by Kaylin Lee
“I think it always had to be us,” Tavar said. He put his arm over my shoulder again, pulling me to him and kissing my forehead. “And Bri is brilliant for coming up with this plan. Best wedding present ever.”
Ella sighed. “Well, when you put it that way …”
We were silent for a few moments, all staring at Nikolai as he played with Ella’s dress, and then she looked at me. “Lady Falconus will be here soon,” she said, a glint of humor in her eyes. “We’re starting a mage-craft jewelry shop together. She’s relentless. Never stops working.”
Tavar raised his eyebrows. “But Weslan’s mother is a Procus lady, not a merchant.”
“I think Lord Falconus is in awe of her. Too happy she’s alive to quibble about how hard she works. He keeps giving us more and more money to invest in the business.”
Nikolai’s grandmother arrived a moment later, knocking once and then sweeping into the parlor and scooping up the baby. “Hello, Briar Rose and Tavar,” she sang, twirling Nikolai around. “Young love! It’s so inspiring, isn’t it, Nikolai?”
She bent to greet Ella with a kiss on her cheek, then straightened and twirled Nikolai again. “I hope you’re ready, Ella dear, because I had several new ideas last night. Find your notepad. I can talk and snuggle the baby at the same time.”
Ella winked at me. “I’ll be right back. I’ll get fresh coffee, too.”
Lady Falconus sank gracefully into the worn, leather couch beside me and Tavar, then took her jeweled headband off and handed it to Nikolai to chew on. “I have ideas for you two, as well,” she whispered. “The princess is recruiting mages now that you’ve gone public with the plan. I signed up to help with the technical side of things.”
My mouth dropped open. “Are you sure? I mean, thank you!”
“Oh, yes. I was up half the night jotting down notes for the project. It’s time,” she said firmly. “I’m only sorry it took us so long.”
Chapter 51
“What is it called again?” Another wave of golden hair floated to the floor in front of my face. I fought the urge to sneeze, mindful of the sharp scissors my sister wielded just in front of my eyes. I’d spent all day holed up in Belle’s office, going over mission plans with her and Tavar. My head was swimming with lists, maps, and books on mage-craft engineering, and when I got home, Alba had offered to take my mind off work with some sisterly bonding time.
I hadn’t realized it would involve cutting quite so much of my hair.
“The old Western magazine I found called it a fringe.” Alba blew a few stray strands off my cheeks.
“How’d you find this magazine, anyway?”
“You weren’t the only one with a secret stash.” She wiggled her eyebrows smugly as she combed out another section, then clipped it. “And I’ll have you know I translated nearly the whole section on hair styles a few nights ago. So I’m almost certain this will turn out well.”
“Almost certain? That sounds hopeful.” I felt my brow crease. “Wait, why aren’t you doing it on yourself?”
“I’m experimenting on you first.” She leaned back and appraised me for a moment, then came forward with the scissors again. “Practice makes perfect.”
“Just as long as I don’t look silly when Tav comes to pick me up tonight.”
“You’ll look stunning.” Alba clipped another lock of hair. “Trust me. And if you don’t like it, I can probably make it grow back by your wedding with a bit of magic.”
My wedding. I felt a goofy smile spread across my face. “Can’t believe it’s just a month away.”
“Me either.” Alba’s eyes sparkled. “I’m glad you and Tavar had the strength of will to wait to say your vows until we got back from the Badlands. It would have crushed me to miss it.”
“I don’t know about strength of will. More like we’ve been so busy planning and preparing, we’ve managed to distract ourselves. Mostly.”
“Well, I’m grateful.” Alba finally leaned back and set the scissors down. “Done,” she murmured. “You look beautiful.” She grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around to face my mirror. “What do you think?”
I stared at my reflection. The fringe framed my face prettily, making me look oddly delicate, more feminine than I’d ever seen myself.
“I look young,” I blurted out. “It’s weird.”
