by Zora Marie
Zelia stared out at the field veiled in white. There weren’t as many as there had been at the Drakeon Empire, but it was still too many. Even just one would have been too many. It was only a little over a month since she last did this, but this one weighed so much heavier on her soul. Koin’s body lay somewhere among the others, and she couldn’t help but feel that if she hadn’t hesitated, she could have spared more of those who now lay in this field.
Lucky stepped close to her and held a tiny flame out to her on his fingertip. “Just add your flame to it and shoot it down your staff, I’ll handle the rest.” He shamelessly looked them both up and down as he stepped back. “You’re both exceptionally beautiful tonight.”
Zelia snatched the flame from him and made it swirl around the tip of her staff.
“Thank you, Lucky,” Linithion said, a solemn tension lacing her words.
Linithion’s hand slipped from hers as she stepped closer to Eleanor in the ring of mourners gathered to honor the fallen. Then Alrindel stepped into the vacated space beside her and together they started for the center of the field. Zelia let the sorrow she felt at the loss of Koin and Vainoff well up and fill her. “When we stop, put your hands over mine on the staff.”
Alrindel didn’t respond, but she knew he heard. A tiny white stone that seemed to glow in the moonlight marked the exact center of the field and they stopped there. She put both hands on her staff as she turned to Alrindel. His eyes were tear filled as he stared over her shoulder and she knew by that look alone where Koin had been laid.
“Let’s free him to join Aunt Leena in the stars.”
He gave an almost imperceptible nod as he placed his hands over hers. It wasn’t until the runes on her staff glowed white that Alrindel met her gaze and flames flared out from her. White flames, because she wanted Koin to leave them in fire pure as starlight. Pure as his love for them.
She shivered as Lucky’s flames mingled with her own. She kept them burning white until the souls of all of those lost lifted from all around them. It wasn’t until then that Zelia relinquished her hold on the flames, letting Lucky take full control.
Alrindel’s eyes widened and Zelia turned as one blue orb floated towards them. Alrindel’s hand clutched hers even as it fell away from the staff. “It’s Koin,” Alrindel whispered. Koin’s soul floated between them for just a moment, as though to say goodbye. Then it floated into the sky, trailing after the others. “Did you?”
“No. I don’t control them.” Tears streamed down her face as she watched the souls shrink in the distance, as she watched Koin leave them once and for all. She might come across him and Leena in their next life, but they wouldn’t be the same. They wouldn’t be the Elves who had helped raise her and Alrindel. They may not even remember this life.
When the souls finally faded from view, Alrindel gently wiped the tears from her cheek. “Thank you for asking me to come out here with you.”
“I could think of no one better than my big brother.” Zelia gave him a sad smile. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Come on.” Alrindel led her from the dark field. As they neared their kin, he picked up the long slow song the others sang. The two of them stepped between Linithion and Lighnif. The sight of her brother and Lighnif holding hands lightened the weight of sorrow on her chest.
As she watched her brother, Linithion slipped behind her and wrapped her arms around Zelia’s waist. She sang quietly as her cheek brushed against Zelia’s ear. They stood like that, all of them there at the field’s edge until the sky turned to shades of purple and pink.
Eleanor paused as she turned from the field, a faint smile forming as she looked Zelia’s dress up and down. “Go get some rest.”
Zelia nodded absently, but it was Linithion who led her to the house as the sky faded to its normal hues of blue. They were silent as they ascended the stairs and returned to their room. It wasn’t until Linithion untied the back of her dress that she asked, “You weren’t supposed to burn those flames white for so long, were you?”
“No, but—”
“You don’t need to explain. I know why you did it and I don’t blame you.” Linithion’s hands fell away from Zelia’s sides and they changed in silence. When they climbed in bed, Linithion curled around her, holding her tight. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Zelia hugged Linithion’s hand to her chest, determined to cherish every bit of time she got with her.
