Page 139 of Earthbound

‘How?’ she said, the question answering itself as she turned and looked around.

There, standing in front of the soldiers, were twenty of the Gural diviners led by Lettle’s old mentor, Shaman Namana.

‘Bosome’s children, power reclaimed, will aid you in your plight…’ she whispered the prophecy and wanted to weep. Elves had come to her aid, but not just any elves–her brethren under Bosome’s light.

The diviners linked their arms as they stood between Lettle and Reena’s soldiers.

A human shield.

‘You killed him,’ Mortah raised an accusing finger at Reena.

‘He knew of his fate,’ Namana said gently to Mortah. ‘He foretold it decades ago. His mind had left him, all but for this one purpose. To save you.’

But Mortah was beyond listening. ‘You killed a helpless old man.’ Blood and tears streaked her face. She lunged forward, as though to strike Reena.

‘Don’t!’ the colonel cried. ‘We will fire again.’

Namana straightened, her silver cloak shimmering in the sunlight. It was an heirloom passed down from shaman to apprentice, each silver panel stitched with formations of the moon. Lettle had once hoped to have it draped across her own shoulders one day.

The shaman looked up at Reena defiantly.

‘Colonel Reena, I am the shaman of the Gural diviners. Our god has brought us here to see safe passage to these people into Mosima. If you strike us, you strike the heart of your very own people.’

Reena frowned, pointing to Lettle’s group. ‘Who are these interlopers to you?’

‘They are our family,’ Namana said and Lettle felt her heart swell with gratitude.

Reena rested her fingers on the lip of her drum. ‘Family is not answer enough, I’m afraid.’

‘They have our protection and that should be enough for you.’

‘Family they may be, but sadly, this is a war.’

‘This is no war. How can it be with only one group wielding weapons?’ Namana said.

Reena yawned, then said to her soldiers, ‘Dispatch the diviners.’

‘You would kill innocents?’ Lettle shouted. She couldn’t believe this turn of events.

‘Innocents? That’s not what I see. I see a group of religious fanatics stopping me from doing my duty.’

Reena’s hand signalled once and the soldiers readied their drums.

Lettle looked to Alder, hoping he’d call the obeah. But she understood why he didn’t want to. The line between him and Afa was steel, and he wanted to maintain it. So she played her final gambit.

‘I’m Yeeran’s sister,’ she said. Reena’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinised Lettle.

‘Lettle, no,’ Alder said, tugging on her wrist.

‘I should have known,’ Reena said. ‘There are few elves with eyes as violet as your sister’s. Except yours, of course.’

‘Take me to Chieftain Motogo. We’ll be worth more to you alive than dead. All three of us are valuable to the fae. Let the diviners go free.’

Lettle knew she had sealed her fate as a prisoner once more, but it was worth it to save her friends.

Reena considered for less than a second before nodding. The skirmish had drawn the attention of other soldiers outside of her regiment, and Lettle noticed that not all of them wore the singular Waning symbol.

She thought of the second half of the prophecy: The half-moon seeks to own the night. And Lettle knew then with certainty that a coup was brewing in the heart of the coalition.