CHAPTER 12

Kairi?” Tevel turned sharply to Diander. “How could she have done this?”

     Diander shook his head. “I don’t know, but Hallie told me that one of the kitchen cats saw Kairi leaving the Tower earlier this afternoon.” Hallie interrupted with a meow. “And she was carrying a bag.”

     Tevel swore. “Where could she possibly have been going?”

     Jaspyrr gestured towards Rosamynd and Gracie. “Hopefully they can tell us. Someone check her rooms, and bring Sythrian here, maybe he knows where she is.” The two scryers pored over the flickering surface of a mirror, conversing softly to themselves as the rest waited for Sythrian to arrive.

     A knock at the door caused everyone to stiffen. Tevel opened the door at Jaspyrr’s nod.

     “Sir?” Sythrian looked back and forth between the strange gathering of Mages.

     “Have you seen Kairi?” Tevel demanded.

“No, Sir. I was supposed to get her for supper, and she didn’t answer her door. I figured she was just tired and wanted to be left alone.”

     Jaspyrr frowned. “Does she have any reason to have gone outside?”

     “Outside?” Sythrian looked bewildered. “Well,” he paused. “She did ask Theorr if we were allowed to go outside a few days ago.” He wrung his hands nervously.

     Tevel grumbled, “Well then she knows she’s not. Foolish girl.”

     Sythrian looked down at the floor. “It hasn’t been easy on her, Sir.”

     Rosamynd interjected with an impatient wave of her hand, “Well no matter the reason for her leaving, instead of babbling on about it, we should be finding her!”

     Jaspyrr resumed his pacing. “Diander, take Sythrian and go look for her. Sythrian, bring your bow just in case. Two works of great Power were just done from outside the walls, and we don’t know what drove her to use such powerful Magic, or if it was even her. She may be in trouble.” He paused, then nodded.

     “Tevel, you will organize the sentries to keep an eye out, and Rosamynd, you and Gracie will remain with me and continue to scry her location.”

     With a flurry of activity, the meeting was disbanded. Sythrian and Diander hurried through the great doors and began the search in the lightening dawn.

***

When Kairi, clinging to her own identity, was finally able to open her eyes, the sun was beginning to filter through the trees and birds were flitting about under the branches, chirping happily. Kairi sat up, wincing at the soreness in her body, and saw the wolves sitting across the creek, still as statues, watching her with their beautiful golden eyes.

     After experiencing their ordeal and feeling their grief, Kairi could no longer be frightened by the wolves. She leaned closer to the edge of the water, longing to touch their silky fur.

As if in response to her unspoken wish, the two wolves bounded across the creek, splashing her as they landed. Kairi laughed wearily, wiping her face dry as the wolves nuzzled her hands and licked her face. Up closer, they were larger than Kairi had originally thought. No longer were they the tiny cubs she had seen in the visions, but young adolescents.

I wonder what to call you. Kairi thought to herself, somehow instinctively knowing that she had just found her aniih.

[Ja’narys,] A quiet, sing-song voice sounded from within Kairi’s head, as clear as if it had been spoken aloud.

A second voice chimed in, this one deeper with a slight rumble, [Ja’lairyl.]

Kairi had never before imagined speaking with an animal, and was surprised that the wolves sounded strikingly human and completely intelligible.

“Ja’narys and Ja’lairyl,” Kairi spoke the names aloud, enjoying the feel of the foreign names flowing off her tongue. “Beautiful.” Kairi smiled and struggled to her feet, stumbling as her tired legs gave out beneath her. The two wolves walked on either side of her, lending her support as she walked slowly back towards the tower. As she looked down at where her hands touched their soft fur, she felt as if a hole in her heart had been filled, and, for the first time since before her life was turned upside down, she was happy.

By the time Kairi reached the edge of the forest the sun was high in the sky, and the air was warm under the sun’s harsh gaze. Kairi was close to collapsing with fatigue and hunger, and as she left the cover of the forest, a stumble over a tree root left her sprawled on the ground. She looked up deliriously and she imagined she saw two figures running towards her across the field, but her vision swam and she could not discern who they were.

As they drew closer, Kairi heard Ja’lairyl growl softly, his hackles raised. Kairi reached a heavy hand to stroke his fur in reassurance, and tried to send him and Ja’narys what she hoped was a feeling of calm. Ja’lairyl quieted and sat down, but remained alert, warily watching the people approaching. Kairi knelt on the ground for a moment longer before forcing herself to her feet. A warm wind sprang up, blowing her hair and cloak out behind her. She steadied herself by placing her hands on the shoulders of the wolves, and walked slowly towards the tower.