Chapter 2

Eleanora could feel the panic creeping in and taking over her entire body as she spun around looking for the girl. Where had Morgance disappeared off to? What had she meant by her sudden warning? She could not harness the questions as they flew through her mind. Please. She thought. Please come back Morgance. She waited there in silence, hoping that she would return again. She longed to have her take her in her arms once more; just like she had when they were younger. Morgance had always been the one to comfort her. The silence was maddening. She couldn't take it any longer. She clasped her hand to her chest as she gasped for air. No… no no no. This can't be happening. I can't lose you again. She thought as she started to run blindly through the trees. Her breath came out in ragged fearful gasps, she felt as though someone had a vise's grip on her throat and refused to let go. But she could not stop running. She had to find Morgance.

"Good morning, miss. How do you do?"

Eleanora stopped in her tracks as she recognized the familiar voice. "Amani!" she cried out breathlessly as she ran into his brawny arms.

He pulled her away quickly taking in her disheveled appearance. "Something is wrong." He pulled a lock of hair out of her face. He was not asking a question, but merely telling her what he saw.

Eleanora tried to calm herself. Her mind, her heart, every part of her entire being was racing so quickly. "No… no Amani, everything is ok." She lied to him. She started to turn away, but he quickly grabbed her hand.

"You are not telling me the truth," he said quietly looking at her with his deep brown eyes.

Eleanora knew that she could never lie to him. She struggled for composure as she looked around. "I… I saw her." She whispered insecurely. "I saw my sister, Amani. I saw Morgance!"

"What?" Amani did not try to hide his shock. "When?"

She could feel the panic rising again, like a phoenix. "Not long ago… she just came to me. I still can't believe it. You know I have not seen her for many years. And then... and then she disappeared again."

Amani took her in his thick arms. "It will be ok." He said simply, his words laced with peace.

"But there's more." Eleanora was perplexed. "It's changing. That's what she told me before she left." She sat down on a log tracing the lines of her palm. "She said that I must be careful…"

"And what does that mean?" The man asked as he sat down beside her.

"I don't know." She said sullenly as she looked at his dark face. "I have no idea."

"You must tell Tristan." He said gravely as he pointed in the other direction.

"No!" she quickly regretted the amount of venom that was in her tone. "You know that he does not understand these things… he has always thought that I was crazy."

"If not your brother, then Bridget must know." Amani sighed as he stood in conclusion.

"I cannot do that to her. It would only worry her more." Eleanora looked up at the bright autumn sky. It was beautiful up there in the clouds. She wished that she could escape to the palaces she imagined to be hidden between the great tufts of white. "Please… just let this be our little secret." She pleaded with him.

"Alright," his ebony face lit up slowly with a smile. "Bridget has been looking all over for you." he looked at her knowingly.

She turned away from him quickly, swatting him in the face with her thick black curls. "Why are you even here Amani?" she asked smiling coyly as she changed the subject. "Aren't you supposed to be in France for another month?"

"Oh!" he pretended to be offended. "But my lady." He bowed dramatically. "I do believe that it is your birthday today. And I cannot miss that, now can I?"

"Stop that!" Eleanora laughed. "My birthday is no more special than anyone else's. You should not have cut your trip short just to see me." She smiled slowly. She truly was happy that he was back again. Life always seemed to move unbearably slow when he was not around.

He laughed his familiar deep laugh. "I do not think that I could stand one more day of being there. As much as I loved studying there, I missed my family too much."

"Well then I guess you'll just have to stay. Does Tristan know that you are back?"

"Of course not." He smiled wickedly. "I considered writing him or Bridget to tell of my early return, but then decided against it." But his smile slowly faded, and he was unusually serious. "Your father?" he asked quietly, anticipating the answer she would give.

The smile quickly vanished from her face… something changed in her eyes. "Well, no. He's not… we haven't heard from him yet." She kept her eyes down as she buried her fists in the folds of her skirt.

Oh. Amani was silent. There was no need for words as they walked back home in the other direction. He looked at her and could see the battle she was fighting within. The one she was so desperately trying to win.