by D. E. Morris
“Could be a bluff,” Cavalon countered.
“And it could very well be the truth,” stated Badru. “Whatever the case may be, we know he wants it. That alone should make us all the more vigilant in finding the rest of the pages and putting them together. Once we have it we can figure out how to protect it together. Merrik may have many minions under his control, but we are not powerless ourselves. We have our kindred Gaels and dragons to fight by our sides as well.”
Ashlynn sighed. “That brings us to another matter. It has only been three days since the destruction of Mirasean, and already there have been reports of dragons being slain and Gaels being stoned and beaten near to death. This has happened in both Siness and Ibays.”
Luella frowned. “Caedia as well. I imagine Alybaen and Cieria will see events like this soon as well, if they haven't already. Although there are far fewer Gaels and dragons down there.”
“We have tried to get the truth of what happened out,” continued Ashlynn, “but it seems it is far easier for everyone to believe that this is the result of a long held feud between the three races and that it finally came to this conclusion. If we are unable to do something about this soon, I fear that these few events will turn into something much bigger.”
Luella's shoulders slumped. “After Tadhg was killed and then Merrik – so we thought – I had hoped we were entering into a new era of peace. This will not be a task so easily completed. It seems we have only entered into another war that our children will have to finish. ”
“You don't know how right you are.” Ashlynn's cryptic statement drew the attention of everyone in the room. Her lips pressed together in a thin line. It was time to share the one thing she'd dreaded most out of all her bad news. Already her throat felt tight and her stomach felt like lead. It was strange how she wished for Jaryn to be there as a form of support, yet found herself grateful that she didn't have to see the sadness in his eyes again as she retold her story. There was no good place to start, so she began back at the Isle of Contest with the vines that crawled up her skin and the little flower that had grown in her palm, how she once believed her Element had been trying to save her and it might have done, had her connection to it not been severed. When she shared her terrifying revelation that she could no longer feel her own power after she'd recovered, and fyre was even lost to her, Rowan burst into tears. She gathered the little girl into her lap and rocked her, the necessity of her care for Rowan making it easier not to focus on her own feelings.
“I don't know if Lochlainn has my powers or not,” she finished, looking down at Rowan to avoid seeing the faces of everyone else watching her, listening to every word she said. “Jaryn and I have held him, we've studied him to see if he's different and questioned his nannies to no end. None have seen any change to him, but I have resigned myself to believing it could have happened in the night while everyone slept.” Finally, she lifted her eyes to Badru and Cavalon. The empathy they felt for her could be seen in their drawn expressions, and almost instantly she regretted looking at them. Still, she questioned, “Another theory I had was that the Element gave itself to him slowly, perhaps knowing he was so young, in an effort to not overwhelm him.”
“It does not work like that, I am afraid.” Badru had to clear his throat and rub his eyes. “If your child had received your powers, you would have known even if it was the middle of the night. All but Rowan know what that moment looks like. Misuzu would have known the instant Lochlainn took your place.”
She shook her head, wiping her face on the sleeve of her robe. “I felt nothing that night. Lethargic and burdened, yes, but that is all.”
Ashlynn's bottom lip quivered. “Does that mean the Element is lost?”
No one spoke for a suffering moment, but eventually Cavalon wet his lips and shook his head. “Not necessarily.” Badru muttered something and touched his arm, but Cavalon shook his head. “She has the right to know. All of them do.” For the first time since they'd been together, he finally turned his attention to Misuzu. “Did your mother ever tell you how she came into her powers?”
“No. She told me how I would come into mine someday, so I simply assumed she came into hers when my grandfather died, since he was the Elemental before her.”
“Technically, I guess that's true. There's a lot more to it, though.” There was anger in the Badarian's voice. “One day he decided he didn't want to be the Elemental anymore. Your mother, Mei Xing, was a little older than Rowan, fully aware of what her father was and what she would someday be. He said he was tired and wanted to be done with all of it. So he arranged a kind of ceremony for himself.” Pausing, Cavalon looked at Rowan. He hesitated as if considering whether she should hear the rest of the story or not. “This isn't going to be pleasant, Ro.”
