Free The Eynan 2: Garileon by L. S. Gibson Page B

when you came to the nunnery?"
    "Nunnery?" Ninian glanced at Jhond, who was looking thoughtful, but seemed intent on keeping those thoughts to himself. Ninian sighed, then said to Remelin, "I was indeed looking for you, Remelin. I saw the underground room you were in, but didn't know precisely where that room was. We didn't know it was a nunnery until just this moment."
    "Look...I'm fed up with half-truths and misleading answers. You talk about seeing me, but I've no idea what that means. You appeared in the nunnery without even knowing what or where it was and, please, no more lying. The only approach to the nunnery is through this small town, which you claim not to have seen. How did you get here?"
    "Tell her, Ninian."
    So, he did. He described holding the crystal in his hand and the vision it showed him of her and the feeling he got when he watched. How he knew it was important that he should follow the vision and find her.
    "I don't understand why--Lords, how--this crystal should have done that, or why you should consider it so important. I'm nobody, just little Remi who has spent half her life alone, struggling to make it through each day."
    "The crystals don't lie, and this one led me to you for a reason," Ninian said.
    "When did you first know you had some power?" Jhond asked.
    "I've always had strange feelings about people and things." She stood and moved to the fireplace, staring down at the empty hearth. "The first time it happened, I was here with my mother. I was seven years old and suddenly felt sad and afraid. I began to cry, but Mother couldn't understand what was wrong with me; I'd been playing happily until then. I don't remember too well, but I remember exactly what Mother told me I'd said between the tears. I'd told her father was hurt and very cold."
    She glanced back at them then. "It was high summer. My father had fallen and died on the mountain at about the time I'd started to cry."
    "That was probably what triggered your power," Ninian said. "It often takes a strong emotional incident to release it."
    "You said you've been alone for half your life. No siblings?" Jhond interjected.
    "No. My mother lost two other children, stillborn. Then she died of a fever when I was twelve."
    "Who looked after you then?" Ninian asked.
    Remelin shrugged, looking almost embarrassed. "As far as I know, my father had no other relatives. My mother had a sister, but she left home before I was born, and I have no idea where she is now. None of the townspeople wanted to take responsibility for another mouth to feed on a regular basis. It's a small poor place now. You have to understand that things were very difficult here for quite a long time. The people weren't uncaring, just not able.
    "I stayed in the family home, accepting whatever scraps my neighbors might be able to provide, scavenging for whatever I could find when that was not possible. I sold what I could, then I learned to trap small animals. I managed. It made me stronger." She straightened her back and lifted her head proudly.
    "And these powers you think had always been lurking inside you?" Jhond pressed.
    "I didn't really think about it. I had more important things to occupy my time." She blushed a little, as if in apology. "I took what Mother had said about me as just the wishful thinking of a lonely woman and my own ideas about myself as childish imaginings."
    "Until?"
    "Until the day I was forced to take shelter in the nunnery. You have to understand, no one ever ventured near the nunnery. It's been a place of ill fortune since its destruction centuries ago."
    "You'll have to tell us more about that, but later. Tell us about that day you went to the nunnery first."

 

Chapter 7
     
    Remelin sat down again. She took another drink of cupria, licking her lips as she looked thoughtful. With a quick glance at both men, she settled back into her chair and began to speak.
    "It was a spring day about two years ago, and I was feeling particularly restless. I can't