Thane saw the alarm on Layala’s face and grabbed her wrist before she went sprinting ahead in a panic. He’d recognize what was going on anywhere. He’d been doing the same thing most of his life. “It’s alright. They’re sparring. I’m sure they needed to get their minds off what happened. We don’t like to sit around and mope. And it’s not the first time we’ve lost a friend. The repeated loss numbs you after a while.”
But Layala wouldn’t be as used to watching companions die on a battlefield. Sadly, it was all too familiar to Thane and the sting of the loss of Gunner already faded away like the whirl of ash on a breeze. He almost wished the hurt lasted longer. As if his sadness would somehow honor Gunner’s memory. It had only been half a day since Gunner was taken by the sirens, and Thane had already gotten lost in the pleasure of his lover when his Raven’s heart would never beat again.
They broke through the tree line, into the clearing and sure enough, Piper was going rounds with Leif. She swung her sword down hard, clashing it against Leif’s blade. He grunted and shoved back. Clank, ping, crack! It seemed their pain wasn’t drifting away as fast as Thane’s. And neither of them was going easy on the other. Leif’s nose was bloodied, and Piper limped. He sighed, debating on stopping it, but Piper would be upset with him. She’d say he only stepped in because she was a female, but truthfully, she was barely on the mend as it was.
Tugging Layala to the base of a tree, he slid down to the mossy forest floor, bringing her with him. He wrapped his arms snuggly around her body, pulling her in close, and leaned his head back against the bark. His soldiers fought for what felt like hours. Sweat and anger and frustration permeated the air. They needed to get this out before they went into Brunard’s city. Hot heads led to rash decisions, something they couldn’t afford. He wouldn’t lose anyone else so they must infiltrate Brunard’s manor without raising his entire city guard.
There was no time to rally the entire Raven battalion to take the city or he’d bring them all simply to watch Brunard lose everything before he killed him.
At some point during the clashing of swords and banter, Thane’s eyelids grew heavy. The warmth and comfort of Layala lying against his chest put him at ease and he dozed off.
Crimson liquid smeared his father’s face. A gaping wound, entrails spilling out of his abdomen dragged on the grass as Tenebris limped toward Thane. “How could you do this to me?” His skin was ashen, lips, a blue gray. His pale blond hair was damp with dark red. “How could you murder your own father? I gave you life. All I wanted was your forgiveness, my son! Don’t you remember how happy you were when I gave you your first sword? Or the day we went for a ride through the forest on your first hunt. I was so proud you shot your first stag.”
Thane was a little boy again. Terrified and shaking. “I’m sorry, Father. I remember. I remember!” He dropped his face into his palms. He didn’t want to look. Couldn’t see the horrifying image.
“Look at me! Look at me!”
Thane was older now, dressed in his Raven armor. Chest heaving up and down, heart racing. He took a step back from the haunting, putrid Tenebris, but he couldn’t stop staring at it, like magic beheld him and forced him to see, to watch his father’s corpse walk toward him.
“You let her do this,” he snarled. A decayed finger jabbed toward him. “You let her take my life. Your mate. Your disgusting, blood-thirsty mate. Your mother will never forgive you. And I will follow you for the rest of your miserable, traitorous life. Every time you close your eyes, I’ll be here. Waiting.”
With a gasp, Thane’s eyes shot open. His heart pounded like a drum and the breeze felt cool against his sweat-covered brow. His gaze darted around the forest clearing, searching for the nightmare, for the animated corpse of his father. It’s not real. It’s not real.
He swiped his arm across his forehead and tried to calm his anxious nerves that had his entire body charged, ready for a fight. Everyone slept around a small fire. The horses nibbled on the grass in a spot near the stone circle. Layala curled up on him with her head resting across his thighs. A cloak draped over her, and her quiet, even breath told him she still slept.
