by Lisa Rector
He wasn’t sure if he could.
***
Ahnalyn allowed herself to relax, encouraged by Aneirin’s heartbeat. Warmth reached into her. He’s pushing light into me. Her mind became calm. She found herself wanting to go to sleep, exhaustion slowly winning. Aneirin was singing softly… He has such a soothing voice. I must ask him what the words mean… in the morning. She felt weightless, as if she were floating. She was safe. He loved her, and he promised to keep away her bad dreams tonight. Ahnalyn drifted…
The hillside overlooked the leafy vale. It was stunning to watch the sunrise, the way the light gradually crept over trees and rocks. The sun’s rays sparkled off the river running through the valley. Ahnalyn hugged herself in the chill of the morning air. She shrugged her shoulders, sighing in contentment.
A voice called out to her, and she turned.
“Mam, there you are. You’re always watching the sunrise,” Einion said. He ran up to his mother and hugged her, placing his cheek against her bulging belly and whispering good morning.
“She’s quiet. Is she sleeping?” Einion asked.
“Yes, finally. She kept me awake the entire night, kicking.” Rubbing her stomach, Ahnalyn smiled.
Hands touched her shoulders, and a caress heated her neck as someone behind her kissed her. Ahnalyn turned and looked into Aneirin’s face. He kissed her tenderly on the mouth.
“Good morning, my love. Little one keeping you awake again?” He touched her belly to feel for a kick.
The baby kicked forcibly against Aneirin’s hand…
Ahnalyn opened her eyes slowly. At first she was confused about where she was, but realization gradually dawned. Her arm was draped across a chest, which was gently going up and down. She lifted her head and looked into Aneirin’s sleeping countenance.
Her eyes widened as she thought about her dream. What in all of Terrin? Can Aneirin plant dreams in my head or was this a vision of what will happen? The idea made her slightly wary. She wasn’t ready to think that far into the future. Her son must have been at least five years old! She wanted air. Ahnalyn gingerly lifted herself off Aneirin and pushed up to her knees.
“Trying not to wake me?” Aneirin asked.
Ahnalyn paused, wincing.
“No, I wanted some air… I hear Einion.” She stood quickly before Aneirin could do or say anything else.
Ahnalyn stumbled over to the cradle and scooped up her sleeping son, waking him. She hurried outside. Surely it was just a dream. It must mean nothing. I should be thankful I didn’t have nightmares. At least that had worked.
Einion started to cry.
Aneirin emerged from the hut. “It’s chilly. You should take him back inside. I’m guessing you didn’t have a nightmare. You’re quite light filled this morning.”
Ahnalyn looked down and blushed, but she turned her face to the sun and closed her eyes to its rays. Aneirin stirred next to her, and she pictured his careful sidelong glance.
What am I doing? Her mind raced back to the flight to rescue Seren and how close they had been and her scandalous feelings. And the night before.
Oh, Brenin, I’m so sorry. Your son is not two breaths from my womb, and I betray you. Yet, last night was a comfort. She needed someone’s arms around her. If not Brenin’s or her father’s, why not Aneirin’s? Ahnalyn’s heart was telling her not to guilt herself over this.
“You’re withholding something,” Aneirin said.
His eyes were boring into the side of her temple.
“You can’t control someone’s dreams can you?” Ahnalyn asked, feeling exposed. Stop reading me! She imagined a wall around her emotions. He can’t see what I’m feeling. He can’t sense it. Upon thinking this, she hoped it would somehow keep Aneirin from assessing her.
Aneirin gave a little huff, stifling amusement. “What exactly did you dream about… exactly?”
Ahnalyn’s voice rose. “I knew it! You formed that dream in my mind.”
“I didn’t! Whatever you dreamed was entirely whatever your subconscious wanted you to dream. I only gave you some light to keep away the darkness. Exactly what did you dream?”
“I will never tell!” Ahnalyn’s cheeks burned scarlet. “Does it bother you that you can’t figure out something for once?” She turned and stalked away, intending to enter the hut.
“Oh, now I long to know,” Aneirin called after her.
But Ahnalyn stopped when someone from the far side of the deck said, “Ahnalyn?”
