“Welcome home,” I muttered. “Did you sense anything different?”
“Actually, I do.” He smiled at my expression. “Look.” He pointed to his chest. The rope scar was gone, and only a blotchy outline remained.
“I’ll continue to work on it until there is nothing left.” I said, tracing the newly healed skin with my tongue.
“Now that sounds like a great idea, Princess.” He rolled to the side, pulling me with him. “Until then, please rest. I long for your dreams.”
Chapter 29
The Plan
“THE KINGDOM WILL GATHER this afternoon to honor the fallen.” Gavin’s voice echoed down the corridor. “There is a breakfast in the formal hall for the dignitaries, but the Queen has explained we are still recovering from our ordeal and we will not be in attendance.”
The drone of power gradually grew louder as we neared the energy field. Bright blue blazed, filling the room, and I smiled as an Alfar melody lilted through the air.
“Nora!” Rena sat next to Rune. Her face lit with joy, the energy swirled in appreciation, and she ran toward us, pulling me into a swift hug.
“I thought you couldn’t make it this far in.” My voice was muffled by her shoulder, and she laughed, letting me go.
“I’ve discovered once you’ve been through the abyss, this is a piece of cake.” She grinned. “And I like the new look, although the unicorns might be offended you’re now sporting part of their mane.” She reached up feeling the slippery silk of hair above my eye.
“As I am the Prince’s other source, I’m sure they won’t mind.”
Rune came forward, his eyes narrowed. “Lass, havin’ yer mate back’s done ya a world of good, but yer still lookin’ as weak as a kit.”
I reached down and pulled him into a hug, ignoring his grumbling.
“I never thanked you for all you’ve done. The Prince would be dead if it weren’t for you.” My voice grew thick.
Rune roughly patted my shoulder and then pulled away. “I’ll be whiddlin’ away to bones and feathers if I’m not findin’ somethin’ to eat.”
Rena giggled. “Elias has requested a meeting with the Keepers. He has breakfast waiting.”
As soon as we passed through the energy curtain, shimmering gold and silver caught my eye, and I ran to Lera at the head of the table.
“We did it, my Queen.” I hugged her, mindful of her hood. “And thank you for the use of your cloak. You were right. It did come in handy.”
She smiled. “I appreciate its return. Elaine tells me it has seen the inside of the fissure.” She reached over, slipping her fingers through the swatch of silver that now adorned my hair. “The badlands seem to have had the same effect on the hair woven in the cloak.” I looked a little closer, noticing that the strands of hair were permanently silvery-white. “I believe it has been forged and is now stronger.”
I hugged her again. “Let’s hope so.” I stood back, making way for Gavin. Lera placed her hand on his cheek, her eyes steeped in devotion.
“I must commend you on your choice of a mate, my son. Although she can be a bit boisterous at times, she is definitely worthy to lead.”
I blushed as my heart warmed with feminine humility and masculine pride.
“How is the kingdom?” I asked.
The Queen smiled once again. “Your plan worked. The kinsmen defended Kailmeyra beautifully. The healers have begun their work through the forest. The only real devastation occurred to the north, but the spiders, the sprites, and the Simians are all working to repair the damage. Elias and Elaine will head that way once they have recovered.”
“It appears our work is never done.” Elaine’s deep voice sounded as she came through the door. I jumped up and hugged her. “Princess, I see the trek through the abyss did not dampen your spirit.”
Elias hesitated for a moment before reaching for me. I fiercely hugged him back. “I can’t thank you enough,” I whispered.
“You are most welcome, my Princess. You are most welcome.”
I grinned, just loving the fact the keepers were once again together—until I spied the lone chair in the center of the long table.
“We will deal with that in time, my love.” Gavin rubbed my shoulder blades, and I knew he was right. I would mourn the loss of Malachi for years to come.
The conversation flowed as we took turns filling in the gaps of what happened. Famished, I ate, listening to Rena retell how she and Tark made their way around the fissure to find the guard. Rune was next.
