Phoenix of Hope: Complete Series — Books 1-4

by Zora Marie

  “Hm. I think I can spare a few. We can go now if you’re done.”

  Zelia glanced at Linithion. “Need me for anything?”

  “No. Go make up to your stallion.”

  “Thank you.” Zelia gave Linithion a kiss on the cheek as she stood.

  The moment they were out of the dining hall Starling stared at her. “So, what do you have up your sleeve?”

  “I need help with a surprise for Linithion.”

  “Oh?”

  “The little glass sculptures she’s made, they mean a lot to her and I don’t want her to give those up.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “Right before we leave, I want to put them in a pocket dimension. She doesn’t want to waste time or resources on them, so I don’t want her to know about it until after we’re there.”

  “And you’re hoping Loboran and I will help distract her.”

  “Please?”

  “Hm… I don’t know.” Starling tapped his chin. “Maybe if you do the same for mine when we stop at our house. Loboran got them for me.”

  “Of course.” Zelia hugged Starling and he gave her a light squeeze in return.

  “You know, I wasn’t kidding about Bête Noire. He really is upset with you.”

  “Yeah… I figured as much.”

  “Well come on, sugar cubes make everything better with him.” Starling dropped a couple of the white cubes in her hand and led her to the pasture.

  Bête Noire huffed a hot breath in her face before nuzzling Starling’s side, where a special pouch hung from his belt. “Oh, don’t be that way. You’ve been moping around for weeks while she was gone.” Starling batted the stallion away. “Besides, I gave her your treats.”

  “Of course you did,” Bête Noire huffed in Starling’s face.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t come to see you sooner.” Zelia held out the sugar cubes on her open palm.

  “And you think a few pieces of sugar will make up for leaving me again? For months?”

  “No, but I figure you’ll want them anyways.” She couldn’t help but silently plea that he would forgive her, or at least accept her peace offering. It wasn’t even about the fact that they were about to leave. She could ride another horse or walk, but he was her friend and guilt ate at her for leaving him.

  Bête Noire looked from the treats in her hand to her face and back again. “This changes nothing.” His lips tickled her palm as he gently took the cubes from her hand.

  Zelia couldn’t help but stroke the rough hair of his forelock and lean into him. “I’ve missed you, too, and I really am sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t make time to come see you sooner, and I’m sorry I’m not the rider you wanted.”

  Bête Noire’s ears flicked forward as he backed away from her and her heart sank. “Oh, come here.” He bobbed his head and relief washed through her as he nuzzled her against his neck. “Life’s too short to stay mad at my favorite rider, but I’ll expect more of those sugar cubes in the future.”

  “It’s a deal.” Zelia wrapped her arms around his neck and Bête Noire’s long mane tickled her cheek. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the smell of hay and horses. She’d have to make more time for Bête Noire, for enjoying the little things.

  “Well, I hate to break up your reunion, but we need to finish packing things and then the two of you can talk all day on the way,” Starling said.

  “So, you’re not going with Raven?” Bête Noire asked.

  “No, I’m going with all of you.”

  “Good.”

  “Oh, is someone jealous?”

  “Well, you do have a bond with her, and she can travel faster.”

  “Even Raven cannot replace you. You both hold pieces of my heart.”

  “Good. Now hurry up so we can get going.” Bête Noire nickered as he bobbed his head and pranced away from her.

  “Told you things would be alright with him.” Starling wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Now come on, let’s go get Loboran on board with this plan of yours.”

  “Thank you for taking care of Bête Noire for me.”

  “Oh, it’s the least I could do. Besides, it’s been ages since I’ve had a horse to spoil.”

  They returned to a flurry of activity just outside the dining hall. Everyone was dividing up provisions, helping carry the injured to the barges, packing horses, and those who were injured but could walk were beginning their journey. Zelia didn’t even ask, she just began helping load the pack horses.

  She wasn’t sure how long she had been helping when Loboran tapped on her shoulder.

