“Luke, Daisy,” Solomon said quietly. “Move away. I’ll take it.”
He was exhausted, and felt that he could hardly move. But there was one more thing to take care of right now. He drew Justice, and found that it wasn’t affecting his mood at all. It also wasn’t giving him any added strength or vitality. The sword felt every bit as heavy as it would to any other exhausted man.
“Look at you,” the Advocate said. “You can barely stand up.”
The point of his sword was drooping toward the ground and it trembled in his grasp, but Solomon kept moving forward, not bothering to reply. Luke and Daisy stood back, but remained nearby.
“What do you want?” the Advocate asked, backing away and changing tactics. “Tell me, and my House will provide it.”
Solomon ignored that also and moved closer, Justice coming up to point at the man.
“So be it,” the Advocate said. He sprang forward, his hands glowing and steaming.
Solomon’s first cut removed the Advocate’s hands as they reached for him, dropping them both to the ground. The Advocate’s mouth opened, but the scream never came. Solomon stepped forward and his next swing took off the Advocate’s head.
He watched as the black robed body fell to the ground, and felt nothing. No shame, no sadness, no vengeance, nothing.
“We should go find Lacy,” he mumbled, his voice sounding thick in his own ears.
Luke stepped near, took Solomon by the arm, and the two slowly walked around the tree and back toward where they had left the others, Daisy keeping pace behind- them.
“Wait,” Solomon said, and they paused while he looked out at the battle, still in its final stages.
The dead were everywhere. Many were in the silver and purple of House Glittering Birch. A few were in the dark green of Whispering Pines, but most were the gray of his own House. Towering Oaks had borne the greatest cost of Jamshir’s wrath. He didn’t know if they would ever recover.
Glittering Birch was in full retreat. There was no sign of Jamshir, or of the large man who had sat beside him. Solomon didn’t know exactly what had happened here, why Jamshir had attacked when the Soul Gaunts had as well, but he had his suspicions, and rather than angry, they made him sad. He was sure the anger would come later.
“Let's go,” he said, and he and Luke helped each other move forward.
Solomon tried to avoid looking too closely at the faces of the fallen. There would be time for that later. Right now, he needed the living.
They found Lacy and Willow, kneeling next to Jediah’s body. One look at Willow’s face was enough to tell him all he needed to know. He sank down next to the Head of his House and his friend.
No one spoke. Willow touched Solomon’s shoulder softly, while Luke embraced Lacy.
Solomon watched the end of the battle unfold. He could see Shireen and Orlando, fighting on until the end. Let them handle it, he thought, looking back at Jediah. He had done enough.
CHAPTER 64
The last Glittering Birch soldier had fled, and the day, or night as it were, was theirs. Thanks to their allies in Whispering Pines, and thanks to Solomon for destroying the Soul Gaunts, House Towering Oaks would survive another day.
But as she looked around, Shireen realized the extent of the damage. Fully half, if not three quarters, of the soldiers who had taken the field against Jamshir lay dead. Many more were wounded, some stoically staying silent, while others moaned and writhed on the ground. The Healers would be busy for the next several days, saving who they could and providing a gentle release for those they couldn’t.
She sighed and leaned against Orlando, using his support for a moment. He put his arm around her and she leaned into him, glad that he, at least, had come through the battle relatively unscathed. They both had a myriad of cuts and small wounds, but neither of them had taken any serious ones.
“Solomon?” Orlando asked. “Have you seen him?”
“Not since the human pulled him away.” Shireen sighed, and stood up straight. “Let’s go find him.”
It wasn’t hard. Soldiers that were still able to walk had begun to gather in a group, although they stayed silent, heads bowed. Shireen felt her heart rise into her throat as she walked toward them. There wasn’t much that would cause such a reaction, but Solomon’s death would be one of them.
“Move aside,” she said softly, and her soldiers obeyed. That wouldn’t last for long, once Jediah was back and…she stopped when she saw the tableau in front of her.
Solomon sat on the ground, Justice in the sheath at his side running out behind him. Next to him knelt Willow, with the two humans behind her. The female, Lacy, had her hand on Willow’s shoulder, and the male, Luke had his arm around her.
But in front of them all, laying with his hands crossed on his chest and his eyes closed, was Jediah, his body blackened and burnt. Shireen didn’t need to bend down and test for breath. It was obvious that he was gone. House Towering Oaks was without its Head.
The rest of the night went by in a blur of exhaustion and half-remembered orders. The first priority was to get Jediah off of the battlefield and into the Towering Oaks compound where he could be laid in state. And the wounded needed to be cared for. Those that could be moved were brought into the compound, while those that couldn’t were treated where they lay, if they could be.
The dead needed to be removed to a place where they could be prepared for an honorable funeral. Shireen even made sure that the Glittering Birch dead were treated with respect, and their wounded were tended to as well. House Whispering Pines helped, their commanders taking their cues from her.
The details were never ending. It was all Shireen could do to stay calm and not lash out at those who asked questions. Orlando stayed with her through it all, taking the burden where he could, and supporting her at every turn.
