Chapter 2

Persimmon Burroughs stood before the group of men, holding down her father's hand and already wondering if she'd made a mistake by coming here to Mura.

"Did you call Elric…Father?" asked the biggest man at the table, a brute with long brown hair.

"Yes, I did," she answered, slowly releasing Elric's hand. She'd only seen her father mayhap once every five years, but he seemed just as wily and ornery as the last time they'd met. And now he looked even shorter than she remembered.

Elric glanced over his shoulder and groaned, and then sat back down. "Persimmon," he said, scrunching up his nose. "What are you doing here?"

"Before I answer that, empty your pouch," said Persimmon. "Put everything out in the open on the table where the rest of the men can see it."

"Well, time to eat." Elric got off the stump, looking as if he were about to zip away in his usual fashion. He could move faster than anyone she'd ever known. If he wanted, he could move so fast that he appeared to be nothing but a blur. She supposed it came from being an elf, but she wasn't sure. "I don't want to miss out on those pazzleberry pies that Lira made," he said.

Persimmon reached out and gripped him around the wrist now to keep him from going.

"Elric, Lira never told me she had a sister," said the man with the long blond hair and the ochre-colored eyes.

"Shhh, Zann, quiet," said Elric shaking his head, calling the man by name. It was too late. Persimmon had already heard him.

"Sister?" she repeated. "I have a sister? Father? Is this true?" Her eyes narrowed to slits as she eyed up the elf.

"All right, I confess. I cheated." Elric emptied his pouch, throwing down a few extra cards and some odd trinkets.

"Hey, that's the tooth from a Seyadillo that I got on a hunt while in my wolf form. See the hole in it?" Zann scooped it off the table. A Seyadillo was a large rodent with tough skin, so big that it was about the size of a small man. "I was planning on stringing up the tooth and wearing it around my neck. And Rhys, isn't that a tassel from your horse's tack?" Zann pointed to the trinkets Elric had emptied from his pouch.

"Is it? Let me see," said the man named Rhys, picking up the tassel and dangling it from two fingers. "Yes, it is. I've been meaning to replace that."

"This is Talia's favorite hair pin," said the man with black hair, picking up the last item to inspect it. "She blamed me months ago for misplacing it, when you had it all along."

"They are just trinkets that I found, the same way Darium found his." Elric nodded at the dark-haired man so Persimmon knew he was called Darium.

"You had Murk bringing you his finds?" asked Darium. "I don't like that."

"Nay, I wouldn't let that dirty bird bring me anything." Elric wrinkled his nose. "I just meant that all of you must have dropped the trinkets and I found them, that's all."

"That's not it at all. You're a thief," said Zann.

"Am not," replied the elf. "Besides, they are just silly trinkets and not worth anything so what do any of you care?"

"One man's silly trinket is another man's treasure," remarked Zann, shoving the Seyadillo tooth into his pouch.

"The real issue here is that you cheated," said Rhys.

"Yes, you cheated. In more ways than one it seems." Darium scowled at Persimmon's father.

"Let's eat." Elric was ready to leave as usual. It seemed to be what he did best when he didn't want to face something. Like all the times he'd left Persimmon and her mother, just when they needed him the most.

"Nay, no one is leaving yet." Zann stood up and so did his brothers.

"We want the truth," said the big one, named Rhys. "But then, how can we really expect the truth from someone who cheats at cards?"

"That's right," said Darium with a snort. "And he had the nerve to call us dishonorable? Elric, it seems to me that you have some explaining to do. And not just about the card game either." His gaze traveled over to Persimmon when he said it.

"I agree," said Zann. "But first, let me call over my wife. Lira!" He raised his arm in the air and waved her over. One woman came to the table, followed by a few others.

"Nay, don't!" begged Elric, cringing, but it was too late. The woman named Lira and the other women in the group who had been visiting and talking, joined them.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Lira reached up and kissed her husband on the mouth. Then she noticed Persimmon standing there and her green eyes opened wide in surprise. "Oh, pardon me. I didn't know we had a guest. Hello, there. I am Queen Lira Penworth."

Her husband cleared his throat.

