Phoenix of Hope: Complete Series — Books 1-4

by Zora Marie

  “Too much?” Loboran asked.

  “No. If we don’t do it now, I’ll probably have leg cramps before morning.”

  Loboran nodded his agreement and continued.

  “So, is this what you’ve been doing all day?” Raven asked.

  “Not all day, but yes. Only I wasn’t quite this stiff earlier today.”

  “You shouldn’t push yourself so much.”

  “I know, I just—”

  “Can’t sit by and watch others put themselves in danger?”

  “Yes.”

  “I understand. Well, you both rest easy tonight. I’ll keep watch and wake you if anything is amiss.”

  “Thank you, Raven.”

  When she had done all the stretching she was willing to do, she told Loboran of Raven’s offer.

  “Wake me up if you get tired.” Loboran patted Raven’s side as he squeezed past her to the far side of the large bed. “Do you still need to listen to someone’s heartbeat at night?”

  “No. I’m free of the shrapnel.” As she said it, she realized she hadn’t slept alone in what felt like ages. She hadn’t been without Linithion in what felt like ages. She curled up under the covers that smelled stale from disuse and was happy to find that exhaustion took her from her thoughts.

  She woke to a soft knock on the door and groaned as she stretched. Her body twitched with the effort to move, even as she still lay sprawled in bed. Loboran was already up and he opened the door a crack.

  “Connan would like you both to join him for breakfast. Um. There isn’t room for Raven in the dining hall, but we’ll bring out some meat for her,” James said.

  “I’ll pass. I don’t trust the food of dragon haters.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. The bay isn’t far, I could go fishing while you talk.”

  “Um. Can you wait until we are done? The town folk will freak out, Kniteoff killed a few people. Or I can ask to choose your meat myself.”

  “Alright, just have Loboran carry it. Don’t try to do it yourself.”

  “If you don’t mind, I would like to get her food,” Zelia said before James could leave.

  “Very well,” James said.

  James’ footsteps faded down the hall. Zelia suppressed the urge to groan as she forced herself into a sitting position. She was beginning to wonder if her calves would ever stop screaming at her as she rotated her ankles.

  “Would you help me get Raven’s food? We don’t trust them to not put something in it. I don’t think they would hurt us, but…”

  Loboran nodded and helped her with the ties on her leather armor. The magic runes that cover it eased some of the tension in her muscles. Even with the magic, her hands were stiff and she struggled to pull the ties tight. The leather slipped through her shaking fingers and she ground her teeth, but even that hurt. And the frustration of it all made her shake even more. Loboran finished one side and began helping her with the other.

  “You know, the muscle cramps are just part of the healing process.”

  “I know. I just…” She forced herself to stop and take a breath, to calm her frustration. “I need to be there for Linithion and Rogath… and Terik, but I can’t even help myself.”

  “You’ll get there. But if you push yourself too hard, you’ll end up setting yourself back. Trust me, I’ve done it before.”

  “Really?” Zelia knew Starling was Saria’s brother, but she really didn’t know much about Loboran or Starling for that matter.

  “Yes. Starling and I fought Fenari in the old war. Usually we stick together, but King Erolith needed Starling to take a message to Vainoff and couldn’t spare me to go with him. We got caught in a skirmish while he was gone. I was distracted and got myself gutted. Donavain managed to stitch me back together, but I was stubborn and didn’t rest like I should have. I just about bled out when I ripped my side back open. Starling refused to leave my side after that and without us there to shield a retreat,” Loboran’s gaze darkened, “we lost almost thirty Elves. If I had kept to spells and left the blades to Starling, we may not have lost them.”

  “Or you may have fallen with them.”

  “That’s what Starling keeps telling me.”

  “You would tell me the same thing.”

  Loboran let out a huff that was almost a laugh. “You’re right. Just try to take it easy today, let your body heal before pushing it again.”

  “Let’s wait until we’re done with Connan before we decide anything like that.”

  He took her hands in his, and his magic tingled as the muscles in her fingers calmed. “Then you go ahead and join him for breakfast, and I’ll take care of Raven.”

  She flexed her fingers and they moved easily once more. “Thank you. She likes fish.”

  “I’ll walk with you.” Raven waited by the door for Loboran to open it.

  James met them part way down the hall and led them to Connan’s private dining hall. On the way, Zelia leaned against Raven’s head for support. James stopped in front of a set of double doors and appraised her. The weight of his gaze was a searing brand against her skin.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to have someone bring Raven something to eat for you? It’s really no trouble.”

  “How about you both go ahead, and I’ll join you in just a few,” Loboran said.

  “Thank you, Loboran.”

  Loboran nodded and continued down the hall, clearly familiar with the space.

  “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

  “Thank you, too.” Zelia straightened herself from where she’d leaned against Raven and forced an ease to her step that she didn’t feel as James opened the door.

  Connan sat at the head of the table, seemingly lost in thought as he stared into his cup. James pulled out a seat at Connan’s left and nodded for her to sit. She did and he carefully pushed the seat in for her before taking his own seat to Connan’s right. While she was grateful for the gesture of chivalry, it irked her she actually needed that sort of assistance right now.

