Radiance

Chapter Seven

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In nature there is nothing melancholy

But some night wandering-mad whose heart was pierced

With the remembrance of a grievous wrong...

                                                                                                                                        The Nightingale, S.T. Coleridge

As she gaped, he watched her. Her eyes were so large, so hungry to take in every detail. She fidgeted where she was sitting, not satisfied with where her hands were or which way her legs were crossed. The urge to fit in was radiating from her as she analyzed each creature in the vicinity; their appearance, their speech, their every movement. Elior had seen so many like her, but this time he would be sure. He would find the truth in her and utilise it.

As a drum beat boomed to begin the next melody he saw her jump and look for its origin. A leaf fell from her hair where she’d fallen earlier and she went about taming the rest of her appearance.

“What a fool.” Elior muttered to himself. He then turned and left the courtyard to give instruction for her accommodation.

*

Unable to contain herself any longer, needing to dance, move, sway, Tamar got to her feet and stepped in the direction of the visionary woman.

“I know you want him.” A voice spoke viscously behind her.

“What?” Tamar stumbled and spun around. She’d been caught off guard and had already been warned once it wasn’t safe. There she found herself face to face with a girl, her right side hidden in the shadows of the courtyard. She was toned and slim, with her arms folded, a little taller than Tamar was and still glaring at her with loathing.

“I said I know you want him,” she repeated, not taking her eyes elsewhere.

“I’m sorry; I don’t know what you’re on about – or who you are.” The girl’s hair was cherry red and dripped off of her head, straight to chin length, it parted to cover most of the left side of her face.

“It’s none of your concern who I am, but you on the other hand -” she paused and scanned Tamar’s attire, “you are not from these lands. Who are you?” Her tone was harsh and unforgiving. Tamar felt as though she had accidentally committed a crime treasonable enough to earn a life sentence.

Regaining her focus she forced her expression into one of credibility. “I am a Fallen; I was only found and brought to the – the Ebony Sept today.” She’d stuttered and was wrestling panic from her face like a bear in a cage.

“I see…” said the red head, her hands now on her hips, “… and your name is?”

“Tamar,” she paused, “Tamar Pryderi. I’m a cousin of a family not far from here.” Damn it, she hated lying. It’s just a case of acting, she thought, just a character.

The red heads vibrant eyebrows had narrowed and as she was about to probe further–

“Bynethrin!” a deep voice called.

Bynethrin’s black eyes widened to show the red circles around the iris.

Elior was striding towards them, cloak billowing after him, and glided to a halt behind Bynethrin. She regained her composure and turned to face him.