38 Chapter 38 Dwindling Luck (1/2)

”I asked them to come,” said Luan, raising her chin and staring at the older elf.

”What? But, why?” he asked, obviously more confused than angry.

”Your son scares me,” she said, her voice breaking on the last word. ”He's always mean to me when I come by and I don't want to marry him.”

She set the potion back down on the counter and stepped back next to Gia and Vonn.

”He is?” asked the elf, turning to the younger elf behind him. ”Is that true?”

”I have no idea what she's talking about,” said Sylven, shaking his head. ”I treat her the same as I do with every customer. These humans that have shown up, have her convinced she doesn't need the potion.

”Not wanting to marry my son is one thing, but not taking the potion can be very dangerous! Luan, do you remember what happened the last time you were late for your medicine?” he asked, turning back to her.

”Yes,” she answered meekly, ducking her head and staring at the floor.

”We still haven't figured out how to get the vines that have grown all over the village to withdraw or shrink. And two of the shopkeepers have still not reappeared. We think they may be dead!”

”They're not,” she whispered, her words so soft, Gia could barely hear them.

”What?” the old elf asked sharply, eyeing her with disapproval.

Gia frowned. They were bullying her. Poor Luan was stressed enough! Grabbing Luan's hand, she wrapped her hands around it and gave her a warm smile of encouragement to remind her she wasn't alone. Von did the same on the other side.

”You shouldn't yell at her,” said Vonn in a loud commanding voice.

”Who are you, boy? Have you even reached twenty winters yet? It's all the same with you humans! You live such short lives and yet you're willing to risk so much on such faulty beliefs!” complained the old elf.

”I don't have to live as old as an elf, to know a bully when I see one. Why can you not talk to her as an equal, instead of a child?” Vonn countered.

”Because she is a child! An elf isn't an adult until they reach their hundredth year,” explained the old elf in exasperation.

”The missing shopkeepers haven't shown back up, because they are the vines,” broke in Luan loudly. ”They were druids who answered the call when I lost control and sent it out.”

”The call?” asked the old elf.

”You wouldn't understand,” she said, straightening her back and looking him in the eye. ”I am not going to take the potion. I need to learn to control the powers I was born with rather than suppressing them all the time. I will head north east to the section of forest where the walking trees are, and will not return until I am certain I can be around others safely.”

”But Luan, that's…” began the old elf, before shaking his head. ”If that is your decision, I will notify your father. He has paid us in advance for the potions, until the day you turned a hundred. Had you married my son, the potions would have been free from that day forward, but if you insist on not taking them, then I will reimburse your father.”

”Father?!” exclaimed Sylven, looking at the older elf in shock and surprise. ”Does this mean I will not be marrying her?”

”Probably not, Sylven. You only wanted to marry her because of how powerful the children would be, not out of any interest in her. Finish your work,” said the old elf, moving back to his desk in the back of the room.

As they left the alchemy lab, Luan was grinning ear to ear and giddy with excitement.

”I did it!” she exclaimed. ”I always dreamed of telling them no, and now I've finally done it!”

”Good for you, Luan!” beamed Vonn, patting her shoulder.

Gia gave her a hug. ”When are you leaving?”

”I will need to leave soon, before my powers start acting up, but I should be fine for another couple of days. I was hoping to stay with you guys until you left. I think Mayor Soliana was having Elisen escort you to the border. I haven't seen her in a long time, and wanted to tell her what I'm doing. She's one of the best druids in the forest. I really like her!”

”I wonder how long it will be before she shows up?” murmured Vonn. ”I would like to buy some more rations before we left, so I don't have to hunt on the way. The twins didn't seem very pleased with us shooting a deer.”