  “How about we go get your and Linithion’s stuff?”

  Zelia cinched down the tie she had been making before following Loboran to the rooms that were all that remained of Linithion’s childhood home. Zelia drew snow to her hand as they walked. She rolled the snow into a ball, adding to it with each pass of her hands and willed it to turn to ice. She had a rather large ball of ice and snow by the time they reach the door.

  “Is that all either of you planned to take?” Loboran pointed to the pack Linithion had made that morning.

  “Yeah. I don’t really have anything here, or anywhere for that matter. Linithion, though, I think she feels like she has to give up everything because of what happened here.”

  “What happened isn’t either of your faults. So, what can I do to help?”

  “First off, I’m not sure if someone else can use my portal to pocket dimensions, so would you stick your hand in this?” The ice rippled as Zelia plunged her own hand in, checking to make sure it led to the right place. Her hand brushed against a glass bottle. She pulled it out and grimaced when she remembered how the pernion juice tasted. She was relieved to see that the bottle was empty.

  “That explains the look.” Loboran chuckled.

  “Yeah…” Zelia chucked the bottle back into the sphere.

  The moment it was gone, Loboran stuck his hand in after it. “Seems to work fine.”

  “Great, let’s start with that tree.”

  “Do things just float in there?”

  “Yeah and they only move when physically moved by someone.”

  “Interesting. I knew Hyperians could make portals like that, just never met anyone who could do it.”

  “Not all the portals are like that. Some lead to places of living flame and other not so useful places.”

  Loboran lifted the glass tree from the top of the armoire and carefully placed it in the portal. “I take it you’re speaking from experience on that one?”

  “Yep. I may have scared a guard in Elyluma while figuring portals out. Apparently catching yourself on fire isn’t encouraged.”

  “I’d say so.”

  Zelia set the glass sphere on the bed and helped put Linithion’s smaller sculptures into the portal. By the time they were done, Zelia understood why these little portals weren’t used very often as she felt like curling up to take a nap.

  “I think that’s all of them.” Loboran made one last pass through the room before picking up Linithion’s pack. “You ready?”

  “Yeah.” Zelia made the ice melt as she tossed it in the snow outside. She couldn’t help but shiver as she pulled her cloak tight. Her fingers were sore and stiff from the morning’s use and playing in snow and ice.

  Loboran pulled her to his side as they walked, letting her leach some heat from him. “You know, you shouldn’t let yourself get so cold.”

  “Hm, no. I’ve never heard that before.”

  “Sure, you haven’t.” He rolled his eyes. “Looks like Linithion’s waiting for you.”

  “I am.” Linithion turned her white and silver horse to face them. “What took you two so long?”

  “Other than the protesting of my fingers?” Zelia held out her hand, revealing how her fingers twitched.

  Loboran clicked his tongue and took her hand in his. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  Her fingers tingled as he held them, his magic calming the muscles. Then he curled
his fingers, gesturing for her left hand. When both were done, he nodded to Bête Noire. “Need a hand up?”

  “Unfortunately.” She sighed. While Zelia loved riding bareback, it did present a problem when she didn’t have something to climb up on or the physical strength to swing herself up.

  “Oh, it isn’t that bad,” Linithion said. “Thank you for grabbing our pack, Loboran.”

  “You’re welcome.” Loboran lifted Zelia onto her horse and then strolled away.

  “Um, are you going to give it here?”

  “Nope, I think I’ll carry it for you today.”

  Linithion gaped as she stared after Loboran.

  “Well that’s not very Queenly, either,” Zelia said.

  Linithion glared at Zelia and nudged her horse into a walk. Bête Noire didn’t wait for Zelia to ask, he just started walking alongside Linithion’s mare.

  On their way from the city, they passed several Elves who were still packing. As much as she and Linithion would have liked to hang back and make sure everyone started on their way, they had to head the journey north. They were expected to meet whoever Banon would send to guide them through the wild.