She knew that deep, curling accent. It had been many moons since her adventure in the Great Forest and her failed escape. Ahnalyn turned and saw, for the first time in the full light of day, the half-deer man who had aided her so long ago. Thinking of deer with their feet firmly on the earth, grazing in meadows, Ahnalyn mused at seeing him in the treetops. His fur-covered legs and antlered head were as she remembered, but she didn’t recall the strength and grace of his bodily form because the dark night had concealed much. Ahnalyn’s breath caught. Taliesin was an exquisite creature.
He smiled, his tanned features lighting up. “You would be surprised to see me, no? I must admit. It has been long since I’ve left the ground. My hooves don’t like the swinging bridges. You see, the tegyd have a history with the trees. We are their guardians and dwell in the underworld among their enchanted tangle of roots.”
Aneirin cleared his throat to announce his presence.
Ahnalyn had forgotten he stood there. She had been in the middle of storming away.
“Greetings. How do you know the Lady of Terrin?” Aneirin asked, his eyebrow doing a peculiar twitch.
Ahnalyn wondered if he was a tad jealous.
“Oh, the lady and I go way back, farther than she remembers. I have had a vested interest in her since she was conceived in the womb.” Taliesin stepped forward and kissed Ahnalyn’s hand.
Conceived in the womb? Her face grew warm. “What brings you here?”
“I have come to see the young master.” He indicated Einion.
“Whatever for?” Ahnalyn asked. She held Einion out so Taliesin could have a good look.
“The day your light burned bright within your mother’s womb, the stars shifted in the sky. They foretold of hope. You would bear the soul who would subdue the hold of the Dark Master. His servant will be thwarted, and Cysgod will crawl back into his eternal prison.”
Ahnalyn’s mouth fell open. She glanced at Aneirin to see his reaction.
He stared at Taliesin with his deeply thoughtful eyes, searching for any falsehood.
“Is this the first time you’ve met a tegyd?” Ahnalyn asked Aneirin.
“Yes.” Aneirin addressed Taliesin. “I see no lie in your prophecy. You’re a peculiar creature. Tell me, how does your gift of foresight work?”
“Ah, but to tell you our secrets would reveal too much. We are an ancient race spanning the passage of time much longer than you emrys have graced the world. But we are created by the same Master. Deian gives light to all of us.”
“He healed me,” Ahnalyn said, as if her explanation answered the question. “In the forest.”
“Yes, we can heal, among other talents,” the tegyd said.
“So what does this mean for Einion?” Ahnalyn asked. “Should I fear for him?”
“He will be safe and treasured. Have no fear.”
“Is this what you came for?” Aneirin asked, flexing his fists.
Taliesin touched Ahnalyn’s arm. “I came to tell you that you are on the right path. Trust your intuition. The choices you have made to this point have kept you straight and true. The only way you could fail in your purpose is if you give in to your fears.”
“I don’t even know what my purpose is. I feel so lost. I only know I have to protect my son and free my people,” Ahnalyn said.
“Then you are already set on it. You are as I have said. I must go. Farewell, Ahnalyn, Daughter of Light.” Taliesin turned to go but turned back, briefly inclining his head toward Aneirin. “Oh, and be lenient with this on
e. You can trust him.”
With that, Taliesin crossed the bridge and disappeared into the glaring sun.
“See, you can trust me. I like this fellow. He knows what he’s talking about,” Aneirin said.
“Don’t rise to the occasion. You’re lucky I trust Taliesin.”
“Oh, and you’re saying you don’t trust me?” Aneirin clutched his heart. “That’s like a dagger to my chest.”
Ahnalyn rolled her eyes.
Emlyn stuck her curly head out of the hut. “Was that one of those tegyd? The strange folk?”
Ahnalyn nodded her head. “Yes, what do you know about them?”
Emlyn rested her hands on her hips. “Every so often a few of them meddle in our affairs. The town council has one drop in occasionally. Blabbering on about the life of the trees, prophecies to be fulfilled—”
“Have you ever seen their prophecies fulfilled?” Aneirin asked.
“Oh, many years back they went on about a Child of Light who would need refuge. Created a great uproar. The deer people had our little people searching the forest understory for weeks. My Hadyn found her, he did.”