“I knew them mongrels was deceivin’ us as soon as me feet hit that godforsaken sand. I figured I’d follow the stench, an’ it’d lead me to battle.”
Rena looked down the table at me. “We wouldn’t have been able to get to you so quickly had Rune not been there. I bet he killed as many Dokkalfar as the rest of us combined.”
“Aye. That’d be my pleasure, it would.” Rune bared his gray teeth in a hard grin. A collective chuckle rippled darkly around the room. Gavin took a deep breath and stood.
“My clan, first, I cannot express how great it is to be home.”
Everyone murmured in agreement while Rena gave a hearty “amen.”
Gavin smiled holding his hands up in a friendly gesture to pipe down. “While I know we are publicly honoring the fallen later this day, I would like to take a moment to raise our glasses to the one we lost.”
The room grew somber.
Gavin held his goblet up. “To Malachi.”
Seven goblets raised in unison. “To Malachi,” everyone murmured.
My throat constricted as we drank in silence.
Gavin set his glass down. “We were triumphant in staving off the Dokkalfar, but they are by no means defeated.” The room became stilted. “I have gathered information that is ... unsettling.”
“And what’d that be, Sire?” Rune growled.
“As you know, Mia has mated with Jakkar.”
The Queen gasped, her fork clanked to her plate.
Gavin turned to the head of the table. “My apologies, Mother. Had I known you hadn’t been informed, I would have told you in private.”
Lera’s eyes peered from under her hood, their vivid purple flashed with anger. “That name will not be spoken in my presence. I loathe what she has become. She is the only Alfar to turn to darkness under my reign, and I will not make this day more difficult by discussing her in any fashion.” Queen Lera rose and checked her temper. “Forgive me. I mean not to be so aggressive, but the subject does not bring out the best in me. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to make an appearance at the ceremonial breakfast.” She rested her hand on the door’s latch before turning back to the table. “I feel I must inform you that during the ceremony this afternoon I intend to proclaim the keepers are once again in the kingdom.”
“Do you think it wise?” Gavin asked gently.
“I think it necessary.”
Gavin stared at his mother, and she smiled. “No, my son, I no longer worry. I’ve seen how the kinsmen fought to defend the kingdom. We need to trust.” Her eyes drifted to me. “And we need to have faith.”
Elias waited until the door closed behind the Queen. “What have you discovered?”
“The Dokkalfar believed I would not survive the ordeal of being captured, and so as a means of weakening me they taunted me with their plan. Mia did jump into the portal the day she stabbed Nora. She practically ran to Jakkar with open arms. They have tried without success to gain access to the other portals except one.”
“Aye, that’d be the fissure, it would.” Rune piped up.
“That’s correct,” Gavin stood. “But the reason the fissure has been able to sustain the negativity is that its sister portal aligns with the walls of Babel.”
I startled. Everyone stared at me.
Rena frowned. “What is it Nora?”
“It’s a story from Earth. The men in Babel decided to build a tower which would reach to heaven, but God saw their hearts and knew they weren’t trying to grow c
loser to Him; they were selfishly trying to find a way into his kingdom. In His anger, God gave them different languages so they could no longer understand one another, and He broke the land from one to seven. Throughout history, the place has been riddled with darkness. It’s considered by some scholars to be the seat of Satan.”
Elias leaned forward in his chair. “It is no coincidence the abyss and this dark place are connected.”
“The Dokkalfar have always known the fissure and Babel were connected,” Gavin said. “But it wasn’t until Mia mated with Jakkar they discovered how to come through it. That is when the land around the Centaur’s grave fell into darkness. But there’s more.” Gavin’s voice became despondent. “My mother created a journal. It was meant as a gift to be given to the future Princess.”
Understanding stirred around the room.
Gavin started pacing. “In trying to help keep Mia from despair while I was on Earth, the Queen presented her the gift early.” Gavin’s eyes flitted to mine before he continued. “We now know the Queen has inadvertently supplied Mia with information about the mountain. That, coupled with whatever Jayril passed to Jakkar, means Mia may be able to gain access. And if she finds the Sfera, she will have the power to destroy the kingdom.”
