Chapter 25

Iwasn't sure how to process everything I'd heard while Volaris was telling Sorcha his story. I knew Belisarus had wanted me to come because he didn't think it would be safe for me, but I didn't want to stay on Nestran and let the girl leave without me. The humans suspected me and I had no reason to hide. If there was a war, I could fight with the tribes.

We were walking again and getting close to the coast. In maybe a day or two, we would be on a boat to Idric and I'd finally get my suspicions confirmed that this girl was Lisana. I hoped the girl would be happy when she found out I was her mother and not take it badly like she had done everything else. I didn't need anyone to tell me. I knew this was my child. I just needed Belisarus to tell everyone else.

We had finally stopped for lunch, and I was glad for the break. My legs and feet hurt from so many days of walking. I had no idea how Sorcha was making this journey a second time. Sorcha and Frog left to look for food and the men had left to hunt. One had stayed with me, but I really needed a moment alone now that I was close to getting answers.

Leodos kept telling me that I needed to be prepared to get news that this girl wasn't Lisana, but I could just feel that she was even though Sorcha kept denying it.

I knew I shouldn't leave my guard, but I slipped away and went and sat under a tree. I didn't know what I would say to Sorcha when Belisarus gave me his message, nor if Sorcha would let me embrace her like I'd been wanting to do this entire time. I didn't let Sorcha see how much it upset me when I tried when I saw she was upset and Sorcha pushed me away.

I was surprised when a raven landed on my knee. There was a message tied to its ankle. Not knowing who it was from, I untied it but didn't open it. Could Rivannus be contacting me after all this time? I took a deep breath and unrolled the scroll. I was shocked to see Belisarus's handwriting. I didn't know why he would send a raven when we were so close. I read his message.

"Dearest Esylle.

"I'm sure by now, you've met Sorcha and are close to Idric. I am old and ill and may not be here when you finally arrive. I'm sure you have your suspicions about who she is after I told her to call to you before she gave you her message.

"I was hoping to explain to you in person why I had to take Lisana when she was so young. By now, I'm sure you've seen her gifts. If she played her flute like I've instructed her to, I'm sure you've been told who she is and why she's important. She needed to be taken where she could not be discovered until she could protect herself and be who she is.

"I should also tell you other things. I am no ordinary human. I am a Theran. For years, I kept the tribe's history. That is how I knew who she was and why she needed to be taken away. That is how I came by the Vudos flute she now has. Many years ago, I fell in love with a Tark. Mixing among tribes is forbidden, and we were sent away when the tribes found out that I mated with a Tark and she was carrying my child.

They did not kill me because I went to your family and trained you. You know the child I had as Rivannus. He never told you his secret because I would not allow him. The humans could also not know that he was both Tark and Theran or they would kill him.

"He never told you, but when he left, he knew I took her and was trying to find me. He knew who she was as soon as she was born and knew she needed to be protected. He thought he should be the one to protect her, but I knew she needed to be raised completely away from humans. I know he died while looking for her and I thought you should know this. It grieved me to lose my son because I was the cause of his death.

"Sorcha does not know she is Lisana, nor have I ever told her I am her grandfather. I knew how to hide my scent from her, so she didn't know I was Theran. It pained me, watching her grow up, to treat her like my student and never her grandfather. I did not prepare her for what she was to learn when I sent her to you because I didn't know how. How does one tell a four-year-old that they are a god reborn? I kept everything from her because I couldn't look her in those eyes, my son's eyes, and tell her what she was meant for.

"I'm hoping this has been explained to her, and she did not react badly. Knowing the both of you, I'm sure you know how she is, and she is denying it. I hoped to explain this to both of you when you got to Idric, but I fear I may not be able to hold on until you get here. I've also written her a raven with a way I can speak to her.

"Please explain to her who she is, who I am, and why I couldn't tell her. Tell her when she gets her raven, the both of you need to act on it immediately so I can hold on long enough to communicate with her. There is a way you can talk to me without being here, but you are only powerful enough to do it together.

"Belisarus."

I reread the letter twice before the tears came. I grew up learning from him and despite everything in his letter, I still didn't understand why he never said anything to me when Lisana was a baby and instead, just took her and let me worry for so long. Why had Rivannus not said anything? How had Rivannus kept that secret? He'd been around tribe members before. They would have scented it. I was guessing it had something to do with why we all thought Belisarus was human, too.

Every day, for nineteen years, I worried about her and hoped wherever she was, she was being taken care of. I'd been holding out hope this entire time that it wasn't Belisarus who kidnapped her.

I didn't know how I was going to explain to Sorcha who Belisarus was to her and never told her. I didn't even know until this letter. I didn't know if Sorcha had already received her raven and what was in the contents of the letter she received. I was getting up to go find her when Leodos rushed out of the brush looking worried.

"You can't start disappearing, too!" he fussed. "I have enough on my hands with Sorcha. Did something happen?" he asked, finally noticing my tears. I didn't know how to explain, so I just handed him the letter.

I watched his face as he read it. First, he got angry, then calmed down and looked at me sadly.

"How are you going to tell her?" he asked. "I don't think she will react to this well. She may be happy to find out she really is your daughter, but not that he kept from her that he was her grandfather. I wouldn't have guessed that."

"He said he sent her a raven, too. I don't know what her letter says, but we should find her because it has instructions on how to contact him."