He leaned his head back against the tree trunk, and rubbed his temples. Maker, his father wasn’t even dead and still haunted him. Would it ever stop? Some part deep down wanted Tenebris’s forgiveness for taking him to the Void, for leaving him there to be eaten by pale ones. And the other part of him rationalized that in the end the tyrant must die. Too much blood spilled because of Tenebris, and much more would if he got his wish to bring back the Black Mage. How could the thought of magic give him such a sick compromise? It was difficult to believe that one person could be so selfish… but what if it wasn’t entirely him? What if he’d been swayed, twisted into believing this is what he must do? Thane never considered it before, but could Mathekis have a hold over his father? Was it possible Mathekis sunk his claws into his father’s mind so deep and for this long? Or maybe this is all you trying to find an excuse for him. He shook his head at his own thoughts. Something Thane could never understand was why Mathekis needed his father in the first place. Was it because he knew that I would be able to find her? But for Tenebris to want a child with a lily’s mark in the first place, he would have already been in touch with Mathekis. Which meant Mathekis somehow knew Layala would be born an elf in Tenebris’s kingdom; he just didn’t know when. And when she disappeared, Thane was the only link. He knew Thane would have to go to her before the twenty-fifth year. They just bided their time. Tenebris even gave them months to fall in love before he made it known he wasn’t dead. He scrunched his nose. It felt like he’d played right into their hands.
The only missing puzzle piece was Varlett. She knew exactly how to break the mate bond, which would have freed them from the possibility of becoming pale ones, an outcome his father and Mathekis must not have wanted. She could have done it at any time, but she must not have gone to Tenebris until after Layala showed up in the mountains. But there was still something he couldn’t see. Varlett had the ability to break the mate bond and take Layala herself, unless she needed something from Mathekis or Tenebris. But what?
A quiet yawn and rustling in the grass caused Thane to turn. A bright-red hat poked out of thick tall grass. Tifapine emerged with an arm full of white-capped mushrooms. “Oh, hello there. Didn’t think anyone was awake yet. But the birds are up, gossiping about us so I couldn’t sleep.”
“The birds gossip?”
“Certainly. A pair of gulls told me you and Layala were, ehem, getting busy on the lakeshore earlier.” Tif wiggled her eyebrows.
“And that’s the birds’ business?”
“Well, it’s not like they could avoid seeing it. You were out in the wide open.”
Thane rested his palm on Layala’s shoulder and wrinkled his nose. “They do it in the wide open.”
Tif shoved a mushroom in her mouth. “True.” The word was barely audible with her cheeks full. “But that’s not gossip. That’s life in the wild bird kingdom. They also said Fennan farts in his sleep, but I didn’t hear nothin’.”
“That’s an outright lie.” Fennan sat up, rubbing his eyes.
Thane chuckled. “How would you know? You’re asleep.”
“I know. Besides, it’s the gnome who gets gassy. Probably all those mushrooms.”
Tifapine dipped behind the mushroom tops, peaking out with one eye. No denial came.
Leif pushed up and patted down his tangled red hair. “Everyone rips in their sleep. It’s natural.”
With perfectly sleek hair, Piper rolled over to face the group. “Is this truly the conversation we’re going to have first thing in the morning?”
“Pipe, you tear them off louder than anyone.” Leif bellowed out a laugh. “I like that in a female.”
Piper picked up her bundled cloak she used as a makeshift pillow and launched it at him. “Shut up. Or I’ll kick your ass in sparring again.”
“Oooo,” Fennan jeered. “She did get you good last night. You have a shiner.”
Reaching up to his right eye, Leif touched the slightly-swollen purplish flesh. “So I do. It feels a little sore this morning. Wanna kiss it all better, Pipe?”
“You wish.”
Leif tossed her cloak back to her. “Come on, us redheads need to stick together so we can breed more redheads.”
“You went from me kissing your eye better to breeding a little quick, Leif. At least get me flowers first.”
The others snickered. Evalyn shook her head while stoking the fire’s embers.
“Just a little quick? I can go slower. Real slow, and I’ll pick you flowers anytime, beautiful.”