Ahnalyn’s eyes widened. This Child of Light… the woman Emlyn was talking about days ago during her ramblings—“Was her name Niawen? You found my mother?”
“Yes, Niawen, dear child. She was so terror stricken.” Emlyn scratched her scalp. “I didn’t know she was your mother.”
“Did you know she was with child? Carrying me?”
“Oh, goodness. She never said. But a woman knows. I could tell. We were terribly worried for her, especially when Hadyn took her to the other side of the forest. We were sad to see her go.”
Aneirin’s brow was crooked as if he ate a piece of bad fish—the usual case when Niawen was mentioned.
“Do the Eilian go down in the understory often?” Ahnalyn asked.
“Oh, we do. A few like to create mischief. Like when that fool general and his men traipsed through our wood like panicked goats. I heard tell of our lot playing tricks on them. That would be the west Eilian on the other side of the ridge.”
Ahnalyn lifted her head in understanding. “Making noises and sticking flowers in a maiden’s bound hands?”
Emlyn shrugged. “Umm, I guess so.”
Ahnalyn grinned. She had someone watching over her from the start. The little people and the tegyd in cahoots. That would explain the strange goings-on in the forest during her long, arduous journey—which she would never forget.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SMOTHERED OR SMOLDERING?
Aneirin made sure they were ready to go, and before long, Cephias and Seren were flying to the platform. Emlyn showed Ahnalyn how to sling Einion so he was tight against her body in a woolen wrap and then handed Aneirin two bedrolls and a bag of supplies, which he would secure to the back of the saddle. When Cephias lighted on the platform, Aneirin and Ahnalyn scrambled up his glassy scales.
Emlyn cried and blew her nose in a handkerchief. “Please come back and visit. We’d love to see you again. We’ll miss you all so much. Never have we had such enjoyable company. Take care of that little man. Good luck with everything. Safe journey. Goodbye. Goodbye!”
Hadyn stood, ready to catch pots and keep them from toppling over—no such luck. Cephias laughed as he lifted off with a flourishing flap, but this time he did call an apology after the little Eilian scurrying around on the deck picking up pots.
Gorlassar was farther than Talfryn, so they’d have to stop for the night halfway. Ahnalyn was concerned about flying with Einion for so long. Thankfully, he spent most of his time sleeping and eating, which Ahnalyn could manage by shifting Einion in his sling.
Aneirin explained the dragon realm entrance was in the mountains west of Cynwrig within the realm of Talfryn. The tortuous, snow-covered peaks reached past the clouds. Therefore, the only way to access them was by dragon. The cold would be unbearable, but Aneirin assured Ahnalyn she shouldn’t worry. He’d keep them warm. Aneirin had enough heat for all of them thanks to his recent influx of light.
The flight’s ascent swooshed the air, becoming ever more frigid the more the group climbed. Wrapping his arms around them, protective of his precious cargo, Aneirin pushed his light into Ahnalyn and Einion.
But Ahnalyn was lighter—deep within her core—the difference noticeable since this morning. Holding Einion increased her light, providing a distraction for Ahnalyn from her inner turmoil. And Aneirin couldn’t help but wonder what Ahnalyn had dreamt that made her glow brighter. Surely he’d draw it out of her someday. He wouldn’t press Ahnalyn, not wanting to annoy her on this long flight since her moods were so unstable.
While Seren scouted ahead, Aneirin talked to Ahnalyn about focusing her light.
“Can you feel the light in your heart-center here?” Aneirin asked, in her ear, touching her heart as he reached around her. Einion’s little head was nestled between her breasts, and Aneirin’s fingers grazed his curls. “Feel for it right there. It’s not a tangible feeling but more like an internal sense.”
Ahnalyn slid her hand underneath Aneirin’s. “Yes, I can feel it.”
“Then you can expand it. Focus on the light with your mind. Picture it glowing in the center. Imagine it spreading throughout your body. You can form the light to do what you want. I use it as heat and can pool it in my hand to use as a light. You can also push the light from you and use it as a weapon or spread it around your body like a shield. It’s controlled with your mind. You direct it.”
