Songbird

by Colleen Helme

  Leona nodded. “It is a fair thing you ask, but before I agree, do something for me. Watch her. See for yourself if you think she is happy here. Think of what she would give up to be with you, then we will speak again.”

  Even though his chest burned with pain, deep down he knew Leona was right. Teya had told him before that the grove was the only place she felt at home. It was where she belonged. How could he ask her to give that up? Someone who didn’t love her enough could. Did he?

  Coming to a decision, Bran nodded his agreement, and Leona’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you Bran. I know this cost you, especially after everything you’ve done for Teya. You are a good man. I’m truly sorry things turned out this way.” She took his proffered arm with deep sorrow.

  They soon emerged from the trail, and the Kalorians immediately surrounded Leona, pulling her away from his side. Bran searched for Teya and found her in deep conversation with Hewson and Jesse. More than anything he wanted to go to her, but how could he talk as if nothing were wrong? All around him, the Kalorians glowed, some brighter than others, but Teya, the brightest light of all.

  He distanced himself from the others to watch her, but his heart broke with every glance. Still, he had to look at her. He needed to memorize everything about her. The quirk of her lips when she smiled, the way her eyebrows moved when she concentrated. How she used her hands when she spoke, and the melodic resonance of her voice. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, a flame that shone too brightly for him.

  “What’s going on?” Jax came to his side. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “Jax,” Bran said, relieved to find his friend. He clapped him on the back. “I think it’s time we left.” That startled Jax into silence, so Bran continued. “Can you see the light around them, or is it just me?”

  “Oh, I see it all right. And I feel a lot better knowing you see it too. I wondered if something was wrong with my eyes. What happened back there?”

  Bran told him everything, including Leona’s request. “She’s right, you know. Teya belongs here. I can’t stay and I can’t ask her to leave with me.”

  “That’s a shame. Seems to me... she should have a choice.”

  Bran shook his head, then let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know if I can take this anymore. Let’s find our horses and get out of here.”

  “Are you sure? Because I think she’ll be pretty upset if you leave without explaining, or saying something, even if it’s goodbye.”

  “Leona will explain.”

  “What if she doesn’t? Can you trust Leona to tell her how you feel?”

  “I can’t tell her myself!” He snarled. “Don’t you see? I’d probably end up begging her to come with me. I’ve never run away from anything before, but I can’t tell her to stay, even when it’s what I should do. So the only thing left for me is to leave. If that makes me a coward, or a fool, then so be it.” He embraced the anger because it blocked the pain.

  Anger carried him through the motions of finding a horse and getting it ready. It wasn’t until he was mounted and riding away that his anger slipped. With a lump in his throat, he turned for one last look. Teya’s back was to him, but Leona looked up. She raised her hand in farewell, before quickly turning away.

  For a fleeting instant, Bran expected Teya to realize he’d left and run to stop him. He held his breath, but the moment passed, and nothing happened. He set his jaw in bitter disappointment and turned away, cursing himself for a fool, and wondering if he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

  Chapter 15

  At the top of the grassy ridge Jax slowed, but Bran only paused before continuing on. He couldn’t stay and watch for her, and he couldn’t look back. Not now. He was too close. It wouldn’t take much, just a thought of the kisses they’d shared, the turn of her lips when she smiled, and he would be riding back to her side.

  They spent the rest of the day on a course toward the edge of the forest, where they’d left Turner and his men. Bran knew a few of Turner’s soldiers would still be there, waiting for word of Korban and the outcome of the battle. Telling them Korban was no longer a problem was one thing Bran could take care of. After that, he wasn’t sure what he would do.

  Focused on getting away, he just now realized that the land they traveled through was no longer dry and barren. All signs of the Destroyer were gone. Small green shoots of grass already rose from the dust. The breeze carried a hint of moisture, and small streams bubbled from the earth, running in rivulets to the West. New life sprung all around them, flooding in an ever widening circle from the grove... the birthplace of life.

  Toward evening, they spotted the tree line in the distance. The black, spiked trees from before now stood straight with a new growth of green leaves. Teya’s power and her magic in the grove had started a wave that spread for miles. Was it still going? Would it reach all the way to Braemar?

  The effects of what had transpired in the grove would linger for years. The sheer intensity of it caught him with a realization that running from Teya would never keep him from her. She was in every blade of grass that grew, every drop of rain that fell, and every breath of air he breathed.

  For the first time that day, he slowed and looked behind him. Green verdant valleys with soft rolling hills set off the fiery sunset in a grand display of beauty. Far in the distance, a grove of trees in various shades of green seemed to shine with reflected light. His breath caught at the sight. It filled him with a painful longing that stabbed through his heart. With deep regret, he pulled his gaze away and continued toward the trees, no longer sure he’d done the right thing.

  They found the soldier’s camp at the edge of the trees. Their exuberant faces held the excitement of yesterday’s events, and they were eager to hear what had happened. The sergeant in charge told Bran of the bright burning light that rolled over them in the night, changing everything in its path. Those with new injuries were miraculously healed, even old injuries and scars were gone.

