Souls of Aredyrah 2 - The Search for the Unnamed One by Tracy A. Akers

Cinnia…”
    Reiv’s eyes drifted closed. “I really need to
sleep now.” Then as quickly as the last word had escaped, he was
asleep.
    Brina rose and crossed back to the others who
stood silently to the side. They looked at her with sympathetic
eyes, but no one dared speak. Finally Brina broke the silence. “If
what Reiv says is true, then I have placed too much confidence in
Whyn. But two can play this game.”
    “What do you mean to do?” Dayn asked.
    “Whyn thinks I believe him to be on Reiv’s
side, and I did until this moment. With that in mind, I will need
to listen to Whyn’s words more carefully. If I provide him with
false information, it may buy us more time, and keep Reiv safe a
while longer. Meanwhile, a meeting must be called. Torin, can you
arrange it? Since everyone is here for Market, tomorrow night would
be the perfect time.”
    “Of course, Brina. I’m sure rumor will be
rampant by then.”
    “Speaking of which, how can we assure Reiv’s
safety?” Nannaven asked. “Word is sure to have spread about his
presence at the tavern.”
    “I’ll send men to watch your house,” Torin
offered. “If we were to take him back to Meirla now it would look
suspicious, and there are few men in the village to defend him if
it came to that. But the minute Market is over we’ll hustle him
back.”
    “Very well,” Brina said. “He will be safer in
Meirla than here.”
    She turned to Dayn and Alicine. “Children,
you will need to keep Reiv occupied tomorrow, though I doubt from
the state he is in tonight he will feel like doing much. And
Alicine, as much as he deserves it, you had best not do any
shouting in his vicinity tomorrow.”
    Alicine nodded, while Dayn suppressed a
laugh.
    “Dayn,” Brina added, “you must tell Reiv
about your part in all this. I see no way to avoid it.”
    “I had intended to tell him, and I will,” he
said.
    Brina crossed over and hugged them both. “I
must go. Please be safe.”
    She waited for Jensa and Torin to say their
goodbyes and the three of them departed the house, leaving Nannaven
to tidy up while Dayn and Alicine checked on the still-sleeping
Reiv.
    “What is this whole thing about a prophecy?”
Dayn asked Alicine, who was covering the curled-up figure on the
floor with a blanket.
    “It’s a long story,” she replied. “Brina told
me about it while you and Jensa were out looking for Reiv. She
wanted to tell us all together, but didn’t get a chance.” She
glanced up at her brother’s exhausted face. “You’re tired. Why
don’t you take yourself to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”
    Dayn looked at her, then at Reiv. He nodded
and turned to make his way up the ladder. “Don’t be too long,” he
called back. “I want to know what’s going on and don’t know how
much longer I can keep my eyes open.”
    “Only a minute,” Alicine said.
    She knelt beside Reiv, watching his sleeping
face, then placed his hand in hers. “Reiv,” she said softly. “I
know you can’t hear me, but I need to say something and I won’t get
a moment’s sleep until I do. It’s cowardly, I know, to tell you
while you’re like this, but I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t
mean it, honestly I didn’t. I was jealous and spiteful, and if you
hate me forever, I’ll deserve it. I miss you, but I know you’re
happy now. I’ll try to be a better person for you. I promise.”
    Reiv’s hand squeezed hers, and Alicine’s
breath caught. But he made no other indication that he was awake or
that he had heard her words.
    “Reiv?” she asked cautiously.
    Reiv’s grip weakened, then his hand went
limp.
    Alicine leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I
love you,” she whispered. “You’ll be in my heart forever.”
     
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Chapter 7: The Catalyst
     
    M ahon sat in the
darkness of Brina’s private bedchamber, waiting. He had exhausted
every avenue he knew of to find her and had met only dead ends. All
of her friends had been contacted, none claimed to have