Chapter 52
Unavoidable Outside Kel Tora’s tall iron gates, on the moonlit dirt path that led to town, Tala tugged at Karn’s arm and asked him to stop his march a moment. He had been silent much of the way back while Tala wrestled with the decision to tell him something very important, and at long last, she had raised enough courage.
“You… you need to know something else,” Tala said.
Karn stopped and sighed. “More bad news?”
Tala stepped in front of him. “No, not bad news—a secret I want to share with you.”
“I’m flattered, but—”
“Karn, it’s important.” She raised her voice.
“Important, Tala? Important is knowing what my real name is!”
Tala stood still. She stared deep into his eyes until he relaxed. When his irritation waned, she spoke again.
“You are what your actions speak, Karn.”
Karn plopped down on top of a rotten tree stump, placed his head in his hands, and rested his elbows on his knees. “My actions? I’m having trouble telling which memories are real.”
She knelt in front of him and ran her hand through his hair. “I’m sorry this happened. I wish we could’ve just gone for a swim and made love to the gray owl’s cry tonight,” Tala whispered in his ear.
Karn came nose to nose with Tala. “You mean you did not take me to that lake to meet the fairy?”
“No, no, no.” Tala shook her head so hard her hair whipped into his face.
“How can I trust you?”
Stunned, Tala frowned. “You are my lifemate, Karn. My life for you, as your life for me.” Tala gripped her elven necklace.
“And the fairy?”
“It is true, I have done the fairy’s clandestine biddings, but I love you, which is why I want to tell you my secret.”
Karn exhaled as he rubbed his head. “Go ahead.”
Tala sat on the dirt path, crossed her legs, and straightened her back. She drew a deep breath, then exhaled it at a measured pace. You can do this…
“I’ve been having the same dream since I was very young. Almost every night, over and over again,” Tala began. “One day, as a child, I had what the elders refer to as a waking dream: a vision. It came to me while I was swimming with a group of other children. Atop a mound of broken wood and stone, I saw a tall, dark man. He was glowing with a bright blue magical aura. I saw the lands of Illyia smoldering around him, from the southern shores to the northern mountains. Many others have had the dream, Karn, but none the vision. These dreams have become a legend amongst the elves, fairies, and other of nature’s kindred. But the vision…”
A moment passed before Karn said anything, and when he did, it was with a harsh seriousness that frightened her.
“My wife and daughter are dead. The memories of a life I felt were real are lies. My life has been ruined—ruined twice over. Right now, I’m unable to feel anything other than revulsion and fury.”
“Then use it,” Tala stated firmly.
“Oh, yes. From now on, I am going to utilize my rage to destroy Mustaffa. You know why, Tala? Because this war is all I have left.” Karn stood and stretched his legs.
“No, that’s not all you have, Karn,” she said as she teared up. “You have me, and together we could have a child that would usher peace to this land.”
“If we survive.”
“We will.”
“I hope you’re right, Tala. Now let’s go. Many preparations need to be made.”
After he helped her to her feet, he marched off toward Kel Tora’s gate. Tala held back and watched him as he left, her eyes fixed on his back. After he was a dozen or more steps away, Tala spoke softly, as if she were still having a conversation him. Carefully, she recited the very words Drae’Qu had spoken to her many months ago.
“The victors of this war will be rewarded with many spoils, but not all will be in the form of gold or jeweled treasure. One will be a child, and that child will have a unique bloodline and powers unlike any other human.”