The Unseen Tempest (Lords of Arcadia) by John Goode, J.G. Morgan Page A

Ater watched as the bird grew in size, its plumage becoming a flowing cloak of large black and gray feathers enfolding a strikingly beautiful elven woman. Although she was in elven form, Ater realized, there was no mistaking the sharp avian features in her face.
    Both Kor and Ater went down to one knee instantly.
    “Nystel,” Kor said reverently. “You honor me with—”
    “Shut up, Kor,” she snapped, cutting him off. Her gaze never left Ater. “I’ve never seen a dark elf bow to a disciple of Koran before.”
    Ater refused to look up.
    Seeing he was not going to respond, she glared back to Kor. “You have an armed heathen in your house. And yes, I know you have hidden your weapon, heathen. Don’t play me for a fool. Would you care to explain why?”
    “It is complicated,” Kor answered after a few seconds.
    Nystel’s voice got very cold, very fast. “Then I would suggest you find a simple way of explaining it before you share his punishment.”
    “He is—” Kor began and then choked the words off. “He was family in a way.”
    Ater looked up for a second in shock at the statement.
    “Is, was,” the high priestess mused. “Does this man have any connection to your brother?”
    “He was my—” Ater began to explain.
    “Silence!” Nystel roared and the sound of rolling thunder could be heard outside the house. “I was not speaking to you.”
    Ater stared back at the floor, gritting his teeth in rage.
    “He was bonded with my brother,” Kor explained reluctantly, as if wanting to talk about anything other than Pullus and Ater’s “relationship.”
    “Was?” Nystel asked, arching one perfect eyebrow in question. “Now I am addressing you, dark elf. Explain why you are here.”
    Ater looked up at her, his expression clear of all emotions. “I am here to give him the Right of Revan.”
    Kor gaped up at him, his face pale. “You’re what?”
    Nystel looked deeply into Ater’s eyes. “You are serious. You came here for that.”
    The dark elf knew Nystel’s magic would tell her if he lied, which was good since he wasn’t. “I am here to give him the Right of Revan.”
    She shook her head, seemingly amazed. “Very well, then. That changes things.”
    Kor looked up at her. “Changes what?”
    She returned his stare. “I suppose I won’t kill him, then, since he is giving you the option of doing so.” The statement hung in the air for a few seconds. “You are going to kill him, am I correct?”
    The room was silent as they both waited for him to answer.
     
     
    I WAITED in silence for the giant bunny to say something.
    See, waiting for a giant bunny to say something is a thought you’d never believe you’d think, yet when you do, it makes perfect sense. I had told Milo about Puck and how he’d arranged for the Dark to rise up against Hawk’s parents and how he was just playing both sides against each other. I didn’t mention the whole tree of life thing, because I’m pretty sure that was the secret we were all supposed to be keeping.
    The good thing about the secret of the ascension, Hawk had explained, was that it had an enchantment on the seed so that, after some time, you forgot what you had seen. You remembered the whole secret thing but not what it actually was. Ruber and Ferra and the rest might know Hawk had the secret of ascension on him, but they wouldn’t be able to remember what it actually was.
    Turns out I was immune to that spell too.
    I not only remembered the seed, but I remember seeing it back on Earth when Hawk had changed shirts, a fact that was bothering Hawk something awful. Of course, I was the guy who had a telepathic link with his boyfriend, only to find out that his boyfriend was better at telepathy than I am. So, unless I was willing to get into a mental thumb war with him, he could keep facts from me pretty easily. And yeah, that pissed me off something fierce.
    Anyway: big rabbit, waiting for him to talk, things I never thought I’d say for a thousand,