Visions (Dragon Reign Book 7)

by Kit Bladegrave

  Hansi nodded happily, wiping his eyes. “Very good, very good indeed. Tristan?”

  He cleared his throat, and I caught a glistening in his eyes. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were truly crazy, wandering around alone, barefoot, in the woods… but then you told me you came here to save us all, and though I might not have shown it, I trusted you. Something about you made me open up, and I found my true self because of you.” His hands gripped mine harder, and I smiled, not even trying to hold back my tears now. “I know our lives have not been easy, and doubt they ever will be, but I swear to always do what I can to make this work between us. You are my heart, my reason for being, and I will never leave your side.”

  “Show off,” I whispered, pretending to be upset his vows sounded better than mine. He laughed as did everyone else.

  “Now then, if I may have the cord?” Hansi asked.

  Drake came forward presenting a long, white cord. He winked at me and shook Tristan’s hand before returning to his seat in the front row beside Ashan. He took his wife’s hand and kissed the back of it as she dabbed at her cheeks with a handkerchief.

  “Your hands, please,” Hansi whispered.

  Tristan held out his right, and I mirrored him. We clasped them together, and Hansi wrapped the cord around them before he tied a simple knot. He rested his hand on it and whispered a few words I assumed were elven, then raised his hands again.

  “May the gods bless this union of Tristan and Sabella, and with their grace, let it be a long and happy union.”

  I thought that was it, but then the cord glowed bright white, and a hush fell over the garden.

  “What is that?” I asked, confused.

  Tristan shook his head slowly as he looked at me. “I think… I think the gods are listening for once.”

  “This isn’t normal?”

  Hansi and Tristan both shook their heads. “But it is a very good sign,” Hansi assured me.

  The cord glowed brighter still, warm against my hand. I expect it to stop, but then it seemed to meld into our hands and wrists, leaving a tattoo of the cord that bound us together.

  Tristan and I gasped at the same time as warmth rushed through my body, I assumed the same was happening to him.

  “I guess that’s what happens when you marry a half god,” he said in awe.

  “Yeah, guess so,” I agreed, admiring the tattoo on his hand and on mine.

  Hansi clapped his hands as he announced, “The gods have seen fit to bless this union. Tristan, you may kiss your wife.”

  We didn’t need to be told twice, reaching for each other. Our lips met to the explosion of applause and cheers. We laughed as we held each other, and for one night, the rest of the world fell far, far away.

  Hand in hand, we left the garden and were directed into the hall.

  “Oh my god,” I whispered, stopping short as soon as we entered. “When did they do this?”

  “Elves, they can be quite efficient,” Tristan said, his face reflecting the same awe I felt.

  The hall was decked out in white and green banners with flowers on all the tables and lining the wall. Fires and braziers were lit to keep out the darkness, but it was the illusion of stars someone had created overhead that had me giddy.

  I glanced around and caught sight of Greyson. He bowed his head, and I mouthed a thank you.

  But then the music was playing, and the hall filled up with people.

  Tristan pulled me out to the center of the floor. I held up my dress in one hand, and for a wolf, he was an extremely graceful dancer. He led me around that floor until it was time to eat and drink the rest of the evening away.

  With no way to tell what time it was, I couldn’t say how long we celebrated in the hall of the elven palace.

  Kate and I danced a few songs together with Ashan, laughing like I hadn’t in so many years.

  I took a turn with Craig and Forrest, too, as well as Drake, before Tristan stole me back.

  I finally sat, my feet not even hurting, and smiled as Tristan sank down beside me.

  “To us,” he toasted, as he handed me a goblet of dark red wine.

  “To us,” I repeated, and we clinked our glasses together before we drank. “I never saw this coming. Ever.”

  “For a while there, neither did I,” he said as we watched the dancing.

  We sat in comfortable silence, his arm draped around my shoulders as I leaned into his warmth. I yawned, and he stood, offering me his hand. “Come on, you’re exhausted.”

  “I know, but I hate to leave.”

  I yawned again, and he grinned, hoisting me to my feet gently, I fell right into his waiting arms. He kissed me warmly and suddenly, I wanted nothing, but to be alone. He glanced around us with a mischievous grin, took my hand, and we darted out of the hall. Our laughter echoed off the glass as we ran upstairs, me hoisting my dress up in my hand, and then down a long hall toward the room I’d been staying in. At the door, we stopped, and Tristan pushed it open.

  “They really outdid themselves,” I said as I entered slowly, spinning around. Every surface was covered with candles and a fire was already burning away in the hearth. “And I think they knew you were coming after all.”

  Laid out before the fire was a pile of soft furs.

  Tristan lingered in the doorway. He rubbed the back of his neck, a quiet growl issuing from his mouth. I held out my hand for his, and he took it, letting me pull him inside.

  The door closed behind him, and we were alone at last. He ran his fingers through my hair, and I sighed at his touch, closing my eyes.

  When I opened them again, the love I saw in those glowing yellow depths lifted me up, and I pulled him closer, kissing him as the fire crackled happily behind us.

  Sometime during what I assumed was night, I woke, nestled against Tristan’s side. The fire had died down, and he growled in his sleep as I carefully disentangled myself from his arm.

