The other two seemed inconsequential. Their expressionless faces had turned haughty and snobby; their noses were slightly upturned.
�Quivern, this is one of the Bala-Shyra, Shyra Wan-ri of the tae that governs the human soul and body.� Silu sounded very formal.
�Bala-Shyra?�
Silu�s face turned bright red and bowed slightly to Wan-ri. �Forgive me. I have accepted Quivern�s help in rescuing the kidnapped coldlings.� Wan-ri nodded for her to continue. The other Shyra eyed him suspiciously. �He and Bjover have been a great assistance, as well as Quivern�s fallen friend Darien.� She hesitated. �He died in my defense.�
The Wan-ri and her companions took a collective inward breath. Wan-ri was the first to recover. Quivern tried not to look away when her eyes met his. �I am truly sorry for your loss Quivern.� She said it evenly, stuttering a little when she said his name. If he had not been the son of a Duke he would never have guessed she was lying.
�Quivern, this is Philimina and Reana. They are Shyra of the human body and soul tae, as I am.� She was obviously trying to be polite, searching to say something other then confront whatever it was that was making Silu and the others so uncomfortable.
Philimina was short and solid looking. She nodded a greeting but said nothing. Reana was very thin and blond. Where her armor didn�t cover her skin he could see that she had bright tattoos of wispy shapes. She smiled briefly and tilted her head to one side.
The three of them together were a frightening sight. They had a way of carrying themselves. It practically screamed power. But there was definitely something very different about the way they displayed their power. Silu seemed as if she were trying to suppress it at all times, to hide it. He decided that these three had skill and knew it, weren�t afraid to show it either.
�Dusk is coming Silu. You go collect some firewood and the three of us will find a suitable place to camp.� Wan-ri ordered.
Philimina made a face. �I have no desire to sleep anywhere near this mess.� Quivern nearly jumped at her. Mess?
But he didn�t get the chance. Silu moved faster then he could follow and restrained him. He wondered at her perceptiveness, he hadn�t realized he had shown any outward signs of intended violence. The heat of the angry urge remained only a short time and was replaced by surprise.
Silu had stepped forward calmly and struck Philimina hard across the face. She held eye contact for a few moments driving her point home with a matter-of-fact nod then pivoted on her heel towards the surrounding forest, most likely to carry out Wan-ri�s order to find firewood.
Philimina�s face went from a fear induced ashen white to bright red once Shyra Silu was out of sight. She spat angrily at a puddle of blood and glared at the path Silu had chosen in her retreat to find kindling. Quivern felt no need to avenge the blood. He wasn�t sure whose it was. Besides these women were to be feared and Silu had obviously done more damage then any amount of disrespectful impudence on Philimina�s part could have.
Reana remained motionless; it seemed to be a habit of hers. She had been quietly observing the transaction with wide eyes and a slight hint of a frown. On the contrary, Wan-ri looked like someone had just walked over her grave.
�Philimina!� was all she managed to utter before Philimina turned and ran wildly into the woods. Quivern stifled a satisfied smile.
�I�m terribly sorry Lord MacKain.� It was completely unsuitable for Wan-ri to be using a term of supplication for him like �Lord.� Shyra Silu hadn�t even bothered, but then again that was one more reason he knew she was special. She didn�t heed authority to anyone, not even the son of the First Kingdoms most powerful Duke. Of course she would follow this older Shyra�s wished, but he knew that was more out of respect for her then anything concerning rank.
�No need to��
�But I am afraid we will have to part paths here. It is necessary that Shyra Silu returns to Shallow Sea Island with us. Since you do not qualify as a possible Tan-Nui, there is no way you could accompany us. Thank you for your assistance Lord MacKain.�
Quivern�s insides twisted. �Leave you?�
Wan-ri didn�t answer, the matter was settled for her.
He looked helplessly at the spot where he had watched Silu disappear into the forest. Leave? Something inside him strongly protested to that. �But what about the coldlings?�
Bjover stepped to his side. �I must get the young ones back. The Balance is at stake!� A cold mass of air blew threw as the blue creature became agitated. �Shyra Silu has not completed her task! Do you want the whole bloody world to fall apart around us!�
Wan-ri fixed him with one of her intimidating glares. The wind was strong enough now to blow Quivern�s hair around his head wildly. He brushed the blondish strands away from his eyes. �There is something bigger to worry about then your petty little ice storms Bjover! We need Silu at home, were her power can be put to better use. Now stop this infernal gusting or the world will be short one more coldling.�
It stopped abruptly and Bjover bared his teeth viciously. He waddled away muttering curses and damning various versions of Wan-ri�s name to the under realm.
He considered questioning her further on the soundness of her idea that this balance wouldn�t be interrupted if the codlings were killed. She seemed pretty sure of herself, though, and at the moment she was irritated by something. He couldn�t brush off the feeling that that �something� was him. So, his conclusion was that any confrontation between Wan-ri and himself was not wise and most likely unsafe at this time.
�Thank you my Lord for your assistance. I hope your time has not been wasted.� Wan-ri�s words were soft and measured, but far too emotionless to be considered kind.
Quivern, angrily, remained silent. Bjover�s wind picked back up and Reana eyed him thoughtfully.
He replied the only way he felt was suitable, or at least not offensive. �Good bye.�
The trio turned their backs on them, oblivious to their poor manners. Bjover gave further protest but it was useless. They went after Philimina into the dense forest that walled off Almberry highway and disappeared.
