Elven Blight: A Katrina Baker Novel 02 Read online

  I walked trying to look casual, and like I didn’t have a fortune on my back, then I snorted at myself, and just walked normally back to the west, across the large intersection, and into the temple district.

  I took my time this time, playing the gawking tourist as I moved toward Arella’s temple. There were a lot of gods represented here, and I knew there were a bunch of others not included, such as the evil ones.

  I giggled as a thought occurred to me. The statuary, fountains, and other grand works of art in front of the temples seemed like a case of keeping up with the joneses. Like they were all trying to outdo each other to prove their god was better. The results however were beautiful. I smiled as I saw the statue of Arella, the face was right, but the diaphanous nightgown, closed eyes, and third eye weren’t accurate, but it still managed to capture the goddess’s aspect as I remembered it.

  When I stepped into the temple, I felt a calm peacefulness descend. It was a strange and wondrous thing that was hard to put into words. Arella was in her temple, maybe not in person, but I felt her presence. A lot stronger than last time, and I wondered if that was because I was her paladin now. It was something no one back home ever would have understood, probably not even the gamer geeks.

  I closed my eyes for a moment, and just basked in it. Even my ever-present grief that I’d been suppressing retreated from the feeling. It was like holding the holy symbol, times a hundred.

  “Katrina!”

  I turned and smiled at the familiar acolyte, “Good morning Rebecca.”

  She smiled back, “You look beautiful this morning. Did you need something? Is it time for the wedding?”

  I nodded, and then shook my head, “Not the wedding, not yet, I was hoping to talk to Danielle about a couple of things, including training about what’s expected of me as a paladin of the goddess.”

  Rebecca said, “She’s not available until this afternoon, but I think I can help you. Follow me.”

  Curious, I followed Rebecca as she once again led me around the outer corridor which circled the inner sanctuary. She opened the door and stepped into the hallway that led to the inner sanctum, but immediately turned to the right and opened another door. I followed curiously, and perhaps a bit nervously, as it was a stairwell that led under the ground.

  “What’s down here?”

  Rebecca smiled back at me, “Where do you think all the clerics and acolytes live? You have a room down here too, that’s where I’m taking you. There was no time to show you last time, and High cleric Danielle set some things up.”

  Well, that was convenient, just what I wanted, my own space.

  Rebecca continued, “I don’t suppose you’ll be here that often, since Gerard wouldn’t be able to stay here with you, no more than you can stay at his temple room in Ictia’s temple. Still, no thief could get through the wards, so its secure for anything you want kept safe, and it’s a perfect place to meditate and study.”

  Okay, that was just creepy, was she reading my mind? That was my power, I paused and gave her a penetrating stare.

  She started to giggle, “Your holding on to that backpack strap like someone’s going to steal it from you.”

  I blushed, and then stuck out my tongue, which made her giggle more. She was just twelve, but apparently a very perceptive twelve.

  She led us both down two flights of stairs, which put us on the second sublevel. Then I followed her out into the hallway. I noted there was at least one more level, if not more, and wondered just how big this place was, and what else was in it.

  I was expecting some kind of overly humid below ground stone hallway, which made me blush when I saw what it really was. I should’ve known better, the goddess’s presence was here too. What I got was warmth, bright but soft light from cleric magic, and smooth stone walls that felt warm to the touch. It was beautiful, bright, and homey despite the walls being stone, and it didn’t feel like I was underground.

  She pointed to the right, “That way is the kitchens, and the library.”

  She took me to the left, which had a door on each side of the hallway, every fifteen feet or so. Mine turned out to be the fourth on the right, and even had my name on it, carved right into the wood in calligraphy.

  I turned the handle, and pushed it open. It was just a spacious bedroom, not a large apartment. But it had a large oak wardrobe, a dresser, a queen-sized bed, and a night stand. It also had a large chest at the foot of the bed, and a small desk, with a book shelf over it. The book shelf contained six books. There was a letter on the bed.

  It already felt like home.

  Rebecca said, “If you get hungry, or just want to explore you can. It’s a big place, but not so big you’ll get lost. The common baths are at the very end of the hall, and this level except for inside the library is all female.”

  At my questioning look Rebecca explained, “The library encompasses three floors, and has its own ladder stairs within it. The men have a floor below us, and the floor above is a common area where we can relax, as well as a large dining room. I’ll let you settle in.”

  The young acolyte closed the door, and I walked over to the bed and sat down. I hadn’t been expecting all this to be here, but in hindsight it made sense, were they supposed to live in the sanctuary? Of course not. I just hadn’t known they were housed right here in the temple. I felt a bit overwhelmed again mostly because it felt comfortable here, it did feel like home, and that feeling felt like a betrayal to my parents.

  I picked up the letter, and opened it.

  Katrina,

  I’m sorry for not being there in person. I know you’ll probably find a home with Gerard, most of our paladins have homes outside of the temple, but this room is yours for life, and never forget you are welcome and loved here.

  The six books on the shelf are the basics of what you’ll need to know. One is about paladins, and what is expected of them as well as what they’re due. The other five are basic histories of Trelin, Chilik, Jendas, Gwienidd, and Belirith. Those books are just the basics of what you should know, and the whole library is available to you at any time.