“Alright,” Fennan said, hands fisted at his sides. “Lay off her.”
“Why, because you want to lay on her?” Leif challenged and it wasn’t entirely playful. “You mad because you can stick your rod in every maiden but her?” Seems others noticed Fennan and Piper had gotten closer too. Piper stilled and dropped her gaze to the ground.
Thane felt the air shift. Seems Siegfried did too; he changed positions to a crouch, ready to spring into action. Swiping up her teacup and shawl, Evalyn shuffled back a few feet. Thane knew Fennan better than anyone and the fiery look in his best friend’s eyes, though subtle, was evident. He did want Piper.
“I feel like there’s some love rivalry here,” Tif loudly whispered into Thane’s ear. “Juicy.”
Fennan rolled his shoulders back. “Just because she’s a female doesn’t mean you can talk to her like that. It’s disrespectful. She’s a Raven, same as you.”
Leif stood, as did Fennan. There were several feet between them, yet it wouldn’t take but a few strides for them to clash. Thane contemplated getting up but he’d only step in if it got too bloody. Sometimes things like this needed to be worked out on their own. And males typically did it through fist fighting.
Clearing her throat, Piper stood, and stepped in between them. “It’s just fun. No disrespect,” she said to Fennan, then turned and looked at Leif, “right?”
“Course it is,” Leif said and smiled. “I respect you as much as any Raven, Piper. You know I just like to tease. Never been a problem before.” Leif gave Fennan a hard stare.
Fennan kept his face cold as stone, said nothing, and started packing up his belongings. There was a collective sigh among everyone present. Did Leif also like Piper or was he being a prick because he lost Gunner? With Leif it was difficult to know. He’d tried to grab Layala’s ass the moment he saw her, more to rile Thane up than anything, but it wasn’t as if his flirtations were anything new. Thane thought he was with Pearl. Maybe she was only a friend, or they were not committed.
With a turn, Layala looked up at Thane. Still lying on his lap, she placed her hands behind her head. She smiled as if simply seeing him made her happy. He loved that. “Good morning,” Layala said. “I must say there is never a dull moment with this group.”
The stone portal hummed with energy even as they approached it. The birds chirped louder as if they knew something magical was about to happen; even the gray sky overhead drizzled heavier rain. Thane and Layala exchanged a quick glance. “Ready?” she asked.
“We have a solid plan,” Thane said. “Ready.”
With his palm flat on the large round archway, it warmed and buzzed. The worn inscriptions around the top gave off a subtle glow. Hello, again, the voice whispered.
“Can you take us just outside Newarden, Calladira?” Thane asked.
With more magic.
“Take it.”
Layala placed her hand on it and then Thane felt the tug on his magic, like the wind whispering over his skin at first. The pull grew stronger, and the center of the portal flickered with light and then finally swirled like a pool of water, inviting them to take a plunge.
Safe travels.
Thane stepped through first, leading Phantom behind him. Morning sunlight sparkled off dewy blades of grass on the other side. The wide-trunked trees creaked and shifted quietly. Phantom dropped his head and jerked up a large chunk of grass, loudly munching. Thane inhaled deeply, basking in the smells of lilac with hints of spice and a touch of damp moss. It was always more peaceful here in Calladira. This land wasn’t plagued with war and cursed creatures. It was quiet serenity, exactly how elven lands should be. As if to prove that, sheep bleated in a meadow clearing ahead. A farmstead with a small, thatched-roof cottage sat center. They must be on the outskirts of the capital city, Newarden.
The rest of the group filed in after him and Siegfried stepped to his side. “The city is east, about a mile from here. I recognize this place.”
Thane nodded and turned around. “Remember what I said. We’re here for the stone and Brunard’s head, not a battle with the entire city guard of Newarden. Stealth and secrecy are the mission here.” He smiled. “Even if we would win.” Deep chuckles filled the wooded area. “Leave the horses. Let’s move.”
