ALDER

by Melody Robinette

  Atticus gave Tyler another shot at the fighting portion without Jack, seeing as how he had already been pinned before Crystal got hurt. Luke saw this as a disadvantage to Tyler, though, because everyone knew what his Power was now and were probably already planning a mental attack.

  Tyler surprised him once again.

  Jastin was pinned quickly, followed by a period of Tyler teleporting and confusing Wyx and Edric, who were pinned simultaneously within a few minutes. The Warriors and Casters watched in open-mouthed awe. There was no denying that Tyler was some sort of super-fighter-guy. If they didn’t agree with Luke on choosing him, he would strongly consider using his kingly influence to make them.

  By the time the last Warrior hopeful competed, Luke had already made up his mind. He wanted Tyler and Anna. Hands down. They were the best, the most passionate, the most talented, and best suited for the Warriors. But the other Warriors weren’t in agreement, of course. Not completely, that was. After Atticus had dismissed the young elves until nine o’clock that evening, the Warriors voted on the two they wanted.

  Atticus went around and collected the “ballots” from each of the Warriors and counted them out. He shook his head and smiled slightly in amusement.

  “Well?” Luke said, not being able to stand it any longer.

  “It’s a double tie.”

  “Between who and who?” Crystal asked.

  “Tyler Tennant and Ivan Porter.”

  Luke rolled his eyes at this. Ivan had only been impressive because his Power was Paralysis and he had managed to pin the three Warriors and Mara, the Caster, in under ten seconds. But he was cocky, and a terrible archer and Luke didn’t get a good vibe from him at all. What were the others thinking?

  “And the two girls?” Luke asked, refraining from scolding the Warriors who’d picked Ivan.

  “Anna Smith and Carrie Wilson.”

  Carrie had been pretty good, Luke had to admit, but didn’t have Anna’s little extra energy that Luke thought was so palpable.

  “What’s the tiebreaker?” Luke asked.

  Atticus looked over to Wyx, Leon, Mara, and Zane. “The Casters.”

  The elder Warriors clearly did not like this but knew better than to say anything given Luke’s obvious stance on this matter.

  The Casters deliberated in a huddle for what felt like twenty thousand hours before they came to a decision.

  “We think that Tyler Tennant and Anna Smith would be the best additions to the Warriors,” Wyx said finally.

  “YES!” Luke said, dropping to his knees and punching both of his fists in the air.

  The other Warriors looked at him in surprise and then burst out laughing.

  “You know,” Willow said. “If you wanted them to be the next Warriors so bad, Your Majesty, you could’ve just ordered us to pick them. Or written a new law stating that you, and only you, can choose the next Warriors.” She winked after this, indicating her jest.

  “Yes,” Luke acknowledged. “But that would make me an evil, controlling, petty dictator, and I don’t want to be that.”

  “So, you’re saying that you didn’t even consider it?” Crystal asked with a smirk.

  “No,” he said, faking incredulity. But then at Crystal’s raised eyebrow added, “Well…maybe a little bit.”

  29

  Crumbling Resolve

  VICTOR watched as Autumn and Rion laughed together over a cup of tea, reminding him strongly of what could have been if things hadn’t taken such a dark turn for him. Autumn had yet to fully come around. Not that he’d expected anything else. She was still hesitant of him, still not completely trusting. That was an understatement, actually. But she had read his second journal, and that seemed to have helped a little bit. He felt as though a crushing weight had been lifted off of his chest. She knew now. She knew everything. Well, not everything, but as much as she could handle at the moment.

  “How was Sam doing before you left?” Rion asked Autumn, who was stuffing her mouth full of éclair.

  “Mmphf.” Autumn laughed as she attempted to swallow the large bite. “He was struggling after what happened to his wife and Tara. I hadn’t seen him around much.”

  Autumn glanced surreptitiously over at Victor, and he felt the dark cloud of blame pass between them. And there it was. Yet another reminder of what he’d let happen. For what he was indirectly responsible.