As the light began to filter through the leaves of the trees, they came upon Lawrence. The Soul Gaunts had done terrible things to him, but he had died with his sword in his hand. Shireen closed his eyes, and called for him to be carried into the compound and placed near Jediah.
The light was growing stronger before she was able to step away. Things were as arranged as she could get them, and the work was proceeding as she had directed. It was time to go into the compound herself.
Besides, she didn’t want to see the site of the battle in full daylight. Not yet.
She and Orlando left the battlefield and entered the Towering Oaks compound. Her vision was blurred and her thoughts fuzzy. She needed to talk to Solomon, but first she needed sleep. When she stumbled, Orlando was there to catch her, as he always was. It was so nice to have him with her. She smiled as that thought followed her down into sleep.
“Of course, you’re going to be the Head of House now,” she said to Solomon.
Shireen had awakened after sleeping for only a few hours. While she still felt disoriented, she was far better than she had been, and even the short nap had done her good. She could sleep more later, right now there were things that needed to be done.
“There’s no ‘of course’ about it,” Solomon protested. “Jediah didn’t name a successor.”
“He didn’t have any family, so who else would it be?”
“You,” Solomon said.
“Me? You’re out of your mind. I’m not Head of House. I’m a scout. Besides, Jamshir made me the same offer and I turned him down, too.”
Solomon grimaced. “What makes you think I want it?”
“Do you honestly think you have a choice?” Shireen laughed. “They’re going to vote on it. That’s how it works now, and no one else is even being discussed. You’re it.”
Solomon sighed and looked away, his hand finding Daisy and scratching behind her ears.
“I have things I need to do first,” he said.
“What things?”
“Luke and Lacy for one. They want to go home, and who can blame them?”
“That will take a whole day. Nice try. What else?”
; Solomon shrugged. “I have to go somewhere, soon. I can’t say where.”
“That’s crap. You’ll either have to, or abdicate and leave the House without a Head again.”
“We’ll see,” Solomon said, and smiled. Shireen didn’t like the way he was looking at her at all.
“Damn him!” She tried to ignore Orlando’s quiet laugh from the bed. The Greenweald looked beautiful from their bedroom window at night At least it did when there weren’t horrible monsters and an invading army at the gates.
“Come on back to bed,” Orlando said. “What’s done is done. Besides, you’ll do a great job.”
She climbed back into bed and put her head on his chest. “Well, it better not be for long.”
Orlando squeezed her to him. “It’s Solomon,” he said. “How long could something like that take him?”
Shireen didn’t answer. There were still an awful lot of questions to be answered. What would happen with Jamshir now that all the Houses knew what he had done? And what was going on with that other house, the secret one?
Solomon had smiled when she brought those matters up and said that they’d get worked out.
She hated him. She hated him almost as much as she loved him for who and what he was.
Never mind, she decided. I’ll deal with him tomorrow. For tonight…she turned her face up to Orlando’s.
CHAPTER 65
Solomon took a deep breath. The air here still smelled different. Not bad, or worse than the Greenweald, just different. If there was anything, other than the size of the trees that told him he was back in that other earth, the air would have done it.
Lacy looked happy, and almost ran ahead of them, bursting out of the trees and onto her lawn. It made Solomon glad to see it, but the feeling was tempered some by Luke. He had been quiet as they walked through the woods, and Solomon guessed that he was reliving his experiences there.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
Luke glanced at him. “Yeah. I guess, but this was bad. What happened here. And…” He faltered and looked down at the ground.
“They’re gone,” Solomon said. “But it’s normal to be unsure. With all you’ve been through…I don’t think you realize how strong you are.”
Luke snorted. “Yeah, right. I’m a strong bait, that’s about it.”
Solomon reached out and touched the back of Luke’s neck, the skin there still shiny, but no longer painful thanks to Willow’s careful ministrations. “If not for you, the Advocate would have Justice right now, and who knows what would be happening.”
“Thanks,” Luke mumbled.
They both paused to watch Lacy. She had almost run across the yard to her garden, where she was already pulling weeds and “tsking” over the state of her tomatoes. Daisy had her nose buried in the grass, sniffing as she moved about the yard.
“She’s happy to be home,” Solomon said, indicating Lacy with a nod. “And even more so because you’re here with her. You know that, right?”
Luke shrugged.
“You have to know it,” Solomon continued. “While you’ve done amazing things, so has she. And she did a lot of them for you. Don’t throw that aside so easily. Both of you, you did it for each other. You’re both pretty remarkable, and I’m glad to call both of you my friends.”
He stuck his hand out and after a moment, Luke took it. Solomon pulled him into an embrace before turning away and striking out across the lawn himself.
“Looks a little worse for wear,” he said.
Lacy stood up from her weeding and looked around. “Yeah, I guess. But nothing we can’t fix. Have to change the water in the pool, obviously. A few other things.”
