Book of Seth: Homecoming: A Fallen Chronicles Book Read online

  Mirandia looked at the shocked look upon Higald’s face and then to the determination that had set into mine. “Seth, son of Evan Armen, your words are the truth. We sent you to the Temple knowing that something dark lurked there, knowing that this darkness had taken the life of your father a generation before. We are guilty.” As usual, her words spoke volumes and calmed my anger. Her volition of their evils did not satisfy me, for I was far from finished.

  The others looked at her in confusion.

  She never broke eye contact with me, her beauty apparent only here in this moment of truth.

  “When they came, Summer defended you. The entire village.”

  “Yes,” Mirandia replied simply.

  “And yet, Ryan’s words are true? She is to be banished?” I replied.

  “Yes, because she is one of them, too,” interjected Tresnre, using Mirandia’s hesitation to his advantage.

  I glared at him, his sullen face turning away quickly. “And what facts do you have?” They had the answers I sought. Beneath their lies and deceit they possessed knowledge, history of things that were not common knowledge among my people.

  “The demi spoke to her as if it knew her,” replied Thetres.

  “You are condemning her based on the words of that thing?”

  “Seth, you are too emotional. You must see it from our perspective. People saw her talk to that thing and they will make a connection. Blame must be shackled upon someone and it must be her. She does not belong here,” reasoned Thyren.

  “Banishing the single most powerful being from our ranks is folly. She defeated a demi. If they do come again, which they will, she is our strongest defense.” I paced again. I did so this time with my back to them, without fear of attack, and placed my hand upon my chin. The attack at the Temple of Exiles was still fresh in my mind.

  “They will not come again if she is not here,” repeated Thyren, as if he had practiced the words and made them his truth.

  I turned back to them and squared my shoulders. “There were Umordoc at the Temple. They will come whether you banish Summer or not.”

  A stunned silence followed my words. The fabric of the Common House shifted and Leane walked through; her graceful steps immediately faltered when she saw me standing with the Council.

  “Seth,” she whispered. Her eyes were wide and her muscles tense. She ran forward. Her hands held up the dragging ends of the gray dress she wore. She catapulted up the steps of the platform and into my arms. She hugged me tightly, her head buried against my shoulder. As she pushed away from my chest, her hands still rested there and she looked into my eyes. Her dark irises pierced my heart as it had never before. An ache within my soul stirred as I watched her eyes water and her fear dissolve.

  “I didn’t think that you would come back alive, many have…”

  “I know,” I replied, placing my hand on her cheek. Her skin was warm beneath my cold touch.

  I had forgotten for a moment about the Council and Higald. They sat in silence and watched us.

  “What’re you doing here?” she queried, her eyes still pooled glass.

  “I came to warn the Council of a darkness that is coming for us, coming to claim the Fallen and all within its walls,” I replied, turning back to the Council, Leane still in my arms.

  “You are wrong, Seth, nothing is coming for us. Whatever you thought you saw there was nothing more than a figment of your imagination. The only danger here is Summer,” replied Tresnre. The sudden presence of Leane instilled him with the haughty confidence that he spoke with at most times. He drew his power from the fear of the masses, playing on fear and inhibitions that drove them into seclusion.

  I sighed now, my attention caught between Leane and the foolish Council.

  My words were driven by love and family, but theirs was guided by greed and a lust for control and power. The very things that had shattered the world of men eons previous they seemed doomed to repeat. “Your unwillingness to listen to my words will destroy us all. Are you prepared to be the brunt of such a responsibility?”

  The Council looked at one another; Higald was the first to stand. He gripped the edges of the throne for support and his steely eyes focused on my hard jaw and set features. “We will not endanger our people based on your words.”

  “Endanger the people?” I whispered mockingly.

  “Yes, your insane accusations and premonitions of truths will do nothing more than create unrest. We cannot allow that,” continued Tresnre, rising as well. The other two warlocks rose with Higald, although the Sisters remained seated, their gazes averted.

  “Seth, what’s happening? What’re they talking about?” queried Leane in a panic.

  Higald turned to Leane and could not muster a smile; instead, he turned back to me. “I think it would be best if you leave, Seth, forever.”

