleas."

It bleated again.

"Yes, you do!" Helian yelled.

With a shake of its head like in defiance, the goat lowered its head to nibble at some grass.

Look at him, arguing with a goat. Frustrated, Helian picked up his bow beside him and began polishing it with the rag he had just so his hands could do something.

He desperately wanted to lie back, close his eyes, dream of an adventure, and soak up the sun. It wasn't like he needed any more, though; from always being outside, the sun had bronzed him and bleached his blond hair so much that it was nearly white. He didn't want a darker skin tone; he wanted the energy he absorbed from the sun's rays.

Starting two years ago, he found himself more energetic in the sun—running into a cool house would gradually deflate him like a balloon. His aim with his bow was more accurate, unlike others, for the sun's brightness would blind them. He could control his temper more in the heat and he was less stubborn—the one thing everyone in Creta appreciated.