  Welcome home Katrina,

  Danielle, High Cleric of Arella.

  I took a deep breath, and tried to center myself. I hadn’t been expecting this, and I was getting tired of tearing up at everything. I pulled off my backpack, and started to unpack. I hung up my clothes carefully, taking note of exactly where they were. There was plenty of room, and I could get some shopping done now at least.

  Put down roots.

  I had a theory, and something I wanted to try out. Considering how messy my room at home used to be, this would be interesting. After I hung up my clothes, I also put my sword in the corner, leaning it up against the dresser. My backpack, which now just contained my gold and the obsidian, I put inside the chest at the foot of the bed. I carefully took note of how it sat in there, memorizing it.

  Of course, my saddle bags with the tent and travel rations was back at the castle in the guest room. I wasn’t worried about that, I was going to head back there for lunch, in the hopes of seeing my fiancé. I shuddered at the thought, but it made me tingle in excitement at the same time.

  I’d been thinking, my empathy and telepathy seemed limited to about a quarter mile. Yet, I teleported from as far north of Jendas as I could have gotten, all the way down to Magehaven. It also hadn’t cost any more or less of my mental power than the second teleport to the castle’s stables.

  I was almost sure that meant unlike my other telekinetic powers, which worked on the atomic level, teleporting was working on the quantum level. I had no way to prove that, but I was fairly sure distance didn’t matter on the quantum level, which was why it seemed to cost the same for any distance. Though the price was higher for Gerard, me, and the horses than it had been for just me, so mass is what counted. I wondered if I could visualize something strongly enough, if I could teleport it to me, or back to where it belongs.

  Which is why I’d so neatly and carefully put everyth
ing away, taking note of its exact position.

  I sat on the bed, and pictured the blue dress hanging in the oak wardrobe, and kind of pulled it to me. There was a banging sound, and the wardrobe popped open and the dress flew at me. I broke down in laughter and collapsed on my side. That so wasn’t what I’d meant to happen.

  I got up, hung it back up carefully, and then closed the door and went back to the bed.

  When I teleported myself, I decided to be there, I decided I was there, and then willed it to happen. I didn’t pull or push on myself to teleport, that was telekinesis, not teleportation. Still, it should work. Just like I could use telekinesis to fly myself around, and use it on others and other objects, teleport should be no different. Just a different application of the same power.

  I tried again, this time I imagined where the blue dress was, where I wanted it to be, and willed it to instantly be in the new spot. It was far more difficult than teleporting, because I had to picture both the current location, what I was teleporting, and the destination. When I teleported myself, I only had to worry about the destination.

  But it worked, the dress popped into being and fell onto my lap. I laughed a little giddily as I picked it up and studied it. It looked and felt fine.

  I pictured the dress in my hands, and the picture I had of it in the wardrobe, and used my will to teleport it back. The dress disappeared, and I walked over and opened the wardrobe, sure enough it was in there.

  I verified my thought that it wouldn’t work without a perfect picture, by trying to summon my saddle bags from the guest room in the castle. I knew it was next to the dresser, but I’d just plopped it there without even looking last night when we’d gotten in. Without that picture of its exact placement it wouldn’t work. Which meant I couldn’t just summon something I’d lost, or dropped unless it was in line of sight.

  Well, maybe it didn’t work because I didn’t believe it would work, that was always a possible pitfall of my power, if I didn’t believe it, it wouldn’t happen. But I was pretty sure that it was true regardless. My ability needed a solid target, not a wispy idea.

  I pondered this for a while, and decided it would be very useful. I could use my room here at the temple like a staging point. I wouldn’t need to carry a whole bag of stuff around, or saddlebags. Just… summon my tent if I needed it, or rations, or a dress. My weapons, and my coins.

  I wondered if I was getting carried away, and treating my new ability like a new toy. Perhaps it would be better to at least have my dagger and a small coin purse. But I could leave the rest behind and summon it at need. I wondered if I could add things as I picked them up in my travels, my memory was more than good enough to keep a running map and visual of this bedroom.

  I pulled my dagger out and closed my eyes, so I couldn’t see anything. Then I imagined the dagger in my hand on the dresser, its exact placement. It popped out of my hand. I opened my eyes and looked, and it was exactly where I’d imagined it. Better and better. I may have to admit to some excited bouncing on the bed as my legs pumped while I giggled, and then I blushed, glad no one saw my girly moment happen.

  I had a few ideas, I knew I’d be sending my saddle bags back here, probably to an empty part inside the chest next to my leather bag. I decided I should buy a small weapons rack as well, a proper place for my sword, and a few spare daggers in case I lost the one I had in battle. Instant replacements.

  I needed more clothes as well, though not that badly. I guess I should say I wanted more clothes.

  I made a face at the books, I should start reading them now, but decided that setting up my room was more important. I wasn’t sure how long I had before the next dream hit me.

  I pulled the leather bag to me, and took out the obsidian pieces and put them in a drawer temporarily, and then I teleported to an alley near the inn I stayed at last week when we first got to the city.

