by Amber Flora
That was where the paper was torn, the missing piece that Damon found twenty-nine years ago. I remembered the portion Damon showed me the first time we had met.
This child, your child, my dearest daughter, born of this unique bloodline, will be the savior.
I literally laughed out loud as I clutched my stomach in hysteria. That was the letter I had been waiting for? Could my mother had possibly made it any more depressing? If I was looking for warm and fuzzies I certainly wouldn’t have found any there. I wasn’t at all ungrateful for the letter. Ever since Damon had showed me that piece of paper, I thought about what the rest of it would say. I wanted to read my mother's words and know that I finally understood what she wanted to say. I just didn’t expect it be so damn sad. I folded up the note and stuffed it into my pocket, looking toward the night sky.
“You were stronger than you knew, Mom. Your sacrifices made all this possible. You can be at peace now. Whatever happens, I’ll be all right.”
“Hey, look who finally made it. Are you trying to show me up by making a grand entrance?” Lori wrapped me into a hug and kissed my cheek.
“I would never dream of taking the spotlight away from you, O’hara,” I joked.
“I think her plan was to torture me.” Herrick said, mean mugging me in the corner.
“Nah, that’s my job,” Mac joked, giving him a noogie, which was the worst kind of torture for Herrick since it messed up his perfectly unperfect hair.
My father waved to me from the bar but didn’t get up to greet me. Instead he went back to what I assumed was a deep conversation with Brian. I knew Algon loved me, he just never learned what it takes to be a father. Every day gets easier, we grow closer. In time maybe we could have the type of relationship that Ken and I shared.
“Ashtyn! I waited for you to stop by the archives when you all returned from Siberia but you never showed,” Gloria said, crossing her arms with a disappointed look on her face.
“I’m sorry, there has just been so much going on lately. It was on my to-do list.”
“Was a certain vibrant at the top of that to-do list?” she asked, wagging her eyebrows.
“Gross!” Mac and Ben yelled in unison, causing Lori, Gloria and me to giggle.
I looked at the end of the bar to see Kat and Cody quietly sitting at a booth.
“Does he still hate me?” I asked, looking at Mac.
“He doesn’t hate ya, lass. He’s grieving is all. You know what that’s like.”
I touched Herrick’s shoulder, letting him know I would be right back and headed toward Cody.
“Have room for one more?” I asked, looking down at him.
“I’m going to go get another one of these pineapple drinks. They are really yummy,” Kat said, giving me a warm smile before scooting out the booth, allowing me to sit down.
“I know it’s going to take time but I promise I’ll make things right. You don’t know how sorry I am, Dakota.”
Cody twirled his drink in his hand to avoid looking at me directly.
“I talked to her, the night of the battle, after you went to your tent.”
“I … What did you say?”
“Too much. … Not enough. … I keep trying to remember everything that was said and it’s fuzzy now, ya know? Why can’t I remember? It seemed so trivial at the time and now … now it’s all I have left.”
I could hear the torment in his voice and it nearly broke my resolve. Sweet Dakota, he didn’t deserve all this world has thrown at him. All he ever wanted was to protect the ones he cared for and what did he get instead? He lost all the people he fought so hard to keep safe. His entire family was ripped away from him. Neither one of us wanted to address the elephant in the room. Elias, Sarah and now Bonnie. They all died because of me. A small part of me wished Bonnie had succeeded. I would be dead but Cody would have at least one family member by his side.
I reached for his hand and he pulled away. I wasn’t even offended by his action. I understand the pain he was enduring. If blaming me helped him get through this, then I was more than willing to make that sacrifice.
“She told me how she felt after she stabbed you. The guilt that consumed her while you lay in that bed clinging to life. She said the truth finally hit her.”
“What truth?” I asked afraid of what he would say.
“That she tried to do to the people she loved what Ser’ie had done to her. If you had died she would have killed someone that Mac, Kat and I love. She would have made me bury someone else I cared for. She said she never wanted me to feel that kind of pain again. That dying is easy, you’re not around to experience the consequences. The living are the ones that suffer, they pay the ultimate price. How could she do that to me? How could she be so selfish, to take the easy way out and leave me here alone?”
His eyes welled up with tears and his hands shook.
“You are not alone! You will never be alone, do you hear me? We are your family and we will always be by your side. Your mother had been hanging on by a thread for years. She was in so much pain, Cody. She just wanted to find peace. Maybe it was selfish of her to check out like that but I have no doubt she knew you would be okay. We will make it through this together as a family. Don’t let this break you. We have work to do and I need you by my side. I can’t do this without you. My strength comes from you, from all of you. We’re so close to our dream, we can’t stop now. I said I would make this right and I will. We are going to restore Avonya and unite our people. You are the heart and soul of dream realm. Without you there is no redemption.”
Cody looked up at me sighed heavily before smiling.
“You’re super annoying, you know that?” he smirked.
