He steadied her, his eyes worried. Once he had assured himself she could stand, he unwrapped the bundle. “You got the orb?” he asked. “I was beginning to worry you hadn't been able to retrieve it.”
“Of course I retrieved it.”
“You’ve been gone for a week.”
His words caused her to sink back into her chair. A week? Her mind filled with the memories of the torture she’d endured, and she tried to push them away when she noticed Galen watching her with concern. She grimaced. He had seen into her mind before she had been able to stop him.
“It seems it was more difficult for you than I thought it would be. Thank you for bringing it back after all you went through to retrieve it.”
Ranealya turned her head, unable to bear his pity. She closed her eyes and attempted to keep her panic at bay. Why hasn't he answered my question? Was he dead? “Where's Gregor?” she repeated, her voice shaking slightly.
Galen waited a moment before answering, increasing her anxiety threefold. “In Kira's tent.”
“Is he—?” She couldn’t finish her question, for fear the answer would be “yes”.
“The last of his wounds healed yesterday.”
She opened her eyes and released the breath she had been holding.
“Kira found a way to speed up the healing process.”
She reached over and hugged him. “Thank her for me.”
“Thank her yourself, and maybe you’ll be a little nicer to her the next time you see her.”
“I will,” she replied as she ran out of the tent. She didn’t need to waste any more time now that she knew Gregor was alive and well.
She stopped short of Kira’s tent when she heard Gregor talking to another person. She wasn’t ready to make her declaration of love in front of an audience.
“So that’s why my spell didn’t work against the Azekborn?” It was good to hear him asking his usual questions.
“Precisely,” Thoranus replied. “Drae, by their very nature, are immune to certain magics. When you factor in that Anilayus has merged them with some sort of demon, it makes them even more difficult to destroy.”
“Ranealya was right—I have no idea what it takes to kill an Azekborn.”
“But you’re learning, and that’s what matters.”
That seemed to be a good moment to interrupt them. She carefully considered her appearance before entering. She wanted Gregor to see her as she truly was, before Travodus changed her into the monster she was now. When she lifted the flap, she entered as Nyelle.
Thoranus recognized her immediately. Gregor, however, gazed at her with awe and only recognized her when he saw the necklace. “Ranealya, you’re back!” he said as he rose to his feet.
“You were able to recover the Tear of Elios?” Thoranus asked, and she nodded. “Good. I will go to Galen and see what else he needs.” The corners of his mouth twitched as he left them alone.
Ranealya suddenly felt shy around Gregor. Her hands fidgeted behind her back as she approached him. “I see they fixed your glasses.”
“They fixed a lot more than that.” He was still pale, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered to her now. He loosened the ties on his tunic and showed her his new scars.
She traced the pink slashes across his chest with her finger, fighting back tears. He wasn’t meant to suffer like that. “Now we match.”
His arms closed in around her, and she didn’t fight him. “Facing death makes you realize certain things,” he said, and she wrapped her arms around him in agreement. He released her and lifted her chin with his finger. “As I lay there, all I could think about was you.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her.
She kissed him back with a passion she’d never dreamed of. But then, this was her first time being in love with someone. When he tried to pull away, she forced his lips back to hers. She wasn’t going to let him go this time. In one fluid motion, his tunic was off, and she kissed his new scars as they fell to the ground.
His hands began unfastening the ties of her dress like an expert. She hovered over him as he exposed her left shoulder, tracing the scar left by her first injury. Then he lifted his gaze and ran his fingers through her pale golden hair. “Ranealya, I—”
She interrupted him with another kiss that trailed across his cheek to his ear. “I love you,” she whispered.
He responded by flipping her over onto her back and staring at her in amazement. “I love you, too.” His mouth curled up into a smile that crinkled the corners of his hazel eyes.
“I know,” she purred, “but remember—I said it first.”
He laughed as he pulled her dress over her head and kissed her again. Then he noticed she was lying on the dirt. “Perhaps I should carry you to the bed.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the makeshift pile of blankets and cushions.
“Perhaps you should seal the tent so we don't get interrupted this time,” she replied with a wink.
“Good idea.” He cast a spell over his shoulder before removing his glasses and trousers and crawled into bed next to her. For once, he didn’t blush as he stared at her naked body.
“Who do you want me to be?” she asked timidly.
Her question caught him off guard. “It doesn't matter,” he said at last. “You're always the same person on the inside, no matter what you look like on the outside.” He ran his thumb across her bottom lip and then removed her necklace. “I miss the wildness in your eyes, though.”
“You desired me, even when I was covered with fur?”
“Yes, although this form has definite possibilities.” His eyes traveled the length of the body and back up to her face.
She caught his hand mere inches away from her ear. “I will not be responsible for my actions if you touch it.”
She released his hand, and he grinned as he stroked the length of it, sending waves of pleasure through her body. She moaned in ecstasy and saw his face light up when he repeated the action.