  Bran explained what he could, and told them Korban was dead. He explained that the Kalorians were the guardians of the grove, and they were the ones who defeated the Destroyer and restored the grove’s lost magic.

  When someone asked if he could travel to the grove, Bran held him back with an unequivocal no. He explained that the grove wouldn’t be there much longer because the Kalorians were leaving. The whole grove would soon be taken away. How, he could not say, only that soon, the grove would be gone.

  For his own piece of mind, Bran knew he could go no further. This was the place he would stand watch, and be a silent witness to this event. He needed to see how it ended, especially when he had played such a vital role.

  It was hard to believe that in a few days, it could all be over. But not, he prayed, before Teya came to him. It was a small hope, with little chance of being fulfilled, but he held it close to his heart anyway.

  When Bran announced he was staying, there were several others that wanted to stay with him. The sergeant sent a few soldiers on ahead to tell Turner the news, then chose to stay as well. Bran realized those who stayed did so out of more than curiosity.

  As witnesses to these strange events, they weren’t ready to leave. There was no fear, and as the night grew dark, it was easy to understand their feelings. Far off in the distance an unnatural light shone as brightly as noonday. Rather than being frightened, most of them were fascinated by this uncanny anomaly.

  Bran settled himself in a blanket for the night, and leaned against a tree where he could watch the light from the grove. He hardly dared close his eyes for fear he’d miss something. Jax kept him company. “What do you think will happen? How will they leave?” he asked Bran.

  “I don’t know. When Leona said they were leaving, she meant the entire grove. How that will take place, I can’t say, but with the strange happenings in the grove, it could be anything.”

  “How long do you plan on staying here?”

  “Until Teya comes, or the grove
disappears.” It pained him to admit it out loud. “I’m not holding out much hope that she’ll come, but I can’t leave until I know.” Bran glanced at his friend. “You don’t have to stay.”

  “Are you kidding? I’m staying. I’ve seen some strange things in my day, but nothing like this. I don’t intend to miss it.” Jax spread his blankets on the ground not far from Bran. “But I think I’ll sleep for a while. Wake me if anything happens.”

  Bran nodded, knowing for him, sleep was out of the question. As the hours passed, the light in the distance never changed. He dozed off every now and then, but always jerked awake to find the light still there. Every once in a while, he studied the land for an approaching horse and rider, knowing it was futile, but unable to do otherwise.

  In the dark of night when all was quiet, Bran nourished a small hope that Teya would choose him. With a deep breath, he took a chance and did something he’d wanted to do all day. He tried to reach Teya through the bond.

  He focused his energy on her and felt the bond shift and stretch, reaching into a vast sea of light. Bright radiance flooded the link, filling him with warmth that suddenly became so intense it burned. Grunting with pain, he severed the contact and doubled over, clutching at his chest. He concentrated on breathing until the burning receded and he was in control.

  His hands shook and sweat beaded his brow. In a panic, he grabbed his waterbag and drank until the dryness in his throat was gone. Breathing hard, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, fighting against the anguish filling his soul.

  She was lost to him. He could never endure her the way she was now. When the sky lightened in the east, it washed away his foolish dreams with stark reality. She would never give up who she was for him, and he shouldn’t expect her to. In the early hours of dawn, he gave up his vigil along with his small hope, and finally slept.

  He woke a few hours later. The bright light in the distance hadn’t changed. The Kalorians were still here. He didn’t know why he was relieved, especially when he held no hope, but seeing it kept something in him alive.

  The day passed in expectant watchfulness. He spent the day with mundane chores, most of which entailed preparing for the journey home. Idle conversation and an occasional game of cards filled the hours for some of the soldiers, but Bran had little patience for much of anything except watching the grove.

  After the sun went down, he noticed a change. The light from the grove burned brighter and he jumped to his feet. Jax hastened to his side, but Bran didn’t dare spare him a glance for fear he’d miss something. The light gathered in intensity. He flinched back and his heart started to pound. This was it.

  A small breeze picked up, blowing gently into them before gathering speed. Carried on the wind came the symphonious tones of voices raised in song. The harmonic inflections were soft yet electrifying. The harmonies rose in spellbinding intensity, piercing his soul with unearthly fervor.

  The ground vibrated with power that resonated in the air, spreading into the earth like molten fire. As the silvery tones poured over him, a chill swept down Bran’s back, and his whole body tingled. Although his feet touched the ground, it felt as if his soul rose out of his body, and lifted him into the air.

  At that moment, the sky exploded above the grove in a burst of pulsating current. It erupted in a torrential line toward the trees as a blazing channel of power held suspended in the air. The power held and widened into a circular conduit. With a racing heart, Bran followed the light upward into the dark sky, but couldn’t see an end. It went on forever.

  The bright light that contained the grove suddenly lifted out of the earth and into the sky, with the channel of light closing beneath it. Carried on a tidal wave of power, it coursed upward, higher and higher. He kept his gaze on it, hardly daring to blink, as it shrank in size, getting smaller with each passing moment. Bran followed it as far as he could, where it seemed to hang suspended in the heavens like a burning star.

