by Lisa Cassidy
She spun to look at Finn. “Brynn?”
“Still alive,” Finn told her, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “Leanli has been working on him since the fighting out here ended. I’ll show you to where he is. You should let Leanli look at you too.”
Ladan left them to go and begin rounding up the Bluecoats and militia, Dashan reluctantly joining him on Alyx’s insistence. Finn led her, Tarrick, and Dawn to a large, hastily-erected tent which was being used to treat the injured.
Brynn lay on a pallet alongside the other injured mages and soldiers. His skin was deathly pale, and he looked thin and fragile. Leanli came straight over at Finn’s call.
“Will he be all right?” Dawn asked.
“It’s hard to say,” the healer murmured. “He’s deeply unconscious, and he lost a lot of blood. Even if he survives the night, it’s unclear if he’ll ever wake up.”
Alyx sat down beside the pallet, taking Brynn’s cold hand in hers. “You did it,” she whispered. “He’s gone, Brynn. I’m so sorry for what I asked you to do.”
“He did it willingly.” Tarrick’s hand landed on her shoulder. “As you would have done for him. That’s what our friendship means. It’s what Shakar could never understand.”
“It’s why we beat him,” Dawn added.
“And now you must let me look at you, Magor-lier,” Leanli said in a tone that brooked no argument.
“Jayn first,” Alyx said, pointing to where Finn was already helping her onto a spare pallet. “I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for her.”
She sat as her legs went suddenly weak under her. The moments of Shakar’s death replayed through her mind unbidden as she leaned forward to rest her face in her hands. His prone body was clear as day, in death his face losing all its bitterness and hate and becoming that of her beloved godfather.
Astor was dead.
Her shoulders shuddered and she fought back a sob. Shakar had deserved to die. But Astor had loved her. He’d been the man Shakar would have been, if only he’d made different choices. And he’d died too.
Chapter 52
Despite their wounded and exhausted force, Alyx didn’t want to linger at DarkSkull any longer than necessary. She wanted to get home, as did her brother and the twins. Brynn was alive but still in a deep coma. She, Tarrick, and the twins rode out to Fotiya on the morning after the battle. Telling Sarah and Brynn’s family what had happened was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do.
“We’d like you to come with us,” Tarrick said to them. “Brynn will recover much more quickly with his family around him.”
“We will leave him here with you if that’s what you want, but there are more healer mages in Alistriem,” Alyx added.
“And I am his friend and a healer. I promise to do everything I can for him,” Finn said.
“We will come,” Sarah said firmly. “Of course we will.”
Astonishingly, as they were preparing to depart on the third day after their victory, their scouts alerted them to a large force of militia marching up from the south. It was King Mastaran, on his way back to Carhall from Karonan.
“We thought to come via DarkSkull in case you could use extra men,” Mastaran boomed when he was escorted through their camp to see Alyx and her brother. “I see that wasn’t necessary. Congratulations, Magor-lier, Lord-Taliath. I very much look forward to hearing your account of the battle.”
“It was good of you come,” she said, meaning it. “Had we not won, you would have placed yourself at serious risk.”
“You were fighting for my country. I could do no less,” he said soberly, then cleared his throat. “You will come to Carhall soon, I hope? We four countries, along with the mages and Taliath, need to hold talks. I want to ensure this never happens again, and it is best to do it while the horror is still fresh in our minds.”
“I agree, Your Highness, and I’m sure King Cayr will, also.” Ladan inclined his head.
“Good, and if the Zandian emperor doesn’t agree to come, I’ll ride there and drag him back to Carhall myself.”
She laughed, and even Ladan’s mouth twitched. “I don’t think that will be necessary, Your Highness.”
Two weeks after the battle, they rode into Alistriem. Alyx and her mages led the way, with a weary force of Bluecoats in neat rows behind them.
It was a bright, sunny day, the air warm and vibrant and heralding the onset of spring in Rionn. Alyx, riding beside Dashan, reached out to take his hand. Riding Tingo, with Dashan’s hand in hers, it finally began to sink in that Shakar was gone and her future was free. Tears welled in her eyes, and she let them fall.
