A Kind of Magic
Page 27
Roderick jerked at hearing his father’s voice. He turned around to find his mother, sister, and Aimery with his father.
He moved away from Elle and embraced his sister first. She had grown into a woman since he had left. “Find a good man. A man that will cherish you and love you like you deserve,” he whispered.
“I will,” she said as she stepped out of his arms and dabbed at her eyes with a piece of cloth.
Roderick then turned to his mother. Where once her hair had been a glorious golden hue, it was now a tad less bright, and he knew it was because of the war waged on Thales.
He took his mother in his arms and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry I didn’t return sooner.”
“You’ve done what you thought you had to do,” she said.
He then turned to his father. He held out his arm for his father to take, but his father pulled him against him and wrapped his arms around Roderick. Roderick closed his eyes and returned his father’s embrace.
A KIND OF MAGIC
Donna Grant
168
“You should never have stayed away,” his father said as he stepped back. “We needed you here.”
Roderick shook his head. “You need me with the Shields. ‘Tis the only chance we have to win against this evil.”
His father sighed and gave him a sad smile. “We’re very proud of you, of what you’ve done with the Shields. I won’t lie and say I wish you hadn’t returned sooner, but I’m just glad you’re here. Now, we have a bit of a surprise.”
“Surprise,” Roderick repeated and looked over at Elle who stood with his mother and sister.
Aimery moved to stand beside him. “Come. We’ve a little time before you must leave.”
Roderick slowly followed Elle and his family as they walked toward the ruins of the once grand palace. Little of the palace still stood other than columns and a few walls that hadn’t tumbled down. Happy memories of his childhood raced through his mind as he walked among the remains.
Then, he stepped into what used to be his favorite room in the palace. Not much of the library remained other than a few shelves and columns that had braced either side of the many windows, but there stood a table in the middle of the library laden down with food. In a corner stood a group of musicians and all around him Thaleans cheered as he stood before them. No roof graced the tall walls of the library, but the bright sun raining down upon them was better than anything he could have imagined.
And what made it all the better was seeing Elle smiling at him with her love shining in her eyes.
The End