  His eyes watered, but he didn’t want to blink and lose this last sight of her.

  All at once, the ground calmed and the wind died down, bringing with it a trailing echo of rapturous music that softly spun into profound silence. High in the heavens a new star burned brightly, shimmering with rainbows of reflected light.

  Bran took a deep breath of air. His legs shook and his chest heaved. There were no words for what he had just witnessed. Indescribable in beauty and strength, it carried a sanctity he had felt only one other time. The time he sang with Teya in the grove and was carried to a far off place, a shining white city, too bright for him to endure.

  It was over. Teya was gone. His eyes burned with unshed tears, and he swallowed back the deep sorrow that threatened to consume him. She was gone. Lost to him forever. She had made her choice, and it wasn’t him. He couldn’t blame her. What he had witnessed was bigger than him, bigger than her. He knew she was safe and happy. What he didn’t know was how he was supposed to go on without her.

  No one could ever compare to her. She left a hole in his heart that could never be filled. He tried not to think what his life would be like, but failed, knowing heart-wrenching pain and loneliness. A dark haired beauty with sapphire eyes had changed him. Taken him places he had never dreamed of. Above him, the star hung suspended in the sky, a constant reminder of her. He didn’t know whether it was a curse or a blessing to see where she was, but never be able to reach her.

  Deep weariness settled over him. As the men made plans to leave, he kept to himself. Luckily, Jax circumvented most of the questions directed his way, giving Bran the space he needed. Bone-tired, he lay down to sleep, knowing morning would come soon enough, bringing with it, the long journey home. To what, he wasn’t sure. He only knew that life would never be the same.

  ****

  Teya rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and took her time waking up. She stretched to get the kinks out and winced. How long had she been asleep? From the slant of the sun, it was well past noon and she moaned, disgruntled that she had slept so long.

  The argument with her grandmother had done her in, not to mention the tremendous amount of concentration it took to open the channel. Now here she was, flat on her back lying in a soft bed of grass. Turning her head, she steeled herself to look at the empty place where the grove had been.

  Tall trees surrounded a large meadow where new tufts of grass and a sprinkling of trees had already begun to grow. She swallowed against the sudden tightness in her throat. The loss of all that power would take some time to get used to, but she’d really never had it that long. What she had now felt comfortable, more like her old self. Magic was still there, about what she had with the kundar on. Just enough, but not gone completely. To lose all her magic would have been unbearable.

  She sat up, taking a deep breath of earth-scented air, and then checked her pouch. The seed caught the light and glowed back at her. Reassured, she tucked the pouch in its place against her heart and stood. Beside her lay several bags of water from the tree. Water she would need for her journey. She glanced once more at the empty meadow, remembering her last glimpse of Leona, Hewson and Jesse.

  Each of them had begged her to let someone else stay and carry the seed, but there was no one else. She was the only one with a reason to stay other than the seed, and that reason was Bran. Still, it was hard to say goodbye, especially when Jesse told her that he loved her and asked her to stay with him.

  Jesse knew that she loved Bran, but it didn’t matter to him. He could live with it, hoping time and distance would change things. He needed her. She had shown him the way. They were both Kalorians, and could learn this new way of life and what it meant to be in this new place together. He couldn’t bear to see her leave, not when their journey was just beginning.

  His heartfelt declaration shook her. She cared for Jesse. In the end he had tried to stop Korban and do the right thing. She knew his heart had changed, but he wasn’t Bran. Bran was like air to a drowning soul, or water for a dying thirst. If there was a chance to be with
Bran, she had to take it, no matter the cost.

  Jesse didn’t understand how she could give up so much to be with Bran. Giving up the kind of power she held was not something he would do, but when he could see she meant to go through with it, he gracefully bid her farewell.

  Leona knew. It wasn’t what she wanted either, but ever since the day of their bonding, Leona had known it was Bran who’d won her heart. The bond testified to it. To hear Leona confess that the bond worked because Teya and Bran already had a connection sent relief and hope through Teya’s soul. She finally knew for certain that Bran’s feelings were his own and not brought about because of the bond. It strengthened her resolve to stay.

  It still upset her that Bran had left without talking to her, but she blamed Leona for that. Bran wouldn’t have left without Leona’s interference. Of course, the power Teya held at that point, helped convince him that they could never be together, especially when her kiss burned him. If only she could have explained that the painful burning was only temporary.

  She sighed. At least he shouldn’t be too far away. Bran told Leona he’d wait three days, so that gave her plenty of time. A good thing since the day was half over. Her heart beat a little faster in anticipation of seeing him again. She couldn’t imagine her life without him.

  Together, they would plant the seed and the new Tree would be a link to her people. The Tree wouldn’t be the same as the one in the grove, because it wouldn’t need magic to survive, but it would keep the little magic left to this world alive, and serve as a buffer between darkness and light, keeping the powers in balance.

  Her horse grazed on the far side of the trees. She sang three notes and it perked up its ears in her direction before cantering over. It took a while to get everything situated without help. The saddle had to be tightened twice, and blankets, supplies and waterbags, secured.