“I’ve been told it a time or two,” I shrugged.
“You can’t let a man wallow in his sorrow for a few weeks?”
“Not when there’s work to be done. Besides, you’re not the wallowing type. Controlling pain in the ass, yes, but wallowing is not really your style.”
Lori came over and slid beside me in the booth.
“Oh, thank goodness you got him smiling again. He’s even sexier when he’s brooding. If it continued much longer I would have had no choice but to jump him.”
“I really think you should consider sexaholics anonymous,” I said, shaking my head at my totally inappropriate friend.
“Why, do you think there would be hot guys there?”
“I think you would be liable to catch something penicillin can’t cure,” I countered.
Cody laughed and it warmed my heart to hear joy in him again.
“I’m glad you and Cody talked. You can reach him the way no one else can,” Kat said, walking up next to me while I was selecting a song on the jukebox.
“I think you underestimate your connection with him, Kat. The only reason he didn’t fall apart before now is because of you, which leads me to my question: How are you doing? You don’t have to pretend as though everything is normal. You went through a traumatic experience. It’s okay to need someone to lean on.”
“It’s funny, ever since I met you I wanted to be like you. I thought if I had the chance I could be as strong as Ashtyn. I just needed the opportunity to prove myself. Maybe then Cody would care for me the way he does you and everyone could stop seeing me as this fragile thing.”
“Kat, you know there is nothing between Cody and me,” I tried to reassure her.
“Oh, I know, that wasn’t what I was referring to. I just mean he sees you as a powerful woman, so much so that you fight right beside him.”
“You are a healer, without you we all might be dead. Cody, Mac, Herrick — they are here tonight because of you. You are the furthest thing from weak, Katrina. He doesn’t keep you out of the drama because you’re not capable, he does it because he loves you too much to lose you. The way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching, the fear he felt when you went missing. You mean more to him than any of us.”
Kat looked over her shoulder at Cody.
&nb
sp; “I’m not strong. I cried every night in that cell. I was terrified to my core, Ashtyn. I kept thinking to myself how did Ashtyn survive it for so long, being held prisoner. Wondering every day if was your last. I heard the cries of some of the other women. They weren’t as lucky as Bethany and me.”
I placed my hand on her back to console her.
“Sunshine, you are just as brave as me if not braver. You think I didn’t cry? That I wasn’t afraid every second of the day? But I had Herrick to get me through it, you had no one. You survived all on your own. I would be proud to have you by my side in any battle.”
I placed my hand to my heart. It was our own way of saying I love you. Kat smiled and nodded, doing the same.
“Now go save Cody from Lori’s endless yammering.”
“May I have this dance?” Herrick asked, kissing my neck and trailing his finger along my shoulder.
“Do you have bad news?” I asked, turning and wrapping my arms around him as we swayed to the music.
“Why would you think that?”
“The last time we tangoed was when I found out the reason behind my unique eyes.”
He spun me before smoothly returning me into his embrace.
“Now that you mention it.”
“Seriously? What now?” I huffed.
“Well I was going to wait until we were alone to tell you but ...”
“Come on, vibrant, out with it.”
“I’m afraid things are about to change for you, my dear hummingbird. For one you’re going to have to learn to share the covers and we will need to get you a vanity if you’re going to take two hours to get ready every day.”
I couldn’t hide my smile. Who would have ever imagined I could love someone so completely?
“Are you saying you want to live together?” I asked, raising my brow.
“Well, I’m currently in between jobs right now and need a hot little sugar momma to take care of me.”
I backed up as my past relationship flashed through my mind.
“I’m teasing you, hummingbird. I’m kind of a millionaire.”
My jaw dropped open and my eyes bugged out.
“Another joke?”
“Not really. I own a lot of real estate aside from making some pretty solid investments over the years.”
Holy macaroni, I was dating a sexy, deadly millionaire! Jackpot!
“Oh, well that’s cool,” I said, trying to make my voice sound like I wasn’t having an internal freakout. He stopped dancing and kissed my forehead.
“I can taste your desire, hummingbird.”
“Okay, you got me. It’s a little hot,” I confessed.
“It all means nothing compared to you. Everything about you sets my soul on fire.”
He pulled me into a kiss that made me dizzy with need. I wanted nothing more in that moment then to feel every inch of his body against mine as he claimed me.
“Ashtyn, are you ready?” Ben asked, breaking up our make-out session. I reluctantly pulled away and followed Ben to the front of the bar.
“While connecting with everyone here tonight is nice. There is another reason we are all gathered here,” Ben said, getting everyone’s attention.
“As we all know, things aren’t what they once were. If we want to unite the realms then we have to start with uniting our own people. Dreamwalkers need hope of a brighter future. For too long we have been divided with no real place to call home. This has to change and it begins with us. It has been agreed by the two remaining council members that Katrina should become our new high priestess.”
Ben and Gloried smiled but Kat looked like she was going to be sick.