41
The next several months passed by in a blur. Raven’s side healed nicely. She bore a scar, the scales a powdery grey where the gash had been, but she was cleared to fly far sooner than Zelia thought she’d be. Together with Linithion and Orvi, they traveled to and from the different kingdoms. They watched every sunset they could with Alrindel as Eleanor eased him into his new role as king. All the while, Zelia and the other new members of the guild did everything they could to ensure a new peace was built between the races.
They rebuilt trade routes long forgotten by the humans. They built new ones too, mostly for the Darkans, but Zelia also worked with Dotchavitch and his people. The first trade between Dragon Island and The Trading Town had been a success, the raging storms of the sea the biggest stumbling block. With those trading agreements in place, Kafthry and Saria moved to The Trading Town to teach them the language Dotch’s people used. Even the Dwarves and Darkans worked together to build a tunnel that connected them with The Hold, to make trade across the Faithful Mountains easier.
Even with all the good they were doing, there were still far too many human children without families in the Kingdom of the Mountains. The battle with the Darkans and the attacks of the Fenari had taken the lives of too many men and women. Still, they worked to make sure those children were taken care of. A few other couples like Zelia and Linithion, who would never have children of their own, had moved from Elyluma to help care for the orphans.
In all, it was peaceful. Even the Darkans seemed to be flourishing in their underground homes as they traded everything they mined while building more living space for food and other goods. It was more peaceful than any of them could ever remember it being, even Eleanor and Eadon could not remember a more peaceful time.
So, when Eleanor asked them over dinner if they were ready for their wedding, Zelia felt no regret for taking time for her and Linithion to just be. But she did still have that little surprise of hers to unveil, with the help of Loboran and Starling. The two males had seldom left their side, had even flown all over the mainland with them.
“Linithion, would you come help me check on Frita? She should give birth any day now.” Loboran’s eyes sparked with a bit of mischief as he got up from the table.
“Sure…” Linithion glanced at her and Zelia did her best to keep a straight face.
As soon as Linithion was gone, Donequen, Lucky, and Jones all raised a brow at her.
“Not a word,” Starling said to the boys and left ahead of Zelia to get the crate he’d made.
She’d decided to reveal both surprises on this night months ago. Eleanor was on board with the dresses, as she’d claimed to be having someone make them as an excuse to take new measurements. Those measurements Zelia had then given to Rogath for Dain to use. The entire thing had turned into a surprise for her, too, as Rogath refused to let her see them. Until tonight, that is.
Zelia opened the door to her room and when she turned to let Starling in, she found that all three of the boys had followed them.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with those glass sculptures you’ve been hiding for months now, would it?” Donequen asked.
“You remember that?”
“Of course. I kept waiting for Linithion to come beg me to tell her what you were hiding.” Donequen pulled the water from the washbowl in the corner of the room and shaped it into a small sphere.
“Um. That’s not big enough. There’s a glass tree that her mother made, it’s rather large.”
“Hm, you’re going to have to hold the portal then
. I can’t hold a big one open very long.”
Donequen made the sphere larger before freezing it and handing it to her. Zelia set it on the bed so it wouldn’t roll around and began fishing out little glass sculptures. She handed each to Starling and those that were his, he set in the crate he’d put down beside the bed. The others, he gave to the boys to put out in the room.
“Leave the top of the armoire bare.”
Just as her fingers were becoming too numb to feel the smooth glass beneath her fingers, she pulled the glass tree from the portal. Starling admired it as he set it on top of the armoire. Every open surface of furniture in her room was now covered in Linithion’s sculptures. She would have had shelves made, if they wouldn’t have tipped Linithion off.
Rogath’s presence buzzed around her consciousness. “Your dresses are now in the portal. I wish I could see your reaction when you pull them out.”
“Should I find a mirror for you?”
“Nah, go ahead. Get them and then stop exerting yourself to keep the portal open.”