  7

  It was mid-day on the third day of the trip when Loboran and Starling began insisting Zelia and Linithion spend the night in their home before they all headed into the wild. “We’re not taking no for an answer,” Starling said. “We have two beds and the second is yours.”

  “Um…” As much as Zelia liked the idea of sleeping in an actual bed for the night, the idea of climbing a tree to get into Loboran and Starling’s home wasn’t the most appealing. She’d barely been able to move the night before, especially after her pitiful attempt to train.

  “If you’re worried about climbing, I’ll help you get up there,” Loboran said.

  “Thanks. I haven’t tried climbing since…” She shrugged. Months. The last tree she’d climbed had been to get into Loboran and Starling’s home when they’d stopped for the night on their way to deal with Orvi’s father.

  “And riding has made you stiff,” Linithion quipped.

  “Only a little.”

  “If it’s only a little, I should make you practice archery while we ride.” Linithion grinned. It was a devilish thing, one that promised plenty of mischief.

  Zelia pinned her with a look. “You spent too much time with Koin—teasing about such things.”

  “Well, your upper body strength isn’t going to get better if you’re just riding all day.”

  “She has a point,” Loboran said.

  “Do you want me to stay in your home tonight or not? Because I’m not doing both.”

  “Fine, but archery practice starts tomorrow,” Loboran said.

  “Oh? So, I can accidently shoot a wolfblood while we’re at it?”

  “You won’t be that bad.”

  “I could hardly hold a spoon two weeks ago.”

  “And yet here you are, riding all day and still walking decently in the evenings.”

  “Barely still walking in the evenings, and I’m fairly certain I can’t pull back my own bow right now.”

  “Really? Where is your bow anyways?”

  “In a pocket dimension, along with my sword.” She’d caught herself reaching for it by instinct over the last few weeks. It would be nice to have the weapons back at her side, but she didn’t need the added weight of something she couldn’t use.

  “Here.” Linithion strung her bow and handed it to Zelia. “You should practice drawing at least a little bit. And…” Linithion pulled a little leather finger guard from a pocket in her tunic and held it out, “…this way you don’t destroy your fingers while building up calluses.”

  “I’m starting to think I should have gone with Raven and the others.”

  “I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

  “Not in our house,” Starling said.

  Linithion rolled her eyes. “You two are insufferable.”

  “Yet you still love us,” Loboran said.

  They had a point. Besides, the wood in her hand and the curve of the bow was like returning home after all those years away. She drew Linithion’s bow. Burning pain shot through her shoulder, the joint caught when she’d barely gotten the bow halfway drawn. She couldn’t go through with the draw, and her shoulder screamed as she tried to ease it back forward.

  Loboran muttered a curse as he jumped on behind her. In an instant, his hands were over hers and some of the pressure on her shoulder slackened. His calluses scraped the backs of her hands as he eased the bow string forward for her. She shuddered as she lowered her arm.

  “You alright?” His magic tickled as it danced through her shoulder.

  “I’m fine. I told you I wasn’t ready for a bow yet. I believe shoulder exercises are in order.”

  “Um hm. Roll your shoulder.”

  Zelia did as he asked. Her shoulder popped but didn’t hurt, it actually helped as the twinge of pain in the joint disappeared.

  “Good. Now pretend you’re drawing a bow… a few hundred times.” He handed Linithion her bow and slid off of Bête Noire.

  Surprise trilled through her that Bête Noire hadn’t protested Loboran jumping on behind her. He hadn’t even faltered a step as he wove his way through the woods. Starling casually walked beside his head, and she caught a flash of something white in his hand a moment before the horse nuzzled him.

  “Are you bribing Bête Noire or just spoiling him?”

  “Who? Me?” Starling splayed his fingers across his chest in mock offense. “I would never.”

  “This is why we don’t have our own horse.” Loboran said.

  “And here I thought it was because we don’t have a pasture.”

  “Well, there’s that, too.”

  “Then our next home will have a pasture.”

  Loboran shook his head. “Fine, but only two horses. We don’t need a field full of spoiled pets.”