Her eyes flashed over to him and she grinned. "I mean Queen Lira Blackseed now," she corrected herself, blushing in a bashful manner. Her hand went to her mouth and her fingertips daintily covered her lips. "Sorry, Zann," she told her husband. "I'm still getting used to us being married."

This woman seemed to be close to Persimmon's age of twenty-five. Her beauty was beyond compare. She sported a long braid of strawberry-blonde hair trailing down her back. Her eyes were green like the new life of a spring plant. Pointy tips turned upward from the tops of her ears, a true trait of an elf. She also had a kind and bright smile. Lira was dressed in a fancy gown, depicting her noble status. And over her clothes, she wore a fur-lined long, green cloak. "Zann, aren't you going to introduce me to our guest?"

"I would if I knew who she was," muttered Zann under his breath.

"Perhaps your father would like that honor." Darium glared at Elric. All three of the men did, actually. The air was thick between them. Persimmon could tell by the way her father shifted his weight from one foot to the other that he was feeling uncomfortable right now. So was she. This was a strange land to her since she'd never set foot on Mura before, even though she'd lived her entire life just across the water in Lornoon. Persimmon didn't know anyone here but her father, and she'd barely spoken to Elric at all while growing up. Nay, nothing here was familiar to her and neither did she feel at ease here, even if she wasn't really sure where she would feel comfortable.

Slowly, Persimmon released his arm. "Go ahead, Father. I'm sure everyone would like to hear your explanation of who I am."

"Persimmon, these are the Blackseed brothers, Zann, Rhys, and Darium," announced her father, pointing to each of the men in turn. The brothers were handsome men. Rugged and strong. Two of them were dressed like nobles and the other in clothes suited for traveling the land. "These are their wives, Lira, Medea, and Talia," he added, introducing three of the four women. Medea and Talia, just like Lira, were beautiful women. Talia was the smallest. She wore earthen-colored clothes and lilies in her hair. The strong scent of the flowers wafted through the air. Persimmon realized Talia must be a fae. Medea, on the other hand, had more exotic looks. She had long black hair like Persimmon, but dark eyes. She seemed mysterious, as if she held secrets.

"Hello," Persimmon greeted them with a quick nod.

"And last, we have the Blackseed boys' Fae Queen mother." He pointed to a woman at the back of the group.

"Persimmon's head jerked upward in surprise when she heard him say Fae Queen. Could it really be? Sure enough, she recognized the older but beautiful woman. "Oh, hello, Alai Na-Dea she said with a nod and a slight curtsy. "I am sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm surprised to find you here in Mura. I also didn't know you had sons or that you'd been crowned Queen of the Fae." She curtsied a few more times, thrilled to see the woman again after all this time, and wanting to show her respect. "It is always an honor to be in your presence, my Queen."

"Please, everyone calls me Alaina now," said the woman with a kind smile.

"Enough with all this addled talk of honor," grumbled Elric.

"There's also no need to curtsy, my dear," Alaina assured her. "We've known each other for years now, Persimmon, so we are friends. After all, I first met you when you were only a small child."

"Mother? You know her?" asked Zann. "Wait, I'm confused. How do you know each other?"

"Persimmon knows me from the time I lived with the Elementals on the island of Lornoon," explained Alaina. "I was friends with her mother, Luna. I thought I knew her well, however, I guess I was mistaken. I mean, I had no idea Elric was Persimmon's father until just now. Luna never told me."

"I see," said Zann, perusing Persimmon with a keen eye. "Can you explain more about being Elric's daughter? That, I just have to hear."

"Yes," Lira agreed with her husband. "I would like to know more, too. I have two brothers, Korack and Keevan, but I didn't know I had a sister, too. Also, you don't look like an elf. I mean, you don't have features like the rest of my family." Lira had pointy ears and light hair like any good elf had. Persimmon, on the other hand had rounded ears, dark hair, and no features depicting her as having elven blood in the least.

"I'm only half-elf," Persimmon explained. "You see, my mother was a sorceress."

"A sorceress? Really?" Medea, Rhys' wife perked up at hearing this. "Oh, it's so nice to know there is another witch around here, other than just my daughter and me."