“That’s a lot to learn.” Ahnalyn’s voice was a tad whiney. “What if I lose more light? I’m worried I can’t hold on to it. What if Caedryn uses his dark power on me again? I’m frightened.”
Aneirin tightened his embrace on Ahnalyn but rubbed Einion’s back as a cover-up. “We’ll work on expanding it for now. After Caedryn attacked me, my light was severely diminished. We can’t lose all our light—not that I’m aware of…”
Though now Aneirin wasn’t so sure. After meeting Caedryn and learning about his powers, Aneirin thought anything could be possible.
“Because of my injuries, my light was engaged with healing me. As soon as I focused it, the light rapidly expanded, and I healed instantly—faster than I thought. It had a lot to do with what I was thinking about.”
“What were you thinking about?” Ahnalyn asked, a timid suspicion in her voice.
“You,” Aneirin said, unable to keep from grinning.
“Aneirin—”
“I know. You don’t have to say anything. Just know I care about you. I won’t let anything happen to you again. You and Einion will be safe in Gorlassar. I’ll protect you, I promise.”
“Thank you,” Ahnalyn said, relief in her voice. She changed the subject. “Let’s try this.”
“It helps to focus on good memories. Think of joyful moments.”
Ahnalyn closed her eyes, and her forehead scrunched up.
“Relax. Don’t tense so much. In due course, the effort becomes as simple as breathing. In fact, imagine your light swelling with each deep inhale.”
Reaching farther from her core in a gradual, almost painful, creeping, the light expanded inside her like tiny fingers of a web.
“Good… keep focusing. You’re doing great,” Aneirin said.
Ahnalyn’s focus broke. “How can you see the light in me?”
“Light discerns light. Eventually you’ll be able to. You can sense the difference when you stand in front of darkness. It feels empty and evil, whereas light feels full and joyous. Tell me how you feel once we enter Gorlassar. You should be able to focus your light better there. Incidentally, what were you thinking about?”
“I thought of my mother and my father. I thought of the time I spent with Brenin… and Einion.”
He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Great, now try again.”
Ahnalyn closed her eyes.
“Picture it reaching down into your toes and into your fingertips,” Aneirin coached.
An idea passed thro
ugh his mind, an idea that, if Cephias heard, he would surely caution Aneirin against. Aneirin couldn’t help himself. Ahnalyn was distracted, so he decided to seize the opportunity and try an experiment. Aneirin pulled her hair back from her neck, pretending to twist the windblown tendrils out of his face, and ever so slightly touched his mouth to the creamy skin below her ear.
Forget Ahnalyn’s response—Aneirin’s light intensified in radiance. His heart leapt, but he tempered his unease and slowed the pounding of blood in his ears. Focus on Ahnalyn. Breathe. Concentrate.
It took a second. As soon as Ahnalyn registered what Aneirin did, her light flared white-hot and then, similar to denying flame its oxygen, choked out. Aneirin thought if he squinted he might see a few smoldering embers.
Aneirin pulled back when he received an elbow in the ribs, but he still couldn’t help being pleased.
“I told you, you were sly,” Ahnalyn said, the rise in her voice startling Einion. She rubbed his back and shushed him.
Aneirin brushed it off. “It was an experiment. I was testing your response. Did you feel the flash of light?”
“You know I did,” Ahnalyn snapped.
Maybe the experimenting was enough for now.
Disgruntled and pouty, Ahnalyn crossed her arms over her son. He should ease off, but Aneirin smiled, leaned in, and sent heat through Ahnalyn and Einion. She’d have to sit there and let him. It was just too cold.
***
Cephias landed early in the evening after flying over the mountain range where the Great Ridge met the Highland Mountains encircling Talfryn. In King Sieffre’s realm, they felt safe to make camp for the night because as comfortable as the saddle might be, Ahnalyn groaned about her sore back.
Cephias flew off in search of Seren, who was doing another scouting run. Once they returned, Cephias and Seren would watch the area for dangerous, wild animals during the night.
Every so often Seren had reported back. She flew near the outpost that had been seized by Caedryn’s men. Seren reported the army assembled was smaller than the one encamped in Rolant but still massive—more extensive than the army being massed by King Sieffre. Hope was lost for Talfryn without the aid of the Dragon Riders.