blush to my cheeks.
I open my mouth—to say what, I don’t know—but in that moment, a hush falls over the elves. Looking around, I see Speaker Hawthorn and a group of older elves gathering next to the trunk where large chairs grow out of the bark. Elves settle down onto the coloured cushions, all facing towards the trunk, where the older elves are taking their seats, all except Speaker Hawthorn. Seeing me, he gestures for me to come forward with a smile on his face, so I walk over to them with Vaeril and Naril following behind me.
“Clarissa, you look beautiful,” the speaker greets, taking my hand in his and squeezing it gently.
Smiling, I bow my head in respect. “Thank you, Speaker Hawthorn.”
Keeping hold of my hand, he turns and takes a few steps towards the elves behind him. I follow, trying to push my nerves aside. I expect looks of disdain, but instead, I’m only greeted with curious and tentatively friendly expressions. “Let me introduce you to the other speakers.” He goes through the other elves behind him and explains who they are and what their position is with the wood elves. I notice all of them are male except for one female sporting a pair of delicate antlers atop her head. Seeing my regard, her smile widens, and she dips her head towards me.
Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly, but something is niggling at the back of my mind. Why? Why do some of them look at me like I’m walking on water?
I get the feeling they’re about to do some sort of speech, but I want to inquire before things get started. “Speaker Hawthorn, may I ask you something?”
The speaker nods his head, his inquisitive eyes watching me carefully. “Of course, child.”
Taking a deep breath, I glance over my shoulder and see that I still seem to be the talking point of the evening, their wide eyes watching my every move. I thought they might be weary of me, even scared or angry, but not this. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?” My voice wavers a bit, showing my insecurities as I turn back to him. Vaeril steps closer, feeling my distress, and places his hand on my lower back. “I understand that you knew I was coming, but I didn’t expect this sort of reception for a half-elf,” I explain, trying to express my confusion over the whole thing without seeming ungrateful.
A look of comprehension crosses his face, and I see the speakers behind him watching us with interest. “You are so much more than that, Clarissa,” he replies, but instead of understanding, I just feel frustrated. Tor’s words echo in my head. He said something similar before we left Galandell. More than what? What’s wrong with me as I am now? I get the feeling that everything is about to change, perhaps not tonight, but soon. Something is looming over me, and I can’t decide if it’s for good or ill.
“What do you mean?” I question tentatively, feeling like I’m not going to like his response.
Smiling, he turns to face me fully, taking both my hands in his and cupping them gently. “Many of those here believe you are the reincarnation of Menishea,” he answers. Gobsmacked, I look at him with wide eyes, not sure I’m comprehending what he’s telling me.
He can’t be saying what I think he’s saying, right? Behind me, Vaeril rubs his hand in a circle in the center of my back, comforting me in my shock. He whispers something in elvish into my ear, and I feel the magic of the words fall over my body, even though I don’t understand what he’s saying.
Speaker Hawthorn must see my confusion and shock. He takes pity on me, his expression softening. “They believe you are our goddess in mortal form.”
I gape at the speaker for a few seconds as I try to digest what he’s just told me. A goddess. Me? The urge to laugh fills me, and I can’t contain my snort as I try to suppress my amusement. I desperately don’t want to offend these people who have made me feel so welcome and obviously know more about my elf nature and family history than I do, but they have to be wrong. This story is completely different than what the queen told me. Where she believed that the elves thought I was a sign of their goddess returning, the wood elves have gone one step further by