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But I wasn't listening as heat spread across my skin where our skin met, and my breath caught.
What. Was. This?
Chapter 61
Kaiya
Isnuck another look at Rien.
The breeze ruffled his slightly curled red hair, turning the tips of his ears a light pink.
I could only assume he was the hermit Liam had spoken of. But this was no old man. When he'd removed his hood, I'd barely been able to contain my shock.
As if sensing my stare, he tilted his head and focused on me, and I was caught again by those unusual eyes. They had a slim gray ring around the iris, and a normal pupil, but everything else was a pure bright white.
Could Liam have been referring to this man's father when he spoke of that old hermit?
And what was it with his korra? I'd NEVER seen something so bright.
If I didn't know better —
Gods — whatever he was, Frexin would love to get her hands on him. The way he controlled the forest was unlike any magic I'd ever seen.
"You need to get away from here," I tried again.
He just kept staring into space, though. The same way he had the last three times I'd tried to convince him to run.
I had to get him away! If Frexin got her hands on him …
No. I couldn't consider it, not even to save Tye and myself. That would make me as bad as Frexin.
Holden released another round of muffled curses, and Rien turned to face the man. With a slight nod, the vines went into action, winding more and more around the body mage until he was fully encased in green.
Hells! His control of these plants was both amazing and terrifying!
Though they did give me an idea …
"Rien, how do you control the plants and animals like that?"
"Control?" he finally spoke, voice low and gentle. "I do not control. I am the forest, and the forest is me."
I stared at him, confused. "You just ask them to help, and they do?"
His brows knit together, and he shook his head. "We're all pieces of the whole, so when one has a need, the others help."
"Like a tight-knit team?" I asked. "Like a family?"
"Like words that form a book. Like singers that make a song, or …" Closing his eyes, Rien lifted his hands, grin curling on his lips.
Suddenly trees, animals, bushes, flowers began to move and sway.
"… like dancers that make a show."
I stood frozen and speechless as Rien nodded his head to some soundless beat, and the lush green world around us moved in time.
Massive trees swayed side-to-side. Vines wove around as if they had minds of their own, and gremlyns and brush creatures danced their way toward us as if it were some mystical forest festival from a children's play.
What in the seven hells?
