Phoenix of Hope: Complete Series — Books 1-4

by Zora Marie

“Eragon had just died and I was convinced it was because of me. I had let him in, he was the first person I let truly see how broken I was inside. He held me when I cried for the first time in centuries. I’ve spent so much of my life bottling up my emotions that I didn’t really know how to express them anymore. Eragon was the first person to help me with that, and he followed me into battle and died. I was convinced that Linithion would die, too, if I let her in, even when she was the only thing that felt right when my mind was an utter mess. It’s just a good thing she’s persistent.”

  “And stubborn,” Loboran added.

  “Yeah, she’s definitely stubborn.” Zelia shook the cloud of sadness that had overcome her with the memories.

  “So, what’s the plan for keeping the Dwarves from trying to shoot us out of the sky?”

  “There is a reason I brought my staff.”

  “You mean this thing that’s digging into my chest?” Loboran asked, a bit of amusement in his tone.

  “Yes, that thing. I can move it if that would make you more comfortable.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. Besides, we are making good time. I can see the edge of the forest already.”

  “Kniteoff burned a lot of the forest when chasing the Darkans from the mountain.”

  Speaking of Darkans reminded her that she still hadn’t found a way to help them exist without having to come into the light and she sighed. That was another thing she’d promised to try to help with.

  “What?”

  “I promised I’d try to find a solution for the Darkans, but with everything else going on…” She shook her head. She couldn’t do everything, but she needed to, had to.

  “You’re just one person. Let’s get Connan and his people on the right path and get Terik back, then I’ll see if Starling and I can help you come up with a solution for the Darkans.”

  “I take it Erolith has been keeping you updated.”

  “Yes, though not so willingly.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Starling and I were only back in town because Erolith had all of his best Fenari magic users come in while he was away to help you. When he returned, he asked Starling and me to stay back and help him refresh everyone. We’re the only ones who can hold a shield all day. Well, other than Linithion. Holding one for an extended period requires you to continuously feed energy into it or simple spells will break it.”

  “Would you teach me?”

  “Of course. I can teach you some of the symbols tonight, but we can’t practice the spells until we get back.”

  “Thank you.”

  9

  “I think they just spotted us.” Raven tilted her wings to slow their approach.

  Zelia leaned forward and focused on the dark spot that marked the tall stone gates into the mountain. The door opened to reveal the warm light within and a Dwarf slipped inside, presumably to retrieve Prince Connan. She reached over her shoulder and pulled her collapsed staff from its holster.

  “Oh, forewarning, don’t touch the staff.” Zelia expanded it with a flick of her wrist.

  “Is that Yarla’s staff?”

  “Yargo’s mother?” Zelia asked as she recalled the name. “Yes.”

  “It is said that before she died, she enchanted it so that only those who are worthy may use it.”

  “Zelia, they’re drawing bows,” Raven said.

  “Of course, they are.”

  “What?” Loboran leaned to glance past Raven’s side. “Oh.”

  “Yeah. Don’t forget you are here as my friend, not for Erolith.”

  “I figured as much. So, what is the plan?”

  “Well, if they shoot, I’ll block their arrows with ice.”

  “Why not just make an ice wall to block them until we land? Wouldn’t that be less risky?”

  It was then they heard the shout of a Dwarf over Raven’s wing beats. “Well don’t just stand there, shoot!”

  Zelia sighed and the runes on her staff began to glow blue as a curved wall of ice formed between them and the Dwarves. The thud of arrows and crackle of ice sounded from the other side. Raven landed in the snow beside the wall and Loboran helped her from Raven’s back. Then light shimmered through the ice as the door opened again.

  “Put your bows down,” a familiar voice yelled.

  “James?” Zelia asked as she opened a gap in the wall.

  “Yes lass, it’s me,” James said. “Who’s your friend?”

  “The Elf or the dragon?”

  “Uh, both?”

