The Coming Dawn Trilogy

by Austen Knowles

  Cobaaron cursed. “Wyt, tell me she’s prideful and believes she can win while remaining here. Tell me she’s here. I want this over!”

  Wyt didn’t move or talk, but listened. Eventually, he put one finger to his mouth. “This is it.” Wyt then directed his wand at his heart and transformed into a huge vampire bat with a wingspan over twelve feet; he jumped and rotated upside down. His talons clung to the white stone ceiling. Then he bent the long, thin wings bringing them to his sides. He continued to alter to a vampire; his wings shape shifted into a cape. His face was sunken, and his flesh was ghostly pale. He defied gravity and walked along the ceiling before he flipped upright and stood on the water.

  Any resemblance to a Star’s glowing skin was gone. He still had his features, but his blind eyes were red. He listened. “I smell you.” He stuck out his split tongue, and sniffed and tasted the air like a snake.

  In a flash Wyt vanished and when he reappeared, Zevera was with him. They brawled while Wyt tried to bite Zevera, but they were both incredibly, unnaturally strong. “Stay in this realm, Zevera,” Wyt hissed, and his tongue lashed out and pressed against his fangs to cause venom to seep from his fangs. With her palm, Zevera shoved him away with a hard thrust to his chest, making it concave. “I’m already dead. You can’t kill me,” Wyt sneered, and they aimed their wands at each other, and cast spells simultaneously. Sparks flew from the tips as they battled.

  Zevera kept vanishing to get away from Cobaaron, as she and Wyt dueled. “Fight me!” Cobaaron yelled, but Zevera undoubtedly knew if she stood her ground, she would be in grave danger. She made no magical weapons to fight him, and Ky was sure it was because Zevera knew Cobaaron would use them against her.

  They were wearing each other down, fighting with spells. Finally, when Zevera apparently had enough, she vanished and reappeared inches from Wyt, and she transformed her wand into a silver dagger, and plunged it into his heart. At that moment, Cobaaron attacked her with staggering speed. While she was distracted, staying still long enough to stab Wyt, Cobaaron thrust the glowing shard into her back. He drove the weapon upward, between her ribs, and pierced her heart before she could make a sound.

  The shard glowed bright. Zevera faced Cobaaron and with one last spell, she placed her hand to Cobaaron’s chest and stopped his heart. Cobaaron jolted and then dropped next to Wyt who lay with his red eyes open. “No!” Ky screamed.

  Zevera’s body glowed like a Star. She screamed as the light burst into a brilliant blaze, and then as suddenly as the light began, it snuffed out. Zevera dropped to the floor, dead. The radiance in her red eyes became black and soulless.

  “No!” Ky’s shout reverberated through the cave as she ran to Cobaaron. She cried bitterly, trying her best to hold him, but she couldn’t lift him. “You can’t be dead! The prophecy.... You can’t be dead!” Ky shook him. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He shouldn’t be lying motionless. The prophecy said they live because of their shared blood. “This shouldn’t be happening.”

  “You must…” Wyt whispered, capturing Ky’s attention. His red eyes were fading to a dull brown. He was slowly dying as the silver entered his blood stream, poisoning him. Ky wept for them. “…share blood.” It dawned on Ky that he meant that they had to keep passing blood in order to save each other. It would explain how and why Cobaaron revived when she went nova.

  “I’ll save you both. I swear,” Ky cried, and took the silver dagger from Wyt’s body and once again promised to save him. He told her to wipe the silver, because vampire’s blood was toxic. Wyt then pointed his wand at Tyrus suspended in the ball of electricity, and it zapped as the ball disappeared.

  Ky hurriedly cleaned the silver dagger in the pool and sterilized it by blazing the metal with her fire. Then she cut her hand, and pierced Cobaaron’s skin. She screamed, and could barely keep her hand on Cobaaron’s skin.

  Tyrus knelt next to her, pressing Ky’s hand over Cobaaron’s wound. She was thankful, because Ky trembled with fear she’d lost him; she felt weak with sorrow and couldn’t find the strength. Her light twinkled, about to flicker out.

  Before their blood mingled and cooled, Cobaaron jilted and gasped. He took one look at Ky, and then cupped her palm that bled life into his body. He squeezed it as he eased her to him, and had her rest her forehead to his. The pain slowly left, and both Cobaaron and Tyrus released her.

  “Wyt is dead,” Tyrus announced, with heaviness in his voice.