Alba squeezed my shoulders, then released me. “You are young. At least now you look it.”
She nudged me aside and approached the mirror herself, scissors in hand, then combed down her own fringe and got to work.
I dusted off my nose and cheeks, then sat on my bed. “How was your trip to the Badlands? I want the full version, not the safe one you gave when Ella and Weslan were here last night. I can’t believe you and Si took that mission so soon after the wedding.”
“It was madness.” Alba’s tone turned sober. “Scary, to be honest.” She was quiet for a moment as she wielded her scissors, letting another lock of her long, dark hair fall to the ground. “Far more dangerous than I expected. But I do think that between me, Deacon, and Si’s brother Anton, we were able to do some good.” She shook her head. “It’s pure chaos out there, though, Bri, absolute chaos. The magic in the land has changed everything. The clans from Draicia are spreading out of the city, trying to take over land in the Gold Hills. Soon they’re going to be going after the plains between the Gold Hills and Asylia. Everyone wants a piece of the land, now that it’s been restored to what it once was.”
I shivered. Draicia’s violent clans taking over the Badlands? We couldn’t let that happen. But did it have to be my fight?
I scrambled to change the subject. “How was it traveling through the Badlands with Eugene?”
Alba's lips twitched. “I can’t believe I’m saying this—he saved our lives.”
“What! Tell me more.”
“Those instincts of his are sharper than I expected. He’s certainly earned some right to the bragging he’s been doing.” She finished cutting the last bit of her hair, then frowned. “I just don’t understand how someone so skinny and annoying can be such a good Sentinel.” She set down the scissors and fluffed her hair.
I laughed. “One of life’s great mysteries.”
“Truly.” She took me by the arm and pulled me beside her so that we stood facing our reflections in the mirror.
“See?” She batted her eyelashes, making me smile. “We are young, and we have a future ahead of us, even if it’s going to be a dangerous one.”
“You’re right.”
She turned to face me, her smile fading. “Your future, especially.” She shook her head. “I feel like I just got you back,” she said, her voice thick. “How can I lose you again so quickly?”
“You never lost me.” I peered into her lovely, familiar face, studying her as if I could press the memory of her image into my mind by sheer will. Capture it, like Seth had tried to do at our victory party nearly a year ago. “And it isn’t forever. I’ll come back. I promise.”
She brushed my hair away from my face and nodded resolutely, clearing her throat. “You’d better.”
Chapter 52
Bright, spring sunshine warmed the top of my head as I hiked through a copse of fruit trees, my ankles wobbly in the sparkly, high-heeled sandals Weslan had created for me.
Young goldblossom trees loomed overhead, even higher than the fruit trees, helped to an enormous height in a matter of months by hardworking grower mages and the restoration of the land’s magic. Sweet-smelling goldblossom petals drifted lazily down to the path, carried by the gentle spring breeze.
It was chilly, despite the sunshine, but my nervous sweating kept me from feeling much of the cold.
Somewhere in the distance, the Dance of the Wasps played on fabulator crystals mounted for the occasion throughout Corbin’s farm, but here in the woods, peaceful birdsong drowned out the string quartet’s familiar melody.
Mom followed close behind me as we hiked, as though determined not to lose me while I tr
ied to work off my nerves. Or maybe she was just determined to keep my long, white dress out of the dirt.
“Do you have to leave so soon, though? Can’t you just wait a few months after the wedding?”
I paused in front of a small, muddy stream. The forest was mage-designed, barely six months old. It surrounded the Asylian city walls, providing a wild public park as a buffer between the city and the hundreds of new farms spreading out between Asylia and the Gold Hills.
With so much magic in the land, the park grew less tamed and more verdant every day, belying its newness. A thick carpet of moss already covered the smattering of rocks that stuck out in the stream, and endless tangles of bright-green brambleberry bushes lined the stream’s banks.
