Child of the Portal, ch2 "She's Gone"

Chapter 2 – She's Gone.

Sam vanishes from the glade, and from her trusted Eysi, to the concern of Elder, Drummer and the Naiad who all fear the worst.

She's gone.

[image error] Drummer sat cross legged on the grass and the dappled light cast by the tree above him just shaded enough so the glare of the sun didn't dazzle him. There was a cool breeze that lifted his lightly curled dark hair and cooled his back as the sun rose higher. The whetstone sang along the blade of his sword and the rhythm soothed him. The sounds of people stirring came from around him as the Eysi camp woke and prepared for the day ahead. He had been awake since before dawn.

Life had been calmer since Mistress Sam had taken Hiann's powers from him and since she had sealed the Portals to her own world. Even though life had become more settled and calm, Sam herself had not.

Drummer sighed out a deep breath and stroked the blade a little more firmly as he frowned. The Mistress wasn't happy and he knew that her Naiad consort missed Lilith, and so did his mother. If Drummer was honest with himself, he missed her too. He missed her calm and her ability to find a way without conflict. He dripped oil on the blade across his knees and rubbed it into the metal until it felt warm under his fingers.

He felt the change in the air as he heard the soft footsteps of the Naiad approaching him. He looked up at the sound of her voice.

"Drummer! She's gone." The Naiad called to him.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" He rose, sheathed his blade, and strode through the trees to meet her and they turned back towards the glade. "She can't be gone; I've been here all night." Side by side they approached the cottage and together they entered to find it dark and cold. Drummer flung open the door to the bedroom to stare at the neatly made bed, and a room tidier than it had ever been. He stepped over to lay a hand on the pillow and found it cold with no vestige of warmth or sleep remaining. "How long?" he asked over his shoulder where the Naiad stood in the doorway. "Can't you find her? Can't you sense where she is?"

"A few hours at least," the Naiad replied from behind him and he still didn't turn to face her. "I can't find her, I see only darkness." Her cool hand gripped his arm and he realised she had stepped into the room with him. "I fear she leaves us, Drummer." Her voice shook.

Drummer closed his eyes and strained to find Sam through the link they shared but it was like staring at a closed door.

"I can't feel her either," he admitted, "she has kept herself apart from me for a time now." Frowning as he went, he pushed past her and left the cottage. "I'm sure she'll be back soon enough." He went back to working on his sword until it drew blood when he drew the pad of his thumb across the edge. The sun rose overhead and passed into afternoon and when it was going down and the shadows grew long, Drummer wondered how long his Mistress was going to be away this time. It was unusual for her to not be back by nightfall but not completely unheard of, she'd stayed away and alone for a few days before this. It unsettled everyone and it wasn't the way of any Mistress Drummer had ever known or heard tales of, but Sam was different. Lilith had been strong, in control, and he knew his mother had felt safe with her nearby as they grew up together. Still, she had left them and allowed Ametsam to take over and that time had been hell for Drummer and his family. As the Eysi fires blazed high in the gathering dark of the evening, Drummer went to the stream to check on the Naiad and to ask if she needed him in or near the cottage. She didn't feel it was necessary so he spent that night with his mother, in her yurt and in comfort.

The sun was fully risen and streaming in through the small window as the Naiad stared at the empty bed for a moment before moving reluctantly back into the main room. She stared around the room, searching for some clue as to where Sam might have gone or how long she planned to be away.

The fire grate held a pile of ash which was unusual as Sam never had a fire unless it was the deepest and coldest part of winter when the stream froze over. She crouched and reached out to the cold ash, a light breeze from the door blew it from her hand and into a cloud in front of her.

"What were you burning?" The Naiad murmured, staring at the ash as it settled to the floor as well as back into the grate. She reached out and touched it gently. "Paper?" The Naiad frowned. "Why would you burn the paper?" Then, as understanding flooded her face, she rose quickly, moving to a cupboard against the wall and pulled it open to stare inside. It was empty apart from a small roll of paper tightly bound and left to be found in the middle of the shelf. There was a letter with writing on the outside of it, carefully laid on top, but the Naiad didn't read so she called for Elder, who had been taught her letters by Lilith, long ago when Lilith was barely more than a child.

Elder, you will be the one to read this.

This is for Lily, and for Kate.

Lilith will come when it's done, give this to her. She will need it and she will need you.

I'm sorry.

With Drummer at her shoulder, Elder picked up the scroll carefully with a sinking feeling of ice in the pit of her stomach. She unrolled it and read the first few lines. "We have to find her, quickly. You should have shown me this yesterday."

"I only just found it, Elder." The Naiad would have been affronted by the accusation had she not been increasingly concerned. "Drummer will go to seek her but she hides from us I should remain here in case she returns."

"Yes, you should," Elder agreed distractedly as she closed the cupboard, placing the scroll carefully in her pocket, "Lilith will come for that and we will need to be here for her when she does no matter what happens now." Elder frowned in thought for a moment. "Drummer, try at the Nexus where the old oak stands alone, she often goes there when she wants solitude. But go carefully, and be prepared. Bring her back if you can and I hope you can find her in time."

Drummer frowned, not daring to understand or believe what he heard in his mother's voice. "I'll gather some supplies and go after her alone. She won't want a large number." He stamped from the cottage to gather what he needed.

Child of the Portal, ebook edition, is officially launched on Tuesday June 21st, but you can find it now if you look.

Don't forget you could also win a copy by simply following the instructions on the post beneath this one. Click here.

Chapter three, "Sam." tomorrow…

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