  “Time will be his friend, then,” Rion said solemnly. “Time heals most things.”

  “Time doesn’t heal things. It just makes you forget,” Autumn said absently. “After awhile, you forget exactly how happy you were before. You forget how much you loved a person. You think you know, but then you think that surely it couldn’t have been that much. That surely your memories are exaggerating.”

  Victor forced back the destructive remark creeping up his throat like acid. He knew to whom she was referring.

  “I wonder if Charlotte has woken up,” Autumn said thoughtfully. “Do you know, Victor? I mean, can you see that?”

  “I can if you’d like me to,” he offered.

  Autumn nodded emphatically, biting her lip and sitting up straighter.

  Reluctantly, Victor closed his eyes to allow his inner vision to search out Arbor Falls, a feat he'd finally mastered after he had left Autumn behind. Luckily for her, he hadn’t learned this particular spell while they were dating, or he’d have confronted her long before she’d admitted her affair to him.

  After the Warrior Trial, though, he’d missed her so much that he forced himself to learn the spell. He learned it to ease his mind. Though, what he had seen each time he visited her in his mind was almost more painful than not seeing her.

  Brushing aside those unwanted recollections, he searched out the Healing Tree in Arbor Falls, hoping for Autumn’s sake that she was alive. He hadn’t been able to save everyone from the most recent Shadow assault. It had taken enough of his energy to protect Autumn throughout the battle.

  His mind ventured into the sickroom and saw with relief that Charlotte was alive. Jastin was by her side. He had to admit that he had grown rather fond of Jastin during his brief time as an ordinary elf. Having a Power like Psychological Pain, he supposed, gave Jastin a little glimpse into Victor’s own personal dilemma. Being pre-destined to hurt people.

  But now, Jastin looked like the ghost of himself. He sat beside Charlotte, looking at her with a tormented look more horrible than Victor had ever had the displeasure to witness.

  “The Initiates were chosen last night,” he said in a subdued voice to Charlotte. “One of them has a Power of—”

  “Does it look like I give a damn, ex-fiancé-that-I-still-don’t-remember?” Charlotte said in annoyance, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. “I’m not a Warrior, or whatever the hell that even is. I’m not yours to cater to anymore either. I’m sorry that I used to love you, and I’m sorry that I don’t remember any of it, but you’re really starting to annoy me. Like a lot. Could you please just give up this attempt to re-awaken my memories and leave me the hell alone?”

  The overwhelming hurt in Jastin’s face was evident and, whatever had happened to Charlotte’s memories seemed to have taken her tact with it. Jastin stood slowly then and left the Healing Tree without another word to the girl that used to be Charlotte. Victor pulled himself away from the disturbing scene, taking a moment to re-adjust to the dim lighting of Rion’s room.

  “Oh, God,” Autumn said, turning paper-white at the look on Victor’s face. “Did she—?”

  “No,” Victor said quickly. “No, she’s alive. She just…”

  “She what? What’s wrong with her?”

  Victor looked into Autumn’s multi-colored eyes, full of fear and concern. He didn’t want to have to hurt her again. But she deserved the truth. “She appears to have lost all of her memories. She doesn’t seem to even know who she is.”

  Autumn’s face fell into sadness, and Victor’s gut twisted because, once again, he was the cause of her pain. He usually was.

&nbs
p; “Does she remember anything? Anyone?”

  “It wouldn’t appear so.”

  “Even Jastin?”

  Victor grimaced, his gaze moving from Autumn’s to the dancing flames in the grate. “Even him.”

  Autumn’s eyes filled with tears, threatening to spill down her cheeks. “That’s horrible. That’s almost worse than her dying.”

  A twisting pain shot through Victor’s core and, without thinking about the consequences, he said, “I can fix her.”

  Autumn’s face shot up to his, her shining eyes wide. “Really?”

  Victor nodded. “I think so. But I’ll have to go in person. Invisible, of course.”