“No,” Rune’s rough voice grated across the room. “The Sfera’s not what you’ll need to be worryin’ about, Prince. If she’s knowin’ how to get in, she’d be one step closer to Kailmeyra’s heart. And that’d not only destroy this realm but the realm it’d be attached to, it would.”
“How do you know this Rune?” Elaine asked.
Rune’s feathers ruffled. “That’d be a secret from the Urisk, and one I’ll not be sharin’.”
Elias’ eyes flashed, and Rune smiled.
“It’s not I’m wantin’ to keep it to meself. I’ll be havin’ no choice in the matter, Cap’n.”
I grew restless. “What do we do?”
“We hunt.” Rune’s guttural voice caused the room to still.
Gavin looked at the Keepers, gathering opinions before he spoke. He reached for my hand. “If we go back, we go as a clan. We stay together. We fight together. We live or die together. If we cannot agree on this, then we wait until Mia organizes her army and we defend the land until the bitter end.”
“I’m believin’ we’ll be havin’ no choice, Sire. If we’re waitin’, and this Mia finds her way in, it’ll just be the seven of us defendin’ the mountain. Unless yer knowin’ a way of gettin’ the guard past the protection.”
Elias shook his head. “Rune’s right. We must go back. And we must do it before Mia has time to re-organize and build.”
Rune’s feathers shook as his eyes turned a dusty blue. “I’ll be headin’ out before ya.”
“Rune, no.” I just got all our clan back. I wasn’t ready to let any of them go.
Rune’s cheeks darkened; he fidgeted in his seat. “I’ll be seein’ ya again, Lass. But it’ll be helpin’ if I’m findin’ the Urisk first.”
“It’s settled then.” Gavin stopped behind my chair and put his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll tell mother after the ceremony.”
Elias started with a few provisionary details, and Rune headed toward the back of the room.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
Rune’s voice became poignant. “They’re be one task left to be completin’.”
Gavin held out his hand. “I’m afraid we are needed as well.”
Chapter 30
The Tomb
RUNE STOOD BY THE ENERGY field.
“I’ve done what yer wantin’ and left him just ahead,” he said to Gavin. My heart plummeted as I realized what we were about to do.
“Did you carry him back?” My eyes welled with tears as I looked at Rune.
“Twas my honor, it was.” His voice became gruff. He looked at the Prince. “I’ll be in the energy field if yer needin’ me.”
Gavin’s fingers found the spaces between mine. Something in that simple touch eased my grief, and a feeling of peace washed over me. We descended through the craggy tunnels until we came upon a lone figure, shrouded in a white cloth with patterns of blue. Folded next to it was a blanket made of Appalachian stars.
Tears stung my eyes. Images of Malachi’s diamond’s dancing as he smiled, his long fingers folded over his chest when he was deep in thought ... the way he lowered his chin to stare straight into my eyes when he wanted to make a point. Loss ached through me, and I took a deep, shaky breath. Gavin kissed my forehead, the emotions too much for him to speak. He let go of my hand, lifting Malachi, and we made the short trek the rest of the way.
My heart sped as the mouth of the cave appeared. The light flickered and warmed as if it were beckoning Malachi home. The muted walls illumined to a blue-gray, filling the room in a mournful glow. Water dripped from the stalactites as if the mountain itself wept.
I hadn’t noticed before, but sculpted on the sides of each crypt was a scene that told of the Keepers’ talents. Malachi rarely spoke of his clan, and now I ached for their stories. Running my hands over each coffin, my heart thanked them for being a part of his life, for loving him almost as much as I did. Gavin waited until I made my way around to the last open tomb. He gently laid Malachi down, adjusting his body with care.