Word quickly spread through the city as their force rode in through the gates, and people came out of their homes and businesses to find out what had happened. The Bluecoats were all too eager to shout out the news to anyone that asked.
Cayr was coming out of the palace at a run as Alyx rode in, warned by her telepathic contact with the mages at the palace. His gaze went straight to Alyx, and then Dashan, and his shoulders slumped in relief. Alyx dismounted and ran to him.
“We won, Cayr. We did it. He’s dead.”
An unbelieving smile broke out across his face. He held her gaze for one, joyous moment, then he lifted his eyes, searching behind. “Jenna!”
Hearing him shout her name, she slid down from the saddle and broke into an undignified run towards him. Cayr swung her into his arms with a relieved laugh. For the first time Alyx saw Jenna’s cool exterior snap, vanishing as she buried herself in Cayr’s embrace, clinging fiercely to his shoulders.
“It feels more real now, doesn’t it?” Dashan murmured to Alyx. “Now we’re home.”
“Yes. For the first time, it’s real.” She squeezed his hand. “We’re free.”
Alyx lay on a cushioned lounge on the sand, Dawn stretched out comfortably beside her. Finn, Cayr, and Dashan were messing around in the water. Tijer and Casta were there too, supposedly on protection detail, but far more involved in the water fight. While an unusually bright winter sun shone above, it was still far too cool for swimming as far as Alyx was concerned.
“This is nice.” Dawn sighed. “I don’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed.”
“It was probably the day before we were told we were being sent to DarkSkull Hall,” Alyx said dryly.
Dawn’s musical laughter rang out. “True. Why isn’t Tarrick here?”
“He’s still at the palace, organising the mages that have been arriving in the city,” Alyx said. “You know how he is. Finn says yesterday he was talking about starting a new academy; he said mages need to be trained, the sooner the better.”
“I suppose he’s right. He could at least take a day or two off to relax first.”
Alyx smiled. “Will you and Ladan stay here in Alistriem?”
“Yes. This is our home. Besides, he’s not just responsible for Widow Falls anymore, he also has the Egalion lands now.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Cayr will need a Lord-Taliath and senior advisor, and Ladan is pretty much already filling that role. I can’t think of a better team to lead Rionn, particularly when you add them together with our new warrior queen.”
Dawn looked at her. “We just assumed that Dashan would fill your father’s old role now that the war is over. He and Cayr have been best friends since children.”
Alyx shook her head. “Once I manage to talk him into it, Dash is going to be the commander of the Shiven army and senior advisor to the new leader.”
Dawn stared at her in shock. “You’re serious?”
“Yes. Tarian Astohar has asked him to do it. I think he’d be perfect.” Alyx gave her a pointed look. “Cayr is going to need a new lord-mage too, you know? I’ve already told him he should choose you.”
Dawn froze, astonishment filling her face. “Alyx that’s—"
“Absolutely perfect, and there is nobody who could do a better job.”
Dawn frowned. “What about you?”
“Me being Magor-lier
shouldn’t hold Dash back. We’ll be apart for a while, but we’ll sort something out.”
“So that’s what you want to do now?”
Alyx laughed. “What do you mean? I’m the Magor-lier.”
“Yes, but Shakar’s dead now. You can do what you want,” Dawn said. “No more expectations.”
Alyx looked at her friend, wondering at her words. She hadn’t really considered that. Ever since that first moment she’d entered DarkSkull, her life had been overtaken by the fact she was a mage of the higher order, then Magor-lier, the only one who could defeat Shakar.
Dawn took her hand. “Alyx, you’ve done what everyone asked of you. You get to have the life you want now. If that’s leading the new mage order, I’m sure they’ll welcome you with open arms. But if not…”
Alyx turned and looked back towards the ocean, where Dashan was chasing Finn through the shallows, splashing water everywhere. As if sensing her attention on him, he looked up, giving her a warm smile and a wave. She returned both the smile and the wave, luxuriating in the warmth she always felt at his regard.