  I picked up one of the furs and wrapped it around my shoulders, tiptoeing to the bathroom connected to my room.

  Business taken care of, I returned. I didn’t make it to Tristan as I felt myself drawn to the window overlooking the vast grounds surrounding the palace.

  If only there were only a moon in that swath of darkness, this would feel like the perfect night.

  I leaned against the wall, remembering all those lonely nights at the asylum, dreaming of a life away from those four walls. A life of adventure. I finally found it, and it might wind up getting me killed. As well as Tristan.

  In the dull glow from the fire and the few candles still burning, I held up my right hand and saw the tattoo markings from the cord.

  There was no going back now. We were in this together, ‘til death do us part.

  I heard a grunt behind me and turned. Tristan lumbered toward me and wrapped his arms warmly around me, kissing my neck. “What are you doing up?” he asked with a yawn.

  “Probably thinking too much.”

  “Probably. No visions or anything?”

  I rested against the safety of his chest. “No, no visions, no voices. It’s all empty up there, except my over-worrying again.”

  “Can you do me a favor?”

  “Just one?” I asked.

  “For now, yes. If you ever have another vision where you see your death, for the love of the gods, Red, tell me. I have a right to know.”

  I took one of his hands and kissed the place where I could see the cord on his hand. “I was protecting you, or thought I was, but,” I added quickly when he growled in annoyance, “I’ve since come to understand that we are strong together. And that I might be more shifter than I first realized.”

  “Meaning?”

  I told him what Hansi told me, about how the gods were all the races and since I was part god, I was technically also part of the all the races, including shifter.

  When Tristan didn’t reply after a few minutes, I spun around in his arms, catching him grinning like the wolf he was. I punched him in the shoulder until he
caught me up in his arms again and kissed me soundly.

  “It’s not funny,” I said against his lips.

  “Oh, I think it is.”

  “Whatever, you’re still a furball.”

  “Yes, but I’m your furball,” he reminded me as he clasped his right hand in mine again. “No matter what happens next, I trust you. I want you to know that.”

  “And I trust you and promise I’ll do my best to listen.”

  His brow rose at my words, but if he wanted to lecture me on how many times I’d said that before and then did the opposite, he kept it to himself.

  I yawned, and he scooped me up in his arms, carrying me back to the furs. He tucked them in around us both, and I curled up against his chest, closing my eyes, and feeling safe beside him.

  I’d enjoy the peace tonight. Tomorrow when he learned how we were going to find Baladon, he was going to be anything but content. But that was tomorrow’s problem. Tonight, I was just going to let us be a normal couple.

  Yeah, as if that would ever happen.

  13

  Tristan

  A few days alone with Sabella, that’s what I would’ve wanted, but as soon as we both woke for a second time and heard the palace stirring around us, we knew there was work still to be done. Which was how we found ourselves back in Hansi’s tower as he filled me, Craig, and Forrest in on all they’d learned in their few days here.

  “At least there’s an easy solution to keeping Baladon out of Sabella’s head,” I mused as I pored over one of the texts he’d opened in front of me.

  “Until he gets stronger, but for now, positivity, hope, those are enough.”

  I pursed my lips as I glanced toward the fire where Sabella sat with Kate, both of them talking and laughing quietly.

  I caught her gaze, her cheeks reddened, and she grinned brightly. I was more than ready to go to her, but Hansi was tapping the book in front of me on the table.

  “Right, tell me about this way to find Baladon,” I said, struggling to keep myself focused.

  “The gods created a doorway of sorts that accessed all their realms,” Hansi said and turned the page before me to show an orb on a pedestal. “There was a Keeper created to guard said door, a being so pure, she would never use the orb for any other means than for the gods. She is named Mori.”

  “Mori?” Forrest perked up, his brow furrowing together.

  “You recognize the name?” I asked, glancing to Craig to see if he did.

  Craig looked as clueless as I felt.

  “Yes, I mean no. I guess I picked it up somewhere,” Forrest muttered. “She’s the Keeper?”

  “Yes, and we believe she’s either been killed or taken,” Hansi said slowly, watching Forrest’s reaction with curiosity. His face seemed almost strained, and his hand gripped the table hard.

  Forrest might say he didn’t know anything about this Mori, but his reactions told a completely different story. He reached out for the book, flipped through a few pages as if searching for an image of the Keeper, but there was nothing. Just the orb.

  “She’s not dead,” he said faintly, then looked up. “She’s not.”

  “How do you know?” I asked, confused.

  “I just do, that’s all. So, this orb,” he said loudly, clearing his throat, “Baladon has it I’m assuming. How are we supposed to use it if he has it?”

  “That is where Sabella comes in.”

  “What?” I growled and shot her a look. “I knew it, I knew this had something to do with using you. No, it’s not happening.”

  “Yes, it is,” she stated, getting up from the couch and marching toward me. “We need a way to find Baladon, and this is it. The only lead we’ve had since figuring out it’s him behind the darkness. This is a chance we have to take.”

  I took her hands and pulled her close. “I swore I would keep you safe and this would not be holding up to that promise. There has to be another way.”

