Page 42 of The Oracle's Journey

He shrugged, and one corner of his mouth turned down in a thoughtful half frown. “Occasionally, though it never seemed to be something that would happen, so I didn’t invest much thought into it.”

That … was sad. “Would you want to have that? A family, I mean.”

“I think I would. Yes. So long as it isn’t with a dark elf.” He paused. “Have you given much thought to settling down and having children?”

“I think about it often. Not that I ever had anyone to speak to about those dreams,” I shrugged a shoulder and tipped my head. It was something I’d only contemplate during lonely nights on the road. Why I found comfort in such distant plans was beyond me. Likely because my terrible personal luck couldn’t touch those yet. “Would you like to hear about them?”

Lhoris tightened his arm around my waist and pressed a cheek against my hair. “Of course.”

A little smile pulled at the corner of my lips. “I don’t think I want to live in a city, it’s too dirty and restrictive for children in my opinion. Maybe in a town near one though. I want to teach them how to survive on nature’s bounty—foraging, hunting and the like. Though I don’t know if I would want to live in a rural area. My skill set is better suited for well populated areas if I have to stop wandering.”

“Hm. Perhaps. You needn’t be a bodyguard. Constable Black has a nice ring to it,” he said, his tone light. “Authority would suit you. Very alluring.”

I chuckled, remembering his heated look when he first saw the outfit I cobbled together the day before. “You think anything is alluring on me.”

“And off,” he said suggestively and sighed. “Especially, off.”

I grinned but wouldn’t let him distract me. “It’s hard to consider what having children would be like as a long-lived person. I’ve only ever really witnessed the human life cycle. It’s strange to think of having grown children and still be able to have more. But I think I would only want two at a time, three at the most and then wait until they’re grown and decide if I want more.”

“That’s mostly how it works for elves,” Lhoris explained. “We don’t marry. There’s magic in procreation that keeps a family together until the offspring are old enough to take care of themselves. Most of the time, mates only last that season. Some choose a lifetime, though.”

“There’s magic in it?”

“We are inherently magic people, Oz. I don’t understand all the nuances of it since, well, I’ve never been a father. Never truly thought I would be ...” His voice trailed off and he didn’t offer any more explanation. The tension of his body tightened behind me. I’d touched on something delicate.

“I’m sorry if I upset you,” I looked back at him and his sad eyes. I’d forgotten how he’d described childhood for his people. Why would he have invested any thought in bringing new life into that hell? “But the mating magic you’ve described … it doesn’t sound like the childhood of your people.”

Lhoris sighed and offered me a wan smile. “Would you like to hear my whole story, Ozanna?” He searched my face and waited for my answer.

“Of course,” I answered and hugged the arm around my waist.

“Very well,” he nodded. “The contradiction you mention stems from the fact that I only spent part of my childhood with the warband. Lobikno stole me away when he realized I wasn’t going to survive. Between the cruelty of the adults and the competition for food with the other boys, I was wasting away.” Lhoris sighed heavily. “Lobikno said he saw it in my eyes the day I gave up. He’d seen it many times before. I have no idea why he suddenly decided to step in, but I’m forever grateful.”

My eyes burned with sudden, unshed tears and I thread my fingers through his, clutching his hand where it rested on my belly. “How old were you?”

“I don’t know for sure. Eight ... nine at the most.”

Most children were helping tend gardens and farm animals at that age, playing between chores or lessons. I doubt I even considered mortality let alone been prepared to embrace death at eight. “Mother above,” I whispered. “How did you even end up there?”

“I didn’t have enough magic talent to be kept in the city. Not useful for the ranks of the elite soldiers or mages or considered worthy for breeding. Most boys end up in the warbands at two or three.” He said it so casually. “Disposable troops and errand boys to keep near the surface.”

“So dark elves reject those mating practices?”

“To a degree, yes,” he hedged. “And they’re bonds, not practices. Some can be circumvented if the male is never ensnared in that magic.”

Ensnared? That sounded awful. It opened a whole new set of questions about that process, but I really didn’t want to distract him from his story. They’d have to wait for another day.

“So, how did Lobikno get you away? Where did you go?”

Lhoris snorted. “He shoved me into an equipment bag and told me not to make a fucking sound until he opened it again. I rode on the back of his horse with his bedroll and extra weapons. The calvary was off to interrupt a supply chain or something to that effect. When the fighting started, Lobikno deserted in the confusion of battle and made for the nearest woodland settlement, which was weeks away, even by horseback. We were intercepted by a troop of woodland soldiers before we could reach it though. Lobikno threw down his weapons and surrendered. Begged for asylum. The mage in charge of the troop, Tamnaeth Pernala, almost killed him on the spot. He only stayed his hand because Lobikno revealed my presence under his cloak the moment he threw down his weapons. Pernala took in the sight of my emaciated body and Lobikno explained that going back would be the death of me.

“Pernala happened to have a daughter my age at home and was moved enough to grant me asylum. He accepted any information Lobikno could give him about the warband, but could not take him in. Pernala sent him away but adopted me as his own.”

Lobikno’s leap of faith was staggering … that even the poorest care by their enemies would be better than the slow death guaranteed by his own people.

As if sensing my surprise, Lhoris explained, “You have to understand, Oz, my people are trapped in a cult. The demon Irnon commands them to do things that leave them so isolated that there’s no escaping her grasp. No safe haven. But the woodland people wouldn’t murder a child.”

I nodded and Lhoris continued.

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