“It's okay.” She curled herself tighter into Ashlynn's lap, twining her fingers in her hair. “Keep going.”
“Mei's father did a great deal of research prior to enacting his plan. He found a way to die without dying, to put it simply. With the right kinds of medicines and perfect timing on the part of his chosen companion, he could stop his heart from beating the blood that gave him his power, effectively dying, and then come back to life with his powers transferred to Mei. One night, he mixed up the herbs with a special restoration potion an elf made for him, and filled a hollow reed stem with it. The tip had been cut and sharpened so that it would pierce the skin easily, just like what Jessiah used with Ashlynn. When everything was arranged, he slit his wrists and let the blood drain from within him. Mei Xing was in the other room with no idea what was happening to her own father and the elf there, watching it all happen.”
“That is why you don't like elves,” Luella wondered quietly.
Cavalon nodded. “The elf kept an eye on Mei and her father, waiting for the right time to spring into action. I don't know how long it took, but the second Mei fell on the floor, shaking uncontrollably, the elf sprang into action. He abandoned her in the other room and raced to seal the wounds with magic. He inserted the reed needle with some sort of floral stem tubing into his arm, the other end into Mei's father. Then the potion was thrust into his heart. Within seconds it was beating again.”
“The needles and the tubes...” Ashlynn stared at him. “That's how you knew how to save me.”
“It was a blood purge,” Badru finished. “It took him several months to recover, but he lived quite a few more years before he died, an average old mortal.”
Misuzu looked like she was going to be sick. “How can anyone do that to themselves, or to their own daughter?” She turned accusing eyes on Cavalon. “Are you saying that's what Ashlynn should do? Isn't that basically what was done to her already?”
“Not if she can still shift. If there's still enough magic in her to do that, then it wasn't a full purge.”
“If the Element is dormant, it may be the only way to ensure it is not lost forever,” Badru supplied.
“What do you mean, 'dormant'?” asked Luella.
“It is what was believed happened to the other four Elements, those which controlled the seasons. They still exist, they are just not accessible to those who should posses their abilities, for some reason.”
“But you think it could work in getting my powers to transfer to Lochlainn.” Once more, all attention was on Ashlynn. “Tell me honestly - do you think it could work?”
Cavalon and Badru looked at one another, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Cavalon turned to her with a slow nod. “It might.”
Her heart beat fast at the realization of what could happen, but her mind was already figuring out ways to tell those who loved her what she was about to do, trying to think of how she could possibly convince Tasarin to be there with her to help bring her back from the brink of death. She breathed deeply, resigned to the only option before her to save her Element. “Okay.”
“What?” Misuzu shrieked. “Ashlynn, you can't!”
“I have to if it will prevent the Element from being lost, M
isuzu.”
Luella looked at the two men. “Surely there must be another way.”
“We can wait a little while,” Badru admitted. “The Element will not fade away over night. Let the little prince grow some so that we may see if he demonstrates any new, strange abilities he has not shown us yet. If he is older, that, too, will make it less painful for him.” He turned to Ashlynn. “It will also give you time to reconsider.”
“There's nothing to reconsider. I was charged with keeping this Element safe and passing it down to my child so that he may do the same as he spreads the name of the Giver. How am I upholding my duty if I let it disappear like that?”
Misuzu stood up so quickly that her chair pushed back with enough force to topple over. She ran from the room, leaving the doors wide open and the guard to look in with question. Ashlynn gave them a nod to leave them open in hopes of settling the subject. “Then for now we do nothing.”
“We will continue to search for the pages of the book,” Luella corrected. As an after thought, she reached out for Ashlynn's hand to give it a squeeze. “We also pray.”
“We do lots of that,” Rowan agreed.
“I know we must all part ways again,” Ashlynn said quickly, “but before we do, before we return to our own countries to wear our crowns and robes, to search, and to try to stop this war between man and beast before it has a chance to truly begin, can we all sup together? One last time?”
“It would be a great pleasure,” Badru agreed.