  “You know, my grandfather kept saying that I wasn’t ready to take his seat. Yet here I am, the last of our line.” Connan took a swig of what appeared to be mead before continuing, “I need to learn to think more before I speak. I always thought my grandfather a slow old fool, but really he was taking his time to choose his words. I’m sorry for what I said last night. You’ve been through enough, you shouldn’t have to explain yourself to me.”

  “It’s fine. What I proposed would put anyone on a bad foot, but I need you to consider it. Quickly. The Fenari, they—” she cut herself short. Some things shouldn’t be said outside of a shielded room. “I need to wait until Loboran is back.”

  Connan squinted at her but nodded his consent.

  Sitting there, waiting, she realized that she should probably retrieve the pernion juice. She stared at her cup, the only one at the table that merely had water. They had spent so little time together, yet James had noticed she didn’t care for alcohol. She picked up the glass and took a swig before pouring the rest into her hand. A small part of her got a sense of satisfaction at Connan’s stare. She still hadn’t mastered freezing the water without air bubbles, so she forced them to the surface and smoothed it before plunging her hand into it. This time she found one of the little minty things the cooks had given her alongside the little corked jar. She downed the juice and dropped the container back into the portal.

  Now James stared at her. “What was that?”

  “Something to help me heal.” She ate the little minty thing, and almost sighed as it wiped the bitter taste and slimy texture of the pernion juice from her mouth.

  “Help you heal?”

  “It’s… complicated. I’m having to rebuild muscle after,” she tilted her head, unsure how much to say or how to explain, “how things went with Xander.”

  “I see. So that’s why you’re so skinny.”

  Zelia didn’t answer as Loboran entered and sat beside her. “What?” Loboran asked as
both dwarves stared at them expectantly.

  “Can you temporarily shield this room from prying ears?”

  Without an answer, he drew a series of symbols in the air and then traced a circle around it. When he was done, he nodded to her.

  “Thank you. The Fenari attacked a group of Hyperian guards near Elyluma and when Rogath and Terik tried to intervene, they took Terik. Terik is one of Yargo’s sons. Even though the Hyperians are trained to fight the Fenari, they were beaten like they were nothing. Regular blades don’t pierce their skin. They have to have runes etched on them or they’re useless.”

  “Or have runes freshly drawn in blood, but that requires more knowledge to wield,” Loboran added.

  “We should seriously consider her proposal, Connan,” James said. “With some extra hands we could afford to put resources towards making rune weapons. If we wait, we may regret it.”

  “There is no may about it,” Zelia said. “I wouldn’t face them without rune weapons and I can burn them. If you will not hear me out, then I have wasted my time when I should be learning Fenari magic so I can try to defend your people.”

  “Why are they attacking now?”

  “The very presence of the guild has kept them at bay after the Old Wars, but with over half of the guild gone, the threat isn’t enough to keep them away,” Loboran said.

  “So basically, you’re saying we’re doomed?” Connan asked.

  “No. Yargo and Zivu believe Linithion and I can fill the void that they left, but I need time to heal and learn. Besides, we can’t be everywhere at once.”

  “Fine. Then I will discuss it with what is left of my council and let you know what we decide.”

  “When?”

  “After breakfast. You two can wander around while we talk.”

  “Perhaps we should have them meet Zelia. None of them know her.”

  “If they don’t believe my word, then they won’t believe her when she can hardly walk.”

  Zelia couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “I can demonstrate if I need to. Just don’t ask me to fight without magic right now.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, but I think it would be best for me to just talk with them first.”

  “I understand.”

  11

  After breakfast, they returned to the room James had shown them to the night before. Zelia worked through the stretches and exercises Yalif and Donavain had shown her until she hit twenty-five repetitions. She was trying to give Connan time, to let him come to her, but he was taking forever.

  “Do you think they are arguing or trying to figure out how to get rid of us?”

  “Oh, I’m sure it is a bit of both,” Loboran said.

  “I think it’s time you showed them why they should listen.”

  “Which do you think? Fire or Ice?”

  “I could teach you a Fenari spell that will freeze them.” Loboran mused. “They’d still be awake, but wouldn’t be able to move.”

  “I like him.”

  Zelia couldn’t help but laugh at the purr in Raven’s tone.

  “What did Raven say?”

  “Just that she likes you and your suggestion, but I think that would go even worse than using fire or ice.”

  Loboran shrugged. “Probably just as well. That spell takes a lot of energy to keep for more than a few seconds and you’ll need them to be quiet for far longer than that.”

  “How about I do ice and you do fire today?”

  “Won’t we freeze our butts off on the way home if you’re stuck using ice today?”

  “Hm. Good point. Ice is better for summer.”

  “Alright. Do you know where their meeting room is?” Zelia asked Loboran.

  “Of course. I’ve run messages for Erolith many times over the years.”

  Loboran opened the door and led her back down the underground hallway. Light reflected off polished metal panels through holes the Dwarves had carved in the side of the mountain with the help of the Fairies. Sometimes Zelia forgot that the Fairies had played such a large role in the races moving to Mineria from Hyperia. She seldom saw or heard anything about the Fairies, which made them so easy to forget. Loboran stopped in front a set of double doors, the shouts of angry Dwarves rattled the door in its frame.