A calm understanding ran through me. I honestly had been dreading this, not wanting to feel the sting of grief again, but as I placed my hand on Malachi’s chest there was a sense of serenity. He loved creation enough to sacrifice centuries of time, alone, waiting for me to find my way to Kailmeyra. Visions of a solitary life plagued my thoughts. What must that have been like? To watch those that you love perish, and then to be left alone for centuries. A life without Rena, Tark, Elias, Elaine, without fellowship, without Gavin.
“We mourn for the living and not for the dead.” Gavin’s voice carried up the stalagmites, and they brightened with his sincerity.
I leaned back against his chest. “I just wish he didn’t spend so much of his life alone.”
“We are never truly alone.” His low voice murmured in my ear. His chin rested on my shoulder.
“You know, that was one of the last things Malachi said to me.”
“I’m not surprised. It is the first lesson we are taught as children.”
Despite my sorrow, I smiled. Even in death, Malachi was still teaching me. My hand lovingly caressed his shrouded chest one last time.
“My father, be at peace.” I wasn’t aware I’d spoken in the ancient language until its gentle cadence echoed overhead.
Gavin guided me back a few paces before lifting the top and enclosing Malachi in stone. My heart filled with love and loss, and I noticed a lone Appalachian star sculpted in the center of the lid.
Gavin brushed the tears from my face. “He told me he carved this when we were at the spiders’ respite. He wanted you to know he viewed you as his family.”
“I’m honored.” My voice broke.
“Nora, as the Last Light of the Ancients, you know what must be done.” Gavin’s voice gentled as his hands circled my shoulders. I looked between the tombs, watching the light play and flicker off the water. With a hint of a thought, both the amulet and the necklace heated and became full.
We walked through the short tunnel leading out of the Ancients’ mausoleum. I took a deep breath and exhaled. My heart slowed; my mind cleared. Part of me wanted to have a way back. Not only back to Malachi, but what if we needed access to the energy?
But that would be selfish. No. My intent would be to protect the heart of the land from all who enter the mountain. Not just Mia, but from everyone so the original flame of creation would eternally burn.
Closing my eyes, I opened my arms wide. Memories of pristine waters, lush green forests, the Kestrels, the Simian, the Alfar, and the children ran through my mind.
The power of my thoughts was too much, and streams of thought spilled from their banks. I let my mind free, allowing the wild child to take over. Gavin’s amulet burst with the ener
gy taken from creation, the light green of his grandfather stone heated beneath my shirt. Energy hummed, shaking the floor. An explosion of emerald burst from my wrist, while chartreuse streamed from my chest. The rumble beneath our feet crescendoed, shaking the mountain to its foundation. The sharp crack of splitting rock blasted through the air, the mountain thundered as the arch gave way. Dust rolled in waves of white, but I concentrated on melding the crushed rock together, fusing it as if it were one piece. Heat radiated around me, the red seeped through my eyelids. The mountain hissed in pain.
I’m almost through. My mind whispered in an apology.
The rock cooled, and my thoughts made their way back to their streams. Gavin’s arms wrapped around me, his grip so fierce a hundred men couldn’t break its hold.
I reached up for a kiss. Gavin’s lips met mine, clinging tenderly before he pulled away.
A solid wall stood where once there was an opening. The smooth texture was the only indication it hadn’t been there since the beginning of time.
“It will take a while,” Gavin answered the concern running through my mind, “but eventually the moisture will help weather the new rock, and no one will know the difference.”
I hesitated, not wanting to leave but having no reason to stay.
“Come, my light.” Gavin’s understanding eased through me, “the clan is waiting.”
Chapter 31
Rune’s Road Home
THE BALCONY HAD BEEN swathed in mourning cloth. Gray clouds hung heavy in the sky, a cool breeze blew through the archway. Draped in her golden cloak, the Queen stood behind us.
As we neared the balcony’s entrance, I couldn’t help but think about the last time I was here. The seating arrangements were exactly as they had been. Lera’s throne was centered on the closest tier; the next level held mine and Gavin’s, the top level held chairs for our clan.
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