Luella nodded. “I think that is a lovely idea.”
“I'll be there,” Cavalon promised.
She smiled at him, then glanced to the doors. “I will go find Misuzu. We are long overdue for some time together anyway.” Rowan got down so that Ashlynn could stand, but before she could leave the room, Cavalon rose and enveloped her in a bear hug.
“I'm sorry I didn't save you soon enough.”
She squeezed him as hard as she could. “You saved me when it mattered.” Drawing back, she gave him a watery smile and kissed his cheek. With a nod, she let him go and disappeared out into the hallway. Rowan quickly slid her hand into Cavalon's, making him smile. “It's a nice day out. How about we take a walk in the gardens before we eat?”
Luella took Rowan's other hand. “I think I would like to join you.”
“As would I,” Badru added.
The four of them left the room together, determined to enjoy the moment. At exactly that minute there was no fighting to worry about, no impending doom that they could fight against; there was only sunshine outside and friends and family all around. It was these moments that they would be glad they made the time for when the darkness came back. These were the moments that would get them through to the other side.
Now, for a sneak peek at the next book in the
Age of Valor saga:
Blood Purge
Badru and Ashlynn walked side by side in the bailey, several feet behind where Cavalon walked with Lochlainn and Lucien, deep in conversation. “It is remarkable to me,” the old man commented quietly, “how much your son looks up to Cavalon, and how much Lucien obviously admires and respect Jaryn. I have never seen two families who lived so far apart so close.”
Ashlynn couldn't help but smile as she watched them. “It has been that way since they were babies. They are brothers in every sense of the word, and have two sets of parents. It helps that we visit Braemar often, just as Cavalon and Nuala come here.” She sighed. “Cavalon has been trying to help Lochlainn shift but nothing seems to be working. That was why I sent word to you. You are also someone he looks up to a great deal, and I was hoping the added presence of another strong male shifter would help him find his confidence.”
“I can certainly try. He is still so young. It is not a wonder that the change does not come to him easily.”
“I don't want to wait much longer,” Ashlynn said lowly.
“Then we will do our best to help him.”
All three of them offered nothing but words of instruction and encouragement as Lochlainn struggled to shift his body. Even at such a tender age, he was already a perfectionist, and each time the shift did not come, he would berate himself over his lack of skill. Ashlynn reminded him that it wasn't easy for any of them when they first learned how to transform, that none of them could call the change forth and complete it seamlessly their first few tries, but that did little to lift his spirits. Others came and went, curious and also hoping to lend some sort of encouragement, but before long, Lochlainn was in tears and ready to quit.
“Lynnie.”
As her son was being spoken to in a quiet, calming manner by Badru, Ashlynn turned at the sound of her sister's voice. Kenayde glanced past her at Lochlainn with a small frown, making Ashlynn shake her head. “Everything is fine. He's just having a hard time shifting.”
“I know,” Kenayde confessed softly. “I was watching from inside.” She bit her lip before asking, “May I?” With a sweep of her hand, Ashlynn stepped aside and allowed Kenayde to pass. She wasn't sure what her sister could do or say that hadn't already been offered, but at this point she was willing to try anything.
“Lochlainn?” Kenayde crouched beside her nephew, her skirt pooling around her. When he turned his tear stained face toward her, she gave him a kind smile and pushed a clump of sweaty hair from his face. Without another word, she pulled him in for a hug, cradling his head against her shoulder as though he were her own child. “I know,” she whispered when his tears came again. “It is not an easy thing, is it, to shift for the first time?”
“I can't do it,” he wailed.
“Yes, you can.” Pushing him away enough to be able to look into his face, her brows rose in challenge. “You know what a big responsibility it is to be a Gael.” He sniffled and nodded, scrubbing his knuckles into his eyes. “You also know you are not just another Gael.”
“Someday I'll be the Earth Elemental,” he hiccuped.
“Is that scary?” His bottom lip quivered and he nodded. “Is being a Gael scary, too?”
He nodded again. “People don't like Gaels.”