“Maybe you’re right.” She stood suddenly, and Dawn looked up in surprise. “I’m going to go and have a chat with Tarrick.”
They ate together that night in Cayr’s private quarters with Jenna and Sparky. As had been the case since their return to Alistriem, the atmosphere was light and convivial, although this evening Tarrick was quiet and had a dazed expression on his face.
Things broke up late, and she asked Dashan to walk her down to his boat. “I want to spend the night with you out there,” she told him. “It holds so many good memories.”
They walked in companionable silence, hand in hand, down through the city and out to the docks. Dashan’s boat bobbed gently against its moorings, and Alyx smiled as he helped her aboard. He ducked inside the wheelhouse and came back out carrying blankets and pillows.
“A bit dusty, but perfectly good.” He told her as he laid them out on the deck, then came to join her at the prow.
“Remember that night in Carhall when you told me about the stars?” she asked him, leaning into his body.
“I wanted to kiss you that night,” he admitted.
She smiled up at him. “Why didn’t you?”
“You would have freaked out, which is what you did do when I eventually kissed you a few weeks later.”
“I’m glad you did,” she told him. “I’m glad you didn’t give up on me.”
“I’d never give up on you.”
“By then, I wanted to kiss you too,” she admitted softly. “I was just refusing to admit it to myself.”
He smiled and kissed her, a slow, deep kiss that told her how much he loved her.
“You’ll have to leave for Karonan soon,” she told him.
“Alyx, I—”
“Dash, you have to do this.” She laid a hand on his chest. “You want to do this, and Tarian needs you. More than anything, stability in Shivasa is key to building a strong alliance between all four countries and recovering from what Shakar did.”
“I don’t want to be apart from you.” His eyes were dark.
“You don’t have to be,” she told him. “I’m going to be away, the next couple of months. Tarrick needs help with the mages, and they need me too. We need to re-establish some sort of order for them.”
“I understand that. But you’re talking about more than a few months,” he said. “I want to be with you, there’s nothing I want more than that. If you need to be Magor-lier, then I’ll be living with you wherever you are.”
“No, Dash,” she said softly. “I’m going to come and live with you in Karonan.”
“What?” he asked, confused.
“Our whole lives you have sacrificed everything for me. You’ve done what I needed, no matter what.” She smiled. “My turn. You’re going to be right hand man to the leader of Shivasa.”
He stared down at her for a few moments. “What about the mages?”
“I’ve spoken to Tarrick. From this afternoon, he’s the new Magor-lier. I’m not their leader anymore.”
“Alyx,” Dashan breathed, his hand coming up to touch her cheek. “What are you going to do? You can’t just be my wife, I know that’s not enough.”
“DarkSkull was destroyed and the mages need a new academy, one that’s brighter and better than before. I’m going to build a new one, in Karonan.” She smiled. “Tarrick wants to form a new Mage Council, where everyone has an equal vote and the Magor-lier can be overruled by a majority of the council. I’ll sit on the council, and I’ll be head of the new mage academy. I’m pretty confident I can do a better job than Romas did.”
“Really? You mean this?” he asked.
“I mean it.” She laughed and leaned up to kiss him. “Your turn to shine. I can’t wait.”
Dashan laughed aloud and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Alyx Egalion.”
Epilogue
Alyx rode a tired, dusty Tingo back into Alistriem with Nordan, Finn, and Tarrick beside her. The steady ice mage had effectively replaced Adahn’s role as her personal protector, and she had quickly come to rely on his experience and steady nature. And of course her five Bluecoats trailed behind, Nario, Tijer, and Josha in hysterics over some joke Roland had just told. Even Casta was smiling, and she was glad at the signs he was beginning to heal from Cario’s loss.
As they made their way through the city, it was clear things in Alistriem were much livelier than when they’d left—trade was slowly starting to come back to life, and the city squares were busy with traders and their stalls.
