Legends of Litha (Wheel of the Year Anthology Volume 3)
Page 10
I spent the next couple of days showing Sparrow around my homeland. She laughed and played with me as if the world was nothing more than our playground. It was like the honeymoon we never had. I felt relaxed with all the time we spent together, and slowly I could feel her falling in love with me. She was amazing, just as she had been in our previous lives.
However, no matter how much fun our time was, it could not last. Word got to me the moment Gwyneira came back. She was in her ancestral home as well, though she apparently had always lived there. The news had quickly gotten out that her ire was great, and she was taking her anger out on the people surrounding her home. She needed to be stopped, and I was the only one who could do that.
Getting ready to meet up with her, I begged for Sparrow to stay behind. I couldn’t focus if I was worried she was in danger. Once again, she made me promise to find a way to save Gwyneira, and I gave my word that I would. I had many doubts, but I tried to show hope in my eyes. “Take care of her for me, Rodrick, and thank you so much for all you have done for us.”
“It has been a pleasure. I am grateful to have gotten to meet you. I have been told stories about you all of my life.” Rodrick gave me a slight bow, and I walked out of the door.
It wasn’t an easy road to get to Gwyneira. The land was thick and dense, and the roads had been destroyed. Because of this, I did what I thought was best. I spread my wings, and I flew. With my heart heavy in my chest, I made my way toward destiny. The closer I got, the colder the air around me became until I was in nearly freezing temperatures.
Gwyneira was waiting for me when I arrived. She stood at the top of her castle tower in her human form. White hair blew in the wind as those crystal eyes stared at me with rage and hate. I wanted so badly for Sparrow to be right. I did not want to kill off one of my own, even if she seemed dead set on killing me. Sparrow was turning me soft, but maybe that was for the best.
I transformed as I landed, letting my feet touch down on the tower floor next to Gwyneira. Her eyes drew in colder as she watched me. I could see the faint scars I had given her. Apparently she was using large amounts of magic to hide them. “Gwyneira, I don’t want to fight you. I don’t want more violence and bloodshed. Please, can’t we let this go? Can’t we find a way to be happy and bring our people back?”
“Bring our people back? How do you suggest we do that when you are out playing noble with some human? Your soft heart has been the death of us all. You betrayed your kind, and for what? A human who will die in a few short years? That is madness,” Gwyneira answered, walking toward me. Light hit her just right, and I could see even more of the damage I had caused. Before, I wasn’t looking for it; now I could see it everywhere. “Tell me, Liam. how do you suggest we bring back our kind?”
“I don’t know, but I do know that if we don’t do something, then the world will be without us and our magic forever. There has to be a way. But I won’t give up my love for it either. Gwyneira, you are beautiful and powerful. You could find love and dedication. You could find someone who means something to you. Why would you just throw it away to chase vengeance?” I asked, hoping to get through to her.
“Vengeance is all I have had for a long time. It is all I know anymore. As for beauty, I am not beautiful. You saw fit to destroy that along with everything else. I can hide it well, but it does not last.” The pain in her eyes shot right through me. Sparrow had been right. There was more underneath the hate than I had realized.
“Sparrow could heal you. I am almost sure of it. There has to be a way. Gwyneira, I am willing to forgive you for killing Spearwa all those years ago, but you have to give up on this hate that has consumed you. You have to let go and help me find a way to bring back what has been lost. Please, I’m begging you.” I couldn’t believe I was saying these things. It was as if Sparrow was speaking through me. I could feel her in my heart and soul, and I wanted to do all I could to make her proud of me. Even if that meant looking weak. However, forgiveness wasn’t weakness. It was taking far more strength to speak those words to Gwyneira now than it had for me to do anything else in my life.
“I’m beyond healing, Liam, and if you wish to kill me, do so now. You will die as well, for we are all that is left. Eventually we will have nothing. We are already nothing in the eyes of the humans. I no longer wish to fight for something so pathetic and weak. Have your human.” Gwyneira turned on me, giving me her back in a sign of surrender. I was shocked. Maybe I had broken her more than I thought with my attacks.
Moving toward her, I wrapped my arms around her and let my fire begin to boil inside of me. Heat radiated from me, and she gasped for breath. Steam formed in the air and spread out into the room.
You can save her. Please, Liam, do what is right. She is just hurt. Sparrow’s voice in my mind urged me on. My fire built more and more until it was all-consuming, and as such, the magic overwhelmed Gwyneira. She cried out in my arms from the pain of it all, and then she fainted. “I will save you. Somehow, I will save you.”