Revenants Rising
Page 18
"A dragzhi! Kill it!" Leila screamed, pointing at it.
Malia whipped out her shotgun and blasted the dragzhi until it stopped moving. "Is it dead?" She bent over, poking it with the muzzle.
"Back up," Rell said, reaching out with a hand. Fire shot from her fingertips, setting the liquid on fire. It burned until all that was left were ashes.
“Leila!” Torsten ran to his sister’s side, cradling her in his arms.
“I helped, didn’t I, big brother?” Her lids drooped. “Tell everyone I’m sorry for how I acted.”
“Shhh, you can tell them yourself as soon as you heal.”
Rell stepped closer to them, resting a hand on Torsten’s shoulder. Her nemesis lay dying, and all Rell felt was regret. “I forgave you a long time ago, Leila.”
The beautiful blond woman smiled, then expired.
“No.” Tears streamed down Torsten’s cheeks.
“A dragzhi was inside her, Torsten,” Rell said. “We couldn’t have saved her. When they leave their human host, the body dies.”
“You survived. Why not Leila?”
“I’m not fully human.” Rell still kept the darkest secret from Torsten—that the dragzhi had tried to kill her and couldn’t. It was a mystery for another day.
"And now, we will do as we promised the annoying human male. Tark, disconnect!" Denestra yelled to its people.
The tark let go of the hands of their revenant counterparts, whose bodies slumped to the ground, lifeless. "Thank you for your service," Denestra said. "It is no longer needed. Be in peace." It bowed its head, all the other tark following suit.
Denestra turned to Torsten. "You may rebury them now. We will no longer use their bodies without permission. If you change your minds—"
"No," Rell and Torsten both said.
A loud cry from the distance pulled Rell's attention away from the tark and bodies they'd left strewn on the ground. A strange man ran toward them, followed by someone Rell recognized—Tatsuru. A handful of people in white robes followed.
"You're back. Oh, you're back. Thank every god anyone's ever worshipped!" The strange man fell at Rutger’s ankles. "I thought I was going to be left here alone with them forever."
"I'm so sorry. I'll take care of this." Rutger bent over, helping the man back to his feet.
"Who is that?" Rell whispered to Malia.
"Rutger's brother, Chuck," Malia said with a laugh.
"Rell, I'm so happy you've returned. I never doubted it for a moment." Tatsuru grabbed Rell's hand, kissing her knuckles. "And the other buried will be so happy, too. Though I don't know if we should call them buried anymore. They've decided they like life in the tower, as have I. The amenities! I can't even begin to tell you about them!"
Rell laughed. "We have our whole lives to discuss them, Tatsuru. Can you help us?" She nodded to Torsten, who still held his sister in his arms.
Tatsuru nodded. He gently took Leila from Torsten, carrying her back to the tower in preparation for burial.
"Now what?" Torsten asked after Tatsuru entered the tower. His face was weary. "Since the Key has fulfilled every expectation, and we're not in immediate danger. What's left?"
"This." Rell stood on her tiptoes, planting a gentle kiss on Torsten’s lips. They had a lot of living to do.
* * *
Thank you so much for taking this journey into space with me. I hope you enjoyed the Forsaken Stars Saga!
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Acknowledgments
Once again, a huge thanks to my editors! Bryon Quertermous rounded out the series with insightful comments into plot development. Lisa Jenn Bigelow performed beautifully as my line editor, again. I can’t publish without her! Joelle Sisto, my intrepid proofreader, found mistakes in what I was sure was a clean draft. She has an eagle eye!
Steven Novak of Novak Illustration is on favorite cover designer in the world. I’m so lucky he continues to work with me.
As always, my family rocks. They support me in this crazy career, and I couldn’t be more grateful!
Also by Megg Jensen
Adult Fantasy Novels:
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Dragons of the Nether:
Chaos Awakens (2017)
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Dragonlands:
Hidden (2013)
Hunted (2014)
Retribution (2014)
Desolation (2015)
Reckoning (2015)
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Young Adult Fantasy Novels:
Cloud Prophet Trilogy:
Anathema (2011)
Oubliette (2011)
Severed (2012)
The Swarm Trilogy:
Sleepers (2011)
Afterlife (2012)
The Sundering (2012)
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The Initiate – a short story prequel
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Young Adult Contemporary Novels:
Shucked (2013)