Echoes by Christine Grey Page A

for a while. We met while in Parsaia. Aesri was instrumental in helping us to gain Pip’s freedom.”
    “Fairies? Did she say fairies?”
    “Thought they were a myth.”
    “Are they to be trusted?”
    “What did she say the name was? Did you hear the name?”
    “Why are they here?”
    Dearra’s smile slipped. The whispered questions and grumbled comments were not what she’d expected. Guests were always welcome on Maj—why was everyone acting so suspicious?
    “Come, Dearra,” Aesri said. “Do not worry about it. It took you a little time to get used to Etrafarians as well, if you will remember. They will come around as they get to know us.”
    “I suppose, but—”
    “Really, all will be well. We will stay aboard our ships. That way we will be out of the way and the good people of Maj will not be overwhelmed. Come, show me your home, and we will find somewhere to talk.”
    ***
    Aesri used a velvet covered footstool to climb up on the chair Darius had pulled out for her. She lowered the hood of her cape and smoothed the gown she wore before looking about the cozy space.
    “What a lovely room, Dearra. It is so warm and inviting. The fire is a bit low, perhaps, but really, it is a very lovely room.”
    “Let me add some wood to the fire.” Darius started toward the fire, but Aesri stopped him with a wave of her hand.
    “No, leave it, Darius. I have become too used to the Breken desert. I need to become accustomed to the cooler climate. We will be spending quite a lot of our time out of doors, and I had best start adjusting now.”
    Darius stood beside Dearra’s chair, and Aesri did not miss the way he hovered protectively. Darius set his hand on Dearra’s shoulder and caressed a lock of her hair between his thumb and forefinger. Dearra seemed completely focused on Aesri, but she leaned her face into Darius’s hand and rubbed her cheek against his fingers for just a moment.
    “Well, then,” Aesri said. “Where are we with the preparations? Has your king assembled his army yet? Why are there so many people still on the island? I would have thought there would have been no more than a handful remaining by now.”
    “I have sent a messenger to the king,” Dearra said. “He has not returned. He should have been back long ago. It’s not a great distance to the capital.”
    “I do not understand. A messenger? You did not go yourself? Madness! This is no time to play diplomatic games.” Aesri made a fist and struck it into the palm of her other hand. Action is called for.”
    Darius leaped in defense of Dearra. “It doesn’t work that way here, Aesri. Dearra is lord of the island. Her place is here, unless the king himself commands her otherwise. It would be considered treason for her to abandon her post. She did as she should. We have no choice but to wait for the king’s response.”
    “Peace, young Breken,” Aesri soothed. “I was not trying to attack Dearra. I should have realized the customs of Maj would be different than our own.”
    “She’s right, Darius. I should have gone. My father did not ask permission to leave Maj when he went in search of Pip. There was a need, and he acted. It would only be treason if the king specifically ordered or forbade something, and I acted against those instructions.”
    Aesri waved her hand again. “It is all irrelevant at this point. Dearra chose her course based on the information she had. We will go on from here. As I told Dearra earlier, I was only able to bring one hundred with me. It is not what I had hoped for, but my people, it seems, can be as stubborn as yours. I did, however, manage to convince some men. Fire and earth added to wind and water should be helpful when the time for battle comes.”
    “We don’t even know for sure that the Breken are coming,” Dearra said. She looked up at Darius, but he shook his head at her optimism.
    “They are coming.” Aesri paused. She leaned forward and reached out a hand to Dearra.
    Dearra couldn’t help