“Mom, we’ve talked about this.” I crossed the stream in a single, long stride, only collecting a bit of mud on my shoes. Mom followed behind me, grunting as she swept my dress up and away from the water. “Every moment that we delay, more people suffer. We can’t wait any longer. We’ve already waited a decade too long.”
“I know, I know.” I could hear the smile in her voice. “You keep telling me, and I keep arguing with you. I can’t help it. I’m your mother.”
“Right.” I glanced over my shoulder and returned her smile. Mom looked beautiful in her gold, shimmery gown, her blonde hair in a new, stylish bob, a hint of black kohl around her eyes. “I don’t think you need to be carrying my dress, though. Didn’t Weslan design it so that it would stay off the ground by itself while we walked?”
“Just in case.” She gestured me forward, so I turned back and resumed hiking. “This Draician silk is gorgeous.”
“It is.” Was it just me, or was the sound of violins growing louder? My stomach lurched. “How much further?”
“We’re close. Are you still nervous?”
“Sentinels are never nervous.” My voice trembled.
“Right, right. I forgot. Someone should tell your dad. I thought he and Silvio were going to tie us to our chairs when you said you wanted to go for a walk.”
“I can’t believe you invited so many people. I only have one friend, and I’m marrying him. We could have made it a small, simple affair.”
“You have one best friend,” Mom corrected, “and a lot of other friends and family who care about you. You have a whole city, darling, a city full of people who want to celebrate you and Tavar.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, my skin too hot and covered with goosebumps all at once. “See, this is why we had to do it out here. Otherwise I’m afraid you truly would have invited the entire city.”
“Smart girl.” We were quiet for a moment as Corbin’s farm came into view between a gap in the trees up ahead. My steps slowed. “You did choose well, honey. The groom and the venue are both perfect.”
“Can you believe this was nothing but barren plains—rocks and dust, no water life to speak of—only a year ago?”
“Now there’s farmland all the way to the Gold Hills.”
“And this park, with the memorial by the north gate … It’s so beautiful.”
“All those names.” Mom’s voice was hollow. “I still can’t see it without crying.” She cleared her throat. “It’s time, honey. Do you want to check the mirror one more time?”
“No, thank you.” I knew what I’d see. Glossy lips, glowing skin, and bloodshot eyes. I was so nervous, I hadn’t slept in two nights.
“You know, it’s going to be hard to live happily ever after if you and your husband keep going on dangerous rescue missions together.”
I found myself laughing, and the nerves dissipated slightly. “If anyone was made for this, it was us. Besides, he is my happy ending. As long as I’m with him, I’ll be fine.”
Dad appeared in the distance where the woods ended, and our path led into the clearing of Corbin’s farm. He shaded his eyes, then waved to us. My nerves came back with a vengeance, storming my stomach like an invading force.
“I just want to get this over with.” I squeezed my sweaty hands around the garland I’d soon give to Tavar. White rosedrops and yellow butterflowers wrinkled beneath my anxious grip, emitting a sweet, delicate scent. For the hundredth time that day, I relaxed my hands. Perhaps if I was extremely gentle from now on, the poor garland would last until the end of the ceremony.
“Never separate.” Mom’s voice had been soothing earlier as she helped distract me from my nerves, but now, as we approached the farm, her tone turned hard as flint. “Promise me you’ll stay together, no matter what you find there, no matter how smart it sounds to split up.”
“I promise.” My pulse thudded like I’d just finished running sprints with the Sentinels. “We’ll stay together.”
Fabric rustled as she pulled the long, shimmery train of the dress out behind me, our steps slowing as she arranged the folds. “And stay armed. I don’t know what you’ll find, and I know you want to be done fighting, but that choice doesn’t always depend on you, you know. You keep that crossbow—”
“I’ll sleep with it,” I said reassuringly. “It’ll never leave my arm.”
