The Seer by Rowan McAllister (reading comprehension books .TXT) 📕

but desperate with fear for his love, Ael had stolen King Hatal’s magic sword and fled to his lover’s aid. The sword was said to make its bearer invincible in battle, and he needed all the help he could get. Daks definitely would have done the same; no sense taking any chances if you didn’t have to.

Ravi’s melodic voice washed over Daks as he continued to weave the tale of the prince’s difficulties and trials on that journey, but Daks kind of got distracted with watching Ravi’s mouth and his eyes for a little while… until Ravi reached the good part, where Ael slew the horrid monster, saving his scholar love from certain death. Even Fara, as obviously ill at ease with any discussion of magic as any Rassan, sighed in relief and clapped when the magic sword felled the beast with a single strike.

“Excellent fireside tale,” Daks called. He let out a burp and sat forward, smiling. “Almost makes this place seem—”

“Hush. The Svatna is not done with his tale,” Shura interrupted sternly. Surprisingly, she’d used the Cigani formal title for a storyteller, which meant she honored his skill.

Ravi couldn’t have known that, but he seemed flattered by her intervention on his behalf just the same, as he smiled shyly at her and nodded before resuming his narrative.

“The tale is far from over. You see, in his desperation to save his beloved, Ael had forgotten something. He’d forgotten the Riftspawn’s Wraith. As soon as he plunged the sword into the monstrous creature’s heart, the Wraith fled from its dying body and into the nearest host it could find. Wounded and weakened by his ordeal before Ael could reach him, his lover, Balin, was no match for it. It possessed him fully, shoving the man Ael knew and loved aside. A creature of hate and savagery and darkness stared back at Ael through his lover’s eyes, and the prince cried out in despair and wept as he dropped the sword and wrestled with Balin to keep him from disappearing into the swamps.

“After his family assisted in capturing him, poor Balin lay bedridden and fevered for days, bound and under guard. But Ael never left his side. What was left of Balin’s beleaguered family rallied around them with little hope, for no one had ever heard of a Wraith leaving a living body before.

“The family said their goodbyes and made their preparations, trying to come to terms with the inevitable, but Ael refused to see reason. He called to his lover night and day, begging him to fight, to come back, until his voice gave out. Still, he fought any attempt to remove him from that bedside.

“In the middle of the night on the fourth day, Ael woke to Balin’s sweet voice calling to him as he used to. Desperate with fragile hope, Ael met his lover’s gaze to find the soft brown eyes of the man he loved no longer glowing red and filled with feral rage.

“‘Balin?’ he croaked hesitantly.

“‘I am here,’ his love whispered back. ‘Set me free. Let us leave this terrible place together.’

“Delusional with grief and lack of sleep, Ael allowed himself to be persuaded to untie his love and help him outside. So scrambled were his wits, he did not notice Balin had brought the wretched sword with them. In the moonlight, wrapped in heavy mist, Balin kissed his love tenderly and without urgency, until Ael’s legs shook and threatened to buckle. A flash of metal was Ael’s only warning before the sword found its bloody sheath.”

Fara gasped in horror, momentarily taking Daks out of the story, but Ravi continued as if he hadn’t heard.

“Ael cried out in agony as Balin’s body dropped to the ground, Balin’s hand still on the hilt of the sword buried in his own chest.

“In shock, Ael looked on as the air around his love shimmered into life. The Wraith rose from his Balin’s body like mist and hovered in the air. Fear held Ael paralyzed, trapped before the red, glowing eyes of the writhing insubstantial creature, but the Wraith did not move any closer. It did not attempt to take him over as it had done Balin. When a sudden cry rang out behind him, it shook Ael out of his trance, and he turned to find Balin’s family pouring out of the farmhouse they’d fled to after the destruction of their hold. When Ael turned back to the Wraith, it had vanished.

“With another anguished cry, he dropped to his knees by his lover’s side and collected him in his arms as tears streamed down his face.

“‘Why?’ he cried. ‘We could have beat it together. We could have found a way.’

“‘This was the way,’ Balin whispered back.

“All hope lost, Ael rocked his lover in the moonlight as Balin’s family huddled in a circle around them.”

“He’s dead?” Fara squawked indignantly when Ravi paused for a drink of water.

Daks agreed, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud. But Ravi held up a hand and shook his head as Shura glared at Daks and Fara until everyone settled again.

“The wound forced the Wraith out, but it did not kill him as Balin had obviously expected when he’d kissed his love goodbye. Though the magic of the sword had never failed before, somehow, this time, it did. Balin still breathed.

“Swallowing his grief and pain, Ael carried his lover back inside, and the family called for the healer. The woman did what she could, but even with her talismans and herbal remedies, she feared she could not save him.

“The family wept and wailed anew until the poor healer sighed and admitted reluctantly, ‘I may know someone who can help. But beware, she will demand a high price.’

“‘Anything!’ Ael and the family cried out together.

“The healer did not seem surprised, but she did not smile as she left them and ventured off into the mists alone.

“They waited a night and a day while Balin clung to life and Ael clung to him. At last, when