  It didn’t take more than an hour. At a general store, I bought a coin purse, a small metal lock box, and a wooden weapons rack that would hold two swords and six daggers. At the blacksmith I bought two more daggers, and then decided it was too close to lunch to properly shop for clothes. I teleported straight back to my room, and put the obsidian in the metal lock box which went in the bottom drawer. I put my leather backpack and purse in the large chest. Then I set up the weapons rack, sword, and two extra daggers.

  I decided to leave my purse here unless I was going shopping, or when I was in my riding clothes. There was nowhere to put it with a dress on. Once I was sure I had it all perfectly memorized, I left for the castle and lunch. I could have teleported, but I did need some exercise even with a super metabolism, and I was fairly sure they noted the comings and goings to the castle. I also wasn’t sure how they’d take me simply appearing in the guest room if it wasn’t an emergency.

  Plus, even if the smaller stuff took less mental energy, I still felt mentally drained from all the practicing and teleporting I’d done already today. I needed food badly.

  When I got there, I looked at the saddlebags, and sent them to the chest with a thought and an application of will. It was getting easier each time I did it…

  Chapter Three

  I freshened up and cleaned my face. I felt good about the morning, I’d gotten a lot done, but there was still a ton left on my mental to do list, like where would Gerard and I live after we were married later this evening, and I still needed clothes. I had to read the five books Danielle left out, and should probably browse the library for things of interest. I sort of understood cleric and paladin magic, but I needed to understand how mages did what they did, what were the limits, and how all three reacted with my own superpowers.

  I didn’t really have magic, well I had paladin spells through prayer, but that was the goddess. I couldn’t detect magic or feel it, even the general defense spells of mages could only be detected through the failure of my own abilities. In other words, seeing them with my eyes, but not feeling their minds or presence. That wasn’t detecting, that was discovery through logic and inference.

  Was it really just the one general defense spell against everything that blocked my ability? What really worried me, was there anything about my ability that could block magic? It worked both ways. So far, I’d just faced a fireball, and a tree branch reaching for me. What happened if a magical spell, pure magic, was cast on me? Like a curse or enchantment. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able do anything about it, except use dispel magic after the fact, if I could.

  Paladins of war and battle gods had offensive and defensive spells, as a paladin of Arella I didn’t, except for the holy weapon spell.

  My holy symbol would protect me from evil and undead, but what did that include exactly, and not include? I had a feeling that most mage magic, elemental magic, was more neutral than good or evil.

  Witches used nature magic, and I had a clue about that from the attacking tree, and how Stormy’s nature, my horse, was enhanced and modified. But what else could they do? Elven magic was of nature as well, was it like witch magic or different? How about Dwarven magic? I didn’t know anything about that at all. Did they have their own unique magic, or was it like humans had mages, clerics, and witches?

  Really, it was all a little overwhelming when I listed everything I knew I didn’t know, and that didn’t even cover all the stuff I didn’t know I should know. I should have read the books. I felt a bit overwhelmed again, but I knew I’d get my normal confidence back once I knew the answers to all my questions. Luckily, I had that library I could visit.

  Outside of how my powers will interact with the different types of magic, which would have to be discovered by trial and error, the library could answer any questions Gerard couldn’t.

  I suppose my worries indicated I really did accept this world now as real, when it was surreal I wasn’t nearly that nervous about it all. I pushed it all down deep inside, and I’d just take it as I could, when I had the time. I looked into the mirror and smiled, and when I believed it, I left the room and head
ed for the dining room. It was definitely lunch time, and I was starved…

  According to the memories of the maid I’d read my first time at the castle, lunch wasn’t as formal as dinner was, and quite often the king ate in his own suite with his family anyway. I didn’t see the king, or Gerard for that matter, as I scanned the room. I pushed my power out a little further around me, and felt them both in a meeting room deep in the castle, were they going to continue the briefing through lunch? Disappointment stabbed my gut, I really wanted to see him. His presence always calmed me, when I was feeling out of sorts. I felt… whiny. Which wasn’t good at all, I was better than that.

  I walked toward the paladin and minor functionary table, they were already eating, and the table was full of platters of meat, fruits, and vegetables. I smiled when I spotted a woman in armor. I supposed I’d be the only paladin in a dress, because even her armor looked too damn heavy. It was hard leather, with a chain mail shirt underneath. Outside of the armor, she looked like a normal woman, no bulging muscles or anything. She had long white blonde hair which was in a ponytail, and a pair of daggers on her sides. I didn’t see a sword.

  I circled around the table to get on the other side of her, and she was laughing at something her companion had said. She had a strikingly thin but attractive face, sky blue eyes, and a willowy body similar to mine. It made me wonder how she wore the armor, was I just lazy? I didn’t have super strength, but my guess was neither did she. No one on this world did. Her holy symbol was a goddess, holding a tornado in her hand.

  Her companion was a large man, brown hair, brown eyes, wide shoulders, tall, and had armor and a sword on his side. There were other paladins at the table, but I wanted to meet the only other woman paladin I’d ever seen. He had the same holy symbol, but I had no idea what goddess it was. Storms, wind, something like that no doubt.