Persimmon continued. "I don't think I really have a lot of my father's qualities at all. However, I inherited some of my mother's powers."

"Powers? What kind of powers?" asked Zann.

Persimmon looked from one person to the other, suddenly wishing she hadn't said anything. They were all strangers to her and she wasn't sure how much she wanted them to know about her. They waited with anticipation on their faces. She was going to have to tell them something now. "Well, my mother was a prophetess," she answered, being cautious not to say anything about herself.

"Oh, how exciting!" exclaimed Medea. "I knew you were special the moment I saw you. Even with all my powers, I can't say I've ever been a prophetess. It is so nice to meet you."

"You're a prophetess?" questioned Rhys. "What's that?"

"She can see the future," Medea answered before Persimmon could correct the mistake.

"Oh, you must be very powerful," gasped Talia.

"Sister, I am so proud of you. Tell us, how do you go about seeing the future?" asked Lira.

Persimmon knew she should correct them and tell her that only her mother had such a skill. As much as Persimmon longed to have the same power, she sadly didn't. It felt good to have so many people interested in her. They seemed to like her because they thought she was a prophetess. Persimmon had been sheltered her entire life. She'd never had friends, and this felt so good. Special. She wanted people to like her, and this was her perfect opportunity to start her new life. Nay, she couldn't tell them now that she wasn't a prophetess. If she did, they were all going to scorn her, and she couldn't take any more of that in her life.

"Yes. I can see the future," she blurted out, feeling like such a fake. Still, no one here knew the truth so what did it really matter? She reached over to her pouch hanging at her side, plucking out a round gazing sphere made of crystal. It was quite large and took up her entire palm. She held it up for the others to see. "I use this to scry. It used to be Mother's but it is mine now." Persimmon's gaze went to her father. She had hoped hearing this would impress him and make him like her. Or, at least, make him a little more interested in her, since the two of them never had a bond between them.

"So that's how you knew he was cheating at cards," said Rhys with a knowing nod. "Excellent. Good work."

Persimmon liked the fact these people were admiring her and congratulating her, but guilt ate away at her gut. She couldn't back out of the lie now, but mayhap she could somehow smooth it over.

"Well, actually, no, that is not how I knew he was cheating." Persimmon told them. "You see, I didn't need to look into the crystal orb for that. I knew my father was cheating because my mother always told me that he couldn't be trusted. People don't ever change their ways, she said, and she was right as Elric has just proven." It was true her mother said this to her once, and she felt good that she hadn't just lied again. But when she saw the look on her father's face, she realized it probably wasn't a good idea to call him out like this in front of so many.

"I am not sure I agree with what you just said." Rhys took his wife's hand. "After all, Medea changed more since I first met her than you'd ever realize. She is living proof that even people with a darkness inside them can turn to the light."

Before Persimmon could ask what he meant, Lira broke in.

"Who is your mother? And where is she?" Lira stretched her neck to look around the area. "Is she here with you? I would like to meet her."

"Yes, Persimmon," said Elric in his nasal-sounding voice. "Where is Luna? She didn't come with you, did she?" Elric stretched his neck, too, trying to see over all the tall people encircling him.

Dread filled Persimmon, and sadness gripped its sharp claws into her heart. "Don't worry, Father," she answered, feeling a knot twisting in her stomach as she slid the orb back into the velvet pouch hanging from her waist belt. "Mother is not here so you won't have to face her. Actually, the only reason I sought you out at all was to tell you that she has died."

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry," Lira said with a kind look. "My mother died not that long ago. I feel your pain."

"You poor girl." Alaina rushed over and put her arm around Persimmon's shoulders to comfort her. "I knew she'd been ill, but I had no idea she has passed. I should have returned to Lornoon more often. Luna was a good woman. She will be missed by all."

"She's dead? Really?" asked the elf with little to no emotion at all in his voice. "What happened to her? Did she put a spell on the wrong person and it backfired?"

"Father!" scolded Lira. "That is highly inappropriate. Please, show a little care and compassion in this delicate situation."

