Warrior Of Light [Complete/Editing]

Chapter Thirteen - Part One

Edileth clenched her jaw, her lips pressed into a thin line. She shifted her weight. She longed to rise from her seated position. Yet she knew this would only cause her to pace. Instead, Edileth alternated between crossing her arms or fiddling with a loose thread on the hem of her sleeve.

"Impatient to leave, cousin?" Joenek crouched at her side, revealing a grin.

She lifted a brow and looked away with a shake of her head. Edileth heard a shuffling sound. She felt Joenek sit close beside her.

"Have I offended you?" he asked.

Edileth took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She placed her hands on her knees and turned her face to Joenek. She drew close enough that her whispered words would not be heard by any of Jich's elves.

"We have hardly covered ground to-day, less than half our normal distance. Even the least experienced of Akkheron's rim could overtake us with little effort. There is yet plenty of light in the sky. We should still be trekking, instead of lazing about."

"Not all elves are as disciplined as you." Joenek stifled a laugh. He reached toward Edileth and placed his hand over one of hers; she stiffened. "Don't brood over things which might not come to pass. Even if Si-olians were to attack, they would have some of the finest warriors in Gael-Narenth to contend with. I've known Arun for many summers; you'd have no desire to be on the receiving end of his mace. And Celik seems skilled enough.

"But more than that, we have Torben. What could they possibly do against a hannorim?"

Joenek smiled.

I suppose that's meant to encourage me. She tried and failed to restrain another sigh.

Pulling her hand away from Joenek's touch, Edileth swept an errant lock from her face.

"You place too much value and dependence upon Torben's abilities as a hannorim. Have you any knowledge of what his limits are? With the little hannolle he has used, his skills could be all but useless in a battle."

Joenek's eyes widened, and he looked away from Edileth, as if in thought.

I suspected as much; you're far too impulsive. No sense for strategy, whatsoever.

When Joenek returned his gaze to her, he grinned. "Still, it has to count for something. He could do a simple illusion to trick the rim into thinking he had more power than he does."

"You have much to learn."

Edileth nearly laughed at the shift in Joenek's expression. His grin became a scowl, and he crossed his arms, grumbling something under his breath. Only allowing the corner of her mouth to rise a fraction, Edileth cleared her throat and continued the whispered conversation.

"You were quite sheltered in that little forest of yours. But your knowledge has grown exponentially. There is yet hope that your wits will improve."

Joenek's eyes narrowed. "What is the massive pitfall I have failed to consider, which evidently all other elves know?"

"One simple act of hannolle could cause a myriad of new problems. As we are currently travelling, no one would suspect us of bearing the Hibh en Gredhe. If Torben uses hannolle, those suspicions would be raised.

"Furthermore, there's a high probability that our refugees over there would turn on us – assuming we survived an attack."

"Why would they, if we just saved them from impending doom?"

"Those with unique abilities are not always viewed with fondness." Her reply was low, clipped. Joenek's brows twitched upward, but before he could comment, Celik stomped toward them.