  “This is Loboran and this,” she placed a hand on Raven’s head, “is Raven. She’s my bonded dragon, from Dragon Island.”

  “I see… I assume you are here to see Connan. Please come in out of the cold while I retrieve him.”

  “May Raven join us?” Zelia asked.

  “Um…”

  “If not then I shall stay where I am. Pardon me if I’m nervous having Dwarves around her.”

  James’s jaw snapped shut at that and he nodded his consent for Raven to come in. “You lot stay out here and retrieve your arrows. They’re a precious resource not to be wasted on friends.” James opened the door for them. He sighed once the door was closed.

  The long corridor full of columns seemed far more inviting now than when she had first seen it in the dark. Streams of some sort of oil burned in the channels carved in the stone, lighting and warming the room.

  “I’m glad you are here,” James said. “Connan came to his senses after his anger faded and since he never heard back from you, he’s been beating himself up over it. Here, let me go get him.”

  Zelia watched James hurry off down the corridor before she sagged against Raven.

  “You look exhausted,” Loboran said.

  “Yeah well, I have power for days, just don’t ask me to walk any further today.”

  “Here, sit,” Raven settled down so she could sit propped against her.

  “Thanks.” Zelia slid down until she sat with her head tilted back against Raven.

  Loboran laughed. “You have power so long as you can keep your eyes open.”

  “Very funny.”

  Loboran was right though, she wasn’t just physically exhausted, she was drained in general. She ran a finger across the runes Yargo had shown her on the staff and she shuddered as they gave off a yellow glow. A warm tendril of energy coiled around her core and she rolled her shoulders back as the drowsiness lifted. She didn’t like to use the staff’s magic like that, but needed to be awake for this conversation with Connan.

  A few minutes later James returned with Connan on his heels. Connan gave Raven a wide berth as she puffed out a cloud of steam. Then he paused the moment he set eyes on her. “Zelia, you look…”

  “Skinnier than when you first found me?”

  “Yeah, what happened?”

  Zelia shrugged. “New body. It needs some work.” She rocked to her feet and used the staff to balance herself.

  “Why do you have one of Erolith’s dogs with you?”

  “I’m no one’s dog. But I might bite, the night’s still young.” Loboran’s grin reminded Zelia of a cat with a mouse.

  “Play nice you two. Loboran is here as my friend because Alrindel and Skylar are somewhere in the middle of the ocean, or I would have brought one of them since they seem to have a rapport with you. If you have a problem with Loboran being here, you can take it up with me.”

  Connan grumbled and James gave him a warning look. “Apologies, where are my manners? Come, we can sit in the council chambers down the hall.”

  “I’m not walking any further,” Zelia said. While the runes helped, she knew she had already pushed her limits today. “We can talk here, though sitting would be lovely.” She gestured at the floor.

  “Why are you here?” Connan asked.

  “Sit and I’ll explain.” She slid back down against Raven. “I promise she won’t bite. Unless you do something stupid.”

  “Like I would bite him then. That’s what fire is for.”

&nbs
p; Zelia couldn’t help but smile at Raven’s comment.

  “What?” Connan asked as he sat a good way from her and Raven.

  “Nothing, just talking with Raven. I told you they are not beasts, most of them are more intelligent than humans.”

  “And you?” Connan asked and Zelia ignored the underhanded nature of the question.

  “On some topics, yes. Just as you have more knowledge in forging than I do. That brings me to why I’m here. I need you to start forging rune weapons, the Fenari have begun attacking again.”

  “The Fenari are just an old wives’ tale.”

  “Then how did I just watch them kill two Hyperians, injure another, and take my brother Terik?” She pulled a dagger from a sheath in her boot and slid it across the floor to him. “And the only thing that injured them was this rune dagger. I haven’t had time to clean it properly yet, its blue blood is still on the blade.”

  Connan turned it in his hands before handing it to James. “So, say that the Fenari are real, how are we supposed to help? We just finished retrieving and burying the last of my people who were killed by the Darkans in the mines. We have to make things we can trade for food and supplies.”