  “There isn’t. Besides, I’ll be fine. It’s not like I have to sacrifice myself or something.”

  I arched my brow, her words not doing a damned thing to make me feel better. “The gods created the first orb, Sabella. Gods, plural. You are just part. You won’t be strong enough and what happens when it fails?”

  She patted my cheek. “You worry too much.”

  “Not enough,” I argued.

  “We’re not making a complete second orb. We just need one to get us through one doorway. That’s it so I should be enough to do that much.”

  “And how do you know where to have this doorway lead to?”

  She sucked in her cheeks and refused to meet my gaze.

  “Sabella?”

  “She’s going to find him through her visions,” Hansi announced when Sabella refused to. “And once we have a location, then she can create the orb, and you can have a way to reach him and attack. Easy as that.” His humming was the only sound in the room, aside from the crackling of the fire.

  Forrest smirked, but had the decency to look away.

  Craig went to sit beside Kate near the fire, leaving me to stare down at Sabella, waiting for her to explain who decided to come up with this plan that could very well damage what control she’d managed to find on her sanity.

  She, however, said nothing and continued to avoid my gaze.

  “I understand how you think this is the only way, but is it worth it?” I quietly asked, finally.

  “At the moment, we’re losing this war,” she said. “We’re losing because we can’t find a way to get to Baladon or shut down how he’s sending monsters through. And each day he drains the gods a bit more makes him stronger. He’s weakening us for when he finally attacks himself. If we can get to the gods he has trapped, free them, we have a chance to weaken him. So yes, it’s worth it.”

  My instinct was to protect her, not let her put herself directly in the path of harm’s way. My arms tightened around her more, and she hugged me back. “I don’t like it.”

  “I knew you wouldn’t, which was one of the reasons I’d hoped you’d stay away, but… but I’m glad you didn’t.” She buried her face in my chest. “I can’t do this without you, but I do have to do this, shut him down, before he kills all the gods and becomes unstoppable.”

  I wanted to have some ingenious idea that would stop her from having to put herself through another vision that she might not come back from. But nothing came to me. She was right, and I hated it, hated feeling so powerless in the face of the gods. I couldn’t bring myself to let her go just yet. I held on tighter as everyone else in the tower let us have a moment.

  “What about the riddle?” I asked her. “Did you figure out any more from that?”

  “Nothing that will help with finding Baladon.”

  “Course not,” I muttered. “And this orb, what will it take to make it?” I asked Hansi, pulling away from her and turning to him.

  “The light that flows through her veins from Farrah,” he explained. “And a few drops of blood.”

  “Blood?”

  “Just a few drops,” Sabella reassured me. “It’s going to be fine, swear it.”

  “None of this is making me feel better.”

  “I wish I could, but this is what has to be done. Don’t worry, once the orb is made and we find Baladon, you can take out all your rage on him and whatever he has guarding him. Sound good?”

  What sounded good was her not having to exert any form of energy to create this orb, but the darkness was not close to abating, and if we kept getting hit with monster attacks, our forces were going to dwindle and weaken until there was no one left to put up a fight.

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if this is what’s going to get us to Baladon, let’s do it.”

  “Seriously? Just like that?”

  “You said it yourself, we’re out of options.” I stared at Hansi with a warning in my eyes that if this went wrong, if anything happened to Sabella, I would hold him personally responsible.

  “Sabella, you will need to
prepare yourself mentally for this. Do what you must to clear your head, and I will summon you back when we’re ready to create the orb, yes?” Hansi said and waved us all out of his tower.

  “Well, then, I guess we have a few hours to kill,” Craig said to Kate as she grinned. “We’ll see you all in a few hours.” Then they were gone.

  Forrest rolled his eyes as he laughed, but before he could walk away, Sabella caught his arm.

  “When Hansi was talking about Mori, you sure there wasn’t something else you wanted to say about her?” she asked.

  I was wondering the same thing.

  He shrugged her question off.

  “You sure?”

  “No, it’s just… I’m sure it’s nothing.”

  “And what if it’s not?” Sabella urged. “Come on, I’m sure we’ve heard crazier things, I mean I am still technically crazy, remember?”

  He scratched at the scruff growing in on his jaw and mumbled something about a dream. “Really, I just saw this girl, but she couldn’t have been real. And it was a dream, but that name… I swore I heard it in my dream.”

  “What did she look like?” Sabella asked, tilting her head as she studied him like she knew more than she was telling both of us.

  Forrest smiled softly. “She was made of starlight, but it was just a dream.”

  “Yeah, just a dream,” Sabella murmured.

  He said he’d see us soon and headed off seeming lost in thought.

  “Huh.” Sabella scratched her forehead.

  “Huh, what? Something you’d care to share?”

  “Maybe, but it’s probably nothing,” she said as she slipped her hand into mine and we strolled slowly through the palace, headed toward the gardens. “But in my vision of us, there was someone there with Forrest, someone I couldn’t make out too well… just curious is all. Three of you and three… three of us.”

  She’d stopped walking and was whispering to herself. I worried for a second, she was falling into another vision, but her eyes were clear. I leaned in closer and caught a few phrases from the riddle that had been haunting us both.