Unable to tolerate anymore, she pounced on him, her mouth trailing over his body and teasing him until he begged for her to stop. Satisfied, she finally allowed him to make love to her.
Later, as their damp bodies lay tangled together, he said, “I never thought it could be like that.”
She lifted her face and smiled. “Now I know why you humans enjoy this so much.”
Gregor blushed. When he met her gaze again, there was an uncertainty in his eyes that troubled her. He stroked her hair as he held her in his arms. “Marry me.”
Ranealya pulled away. “Why?”
He propped himself up on his elbow. “Because I can't imagine living my life without you.”
The Goddess’s words echoed in her mind. Three days. She bit her lip and fought the sadness that threatened to overwhelm her. It wasn’t fair. Just when she’d found happiness after all these years, she was about to lose it.
Her reaction worried Gregor. “Did I say something wrong?”
She saw the pain in his eyes and wanted to take it away. “No,” she replied, and he smiled once again. “I never thought anyone would want to marry me, that's all.”
“You’re not that difficult.” He kissed her again.
“If we make it through the battle, Gregor, then I will marry you.”
He kissed her harder this time as he rolled her onto her back. “I'll hold you to it.”
“Just kiss me again, you silly human.”
He made love to her once again, this time with more tenderness and less urgency, and she knew she’d found a home in his arms.
***
The next morning, Ranealya took great care not to wake Gregor up as she freed herself from his grasp. He was still so pale from his injury. She needed to make sure he was getting his daily dose of the Sangous potion.
She dressed and went to Galen’s tent, still in the form of Nyelle. When she got there, however, the only person inside was Kira. “Galen’s in a meeting right now,” she said as Ranealya entered the room.
�
��I'll wait for him.” She sat on the trunk.
Kira squinted as she moved closer. “Ranealya?”
“Yes?”
Her laughter couldn’t conceal her nervousness. “I thought that was you. Galen said you could take whatever form you wanted, but I—” She stopped midsentence as she watched Ranealya morph into her mirror image. “I always wondered what I look like with blue eyes. Maybe our children will…” She blushed and turned away.
Ranealya changed back into Nyelle. “Don't worry, Galen already told me he married you.”
“And you don't object?” she asked, her dark eyes hopeful.
“I have no room to judge.” The small human smiled, and Ranealya could see why her brother found her attractive. “Galen said you found a way to heal Gregor's wounds faster. Thank you.”
Her cheeks flushed pink as she nodded. “I found a way to draw the poison out faster.”
“You saved his life, and I'm grateful.”
Galen entered the tent and kissed Kira on the cheek before spying his sister on the trunk. “Nyelle?”
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me by that name?”
His eyes flickered between the two women. “Kira, she hasn't been—”
“No, Galen, I haven't been bullying her.” Ranealya watched a wordless exchange between the two newlyweds. Maybe there was some truth to Galen's claim that she was his Ruheshi. “I wanted to discuss my part in the battle tomorrow.”
Kira grew pale and backed away from him. “I'll leave you alone then,” she said as she slipped past him. He caught her hand and held her gaze for a moment before he smiled and let her leave.
“Sorry about that.” Galen sat on the edge of the table, his eyes still on the tent flap. “She's worried.”
“And for good reason. The Elgean army should be here in a day or two.”
“I need you to distract them, Ranealya. Use whatever you can to stall them and give us time to complete the ritual.” He turned to her. “I'm sure you have a few forms you wouldn't mind unleashing on the enemy.”
He had been expecting her to grin, but she merely nodded. “I'll think of a few.” She stood. “Is that all?”
“No.” His face became serious, and she felt him trying to pry into her mind. She reinforced her barriers and frowned at him. “I know there's something you're not telling me, Ranealya. Something that’s troubling you.”
Galen already had too much to worry about. He didn’t need to know that she would die in one day. “Tomorrow will be difficult,” she answered, struggling to find the right words. It was impossible for her to lie when in an elvan form. “But don't worry. I'll fight to the death if needed.”
He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Gregor is a good man.”
“I know.”
“I think he will make a good leader for the people once we establish our new nation. I've asked him to go to the gate tomorrow and help guard the other side. He’s still too weak for battle.”
She covered his hand with her own but avoided his eyes. “Thank you. I'll be able to focus on the battle knowing he's safe,” she replied as she left the tent.
Ranealya wanted to be alone with her thoughts. She climbed up onto the bluff to watch the camp below. It was hard to believe that after living for centuries, she only had one more day left to live. How would she be able to say goodbye to those she loved with so little time? She knew she should be spending every precious moment with them, but at the same time, she didn’t want to cause them any distress. There was peace in her solitude.
It wasn’t long before Gregor found her, though. He sat next to her and wrapped his cloak around them. “Are you sure I didn't say or do something wrong?”
“No,” she said, her reply muffled against his chest.
He rubbed her hair and rested his chin on top of her head. “Then why the tears?”
She looked up at him and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She was becoming more and more human if she was crying now. “How would you feel if you knew you had only one day left to live? What would you do?”