Rogath’s anticipation made hers so much worse as she plunged her hands back into the portal one final time. Her hands wrapped around something silky and rough. She pulled both dresses out at once and gasped as the portal revealed two white and teal dresses, covered in silver embroidery. As she looked at them hanging limply from her hand, she spotted depictions of phoenixes, dragons, flowers, and trees hidden within the delicate embroidery.
“I’m glad you like them. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Like? I love them. Give Dain a huge thank you and hug for me, please.”
“Hm. I’ll make sure he gets the sentiments. Good night.”
Rogath’s presence faded as Starling took one of the dresses from her. “Oh, this is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.”
“She’s coming,” Jones said from where he stood by the door to the balcony.
Starling took the second dress from Zelia and hung them both up in the armoire Eleanor had emptied specifically to make room for their dresses. “Would two of you carry that crate to my room, please?”
“Of course.” Lucky and Jones lifted the create between them.
“Thank you all for the help.”
“You’re welcome,” they all said at once.
After straightening one more of the sculptures on the table, Starling shut the door behind himself.
Zelia took the ice sphere off the bed and set it in the washing bowl to melt. While she could melt it faster, she knew excitement was the only thing keeping her from being exhausted after keeping the portal open for so long. She suppressed the urge to admire their dresses as she made sure the armoire doors were closed all the way.
Anticipation made her antsy as the door opened a crack and Loboran told Linithion good night. She slid into what she hoped would be the perfect spot to watch Linithion’s reaction.
Linithion only made it halfway through the doorway before she stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh, Zelia…” She stared at the table by the door, then the bedside tables, and finally the tree on the armoire. It wasn’t until her eyes rested on the tree that a tear rolled down her cheek.
Zelia was tempted to brush the tear away, but she was afraid to break the moment with her frozen fingers. So she stayed herself, her heart full to the point of bursting.
“How? Is this… this is what you’ve had in the portal all this time?”
“It is. I saw how much they meant to you and didn’t want you to lose them.”
Linithion let out a shaky breath and then hugged Zelia so tight she couldn’t breathe. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Zelia hugged her back.
Linithion stiffened. “Why are your hands freezing?”
Her soulmate’s warmth tingled against her hands and made her shiver. “The portal is made of ice, remember?”
“Still. You shouldn’t let your hands get this cold.”
“I’ll be fine. Besides, I have another surprise for you.”
“Really? This isn’t enough? Zelia, you saved my mother’s tree. I couldn’t ask for a better present than that.”
Zelia smiled and went to the armoire. “Oh, I suppose I can just send our dresses back then.”
“I thought Eleanor wasn’t showing them to us until morning?”
“Well, I did have to retrieve these myself, so…” Zelia shrugged and opened the armoire, elation rising within her at getting to surprise Linithion once more.
Linithion gaped, her steps slow as she approached the armoire. “Dain made these, didn’t he?”
“I do recall you wanting him to make our wedding dresses.”
“I didn’t think he actually would though.” Linithion’s fingers shook as she ran them over a rendering of Orvi in flight. “What about Eleanor’s dresses?”
“Oh, I may have gotten a few people on board with my surprises for you.”
Someone made a shushing noise outside their door, then there was a ruckus as someone chased whoever was lurking away. Loboran and Starling, being the chasers judging by the little squeak Lucky made before several sets of footsteps receded down the hall.
“The boys, too?”
“Here at the last, and apparently they’re nosy.”
“I’d say so.” Linithion’s eyes shown with love and amusement. “Thank you, for all of this.”
“It’s the least I can do. My days wouldn’t be as bright as they are if I didn’t have you.”
Linithion’s smile softened as she cupped Zelia’s cheeks in her hands. “Neither would mine. I love you with every bit of my heart.” Linithion glanced at their dresses and then the sky outside, and sighed. “We should get some rest before tomorrow. Either that or you’ll be exhausted by the time dusk comes and I can’t have that now, can I?”
“Hm. I suppose you’re right.”