“Fine, fine.” We were almost to Dad. Silvio stood at his side, grinning and waving. And behind them, an enormous crowd of guests craned their necks to peer down the path at us. “I suppose I can’t convince you to ask Chloe for a few curses, just in case …”
I shook my head. “Done with those,” I said firmly. “I’ll be fine, Mom. I’m ready for this.” I turned slowly, careful not to disturb the dress’s train, then offered her a semi-graceful curtsey that felt more like a jerky lunge. “How do I look? Mission ready?”
Mom’s eyes looked shiny. “Like the world’s most beautiful Sentinel.” She released my skirt, and thanks to Weslan’s magic, it settled gently into place, hovering just above the ground. “Like you could fight your way through the wedding party and get to your groom without a hair out of place. And like you might, if we get in your way.”
I squeezed the garland again. Whoops. “I will do just that if you drag this spectacle out any longer than it needs to be.”
“You’ll get your happily ever after,” Mom said as I turned and walked toward the farm. “Just indulge us for a little while longer. Then he’s all yours.”
Chapter 53
I smiled at my husband as he eased the enormous fomewagon to a stop and set the brake. The warm expression no longer felt strange on my face. Instead, it felt light and hopeful, a steady, loyal strength from me to Tavar—a gift, a healing balm.
When I turned back toward the sunset, dazzling orange and pink over the desert horizon, I could still sense Tavar staring at me.
“It means the world to me, what we’re doing.” He cleared his throat. “I can’t believe— That my own wife would dream this up, and plan it, and do it together with me—” He reached across the fomewagon for my hand and pressed my knuckles to his lips, seemingly unable to continue.
I leaned across the fomewagon’s front bench and kissed him softly, then glanced over my shoulder into the crowded cargo area, where thousands of obcillo crystals sparkled happily between the slats of their crates, perfectly configured by Lady Falconus and her team of mages to remove every trace of the plague from any survivors we could find in the West.
The opening in the back of the fomewagon revealed three more fomewagons parked behind ours as we prepared to make camp for the evening—two were full of identical crystals, and a third held the crew of mages and Westerners who would work together to get us and the crystals over the mountains and across the vast ocean to begin our mission of healing and restoration.
“It’s an honor to be doing this with you.” I faced the sunset again and rested my head on the seat behind me. “But it feels more like a dream come true.”
Somewhere out in front of us, Balei’s flying machine lay broken and rusting in the desert. Our mages had spent months working with her to plan the repairs and produce a magical fuel that would mimic the Western version that had carried the airplane to our continent.
Soon we would have to get out and join the rest of the crew as we set up our tents and cooked dinner for the evening, likely the last of the fresh foods we’d brought from Asylia for the long journey. Tomorrow, we’d begin subsisting mainly on victus.
But for now, I wanted to enjoy the sunset with my best friend.
Tavar brushed my knuckles with his thumb. “I never would have expected it,” he said, his voice rough. “But at the same time, it feels like I should have, all along.”
As the sun dropped into the horizon in a jagged, rosy-gold farewell, I found myself thinking of Ella’s scar, stark and defiant along the side of her face as she held her sweet, dimpled baby.
We’d never have defeated the Masters if mages had still been enslaved by their True Names. That meant Ella’s pain had ultimately resulted in healing—not just for her and Weslan, but for the whole city, maybe the entire continent.
With my pain, I’d heal the world.
afterword
It’s a weird and intense feeling to finish a book series set in the aftermath of a devastating, global pandemic while experiencing an actual devastating, global pandemic—the COVID-19 crisis.
Maybe you’ve heard this critique before: “Fantasy novels are for people who want to escape the real world.”
I think that’s only partly true. In fantasy fiction, we do gain a bit of space from the pain and darkness of the real world. We get a chance to catch our breath. But we also get a chance to conquer that pain and darkness, and when we’re done reading, we often come away stronger for it. In the midst of this terrible epidemic, I hope Briar Rose’s story has done that for you—given you both comfort in the moment and hope for the future.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”