  “Two horses and their future foal, got it.”

  “And here I thought you’d be fighting Zelia and Linithion for Frita’s foal.”

  “Wait, what?” Linithion dropped her hand to her horse’s side.

  “It’s the early stages, you’re not going to hurt either of them by riding,” Loboran said.

  “Bête Noire, you wouldn’t have anything to do with this, would you?” Zelia asked.

  “Maybe…”

  “Maybe?”

  “Oh, I’d say it’s more than a maybe.” Loboran laughed as he draped his arm across Starling’s back.

  “Well, it sounds like Frita will soon be getting some of your treats and rations.”

  “Hey! No fair. You’re the one who left me with Starling and in the same pasture as Frita.”

  Frita huffed a sigh at Bête Noire as though exasperated with him and neither Linithion nor Zelia could keep from laughing. Of all things to find out in the middle of the realm falling apart, expecting a foal had not even crossed Zelia’s mind.

  Her fingers dug into Bête Noire’s thick winter coat as her thoughts turned over this new sliver of hope and peace the future potentially held for them. I wonder which one of them it’ll look like. Perhaps it’ll be a silver buckskin like Frita, or a black with silver speckling. Maybe it’ll get his elegant trot and Frita’s solid footing. Hopefully it gets Frita’s disposition, gods help us if it gets Bête Noire’s personality.

  That evening they teased Bête Noire by giving Frita all their attention. They hugged and pet the mare after rubbing her down far more than was necessary. Frita rewarded them with velvety nose snuggles before they headed up the tree that held Loboran and Starling’s home. Loboran gave her a boost to the first branch and Zelia took her time picking her way up the branches. Her legs were sore from yet another day of riding and her arms were still too weak to pull her up. Her foot slipped on a snow-covered branch and Loboran steadied her with a hand on her back. In all, she managed to crawl through the hatch in the floor of the treehouse without falling and no more bruises than she’d begu
n with.

  “See, I knew you could do it.” Loboran popped in behind her. “Want a hand up?”

  “Nope, just going to lie on the floor for a minute.”

  “Come on, off with the cloak and armor.” Linithion grabbed Zelia’s shoulders and propped her up into a sitting position before setting to work on the ties.

  Loboran flipped the hatch in the floor shut, sealing out the winter breeze. The earthen oven along the far wall warmed the room and her fingers tingled with returning feeling. The moment the armor was off, Linithion began rubbing the knots out of Zelia’s shoulders and back. She tensed, the knots tender to the touch, but the moment one loosened a soft groan escaped her lips.

  “Told you I’d make it up to you.”

  “And here I thought you were teasing.”

  “Never.”

  Loboran laid across the bed against the far wall, watching Linithion. “Hm, Starling?”

  “No. How about a hot meal instead?”

  “I suppose that’ll suffice. I’ll get the bowls.” Loboran rolled from the bed and grabbed a small stack of earthen bowls from a top shelf. Then he leaned over Starling’s shoulder, kissing his neck as he peered into the pot Starling stirred. “Smells delicious.”

  “Thanks.” Starling turned and kissed Loboran before taking the bowls and ladling soup into each.

  Zelia had never noticed this side of Loboran and Starling before, and it was kind of cute. She had never really thought of what it would be like to be in an open relationship with someone. Even Eadon and Eleanor hadn’t really ever expressed their love for one another, at least not around her.

  “We’ll work things out together,” Linithion whispered and her lips tickled the side of Zelia’s neck as she kissed her.

  “Dinner?” Loboran held out a bowl to each of them..

  Linithion slid away from Zelia before taking a bowl. “Thank you.”

  “Um, hm. Just remember that this house is small, and only one room. If you do anything, we’ll be forced to drown out the sound somehow…”

  Zelia choked on a laugh and nearly spilled her soup as Linithion glared at Loboran. She was certain that if looks could kill, that one might have. “If Eadon or Eleanor hear you two talk to us like that—”