"Care and compassion? Hah! It seems to me that is what got Elric into this mess to begin with," remarked Darium with a chuckle, getting a slap on the arm from his wife in return since they all knew he meant that Elric had gotten a woman pregnant.

"I admit, I might have had a fling with the witch from Lornoon, but that was a long time ago," said Elric with a shrug of his shoulders. He acted as if it was of no importance to him, but Persimmon couldn't help noticing the way he fidgeted. It did bother him deep down. She could tell it did.

"Father, you had a relationship with another woman while Mother was still alive?" Lira's gaze quickly swept over to Persimmon before her father even had a chance to answer. "Wait a minute. How old are you, Persimmon?"

"I'm twenty-five," Persimmon answered. "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-four, and my brothers are younger. So, Father was married to your mother before he married mine then." Lira turned toward Elric. "Why didn't you ever tell me about it? And did Mother even know?"

"Why all the questions?" Elric raised his palms. "What's done is done so what does it matter? Can we eat now?"

"Elric never married my mother," Persimmon informed them, feeling the emptiness in her life more than ever now that she was speaking to others about her mother's passing.

"Never married her?" asked Rhys.

"You had a child out of wedlock? How dishonorable," mumbled Darium under his breath.

"Do you have siblings?" asked Lira, curiously. "I have twin brothers who live in Glint, at my former castle in the elven queendom. I'd like them to meet you."

"I'd like that, too," said Persimmon, feeling a little less lonely to hear she had half-brothers along with a half-sister. "And to answer your question, no, I don't have siblings. I grew up being an only child." Her attention went to her father next. "Or should I say my mother had only me. I don't know anything about my father's immoral escapades, besides what I just found out."

Two young girls ran over. They held the hands of the other little children who couldn't have been more than a year old. The older child clung to Lira's arm. "Mother, who is that?" she asked in a small voice.

"This is your Aunt Persimmon," said Lira. "Persimmon, this is my daughter, Valindra. She is five now."

"And I'm Lily-Rae, and I'm three," said the younger girl, jumping up and down. Her fast movement scared the chickens. The birds flapped their wings, managing to scatter the cards everywhere.

"Lily-Rae, settle down," warned Rhys, picking up the little girl. "You are frightening the hens."

Before Persimmon knew what happened, a chicken was magically in the girl's arms and she was petting it.

"Put that back, honey," said her mother, taking the bird and placing it back on the table. "Our daughter has the power of transporting," Medea explained to Persimmon.

"Transporting herself, or anything else, that is," added Rhys picking up one of the younger girls. "However, our daughter, Leandra hasn't shown those powers yet."

"Oh, you have two children," said Persimmon. "How nice."

"We all do," Zann told her. "Valindra is our daughter, and Lucio is our son." He nodded to the little boy who Lira picked up.

"And Talia and I have twins." Darium picked up one child in each arm. "Meet our son, Thistle, and our daughter, Cricket." The boy had dark hair and ebony eyes like his father, but the girl had light hair and green eyes, like most of the fae did.

"Such unusual names." Persimmon had thought her name was unique until she heard these.

"They're fae names," explained Talia.

"I see." That made Persimmon smile. She liked meeting her newfound family and finding out how unique each of them was. Persimmon's mother had been born with the power to move objects at will. Sometimes she could even conjure things from the ethers. Persimmon hadn't been born with these abilities. However, she developed the power to move things with her mind while she was growing up. "I'm happy to meet everyone. My new family, that is."

"Well, sorry you can't stay, Persimmon, but I'm sure you'll want to get back to Lornoon for the funeral." The elf left in a blur, moving so fast that no one saw where he went.

"Where did he go?" asked Persimmon, looking around.

Darium cleared his throat. "If you can't find the irritating little man, just look for the nearest pazzleberry pie and it's a good bet you'll find him there." Darium nodded to the food table. Sure enough, there was Elric standing on his tiptoes, holding up an entire pie to his mouth.

"Father, nay!" cried out Lira, to stop him. "That is for later. After the meal. And it is for everyone, not just you."

There came a giggle from the small girl in Rhys' arms. Suddenly the pazzleberry pie disappeared from Elric and reappeared in her hands.

