Chapter 16: Heartbreak
Eliana sits on the small cot, her mind zoning out. “Am I not even allowed to go check on Jasper?” The thought of him has her entire body crying out with anguish.
Tears blind her, even though there is nothing to even look at, in this small structure.
“I wonder if Evyn will tell mama Beatrice and papa Conrad about the Chief meeting with me.”
“Milady,” a voice breaks through her reverie and she locks eyes with the clan’s healer. He bows his head. “I have come to tend to you. I must look at your ankle.”
He places a few sacks of unknown substances on a small table.
“May I,” he shows his hands, palms up, waiting for approval.
Eliana only nods, her heart tightening with anxiety. He approaches slowly, his long hair swaying with his movements.
“How does he treat his wives” she blurts out as the healer kneels down in front of her.
He is taken aback momentarily, his dark eyes widening. As they sit in silence for a while, his shoulders finally begin to relax. “The Chief is very kind to his wives. He does not hold them against their will. They are free to roam wherever they choose. I am told by the wives that they are very content with their lives.”
Only able to nod, Eliana remains quiet. In her mind, though, it is not so silent. “Am I really going through with this?”
“Milady,” Eliana clears her mind and refocuses on the healer who has paused next to her ankle. His eyes are sad, his shoulders low. “I am sorry that you must go through so much hardship, but I must ask, what is your knowledge of the Kexon?”
Eliana’s brow furrows, “The werecats? They have been extinct for years.”
He bobs his head, “That is the popular thought, yes, but what if it is not true.”
“What?”
Eliana bites her emotions back and ponders to herself, “Could it really be true that the Kexon are still alive? It is impossible. They are extinct.”
“How would we know,” she decides to ask in order to play along.
“It is hard for them, but they are able to hide in plain sight, especially in places that do not know a lot about the Kexon.”
“It is hard for all Pivurlions to hide. Each clan has their own distinctive trait that sets them apart from humans.” The bears are overly large, much more than anyone Eliana has ever met previously.
“That is true, but the werecats are unique. Their trait is not as physically altering as the other clans. If they live in a country or area that is not privy to the appearances of one of them, the humans would live blissfully unaware.”
“Like in Drein?”
She is only able to know this, because while she was taught about the Pivurlion race, briefly, the werecats were not a part of the lectures. She was told by her villagers of the clan and when they reigned in Xalonia. Their occupation was, for a majority of the time, mainly in Murduk and Climont. They rarely went south into Drein, where most of the other clans resided. Because of this, the human population in her country rarely ever set eyes on the creatures.
The healer nods as he goes back to gently pressing on her ankle. She winces when he touches a sore area.
“They learned where they could live without being found out. Drein was one of these such places. There were only a few that did this, though. Many, instead, decided that leaving the mainland all together was the best.”
Eliana ponders his statement. “Where else could they go?”
Across the treacherous waters of Liamor.”
Heart racing with fear, Eliana pushes away the terrifying stories she has heard of the bloody waters. “Why would they ever want to cross such waters?”
The healer slightly shrugs, “If it is their only way to survive.”
Eliana nods, but a shiver courses through her body. The waters of Liamor are dangerous. Whirlpools and hurricanes guard the waters leading from Murduk to the country of Shidon. There is no possible way that the entire werecat clan would be able to traverse the wicked waters.
She watches the healer for a moment, “Why did you bring up such a topic?”
He opens his mouth to speak, but there is a rustling outside the tent and two women walk in. They are older than Eliana, by about ten years. They both have long, dark hair that is braided, with beads and feathers adorning the locks. Eliana cannot help but make note that these women are notably regal and powerful.
“We are here to prepare you,” the one on the left announces. Her jawline is harsh, showing off the strong nature of the Xefol.
Eliana cannot help but think, “Is this truly happening so quickly?” Fear begins to take over her mind. What is she going to do?
As the healer stands and retrieves the items he came in with, the woman on the right stops him.
“The Darcy’s require your attention,” she murmurs, but Eliana is able to hear her.
Dread causes her heart to drop, “Is Jasper alright?” What if the medicine did not work? What if he does not make it.
She is unable to stops the questions barraging her mind and causing her body to tremble. The three Xefol pause and look over at her.
The werebear on the left smiles softly, “Yes, they just need to prepare him for his own mating ceremony. So much going on in such a short amount of time, it truly is exciting.”
That is when her heart shatters into a thousand pieces.