  Something like hope lit Autumn’s features. She perked up and turned to fully face him. “Can I go with you?” Victor opened his mouth to protest, and her hands shot out to grasp his, sending a current of electricity through his arm, making it difficult to take a full breath. “Please, Victor. Please let me come. I promise I won’t try to talk to anyone or do anything. You can cast a silencing spell on me and a shield spell and an invisibility spell. Please. I just, I want to see my brother and—and my friends.”

  Her eyes sparkled with tears again, her eyebrows turned upward in sincerity, and he knew before he said the words that, anytime she gave him that look, he would give her whatever she wanted. “Of course you can.”

  30

  The Dragon with No Name

  AUTUMN could hardly contain her excitement and nerves. She was going home. Well, what used to be her home. But she was going to get to see Luke and Crystal and Avery. She knew it would be painful—most definitely, it would be. But the relief at seeing them whole and healthy and alive would trump any amount of pain she felt at missing them. It would make everything she was doing all worth it to see that they were okay.

  Victor arrived at her door early the next morning and seemed surprised when he found her already waiting, dressed and ready with the door open. No book or journal or drawing or food would sufficiently distract her from what was to come. So, she simply sat with her hands nervously folded in her lap, waiting for Victor to collect her.

  He raised an eyebrow at her straight-backed, awkward seated position. “Are you ready?”

  Autumn popped up. “Yep! Let’s go.” Victor nodded and started walking down the passageway. “Wait, aren’t you going to do what you did when you brought me here? Like, teleport us or whatever?”

  The corner of Victor’s mouth turned up in a smirk. “Actually, I was thinking of something else.”

  “Is that a dragon?” Autumn exclaimed when they rounded a corner outside of Bluff Bastion. The deep green beast was much smaller than Autumn had always pictured dragons to be, closer in size to an elephant than a dinosaur. It had a mane of black spikes and a long, slithering tail that thrashed left and right like an annoyed cat. His large eyes were a vibrant blue. The scaly, fire-breathing creature watched them with curious eyes. Autumn just knew that she was going to be incinerated at any moment.

  “I thought you might like a little fresh air after being cooped up in that room all day.”

  “That doesn’t really answer my question…” Autumn muttered.

  “You’re not afraid, are you, Autumn Rose?” Victor said with a small nudge.

  This seemingly simple thing took Autumn aback. Had Victor actually just called her by her first and middle name? That was new. And he had also never playfully punched her before. He was acting like her friend or something. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. As much as she wanted to see him as the evil, hateful, horrible killer he was, the walls she had so carefully built up, fully intending to forever keep him out, were gradually crumbling.

  It didn’t help that she’d read his entire second journal that further proved the fact that he had done everything—however, misguided his actions were—because he loved her. It explained how he had basically been protecting her from harm every single step of the way. During both of the most recent battles, he'd cast a shield charm over her, making her virtually indestructible.

  Damn him.

  Victor waved his hand at the massive beast that had slowly crept closer to them, sniffing the air. “So? Shall we?”

  “Um, aren’t you forgetting something?”

  “What?”

  “Making us invisible.”

  “Oh. We already are.”

  Autumn looked down at herself and then at Victor, clearly as solid and present as ever. “You sure about that?”

  “Of course I am,” he stated mildly. “This isn’t the first time I’ve become invisible, Autumn. I made it so we could see each other, but no one else could see us. Look at the dragon,” he said, waving a hand at the creature that was still curiously sniffing the air. “He can’t see us either, though he can sense our presence. Dragons have an excellent sense of smell.”

  “Does he not have a name?” Autumn asked.

  “I’ve learned it’s best not to name animals,” Victor said darkly, leading her closer to the dragon with no name.

  “How come?”

  “Vyra liked to use them as Power practice.”

  “Ugh. That’s revolting.”

  Victor didn’t say anything else, but helped her onto the back of the dragon that she was surprised wasn’t freaking out more. She placed a foot on its spiky haunch and pulled herself up by one of its protruding scales.

