For a long time, he did not visit the tree alone at night as he had for so long. Part of him wanted to, but part of him was afraid to face her. He didn't know which prospect was worse–that she might not speak to him ever again or that she might, and no one would be there to see it or believe that it had happened.
Finally, he could stand it no longer. Six nights into his fruitless vigil, when he was sure the others were asleep, he went to visit her. It was a moonlit night, and he found his way without difficulty and stood before her as a supplicant might before a shrine. Her silvery bark shimmered brightly, and the reflection of the moonlight brought out the crimson color of her leaves in startling relief. He stared at her reverentially, trying to think what more he could do. He knew he had to do something. He knew he couldn't wait any longer on the King or anyone else.
He walked up to her finally and placed the tips of his fingers on her smooth trunk. Speak to me, he thought. Tell me what to do.
But the Ellcrys did not respond, even though he waited a long time, speaking softly, telling her his thoughts, trying to break through the wall of her silence. If she heard what he was saying, if she even knew he was there, she gave no sign of it. When he had exhausted himself and his efforts had yielded him nothing, he gave it up and went off to sleep.
The following day was hot and dry, and as he worked in the gardens with the others, Kirisin felt the last of his patience slip away. It had been a week now since he had gone to Arissen Belloruus, and despite his resolve not to act in haste or frustration, he did. It was a precipitous act triggered by Erisha.
After days of ignoring him, he caught her looking at him when she thought he wasn't paying attention. There was nothing overtly offensive about the act, nothing that should have set him off, but that was the effect it had. He climbed to his feet, sweaty and tired and mad enough to eat the dirt he was digging up, and stalked over to where she was standing next to Raya, ostensibly instructing the other girl on the pruning of callisto vines. Erisha saw him coming, read what was mirrored on his face, and tried to move away. But he would have none of it. He went after her, caught up to her, and blocked her way.
"What's the matter, Erisha?" he snapped, hands on hips, face flushed and taut. "Is your conscience bothering you, cousin? Is that why you are sneaking looks at me?"
She faced him down for a moment, then brushed quickly at her chestnut hair and turned away. "Grow up, Kirisin."
He was back in front of her immediately, blocking her path. "How about this? I'll grow up when you stop lying. That's a reasonable trade, isn't it?
Let's start right now. You tell me the truth about your father, and I'll start acting like an adult."
"I don't know what you are talking about." She tried again to move past him, and again he stopped her. "Get out of my way, Kirisin. If you keep this up, I'll have you disciplined."
"Go ahead!" He shouted the words and threw up his hands, ignoring the others, who were beginning to turn toward them to see what was happening. "Do it now! Do it in front of the others! Let's tell them all about it and see what they think!"
She reached for his hands and pulled them down, her face inches from his own. "You stop this right now!" Cold rage etched her words in ice. "What do you think you are doing? Maybe you better go home for the rest of the day and see if you don't have a fever!"
"Maybe you better stop poisoning your mind with your own lies and try healing yourself with the truth!"
He shoved his face so close that their noses were almost touching. His voice dropped to a whisper. "This is what I know. What I know, Erisha! Not what I imagined or made up out of thin air, but what I know! The Ellcrys spoke to me a week ago today. She told me that she is in danger. She told me that that something bad is going to happen. She told me that she would have to be placed in an Elfstone called a Loden, which will be found by using three other Elfstones called seeking-Stones. She told me that if this doesn't happen she won't survive what is coming and neither will the Elves."
His hands seized her wrists, and he held her fast. "You knew this and you told your father about it. You did it secretly, but I found out because when I went to your father to tell him of the tree speaking to me, I did not mention the seeking-Stones. But your father did. He knew all about the three finding the one. He knew! That couldn't have happened if you hadn't told him before I did. Admit it!"
He waited, eyes locked on hers. "All right," she whispered back finally.
"I told him. I waited until you left the gardens, and then I sneaked away and told him. I didn't want him to hear it from you; I am the leader of the Chosen.
It was necessary that it come from me. Now will you let me go?"
Kirisin stared at her in silence. She was still lying. He was so angry now that he thought he might strike her. Instead, he said, "I want you to take a walk with me, Erisha. Away from the others, where they can't hear what we say."
She shook her head quickly. "Not when you're like this."
He released her wrists, stepped back, and folded his arms. "All I want is for you to listen to me. But if you want to continue this conversation here, then let's bring the others over, and that way they won't have to work so hard at eavesdropping."
Erisha shot a quick glance at the other Chosen and saw all of them watching intently, tools lowered, eyes expectant. She hesitated, and then nodded her agreement.
"Finish your work," she called over to them. "Kirisin and I have something we have to discuss. I'll be right back."
She took his arm at the elbow and practically dragged him from the clearing and into the woods beyond, taking a narrow, little–used path that led to the bluffs overlooking the valleys west. He let himself be led, content to wait until they were well away from the others before he had it out with her.
Whatever else happened this day, he was going to get to the truth of things. If she refused to give it to him willingly, he would pry it out of her.
When they were well into the trees, she wheeled back angrily and poked him in the chest. "What happens between my father and me isn't any business of yours, cousin." She emphasized the word. "You have no right to question me about him."
Kirisin held his ground. "I do when he lies to me. Or when you lie. Like you just did again back there. I spoke to Biat after I came back from your home.
You never left the gardens. You told your father, all right. But it wasn't then; it was much earlier. That's why the Ellcrys asked me why she had been forsaken.
That's why she said to me that I had to listen to her: because even she – meaning you — hadn't. She told you everything before she ever spoke to me, and you did nothing about it. Why are you lying to me?"
Her face was hard and angry. "I'm not lying!"
But he could tell by the way she said it that she was. He gave her a pitying look. "You know, when this is all over, Erisha, you're going to have to live with the consequences. You seem to think nothing will happen to the Ellcrys, but what if it does? What if she dies? You took an oath to care for her, just like the rest of us. How will you justify failing her?"
She shook her head defensively. "I won't fail her."
"You already have. So have I. All of us have. We haven't done a thing to help her! She has begged for our help, pleaded for it, but we've ignored her. I don't know about you, but I can't live with that. It means something to me to be a Chosen. I accepted that duty, and I won't neglect it just because you or your father or anyone else decides it's all right to do so. What's wrong with you? Don't you feel any obligation for her safety? Why are you acting like this?"
Her lips were compressed into a tight line, and she was still shaking her head. She tried to speak and couldn't.