“Why all these questions?”
She stared at him as he wiped the last remnants of her tears from her face. He deserved the truth. “Because Elios told me I would die tomorrow.”
The color drained from his face, and she told him about her meeting with the goddess. “When she asked me what the one thing I regretted was, all I could think about was you and how I never told you that I loved you.”
Gregor pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her as if he was trying to shield her from her fate. His body trembled next to hers. “She's not my goddess,” he said with such ferocity that she knew he was shaking with rage and not fear. “And I will do all in my power to save you, even if I have to join you in death.” His voice softened as he added, “Remember, I can’t imagine living my life without you.”
He kissed her forehead and gave her a crooked smile. “Besides, if anyone knows how to defy a deity, it's you.”
CHAPTER 25
Kira snuggled closer to Galen. The early morning light barely illuminated his face, but she was glad he was sleeping as soundly as a baby. He’d been so worried the last few days, making sure everything was ready for the ritual. She clung tighter to him, and his arms reflexively wrapped around her.
Am I being selfish to want to stay in his arms? She didn’t need one of her visions to tell her she might not see him after today.
Galen stirred underneath her and pressed his lips to her forehead before saying something incomprehensible to her. She lifted her head and smiled. “One of these days, you'll have to teach me Elvish so I can understand you when you're half asleep.”
“You’d probably learn quickly, just as you do with everything else.” He smiled back at her and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I said ‘good morning, my Ruheshi’.”
“And what does ‘Ruheshi’ mean?”
He looked at her in puzzlement. “I thought I told you this before.” He repeated the legend of Elios and the origins of the Ruheshi to her. “You are the other half of my soul.”
“Then please let me stay with you.”
Galen frowned and reached for his shirt.
“I can help with the ritual,” she continued, crawling after him with a blanket clutched to her chest. “I can help protect you and the other casters.”
“We've been over this before, Kira,” he replied as he pulled up his trousers. “My mind hasn't changed.”
“But I feel like something will go terribly wrong if I’m not there with you. My vision—”
“You said you had no idea what your last vision meant.” He looked at her, and his shoulders sagged. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I just want you to be safe. Please go through the gate, and I'll have one less thing to worry about.”
Her bottom lip quivered. “But what if I never see you again?”
Before he could reply, a scream reverberated through the camp. He jumped to investigate as she scrambled to pull her dress over her head. “The Elgean army is within arrow range,” he said from the tent flap.
Kira tapped her dress three times to shrink it and hurried to him. He stood in the opening, blocking her escape from the tent. When she peered around him, she saw why. Chaos spread through the camp faster than a brush fire.
“I need you to get the women and children of the camp to the gate.” He looked down at her. “We all have our parts to play in this. Yours is to protect the innocents.”
Ranealya ran up to them with a sinister grin on her face. Her eyes, blue like Galen's yesterday, now appeared reptilian and were the color of fresh blood. “Are you ready?” she asked, and Kira shivered.
No, I’m not ready for any of this.
“Not quite,” Galen replied. “I'd appreciate it if you can buy us a little more time.”
“Gladly!” Within seconds, she morphed into a large red dragon, much like the one that killed Master Tyrrus in her vision
, and flew in the direction of the Elgean army.
Kira felt invisible, but it allowed her a few more minutes with her husband.
Jaius appeared next. “I didn't know Ranealya could change into a dragon,” he said as he pushed past Galen. “I came to help you with the trunk.”
The acidic smell of smoke surrounded them, and another volley of flaming arrows sailed into the east side of the camp.
Galen stumbled over her, finally realizing she hadn’t left yet. “I can handle the trunk.” He shoved her towards his friend. “Make sure she gets to the gate and activates it.”
His eyes rested on her a brief moment, and in her mind, he whispered, Please stay safe, my Ruheshi.
Jaius set the trunk down and took her by the hand. “I know a faster way to get there.” A blue light surrounded them, and she realized he was teleporting them to bypass the crowds that ran that way.
As soon as her body felt solid, she reached for the crystal and slipped it into its slot. She recited the familiar spell, and the arch filled with blue.
The first arrivals regarded it with suspicion, but a small child broke free of his mother and ran through the blue gate. A few minutes later, he reappeared, asking, “Mama, why aren’t you coming?”
Once they saw it was safe, there was no stopping them.
***
Jaius found Galen at the appointed place for the ritual, waiting for the other casters to arrive.
“Is she safe?” he asked.
Jaius nodded, and his friend’s face relaxed.
“Letting go of her his hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life.”
His heart twisted. It wasn’t fair that they should be separated after knowing each other for so short a time. He’d known Galen for centuries. Happiness had eluded his friend for so long, and now that it he’d found it, duty was tearing him away from it. But there was still something he could do. He grabbed Galen’s shoulder. “Go to her. I'll take your place in the ritual. She needs you more than any of us, and you need her.”
The Tears of Elios Page 26
