The Seer Rowan McAllister (top inspirational books .TXT) đ
- Author: Rowan McAllister
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Raviâs melodic voice washed over Daks as he continued to weave the tale of the princeâs difficulties and trials on that journey, but Daks kind of got distracted with watching Raviâs mouth and his eyes for a little while⊠until Ravi reached the good part, where Ael slew the horrid monster, saving his scholar love from certain death. Even Fara, as obviously ill at ease with any discussion of magic as any Rassan, sighed in relief and clapped when the magic sword felled the beast with a single strike.
âExcellent fireside tale,â Daks called. He let out a burp and sat forward, smiling. âAlmost makes this place seemââ
âHush. The Svatna is not done with his tale,â Shura interrupted sternly. Surprisingly, sheâd used the Cigani formal title for a storyteller, which meant she honored his skill.
Ravi couldnât have known that, but he seemed flattered by her intervention on his behalf just the same, as he smiled shyly at her and nodded before resuming his narrative.
âThe tale is far from over. You see, in his desperation to save his beloved, Ael had forgotten something. Heâd forgotten the Riftspawnâs Wraith. As soon as he plunged the sword into the monstrous creatureâs heart, the Wraith fled from its dying body and into the nearest host it could find. Wounded and weakened by his ordeal before Ael could reach him, his lover, Balin, was no match for it. It possessed him fully, shoving the man Ael knew and loved aside. A creature of hate and savagery and darkness stared back at Ael through his loverâs eyes, and the prince cried out in despair and wept as he dropped the sword and wrestled with Balin to keep him from disappearing into the swamps.
âAfter his family assisted in capturing him, poor Balin lay bedridden and fevered for days, bound and under guard. But Ael never left his side. What was left of Balinâs beleaguered family rallied around them with little hope, for no one had ever heard of a Wraith leaving a living body before.
âThe family said their goodbyes and made their preparations, trying to come to terms with the inevitable, but Ael refused to see reason. He called to his lover night and day, begging him to fight, to come back, until his voice gave out. Still, he fought any attempt to remove him from that bedside.
âIn the middle of the night on the fourth day, Ael woke to Balinâs sweet voice calling to him as he used to. Desperate with fragile hope, Ael met his loverâs gaze to find the soft brown eyes of the man he loved no longer glowing red and filled with feral rage.
ââBalin?â he croaked hesitantly.
ââI am here,â his love whispered back. âSet me free. Let us leave this terrible place together.â
âDelusional with grief and lack of sleep, Ael allowed himself to be persuaded to untie his love and help him outside. So scrambled were his wits, he did not notice Balin had brought the wretched sword with them. In the moonlight, wrapped in heavy mist, Balin kissed his love tenderly and without urgency, until Aelâs legs shook and threatened to buckle. A flash of metal was Aelâs only warning before the sword found its bloody sheath.â
Fara gasped in horror, momentarily taking Daks out of the story, but Ravi continued as if he hadnât heard.
âAel cried out in agony as Balinâs body dropped to the ground, Balinâs hand still on the hilt of the sword buried in his own chest.
âIn shock, Ael looked on as the air around his love shimmered into life. The Wraith rose from his Balinâs body like mist and hovered in the air. Fear held Ael paralyzed, trapped before the red, glowing eyes of the writhing insubstantial creature, but the Wraith did not move any closer. It did not attempt to take him over as it had done Balin. When a sudden cry rang out behind him, it shook Ael out of his trance, and he turned to find Balinâs family pouring out of the farmhouse theyâd fled to after the destruction of their hold. When Ael turned back to the Wraith, it had vanished.
âWith another anguished cry, he dropped to his knees by his loverâs side and collected him in his arms as tears streamed down his face.
ââWhy?â he cried. âWe could have beat it together. We could have found a way.â
ââThis was the way,â Balin whispered back.
âAll hope lost, Ael rocked his lover in the moonlight as Balinâs family huddled in a circle around them.â
âHeâs dead?â Fara squawked indignantly when Ravi paused for a drink of water.
Daks agreed, even if he wouldnât admit it out loud. But Ravi held up a hand and shook his head as Shura glared at Daks and Fara until everyone settled again.
âThe wound forced the Wraith out, but it did not kill him as Balin had obviously expected when heâd kissed his love goodbye. Though the magic of the sword had never failed before, somehow, this time, it did. Balin still breathed.
âSwallowing his grief and pain, Ael carried his lover back inside, and the family called for the healer. The woman did what she could, but even with her talismans and herbal remedies, she feared she could not save him.
âThe family wept and wailed anew until the poor healer sighed and admitted reluctantly, âI may know someone who can help. But beware, she will demand a high price.â
ââAnything!â Ael and the family cried out together.
âThe healer did not seem surprised, but she did not smile as she left them and ventured off into the mists alone.
âThey waited a night and a day while Balin clung to life and Ael clung to him. At last, when
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