Solomon smiled. Lacy’s optimism was refreshing. There were electrical cables run all over the yard, including the thick one that they had dropped into the pool. He shuddered looking at it, remembering the feeling of the current passing through him. Another time that Luke had risen to the occasion when needed, although Solomon wasn’t sure if he would even think of that.
He hadn’t been kidding. Both Luke and Lacy were made of tougher stuff than they thought they were. They might not have the physical abilities that some of the Folk did, or the magic, but they had their own gifts. They had steel inside of them. If all humans were like that, then Solomon almost pitied anyone who tried to take them on.
“Give me a few and I’ll get some stuff together for supper,” Lacy called, already heading for the house.
The light was growing dim outside by the time they finished eating.
“Excellent meal, Lacy! Thank you.” Solomon stifled a burp.
“Glad you liked it. Now, should I fix up the couch?”
“No, I need to get back. I still have a lot to do.”
“So we’ve heard. Shireen wasn’t happy.”
Solomon laughed. “No, but she’ll do great. And I will take the job back as soon as I can, but I do need to do a couple of things first.”
“Do you really think you can find her?” Luke asked. Solomon had told them both what he had learned about Celia during their journey back.
He took a deep breath. “I hope so. I have to try.”
“You will,” Lacy said. “I have no doubt about it.”
Solomon rose, bent to kiss Lacy on the cheek and put his hand on Luke’s shoulder.
“You two take care. I’ll check in every so often. You won’t get rid of me that easy.” He smiled at them and walked toward the door.
“C’mon, Daisy,” he said.
Daisy didn’t move. She sat where she was, looked at him and then back at Lacy and whined.
“Really? You’re staying here?” He laughed again. “Well, you have to ask them.”
Daisy rose and walked over to Luke, laying her massive head on his lap and staring up at him. He seemed surprised, but then reached down and roughed her up.
“Of course. I mean, if it’s okay with Lacy too.”
Lacy laughed. “We’d love to have Daisy stay with us. She’s part of the family now.”
Solomon smiled, returned to hug the Hound, waved one final time and left the house.
As he walked back into the woods, he thought about what the future held. Yes, Shireen could hold down the House for now. But there were things that needed to be taken care of. Jamshir would have to pay for his crimes, and Solomon would expose that secret House, and find Thaddeus in the bargain.
There was a lot to do. But he would deal with it all when he was able to. He still had a couple of other things to take care of first.
EPILOGUE
The yard was cleared and the garden was back in order. Luke had drained and refilled the pool, and they were almost to the point that they could actually imagine using it again. The fact that the end of the summer was proving to be so hot was certainly driving them toward it. But the memory of that vile thing’s body floating there was still strong.
Luke still had nightmares at times, but that seemed to be the bulk of his troubles. He didn’t hear the voices anymore and had even started dabbling with writing again. The few things that he had shown Lacy had a new, much lighter, upbeat air to them. She liked them a lot.
It was weird getting used to having him home again, but she was enjoying it. They didn’t talk much about the Greenweald, or Solomon, although Daisy’s presence assured that the thoughts were never too far from their minds.
And it was Daisy that signaled them when Solomon came back a few days later. She started barking and running toward the forest while Luke and Lacy were working in the yard. A few moments later and she ran back out of the woods, followed shortly by Solomon and another tall figure. It took Lacy only a second to realize who it was.
“Willow!” she cried, and ran forward to hug the tall Healer. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you both.”
“We’re great! But I’m glad you came. Come on, sit down.”
They climbed the steps to the deck and sat at the table there, but after a moment Willow rose. She moved behin
d Luke and examined his neck.
“Good,” she said, after looking for a few moments. “I wasn’t sure if there would be other damage that I couldn’t see at first. But there isn’t.”
Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “Feels fine,” he said. “You did a good job.”
“So how is Shireen doing?” Lacy asked.
“Shireen is fine,” Solomon laughed. “And she’s holding up well under the pressure. Better than she thought she would, I believe. Although Orlando keeps telling me to get my business settled. They both send their regards.”
“Say hi back,” Lacy smiled. “And why are you really here? It’s nice that you thought of us, but it’s only been a couple of days.”
Solomon looked from her to Luke. “We have something we need to do, and it would be easier if you were with us. Plus, I’d like you to come back to the Greenweald.”
Luke’s face stiffened and he sat up straight. “I don’t think…”
Solomon held up his hand. “Not for long. A day or two. We are going to lay Jediah and Florian to rest, and we’d like you both to be there.”
“Oh,” Luke said, looking down at the table. “Yeah, I mean, of course, then. That is if…”
“Of course, we’ll go,” Lacy said. “When do we leave?”
“Today, as soon as you’re ready. But we have another stop to make first.”
Maggie Caufield was tired. Ed hadn’t gotten any worse, but he hadn’t shown any signs of improvement either. After a few days, the hospital had sent him home with her, promising care that never seemed to be quite enough. Maggie did everything that needed doing, and although she wouldn’t have had it any other way, the emotional strain of the past couple of weeks was taking a toll on her.
“What now?” she muttered, when she heard the barking outside. “If it’s the Sullivan’s mutt again, I’ll…”
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