Ashlynn, Cavalon, and Badru exchanged regretful looks with one another, but Kenayde nodded at her nephew. “There are people who do not like Gaels. You are not wrong...but do you know how many people here at Altaine, in all of Siness, love and want to keep the Gaels safe?” He shook his head, mute. “So many more people than want to hurt them, especially here at the castle.”
“A lot of Gaels live in Siness, too,” Lucien added, standing beside Kenayde.
“They do,” she agreed. “I know being different feels unsafe right now, but you could never be more protected or secure than you are here with all of us. We are your family, Lochlainn. We will guard you and keep you out of harm's way to the best of our abilities.”
“Me and my father will, too, right Père?”
“You better believe it,” Cavalon affirmed.
Kenayde smiled and gave Lochlainn a little shake, bringing a tiny smile to his lips. “See?” she asked. “I will not tell you not to be afraid. Never let anyone tell you not to feel the way you feel. What I will tell you is that you cannot let your feelings keep you from living your life.” She looked at him with great seriousness. “Do you want to shift?”
“Yes.”
His answer was weak, which made her narrow an eye at him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes...but I'm still scared.”
Kenayde nodded knowingly. “I was scared my first time, too, and I was a great deal older than you are. I tried and tried, and I kept failing. Do you know what finally helped me?”
“What?”
She glanced up at Ashlynn with a warm smile. “Someone I love came alongside of me and went through the transformation with me. Do you think that would help you?”
Lochlainn sniffled again. “I don't know.”
“Can we try?” He let go of a shuddering breath and finally nodded. This pleased Kenayde and she beamed at her nephew, taking his hand as she stood. “
Good. Would everyone mind giving us some room, please?” She didn't need to ask again; Cavalon pulled Lucien back while Badru and Ashlynn moved several feet away, making sure no one else would come too close at the same time. They knew how big Kenayde would be when she was shifted, and didn't want to crowd her.
“Listen very carefully,” Kenayde told Lochlainn. “We will start slow. Hold out your hand for me.” He did as was asked. “Now I want you to imagine scales running up your skin. Close your eyes and picture it.” As she spoke, she ran a finger lightly over the back of his hand, starting at his knuckles and moving up over his wrist. “You know what it looks like when others shift; pretend what you see happening to them is happening to you. What color do you think your scales will be?”
He peeked one eye open. “Green?”
“Possibly. Or maybe brown, or yellow...keep your eyes closed.” He squeezed his eye shut once more, making Kenayde smirk. “Concentrate, now. Feel the way the breeze blows over the hair on your arms. Now pretend that feeling is the changing of your skin to scales as it works its way all the way up from your fingers.” She wasn't sure if it was going to work, but when his skin did indeed begin to change, she had to keep herself from gasping. It was painfully slow at first, the way the natural lines in his skin darkened and shifted patterns. His fingers curved involuntarily as the joints fused together to become talons, making him whimper in fright and open his eyes. Everything that had begun to change quickly faded away.
“Almost,” Kenayde told him, her brows elevated. “You almost did it. It feels strange, I know. Did it hurt?”
“A little bit.”
“That is to be expected. Want to try again?”
“Can I keep my eyes open this time?”
Kenayde nodded. “If you would feel more comfortable, of course. Ready?” She held her own hand out just as Lochlainn did. “We will shift together.” Her own skin began to change, though her transformation was quicker and more seamless. She didn't fight against the curling of her fingers or flinch away from the scales that began to crawl their way up her arm, hers a mixture of bronze and matte brown with pale yellow and evergreen throughout. It took a great deal of effort to pause her transformation, but she waited for Lochlainn and gave him a nod. “Your turn.” He took in a big gulp of air and pulled his trousers up, then stuck his arm back out and squinted in concentration. “Visualize the change,” she reminded softly, watching his face turn red as he held his breath. She was about to tell him to breathe when the color of his skin paled and changed. Scales of light green, tan, and white began at his knuckles as his fingers turned to talons. Excitement shone on his face as the scales moved farther up his arm. Only when he realized that he couldn't stop the transformation did panic cross his features.