  “What if I can get the Kingdom of the Mountains and the people in the Trading Town to trade for rune weapons?”

  “We’ve already made one deal with King Gregory,” Connan said.

  “Because they heard Zelia was your friend,” Loboran said and Connan stiffened.

  “I do not care about that so long as you hold up your end of the bargain when the time comes. I will make Gregory see that rune weapons are more important than stone walls right now. Walls will do nothing to protect them from the Fenari.”

  “I don’t have the manpower to harvest ore and forge weapons in mass, and we no longer know those runes well enough to make them.”

  “Yargo will be sending mages soon to teach you the runes.” Zelia paused to contemplate how to fix the manpower issue and the old Darkan she had met in the tunnels after saving Orvi came to mind. “I have an idea for getting you help mining ore, but you’re not going to like it.”

  “What?” Connan stared at her wearily.

  “I want you to hear me out on this and let me explain before you protest. Can you do that for me?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “No, you will. You owe me that much.” She held Connan’s gaze and he nodded his agreement. “When Alrindel and I left here, I fell into one of the Darkan tunnels on the way. I killed one of them without a thought of if they were really a threat. Even after I killed one of them, they didn’t automatically try to kill me even though they should have. Instead they took me to an elder who knew the common tongue, who had been taught the true history of the Darkans. They were once Elves, their skin dark rather than light, but something about Mineria, this realm made it so light causes them to have deformities and with each generation it has gotten worse. When I got back to the Darkeon Empire, Erolith let me read the history scrolls. I didn’t get to read all of them, but the Elves helped them in the beginning. As time passed, the Darkans couldn’t even stand the natural glow of the light skinned Elves. Over time both sides have lost sight of their history and the Darkans have grown desperate. Helping you mine down in the depths of the mountain where light doesn’t reach could prove beneficial to you both.”

  “Desperate or not they killed my people,” Connan growled.

  “Xander had been manipulating them into doing his bidding under a false promise.”

  “That still gives them no excuse for taking innocent lives.” Connan shot to his feet. His fists clenched and unclenched as he stared down at her.

  “Careful there, Dwarf.” Steam rolled from Raven’s mouth as she barely contained a snarl.

  “By that right you should be pissed off at me too.”

  “What?” Connan stilled as he realized Raven was glaring at him.

  “What do you think Asenten was making me do in that cave? He wasn’t just keeping me there. I’m sure you heard stories of people disappearing never to be heard from again. Some may have even blamed Asenten for their disappearance.” Zelia paused to wait for him to think back.

  “Alright so there were some stories, but what does that have to do with you?”

  “In the Trading Town, I told you Asenten was going to make me kill you and your people because you saw me. You weren’t going to be the first people he made me kill. I can’t bring myself to count how many lives he made me take, even though I remember them.” Zelia’s gaze fell from Connan’s to her fingers. “I remember all of them now thanks to Eleanor ripping through my memories. Hundreds… maybe more. I tortured and killed children, women, and men. Most were innocent and yet I tortured them. They were not quick deaths like the Darkans have been giving.”

  The tension in Raven loosened as she curled around and nudged Zelia in a silent offer of support. Zelia shook herself from the dark path she was sliding down and let Raven be her tether to the present.

  “So, you see, they are like me. While I was caged by magic, they are trapped by light, both of us ultimately manipulated by Xander. When Yargo freed me, he forced Xander to use the Darkans to silence you. I don’t think he wanted Eleanor and Erolith to know I was alive.”

  Connan shook his head. “I won’t force my people to live and work with those who slaughtered their kin.”

  “Then the Darkans I met were better beings than you. When I went to the Hold, I didn’t go to lend my blade. Yes, I went because I needed to save Alrindel, but I didn’t intend to kill anyone. When they killed Eragon, I snapped. I burned thousands of them from the inside out until they were nothing but ash. Even knowing that, this elder Darkan did not seek restitution. He sought understanding and help. I’m not asking you to let just any Darkans into your home. I’m asking you to let me speak with this elder and have him help me choose a select few to come and help you in exchange for our help.”