Alyx knew from Dawn’s letters that Cayr and Jenna were working hard at managing the rebuilding of Rionn at the same time as negotiating new trade agreements with Tregaya, Shivasa, and Zandia that were advantageous for the much smaller Rionn. Tarian Astohar had won the elections in Shivasa in a landslide victory and had been officially sworn in as their leader a month and a half earlier, Dashan at his side.
She’d wanted to be there with him, but the mages had needed her, and she’d been working non-stop with Tarrick and Finn in the months since they’d beaten Shakar.
They clattered into the palace yard and grooms came running to take their horses. Alyx dismounted, releasing the Bluecoats to a night at the Party District. Tarrick and Finn followed her inside, but all three came to a halt at the sight of Jayn running madly down the hall towards them.
“I can’t believe your timing,” she said excitedly. “Quick, come with me!”
“What is it?” Alyx demanded.
She was smiling from ear to ear. “Brynn just woke up!”
Alyx sprinted down the hall, flying past Jayn and down to the palace room where Brynn had been lying in a coma since coming to Alistriem. Heart pounding in her chest, she opened the door with trembling hands and went inside.
Her eyes welled with tears at the sight of Sarah, on the bed, her arms wrapped around Brynn as she sobbed into his shoulder. He was pale, with deep hollows under his blue eyes, but he was awake and alert and clearly knew who he was.
Alyx couldn’t move as she stared across the room at him. Tarrick, Finn, and Jayn burst into the room behind her and stopped still, just as she had.
“Hey, guys!” Brynn smiled. “Can someone please tell me if we beat Shakar or not? Sarah hasn’t managed a coherent word since I woke up.”
Alyx laughed, then sobbed, then flew across the room to clamber onto the opposite side of the bed from Sarah and hug him too.
“Dash killed him,” Finn filled in when Alyx couldn’t speak. “You really okay, mate?”
“I feel tired, and like I’ve been really sick, but good,” Brynn replied. “So Shakar’s gone? Really?”
“He’s gone.” Alyx sat back, still grinning and wiping tears from her face.
“Did they tell you that I was the one who killed him?”
Alyx looked up, unbelieving, as Dashan appeared in the doorway, cocky grin firmly in place, eyes alight as he looked at her. She gave a shriek of delight
and flew across the room into his arms.
When they managed to untangle from each other, Dashan went straight to the bed to slap Brynn on the back. “Good to see you up and about.”
“Thanks, Dash.” Brynn winced at the force of the slap. “How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“He commands the Shiven army,” Tarrick said with a grin.
“He what?” Brynn gaped.
Dashan groaned. “I’d like to quit already. Nothing but paperwork and policy advice and bureaucracy. Give me a good fight any day.”
“Don’t listen to him, he loves it,” Alyx said.
“And, from what I hear, is very good at it,” Tarrick said.
“Also, Tarrick is the new Magor-lier!” Finn announced with glee.
Brynn’s eyes rounded further. “You fired Alyx?”
She laughed. “I quit. I think we all know I never wanted to be Magor-lier.”
“How is the mage stuff going?” Dashan asked.
“Good,” Tarrick said. “I think everything is settled. I’ll be operating out of Carhall with most of the Mage Council. All the mages still alive have been tracked down and invited to join the new order. Most have signed up and have received their assignments. Others preferred to retire.”
“So you’re done?” Dashan looked hopefully at Alyx.
She smiled. “Yes, I’m all done. I’ll have to travel to Carhall for Mage Council meetings once a year, but I’m ready to start building the new academy in Karonan. Jayn is going to come with me.”
“Do you need a master?” Finn asked diffidently, though his eyes flickered to Jayn. She beamed at him.
Alyx lifted her eyebrows in delight. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “There’s nothing I’d love more than to teach and rebuild Howell’s library.”
“I’d love to have you with me. Yes, absolutely!”
He shrugged, eyes again straying to Jayn. “Plus, it means I’ll be close to Alistriem, where Dawn is, which is important too.”
