Free Shadows on the Stars by T. A. Barron

us like an evil wave, destroying everything they touched. Everything! And when Coerria saw what they were doing—to her Order, her buildings, her gardens, her life’s work—she simply collapsed, overwhelmed by the horror of it all. She must have lost all her hope, all her will to live.”
    Uzzzula, upon hearing these words, flew past Lleu’s ear, buzzing angrily. Then the little hive spirit went right back to work on the High Priestess’ hair.
    Lleu smiled ruefully. “Some of us will never lose hope.”
    “That’s right,” declared Elli. She moved closer to Coerria and knelt by the cot. Gently, she stroked the woman’s wrinkled cheek, recalling the radiant blue of those eyes now hidden by closed lids. “Really, Lleu. It’s her life we’re talking about! We can’t give up.”
    Shim ambled closer. The old fellow bobbed his head, having caught her meaning if not her words. “Certainly, definitely, absolutely.”
    “I agree,” added Brionna. She stepped forward, gracefully avoiding a hole in the floor. “But first, if we’re to know what to do, we must know more of what happened.”
    The falcon on Lleu’s shoulder piped a sharp note. At that, the lanky priest cleared his throat. “There isn’t much to tell. They suddenly attacked, a whole raging mob of men and women. Farmers, smiths, traders, vagabonds—all whipped into a frenzy of hatred. They stormed the compound, broke down walls, smashed the bell, destroyed the gardens, and so much else. By the bones of Basilgarrad, if Coerria hadn’t commanded everyone to flee, they would have murdered us all!”
    Elli eyed him gratefully. “Someone didn’t flee, though.”
    Lleu just snorted. “A lot of good it did. Within seconds of bursting in here, they’d made her collapse. Then they stabbed me, tore the place apart, and left us both for dead.”
    “The mob,” asked Nuic, “was strictly humans? No other kinds of creatures?”
    The priest nodded grimly. “And so very angry! I can’t explain why. Even though, for months now, we’ve been hearing reports of growing violence out in the realms, everyone had hoped that our troubles would end after the dam at Crystillia was destroyed.”
    At the mention of that place, Brionna’s whole body tensed.
    “But alas,” the priest went on, “they didn’t end. Far from it!” He gazed around grimly. “If only I’d been paying more attention, I might have seen this coming. Why, in just the past few weeks, I’ve heard some shocking stories of humans attacking other creatures: wolves who were out hunting for their food, elves who happened to be living in desirable trees, or dwarves who were resisting fences being built across their lands. And of course, we also have that movement of Belamir’s—Humanity First, he calls it. Well-intentioned as it may be, it seems to be fueling those fires, by claiming that humans know better, and maybe are better, than anybody else.”
    Lleu turned and looked at the still, frail body of Coerria. So feeble were her breaths that her shawl and gown didn’t seem to move at all. Then, to no one in particular, he asked, “Who was behind this attack?”
    “Belamir,” said Nuic darkly.
    “No, no, that’s not possible. I’m sure, at least, of that. For all his flaws, he’s basically just a gardener who’s gotten carried away with his notions of humanity’s special role in this world. Calls us Nature’s benevolent guardians, I believe.”
    Nuic erupted in a spasm of coughing.
    “I know, my friend, that’s a sure path to arrogance. But I doubt that Belamir is even aware of how his theories can be twisted and abused by greedier people. At heart, he’s really a good man. A teacher. And also a friend of Coerria’s.”
    Elli shook her head of curls. “No, he’s not. He said some things about her that weren’t friendly at all, right to me and Llynia.”
    Lleu’s eyebrows arched higher. “Llynia? What ever happened to her?”
    Elli shrugged. “Don’t know. But my good sprite