“I can’t. It should be Ashtyn. It was always supposed to be Ashtyn,” she cried out.
“No, sunshine, you are what our people need. No one else knows and loves dream realm like you do. You can do this and your new general of the guard will be right by your side through it all.”
“New general?” Cody asked, looking at Ben.
“Yes, I am officially stepping aside as general of the guard. I will remain on the council as an adviser but you, Dakota Mass, will take my place.”
“Ya mean I go from taking orders from Mr. Grumpy to Mr. Uptight. Well, isn’t this just dandy.”
I knew Mac was kidding. I doubted anyone besides Bonnie could have been more proud of Cody than Mac.
“There is one more thing. Gloria and I cannot bear the burdens of the council alone. We ask that besides Cody and Katrina that Ashtyn and Mac join us as well. Together I honestly believe we can build a realm to be proud of. Along with Brian and Algon we can work together to unite the realms.”
“Ashtyn is joining us in dream realm?” Kat asked, looking to me.
“Eventually, but for now I will remain in human realm. I promise you that won’t hinder my devotion. My first tribute to dream realm will be to restore Avonya and bring our people home.”
“Do you really think you can?” Cody asked.
My father rose, joining Ben and me in the middle of the room.
“We do. Jeremiah and I have agreed to help Ashtyn in restoring your city.”
Gloria clapped her hands together in excitement.
“Then it’s settled. Tonight we party, tomorrow we rebuild.”
“What’s with the look of destitution?” I asked Mac, sitting beside him at the bar.
“Self-deprivation is my jam,” Mac said, taking a shot of whiskey.
“Are you really that upset about Cody being your boss?” I teased.
“Nah, he knows I’ll just ignore his demands anyway.”
“So then why so glum?”
Mac turned and looked at me. His eyes searched my face for a few seconds before sighing.
“I’m taking off for a spell, lass.”
“Are you kidding me? Why is it every time we get a win someone decides to bolt. You just joined the council, you can’t ditch us now.”
“I didn’t say I was climbing Mount Everest. If anything happens you can reach me.”
“Then why are you leaving? Are you that desperate to get away from me?”
Mac reached out to touch my face before pulling his hand back.
“All my life I have lived in Cody’s shadow and I’m not complaining about it. He is my brother in every sense of the word but the time has come for me to have my own life. Damon is gone, Kat is high priestess, Avonya will be again. Our world has never been so calm. If I don’t take this chance now I might not get another. I’m so very impressed with ya, lass. You are so much more than the smart-mouthed little girl I met all those months ago. I know Ben offered the high priestess role to you and I also know why you turned it down. You remembered what you did to Damon, you know how he died. Once again you put the safety of others ahead of your own dreams.”
I looked around to make sure no one heard Mac.
“I … I don’t know … ”
“It’s okay, lass, your secret is safe with me. But as your friend I have to tell ya. Anyone who would turn down an offer like that could never be evil. I think Katrina will do an amazing job leading our people but you would have done better.”
“What if I built Avonya just to destroy it again? Damon and Ser’ie’s blood is my blood. Their evil flows through my veins, I can’t live in dream realm until I’m certain I have my powers under control.”
“When did it come back to ya?”
“I dreamed it. At first I thought it was just a terrible nightmare but then it all just kind of flooded back to me. I want to lead dream realm. I want to follow the path my mother envisioned for me but I can’t do that until I heal myself. Lori told me that I’ll feel it when I’m ready, I’ll know when the time is right. Now is not that time.”
Mac stood, patting my shoulder.
“It’s not until we have seen someone’s darkness that we truly see who they are. I have seen the darkness inside of you, lass, and I still believe you to be the purest of hearts.”
I stood under the cherry tree where Victoria
and Ken were buried. I missed them every single day. Time eased the pain but it still remained. I hoped they would be proud of me, that I hadn’t let them down.
“There you are, love, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Herrick hugged me from behind, producing a red rose in his right hand. I took the rose, turning around to look into his piercing eyes.
“What did I do to deserve this?” I asked, kissing his cheek.
“You chose me,” he said, smiling.
“How could I not, you fought a bear for me,” I joked, remembering the incident that led to our first embrace.
“Mmm, if it gets me the same results I’ll fight one right now,” he said, turning as if he was going to find one this very minute. I grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
“I think we can manage without it.”
I leaned in to kiss him. When our lips touched fire erupted inside me, feeding my desire. I couldn’t understand why Herrick seemed to amplify my powers or how he managed to remain unharmed when it was obvious that it was affecting him as well. No matter how many scenarios I ran through my head I didn’t think I would ever be able to understand how he managed to feel my pain when I was stabbed, but I was certain we were meant for one another. He fed my soul and warmed my heart.
When I pulled back from our kiss and opened my eyes I had to blink a few times to assure myself I was seeing what I thought I was. We were standing in the cabin in Alaska.