I was actually showing a little, my belly slightly swollen with pregnancy. It had been two months since the war ended and we’d decided to get together in Archmere with all the kings and queens of Avalier to have a memorial ceremony for our fallen ones. I’d buried my brother Cyrus the day we’d gotten back and then promptly fallen into a week-long depression. The only things that pulled me out of it was Oslo, Axil and this baby.
I rubbed my belly, sucking on the piece of ginger my lady-in-waiting had cut for me this morning to keep the nausea down. Eliza sat next to me in the carriage as Oslo rode alongside Axil. Axil was teaching Oslo all of the manly things one needed to know to be an alpha and leader. Since Oslo’s escape from the dungeon in Nightfall, he had shown great dominance and seemed to be coming into his own.
Axil said in another three years he would give Oslo a safe position in his army to start learning the ropes and one day my brother would make a good commander.
“Auntie ’Liza,” Eliza said, pulling my attention from my thoughts.
“What?”
“I’m trying on names for the baby to call me. Eliza is too long.”
I smiled at my pack sister. Although Axil had claimed me for Death Mountain pack, and Eliza had remained with Mud Flat, we had a bond that could still be felt as if we were in the same pack. No one could explain it. It was unbreakable. Forged with trust and a life debt on both sides.
“Auntie Liz.” I shortened it even more.
Eliza grinned. “I love that.”
Eliza had flourished in the Mud Flat pack. She’d not been dominant enough to take my spot but she was sixth, which was still pretty impressive. She lived in my childhood home and helped to take care of my brother’s widow and my nephews that he’d left behind. I went out there to visit them once a month.
“Amara told me you’ve been spending long nights with Shane under the stars,” I said in a syrupy sweet voice. “What’s going on there?”
Eliza scoffed. “A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”
“So, there’s kissing!” I accused.
She burst out laughing, going bright red in the cheeks which made me smile too. Her laugh was contagious and I was so grateful that against all odds, we’d both made it out of the Queen Trials alive.
We slowed, and Axil popped his head in. “We’re here.”
I wasn’t used to riding in a carriage but now that I was a pregnant queen, Axil said a wolf sled wasn’t appropriate or safe enough.
We descended from the carriage and Oslo dismounted, slipping his hand into mine.
“Are they going to have Cyrus’ name carved into a tree or something?” he asked me.
I reached up and smoothed his stray hairs. “I don’t know. Probably not.” The elves had asked to be responsible for the task of honoring the fallen. Five hundred and thirty-seven bodies were recovered from the war. Fae, dragon-folk, elvin and wolven. I didn’t know what kind of memorial they would do but Kailani had sounded pretty excited about it in her last letter to me.
It was just getting dark, the sun setting on the horizon. The elves had been very clear that the unveiling of the memorial should be at sunset.
Hundreds of people had traveled from throughout the realm to be here tonight. I spotted Madelynn in the crowd with Lucien and she waved me over. When we reached them, she pulled me in for a hug and squeezed. “You’re showing!” she cooed over my belly and I smiled at her. Axil and Lucien clapped each other on the back and then Kailani was suddenly before us.
“Hurry or you’ll miss it!” she said and yanked me by the hand, pulling me and Oslo towards the open space they had prepared for the event. It was set at the base of a beautiful mountain and in the center of the meadow was a breathtaking, gigantic, weeping willow tree.
Raife stood before the tree wearing a stylish silver tunic and Kailani pulled me right past all the crowds of people and up to the front. She knew how hard my brother’s loss had hit me and I thought it was sweet she had put so much time in this memorial for the fallen ones.
Raife cleared his throat and then pointed to his wife. “I would like to honor my queen, my wife, my love, Kailani. This was her idea and she met with all of the artists and watched over the whole project.”
Everyone clapped, me included, as Kailani blushed beside her husband.
“And a big thank you to all of the local artists who made this memorial possible and worked tirelessly.” Raife then gestured with his hand and over fifty artists stepped out from the crowd and assembled before us.
We applauded loudly as they bowed, accepting the praise with gratitude. As they moved to the sides, opening up the clearing again, I noticed the weeping willow tree had leaves or flowers or something on it. They were glinting in the dying light as if made of metal.
“The Nightfall war took a lot from us,” Raife said, “but we now look forward to a reign of peace that we will try to find solace in.” He then gestured to the tree. “May the souls of the fallen ones be with their Maker forever. Please come closer, and when the sun sets, you will see the surprise.” The crowd pushed forward then, and I grasped Oslo’s hand and moved closer. With every step we took towards the magnificent tree, the metal objects became clearer.
They were metal, but they weren’t flowers. They were butterflies! Tiny sculptures hooked onto the tree. The center of the body of each butterfly was formed of beautiful crystal.
I walked right up to one of them and peered at the intricate wing design. There, engraved along the outside of the wing in tiny perfect script, was a phrase.
We honor Thomas Colt.
A lump formed in my throat.
I read another.
We honor Cassady Readers.
Kailani appeared at my side and motioned us to a weeping strand near the base of the tree. There was a little gold butterfly and engraved on the wing was, we honor Cyrus Swiftwater.
Oslo took one look at it and began to wipe at his leaking eyes. I tried but couldn’t hold back the tears. Normally I would call them weak and try not to show emotion but my brother was worth every tear I had cried for him.
“It’s so beautiful,” I told Kailani as she watched my reaction.
Reaching over, she patted my back. “Look.” She pointed to the center of the butterfly and I had to rapidly blink to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
The sun had left us and now the crystals in the center of the butterflies were glowing! At first it was barely noticeable but as the sky grew darker, the butterflies all took on a beautiful purple hue.
Gasps rang throughout the space as the tree lit up like the moon. Over five hundred glowing butterflies.
“These crystals never go dark!” Raife yelled. “They are charged by sunlight and will glow, each night, until the end of time! Just as the memories of those fallen ones will always be with us.”
A few people burst into sobs and I pulled Oslo into my arms. Suddenly Axil was there holding us both and I knew it was the perfect remembrance for my brother. His light would never fade, just as the memories of him would never leave me.