  Just like climbing a mountain—a deadly, moving mountain that breathes fire…

  “Why isn’t it trying to eat us right now?”

  “I’m calming him at the moment,” Victor said, settling behind Autumn.

  This was the closest they had been to one another since before she’d returned his rose. It almost bothered her that she wasn’t repulsed by his nearness. In fact, after several weeks of almost straight solitude, this felt almost…nice.

  Without warning, the dragon with no name shot into the air with Autumn clutching on for her life.

  “What if the elves see him?” Autumn called over the deafening wind.

  “He’s invisible too.”

  “You’re too powerful for your own good,” Autumn grumbled. Victor threw his head back in laughter. And with completely mindful reluctance, Autumn started to like Victor just a little bit more.

  The dragon with no name landed in a glen near Arbor Falls and Autumn felt like her heart was going to flutter away with how fast it was beating, as she had no way of knowing what had happened since her theoretical “death.”

  “Are you okay?” Victor asked her, placing a hand on her side and one in her hand to help her down to solid ground.

  “Um, I’m not sure.”

  “Just let me know if you need to leave.”

  Autumn nodded, knowing full well that if she were given the choice, she would never leave. So, that wouldn’t be an issue. They walked through the foliage towards town, and Autumn noticed their footsteps weren’t making any sound, which was more disconcerting than you might think.

  They emerged into City Circle. Everything was as she had left it. She didn’t know why this surprised her. What had she expected? For everything to fall apart in her absence? But it hadn’t. It was just a typical weekend with elves swarming the circle doing their shopping and chatting about mundane things, completely oblivious to the fact that their former and supposedly deceased queen was in their midst.

  Autumn kept having to dodge people so they wouldn’t bump her and Victor grabbed her hand, pulling her closer so he could guide her through the throng of elves, putting off some sort of force field that made people part around them like river water being cut by a rock.

  They made it through the dense crowd and Victor let go of Autumn’s hand. She was left with the confusing feeling of not wanting to lose that small, yet reassuring physical contact. This was Victor she was talking about. Victor. Bad guy, evil, murderer Victor. What was the matter with her?

  It felt strange to be back, but not really back, in her old home. It seemed both foreign and familiar at the same time. For some r
eason, though, she felt like she no longer belonged in Arbor Falls. Her duty was to protect the kingdom from afar now, by being near Victor so he wouldn’t hurt them anymore.

  She sucked in a breath then when her eyes landed on Kyndel and Ember walking down the path from the castle.

  “You’re, like, a workaholic now, Kyn,” Ember was saying. “You’re either in the castle working on laws with Luke, or you’re out on the training field helping Luke and Atticus with the Initiates. Either way, you’re with Luke. You haven’t turned straight on me have you?”

  Kyndel threw her head back in laughter. “If I had turned straight, I wouldn’t do this.” She stopped walking forward and pulled Ember close to her, reaching up to kiss her.

  Ember chuckled as they pulled away and continued walking, coming within a foot of Autumn and Victor. “Okay, then. But you seriously need to take more breaks.”

  “I can’t help it if the laws of the elves are in my hands now. I am the Master Lawkeeper, after all.”

  “Pretty sure you just now added the master part,” Ember said, and both girls laughed, disappearing down another path.

  “Kyndel is a lawkeeper now?” Autumn asked Victor in disbelief.

  Victor nodded and said, “Luke appointed her as the official Castle Lawkeeper.”

  “How did you know that?” Autumn asked him with a raised eyebrow.

  “It was in the Arbor Falls Newsleaf. I like to keep up with things here.”

  “What? You’ve been getting an Arbor Falls Newsleaf, and you didn’t share it with me? You jerk.”

  Victor didn’t have time to defend himself because they were passing by the Warrior Training Grounds now and Autumn halted in her steps when she saw Luke, Crystal, Atticus, and two younger elves practicing different holds and release maneuvers.