  My face showed the shock I felt. I should have seen that they would react like this. I began to chuckle. “You are banishing me as well, how quaint. I can imagine that Ryan will be asked to leave as well, informed that his presence is no longer required among the Fallen.”

  “Yes, he is to leave as well,” replied Higald with a sad nod of his head.

  Leane grasped my arm tightly. “What’s the meaning of this, Higald?”

  The albino chief looked from member to member; their indistinguishable faces provided him no answer. As he settled upon my features once more, he knew that he would not find solace. “Seth poses a danger to the Fallen,” he began.

  “This is about Summer, isn’t it? About what happened earlier? I came here to tell you that it would be unfair to send Summer away. She helped us,” reasoned Leane.

  I stifled the laugh that I felt. Her words mirrored mine; yet, she would face the same perplexing train of thought that I was given.

  “Unfortunately, the Council does not see it as such. Summer is as much a danger as the being that attacked the village. Seth’s inability to accept our reasons makes him a threat to the peaceful existence we have created here. They have both been asked to leave the Fallen and I hope that you, Leane, can accept this decision,” replied Higald, stepping forward and taking her small hands in his much larger hands.

  Her eyes were glassy again.

  Moments passed and she remained there, her hands inexplicitly still in his hands. She looked at me, unsure of what to say next.

  “I imagine this is goodbye to all of you. I cannot say whether I will see any of you again. Be warned that such a meeting would not favor this broken friendship,” I snapped. I turned away before they could say another word, my feet moving beneath me and out of the chamber into the recycled air of the village. Standing there for a moment, my thoughts were erratic; my anger seethed. I looked around at the cold stones that framed our existence and I wondered what I felt I needed to fight for. Perhaps I was better off on the tundra.

  I felt someone approach me.

  “What do you want?” I called without emotion.

  “Seth.” It was Leane. Her voice shook.

  “What is there left to say?”

  “I don’t know. This was all so abrupt, so unexpected. Since you returned from the north, we have banished one man and now three more. A weapon of the Umordoc came here and almost destroyed all of us. I just don’t know what to believe, it is all so….”

  “I understand that you are scared, but this is the way of things: change.”

  “Change? I would hardly call this a natural change, Seth. Things have been set in motion that cannot be reversed. The people are scared of what Summer is, what she may become. You have been a voice among us for so long. If you cast a shadow of doubt over the Council, then it could come apart at the seams.”

  “What you say is true and that means that we must go. Even Fredrick must leave this place, never to return.”

  “I wish it were not so.”

  “We are no longer wanted here.” My words were bitter despite the respect and admiration I had for Leane.

  I could see the resentment in he
r reaction, the pursing of her lips and the shock in her eyes. She paused. The fingers of her left hand were posed delicately on her chin; her eyes seared through me. “What do you want me to say, Seth?”

  “Nothing. I have to go.” I moved away from her and she grasped my arm lightly.

  I kept my back to her because I could not bear the sadness that would be painted on her face.

  “Seth.”

  I turned back around and there were tears in her eyes; her head was bowed. Curls of her hair fell across her face. I reached forward and pushed away the waves of her hair. The act exposed her sad face, the trails of tears winding down her cheeks. She looked up at me; I stayed there for a moment, lost in her eyes.

  I held her face in my hands. “Leane, I cannot ask you to do this.”

  “You don’t have to,” she replied, sniffling as her silent cries subsided.

  “I want to.”

  “I know and it’s what I want as well.” She backed away from my hand, wiping her face and smoothing out the folds of her dress. “There’s nothing left for me here now. My family has been you and Ryan for longer than I can remember. I know that wherever you go is where I should be.”

  I was shocked. “I do not know what to say, Leane.”

  “You don’t have to say anything.”

  She leaned in close. Wrapping her arms around my neck, I smelled her essence, the feminine aura that radiated off of her. Her eyes seemed so wide up close and her lips seemed full and pouting. She tilted her head and placed her lips on mine. I was perplexed by her actions and, for the briefest of moments, I felt like I wanted to pull away. Instead, I leaned in farther, embracing the warmth.

  We stayed there for what seemed like an eternity.