  “Did Erolith put you up to this?” Connan snarled.

  “No. Erolith knows nothing of this, only that I’m here to convince you to forge rune weapons.”

  “Oh, so he did send you.”

  “No. Dammit, sit down,” Zelia commanded him, but he did not yield.

  “Then why are you staying with him if not to be his pawn.”

  Zelia rocked to her feet and stalked up to him. “Because Linithion is my soulmate and I will not ruin her relationship with her father if I can help it. And I am no one’s pawn, not anymore. The next person who tries to control me like that will burn.”

  Connan glanced over her shoulder to Raven.

  “She’s the least of your concern.”

  James stood and rested a hand on Connan’s shoulder. “Perhaps we should all take a step back and contemplate this proposal before we do something irrational.”

  “He already did, when he tried to kill Orvi.” Zelia turned to walk back to Raven.

  “Zelia. I’m sorry.” Connan’s tone was no longer that of a condescending prince. “What I did was wrong. I should have heard you out. The dragons were not the ones who killed my people. Most of them anyway.”

  “Yes, well… consider that your actions against a hatching, a baby, make you not all that different from the Darkans either. And you should know that Linithion is Orvi’s bonded rider. If you ever try to hurt either of them again, there will be no forgiveness.” Zelia faltered as she reached Raven’s side, the spell to stave off her exhaustion burning out. Raven’s wing pulled Zelia closer, until she leaned against her.

  “How about we pick this up in the morning with clear heads,” James suggested. “I think we have a room the three of you will fit in, if you two don’t mind sharing a bed. I assume you’ll want to stick together.”

  Zelia tried not to let the exhaustion and shakiness reach her voice. “Yes. Thank you.”

  “Come on,” James told Connan and led him down the corridor. “I’ll be back in a few to show you to your room.”

  10

  The moment the Dwarves were go
ne, Zelia slid back to the floor. While that spell had helped, her body screamed at her now. She was tempted to sleep on the floor here in the middle of this hall rather than to try moving further into the mountain.

  “Are you alright?” Loboran moved to sit next to her.

  “Fine. Just tired.”

  “I could carry you.”

  “No. I need to walk.” She flexed her fingers, using the activity to keep herself awake as they waited.

  “Right this way,” James said when he finally returned. As they walked, he prattled on about what had changed since she’d last been here and how they were struggling to get everything back to how it was. “Well, here we are. Sorry about the dust, we haven’t had time to go around and clean all the rooms. Is there anything I could get any of you?”

  “Thank you, James, but this is fine.”

  “Alright. There will be a guard at the end of the hall if you need anything.” James gave a short bow and shut the huge double doors behind himself.

  Zelia nearly gasped in relief as she sat on the edge of the bed and collapsed her staff. Now her arms ached too from leaning heavily on the staff during their walk through the mountain halls. Her fingers shook as she undid the ties of her armor. The moment she pulled the chest piece from across her shoulders, what energy she had left seemed to drain from her. She barely managed to stay seated as she set the leather armor and her boots beside the bed.

  “You need to stretch before you lie down or you’ll regret it come morning,” Loboran said.

  Zelia hissed as she rotated her feet and her calves screamed at her.

  “Here.” Loboran slung off the small pack he’d brought and shuffled through it. He pulled out a small corked jar. “Erolith gave me some balm to help with the tension in your muscles. May I?”

  “Yeah.” Zelia dragged herself farther back on the bed.

  Loboran rolled up her pant leg and gently rubbed the balm on her sore legs until her skin tingled. As he worked with her legs, she worked through the stretches for her arms and fingers. She couldn’t help but hiss as he rotated her ankle, the tension in her calves protesting the movement.