It took them a while to settle into the bed once they’d blown out all the candles. Zelia's stomach fluttered with butterflies in anticipation of the next day. Eleanor had let her have Dain make their dresses, but she hadn’t been let in on any other details. She knew Eleanor had something big up her sleeve. She’d insisted they spend the last few weeks working with the Humans who’d moved to the Darkan Mountains. It needed to be done, but to specifically plan for them to be there over the last two weeks was definitely to keep them from finding something out.
Linithion held her a little tighter. “You’re supposed to be going to sleep.” She hummed a soothing melody, one so calm and enchanting that Zelia couldn’t resist the call of sleep.
42
Zelia woke to the buzz of satisfaction and amusement coming down her bond to Raven. There were no words, just feelings. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and rolled over to face Linithion, the two of them nose to nose.
“I take it Raven woke you up, too?” Linithion asked.
“Hm. It does seem they’re up to something. Should we get up and find out?”
“Oh, so they’re not talking?”
“Nope and I have a feeling they’d tell us we’d have to come see for ourselves if I asked.”
“There do seem to be a lot of secrecy and surprises going around.”
Linithion smirked and Zelia got the feeling that she wasn’t the only one who had been planning surprises. She was tempted to ask Linithion what she was planning, but Linithion had let her keep her surprise for this long, she could let whatever this was unfold.
“What, not going to ask?”
“Nope.”
“But where’s the fun in that?”
Zelia laughed. “You’re a mess, you know that?”
“Oh, I know. Come on.” Linithion rolled from the bed.
When she didn’t move, Linithion uncovered her and pulled her to the bed’s edge. The morning air was chill and surprisingly quiet. She’d hoped to cuddle in bed for a while longer, but it seemed Linithion had other plans.
“It’s my turn to surprise you.” Linithion reached under the bed, pulled a box out from under it, and set it nex
t to Zelia.
“When did you put that there?”
“I had Starling slip it under there while we were out riding yesterday.”
“Of course, we’d both pull them in on our surprises.”
“I suppose it’s a good thing they’re great at keeping secrets. Well, open it.”
Zelia flipped the lid of the box open to find new riding gear, the shade of the dark leather matched her dragon’s scales.
“They’re lighter material for warmer weather riding and better made than the others we have. And that’s not my only surprise, so get changed.” Linithion bit her bottom lip as she smiled.
Zelia had never seen Linithion so nervous and it was endearing. “And last night you made it sound like I was over spoiling you.”
“Oh, you were.” Linithion pulled her leathers from the box, revealing the top half of new boots. “And those are yours, too. We’ll eat breakfast with the others, then head out.”
“Um hm.” Zelia changed and was surprised at how much lighter the new leathers were compared to her other set. They also moved easier with her, the leather more supple and soft to the touch.
“They fit you perfectly.” Linithion’s fingers tickled Zelia’s scalp as she braided her hair back. It had become a routine for the two of them. No matter where they were or what needed to be done, they’d dress together and do each other’s hair.
There was a light nock on the door.
“Come in, Auntie Eleanor.”
Eleanor smiled as she opened the door. “I take it you two are going for a ride this morning.”
“Um hm. I hope that won’t be an issue.”
“Not at all. This day is for both of you. Just be sure to be back in time to change before dusk.”
“Speaking of changing, you should see our dresses.” Zelia pointed to the armoire before she tied off Linithion’s silky braid with a strip of leather.
“No. I’ll wait and see them on you this evening. Someone has to be surprised by the sight.”
“Suit yourself.”
Breakfast was much the same as usual, except this morning Lucky sat between Jones and Donequen and the two elbowed him every time he squirmed. At least Zelia now knew who among them couldn’t keep a secret, and the way the boys glared at Lucky every time he opened his mouth was priceless. As soon as they were done eating, Linithion and Zelia were ushered from the house. Presumably to keep Lucky from spilling whatever secret some fool had bestowed upon him.