  A lonely Dwarf stood guard. “You can’t go in there right now.”

  Zelia rubbed a finger across the healing runes on her staff as she stared the Dwarf down. “Then you can go in there and tell Connan that I’m done waiting. There are other things I must tend to before we end up in a war.”

  “I… uh…”

  “Just step aside. You can even say that you tried to stop me.”

  When the Dwarf didn’t move, Loboran sighed and dragged the Dwarf to the side by the collar of his tunic. “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

  The Dwarf gaped at Loboran, then began to turn beet red with anger. Loboran just smirked at him, his arms crossed.

  Zelia did her best to ignore the two as she called on her inner ice. She shivered as the door handle turned a frosty white beneath her touch. James was the only one to notice the door open. The table was made in a u, with the opening towards her. The others didn’t even glance at her as she walked to the middle of the room, to the middle of the space they argued across.

  “That’s enough!” Zelia slammed the butt of her staff on the ground and jagged clumps of ice grew from the stone around her. All eyes turned to her. Their mouths gaped as they paused their rants.

  “This is why wizards can’t be trusted! Always throwing their magic around,” one of the older Dwarves argued.

  “I’m not a wizard, they need spells.”

  “And she could have skewered you, but instead she decided to just get our attention,” Connan said and then mumbled something under his breath that sounded a bit like, “though she could have saved us the trouble…” but Zelia wasn’t certain.

  “I’m assuming you haven’t come to a decision since you were all still arguing with one another.”

  “They’re not sure that they can trust you,” James said.

  “I figured as much, but my question for all of you is whom do you trust? Do you even trust each other anymore? Isn’t trust earned and lost over time?”

  The Dwarves all mumbled answers and most of them were the same, they didn’t trust anyone, but it was something that was earned and lost.

  “I helped you get your home back. I fought to protect the Kingdom of the Mountains. And I’m trying my best to protect everyone, not just you, the Elves, or even the humans. Freg, I’ve given up protecting myself. Ask Connan where he first met me.”

  All eyes turned to Connan.

  “She was in the cave where we found Asenten’s corpse. She was emaciated and burned… and terrified. I didn’t find out why until later.”

  “So, you killed Asenten?” the Dwarf’s voice grated with anger.

  “No. I tried centuries ago, but I couldn’t do it. Asenten was going to make me kill all of you, not just some of you, because Connan had found me. Instead, Yargo, King of Hyperia and one considered a god by the humans, killed Asenten and took me to his healer. When I came back here to the mainland, I was dead set on changing the path the battle for The Hold was on. Connan took a chance and helped me in exchange for a promise that I would come back to help all of you, and I did. If I haven’t earned your trust, then nothing will.”

  “I say we give Zelia’s proposal a shot,” James said. “Let them send fifty of their people here to help us mine the ore and then we can reevaluate after we see how that works out.”

  “How are we to support fifty more people?” one of them argued.

  “Enough.” Connan stood, his fingers splayed on the table as he met the gazes of each of his council members. “I trust Zelia to help us sell and trade these new rune weapons, and that will allow us to support the extra people.”

  “But—”

  “The Fenari would kill us all before you lot could agree on anything.” Connan glared at the Dwarf
who tried to interrupt him. “Zelia, please see to it that these people are safe. I’ll have some makeshift beds and facilities set up down in the mines away from the light for the Darkans. I’ll expect them in two days. In the meantime, we’ll prep as many weapons as we can to be etched when Yargo sends his people. Also, don’t forget to contact King Gregory.”

  “Thank you, Connan. I’ll let you know if there are any delays on the part of the Darkans.” Zelia bowed her head and met the gazes of each of the Dwarves before leaving.

  Zelia waited until they were high in the sky, to ask Loboran, “Do you think they will follow Connan? Can we trust them?”

  “Dwarves take their word seriously, so I think Connan will do everything in his power to uphold it.”

  “But do you think the others will? I don’t want to ruin what little trust the Darkans have left.”

  “Dwarves are known to be loyal to a fault, much like we are. So as long as the Darkans give them no reason to mistrust them, everything should be fine. And that is as close to a yes as you are going to get in these circumstances.”

  “As long as they don’t kill each other…”

  “If they do, it is not your fault. You are trying to save lives, but sometimes you have to risk a few to protect the others.”

  “But I’m the one who suggested it and I will be held accountable by both sides.”

  “Just be open about the risks. Let the Darkans come to a decision on their own.”

  “Alright.”

  “So where exactly are we going?”

  “Um, it’s closer to the northern edge of the woods.”

  “You don’t know exactly where we’re going, do you?”

  “No. We were below ground… and I kind of just fell into their tunnels.”

  “Then ask Loboran.”

  “So. Do you happen to know where the Darkan tunnels are on the northern end of their territory?”

  “Some of them. Do you remember any defining features?”

  “Other than the Darkans not trying to kill me? They had chairs carved right into the stone. Most of the tunnels leading in and out of the small cavern were earthen rather than stone.”