"Where did my pie go?" yelled the elf, looking around, spinning in a full circle. "This isn't funny. I want pie!"

Everyone laughed.

"Give me that, Lily." Medea took the pie from her daughter, causing the little girl to cry.

"I think she's hungry," stated Rhys.

"Yes, we should all eat." Alaina motioned to Persimmon. "Won't you stay and join us for the meal?"

"I'd like that." Persimmon appreciated the kind invitation.

"I want you to show me that crystal orb later, if you don't mind." The witch, Medea, motioned with her eyes to Persimmon's pouch. "I've never seen one before and would love to know exactly how it works. You're a witch, right?"

"Yes, I am," Persimmon answered, feeling nervous admitting it since she'd had to keep it a secret for so many years now.

"We have to talk. I have so much to tell you," said Medea excitedly.

"Yes. Good. I'd like that." Persimmon cleared her throat. "Perhaps I can ask you a few questions later as well." She hoped that Medea could help her understand why her power of moving objects with her mind only appeared after she had matured. Persimmon didn't know much about being a witch since growing up she never had any real powers. Well, just one. But it was something she wasn't willing to talk about with anyone because it rather frightened her.

"Persimmon, do you have somewhere to stay now that your mother is gone?" asked Alaina.

"No, I don't," she admitted. "I am alone. I lost the house when Mother died nearly a month ago," explained Persimmon. "I couldn't pay the rent. That's why I decided to look for my father. You see, I didn't know where else to go."

"Oh, you're going to live with Elric now?" asked Alaina.

"I'm not sure." Persimmon felt a heaviness in her heart. "I'm afraid my father never wanted anything to do with me. I highly doubt that he'll allow me to stay here with him now. You see, I barely know him. I'm not even sure I really should have come to Mura at all."

"Nonsense," said Lira, overhearing her and breaking into the conversation. "You are of my blood and you will live with me from now on."

"In the Elven Queendom?" she asked, feeling intrigued and almost liking the idea for a moment. She didn't know much at all about elves but would love to learn all about them since she was part elf, too.

"Nay, not in Glint. I'm talking about right here on this side of the mountain. At Evandorm Castle." Lira motioned with her arm to the grand castle before them.

The kingdom was on the southeast end of Mura, and butted up to the Masked Sea. Persimmon had caught a ride on a boat with a tradesman from Lornoon. That is why she ended up here instead of on the other side of Mura. Evandorm had a cropping of small buildings and homes inside the protection of the castle walls. The villagers set up stalls in front of their homes which she imagined was for selling and trading their wares to others in Mura or tradesmen from different lands that came to visit. It seemed to be such a happy place to live. So colorful and lively. A cobblestone courtyard led from the large keep, and in the center of the courtyard was a tall, bubbling fountain filled with wild birds that came to drink. It felt safe and comfortable here. It was a true honor to be asked to stay, and she wasn't about to refuse the offer. However, she still had so many questions about Mura and things she did not understand.

"I'm confused," said Persimmon. "So, Lira, you are queen of two castles then? Evandorm and the Elven Queendom of Glint?"

"Nay, just one. I gave up my throne at Glint to my Aunt Sasha when I married Zann," explained Lira. "I am Zann's wife now, and he is King of Evandorm. So this is my new home."

"How interesting," said Persimmon, not understanding how any woman could give up her throne and her entire queendom for a mere man.

"Will you please stay?" asked Lira, excitement growing in her eyes. "I'd love for us to get to know each other better. After all, we are sisters. I've never had a sister before, and we have so much to catch up on."

"Yes. Yes, we do." Persimmon felt a restlessness deep inside her. This wasn't her home. Not really. Then again, she had no home anymore, so what would it matter where she laid her head? Even back in Lornoon, she hadn't lived with her mother. If she would have had her way, she would have stayed close to her mother and never left her side. But, unfortunately, that is not what happened. "Yes, sister. I'd be happy to stay with you at Evandorm Castle. It would be an honor," she told Lira, getting a feeling without even attempting to use her gazing crystal that something dangerous was about to happen in her life.