Page 36 of Somewhere down the Ley Line
Isolde stared at the elder, her hands shaking. Blue light gathered around her, her markings glowing. “I… My father wouldn’t…”
“Isa,” Felix said, trying to keep his voice calm, “it’s alright. Take a breath.”
She spun to face him. “It is not alright! How could I be such a fool?!” She slammed her hand flat on the tabletop in frustration. She did not mean to, Felix was sure, but a shockwave of power burst outward from the impact. The herbs scattered all over the room. Felix grabbed onto the bench for support, as did Asara. The elder fell backwards and collided heavily with another table. Isolde hurried over to her.
“Oh goodness, oh no, I am so sorry!” she cried, her hands hovering uselessly as Asara helped the old woman to her feet.
Leif peeked out from under the table, his eyes huge.
“Well,” the old woman said, flustered, “I do not believe I asked for a demonstration, but thank you all the same, my dear. No, no, it is quite alright,” she waved Isolde’s apologies away. “I know you did not intend to. We cannot always control our feelings. There is no harm done.”
Isolde stepped back, her fingers twisting together, her expression a mixture of guilt and worry.
“Let me take you to rest,” Asara said, with a disapproving glance at Isolde. “We can continue speaking with our guests later.”
The elder shook her head. “Don’t coddle me, Asara dear. Why don’t you and Leif take these baskets to the bonfires? And take this one – what was your name - Felix? – with you as well.”
Asara and Felix both spoke up, protesting, but the elder held up a hand. “I assure you, we will be fine. Sometimes too many people in the room make it a little hard to breathe.”
Felix met Isolde’s eyes, and she gave him a small nod and a pleading look. Asara and Leif stood and waited for him, so he reluctantly followed them outside.
“That was magic!” Leif blurted out. “Real magic!”
“It sure was,” Felix answered, staring at the door Asara closed behind them.
“Come, Skraeling,” she said as she brushed past him. “Put those nice arms to use; there’s plenty of work to do.” She winked, then walked off. Leif mumbled something under his breath, then looked at Felix. “You coming?”
14
A fantastic time
After convincing himself Isolde would be fine with the old lady, Felix joined in the preparations for the celebration, glad for something mindless to do. They dragged tables around, built a firepit, and opened an enormous barrel of mead that turned out to be especially tasty.
When evening fell, Luella stayed in the cabin, claiming she did not want to draw any more attention from Elric or anyone who sympathized with him. Garren offered to stay behind with her, and told Felix and Leif in no uncertain terms not to get drunk, and to keep an eye on Isolde.
At the site of the festivities, they learned, to Felix’s chagrin, that a group including both Elric and Beorn had brought in not one but two deer, fat from a summer of plentiful grazing. The meat roasted on large spits, and the victorious hunters were being celebrated. The villagers gathered around an enormous bonfire, which had dozens of torches sticking out of it. Children ran wild; families sat in groups and talked. Long wooden tables were laden with bowls of fruit, nuts, bread, and mead. Leif and Felix helped themselves to generous mugs of the stuff and found a bench to sit on.
Felix spotted Isolde on the other side of the fire with the elder and Asara, a small crowd of children gathered around them. Garren was nowhere to be seen. Isolde was smiling at the little ones, her hair and eyes reflecting the firelight, making her glow. When she moved her head to say something to Asara, the light shimmered on the ley marking on her neck. It was extremely distracting. He wondered how far the patterns extended, and his mind wandered helplessly, imagining how they would trace the curves of her –
“– lucky they brought in those deer! It would have been a poor gathering if there was no fresh game,” Leif said next to him, pulling Felix out of his thoughts.
“Right.” Felix nodded stupidly, hoping Leif had not asked him anything else. He attempted to look at anything other than Isolde.
Leif nudged him. “Were you making eyes at my sister?”
“What? No.”
“Sure,” Leif said dryly. “That must be why she’s headed this way.”
Before Felix could reply, Asara slid onto the bench between them. “Good evening,” she greeted, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Asara,” Felix replied politely, noting Leif’s exaggerated eye-roll. He tried not to smile. “How are you enjoying the feast?”
“It’s much improved since you arrived,” she said, her large eyes roving over him.
“I need another drink,” Leif muttered, giving Felix a look that spoke volumes as he escaped into the crowd. Across the fire, the elder had disappeared somewhere, her seat taken by none other than Beorn, the great and mighty hunter. He was talking animatedly, and Isolde smiled at him. Smiled. At that idiot.
Felix ground his teeth.
