He smiled, as if he were proud of her question. He looked at her deliberately. “I was taught by the Prince of Pry-Ree. Most of what I know of the hidden power of the Medium was taught to me by him. He had a unique way of carving Leerings, for example. He was younger than I but more powerful in the Medium in every way.” He paused. “His visit to Muirwood changed my life. Prior to his visit, I was a trifle more concerned with the harvesting of apples and the making of spiced cider.”

Lia’s heart surged with emotions and she felt the tears stinging her eyes. More than anything she wanted to ask about her father, but she could not ask it openly. The Medium forbade it. She hung her head, recognizing the truth. The Aldermaston had never intended to hide from her what he knew. For some reason, her father had felt the secrecy so important that he had prevented the knowledge being shared.

“Why?” she said, struggling to find her voice through the tears. “Why must it be secret? Martin knew?” Her heart ached to tell Colvin but she realized with despair that even if he stood before her, she would not be able to tell him.

The Aldermaston’s look was full of sympathy. He nodded curtly. “Martin struggled with it. He always did. He looked for ways to circumvent the binding rune. He is defiant by nature. When you…” he paused, choosing his words carefully, “…were abandoned at the Abbey, as a wretched, I was expecting there to be a tome with you. Instead there was the orb. No one ever learned what happened to the Prince’s tome. It is still missing. I can use the orb, but I cannot leave the grounds. My office requires me to be here, at Muirwood. I think…the Prince…protected this information in such a way to prevent it from being told to the wrong person. Or people. You see, even if I wanted to tell the truth, I could not.” His eyes gave her a meaningful look that said much she did not understand. He knew, she realized, even more than he had said, more secrets that he was powerless to reveal.

Lia sighed, feeling exhausted suddenly. “Then what must I do? What does the Medium expect from me?”

His look was full of sorrow. “You already know, Lia.” His voice was soft and firm. “Ellowyn Demont must go to Dochte Abbey to warn them. Get some sleep, child. You must rest and heal. The Abbey will continue to heal you. You have made good progress each day. But still, there is little time left to us.”

She nodded and went to the door. Pausing at the threshold, she studied his face and he studied hers. There was no anger or resentment within her any longer, only determination to find a way to tell Colvin who she really was. She sighed, realizing how thick-headed he could be. But she would try. She had to try.

After shutting the door gently, she walked down the hall and joined the cool night air. Her leg throbbed from the punishing pace she had allowed herself that day. Her temples clanged like kettles. She was so distracted she did not see the shadow of the man until it mixed with hers. Whirling, she caught sight of a man detaching himself from the darkness to approach her. His hand rested on a gladius blade.

“You are the Pry-rian lass?” he asked softly in the language of her deceased father, her heritage, her homeland.

She had seen him before and recognized the face from Tintern Abbey.

* * *

“I failed at the Leerings again today. There is one that frightens me more than the others. Let me describe it. The image is of two serpents woven together, their heads facing each other. It forms a circle. Most of the Leerings I see are shaped like faces, but this one is different. It is small. I see this symbol everywhere in Dochte. The Aldermaston says it is an ancient rune, that the serpent is one of the manifestations of Idumea. There are seven manifestations of Idumea. Dahomey embraces the manifestation of the serpent. I believe him, but it makes me afraid. There are serpents engraved everywhere. People keep serpents as pets here. There are no rats or voles. I will try again tomorrow to speak to the Leerings. There is one that will stop the Blight. Colvin said I must hurry. There are things he will not tell me. If Lia were here, he would tell her.”

- Ellowyn Demont of Dochte Abbey

* * *

CHAPTER THREE:

Kieran Ven

Lia understood the language of the Pry-rians. It startled her to hear it on the Abbey grounds and startled her even more that she recognized the man. The last time she had seen him, he was picking fruit from a small enclosed garden behind Tintern Abbey where Colvin hid. Her hand dropped to her gladius hilt.

He smirked. “You were brave enough to pass the mountains of the Fear Liath,” he said. “No doubt you are equally brave enough to face me with a blade. But given your limp, I would suggest against it.”