  “No,” Ky cried. “I promised him…”

  “We will wait near a pool, maybe an angel will dip in the water while we still have a chance,” Cobaaron said in consolation, but when he saw the black, contaminated water, tainted by vampire and witch remains, he changed his mind. “These pools are polluted and evil. No angel will relax here. We’ll wrap his body, and take him to his partner. It is a sad day. A great loss happened here today, a great loss.”

  “It’s no wonder he didn’t want his partner in Ambrosia’s room. She or his son could have seen this.” Tyrus flicked his wand. Blue satin wrapped Wyt’s body. A bed of white flowers grew in a glass coffin with no lid; Cobaaron respectfully placed his body inside.

  “Help Ambrosia. She’s still knocked out. Ensure that she’s okay,” Cobaaron said; aware Tyrus wanted to momentarily abandon his duty as a warrior, because he kept glancing at her crumpled body.

  “Thank you, Chief.” Tyrus rushed to her side. Ky watched Tyrus pull Ambrosia into his arms, as he sat on the floor. He brushed a single, long stroke down the length of Ambrosia’s body, and she woke. Ky smiled, relieved to see her recovered, and then avoided staring when Ambrosia wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Ky held Cobaaron’s hand as he stood over Wyt’s body. “Are you okay?” She rested her palm against his heart. She didn’t want to see any more death, and she certainly hoped his heart beat as before.

  “My heart races.” Cobaaron kissed her temple. “I feel I could run all the way to the next city. Maybe I will.” He squeezed her reassuringly. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

  “Men could be blind, and have their limbs cut off and they would still say, ‘I’m fine.’ I’m not sure I believe you,” Ky teased, but she did notice the hair on his arms were on end as if a current surged through him.

  “I’ve been arguing with Wyt. I wasn’t sure I trusted him anymore, and now I’m feeling guilty. He gave his life, and knew all along he would. Yet I was more concerned for you. Now, I’ll have to tell Yulley about her husband. I see death every day; people from Sarnia take death badly. I worry for Yulley. They mourn animals they kill for food, and they celebrate the dead every year with a weeklong festival. Telling her will be hard.” He sighed heavily. “Let’s go. I don’t want to linger here.”

  “I’m confused. We need to keep each other’s blood in us to keep us alive, and sharing blood brings us back to life?”

  “Apparently, we didn’t keep each other alive, unless…you remember bleeding out my blood before you went nova, but I always stop the flow of your blood. I suppose our sharing blood brings us back to life, but doesn’t keep us alive. I don’t think I could be dead an hour and survive. We should keep this information a secret, and tell no one. It’s harder to kill you, a suspected witch, if I have your blood. I’ll tell the men you bled when Zevera’s copy bit you.”

  Ky nodded, they spoke nothing more of it, and she followed Cobaaron over to Tyrus and Ambrosia silently. “I can’t believe she’s dead,” Ky heard Ambrosia say to Tyrus. There was hope in her voice as if the journey was almost over. “I’m so grateful. I don’t want to fight any more witches. I’m merely a small city girl, who didn’t read her spell books or family crest as often as she should have.” Ambrosia’s eyes watered. “You did it Cobaaron. She’s dead.”

  “And now we need to take Wyt to his partner. I want to keep him safe in your room until we’re there,” Cobaaron replied.

  “Of course.” Ambrosia opened her room for everyone to enter.

  They carried Wyt inside. The forest looked as it did
before; the only difference was the absence of the castle and its wooden warriors, and the crates of magical instruments. The vines grew to protect Wyt’s coffin for safekeeping. The forest matured and animals roamed again. Baby unicorns, bright-blue glowing hummingbirds, and pale bioluminescent butterflies were born from the ash. Ambrosia said there must have been tiny seed hidden on the eggs she took from the cave of blue rocks, because she took none of those animals.

  “I put the unicorns in your basket.” Tyrus’s words echoed in the silence as the warriors and women gathered around the coffin. Everyone began to sing sad songs in mourning. Huntra, who sensed the mood, came to Ky. He nudged her hand, rubbing his wet nose under her palm.

  From the sad songs and sensitive nature of Stars, Ky became depressed and slipped from the room with Huntra to avoid the music that had her nearly in tears. Cobaaron slipped out, following her, and squeezed her shoulder. Tyrus, and Ambrosia promptly joined them.

  “Chief, are we on to the elf city?” Tyrus asked.

  “Yes. We go to Opalace.”

  “No, we need gifts,” Ky reminded.

  “Right.” Cobaaron nodded, and then said, “We’ll go first to the markets. Elves are very insulted without heaps of gifts, so we will have to get a lot. But there is no time to waste. Yulley needs to know what has happened, and soon, out of respect.”

  “Is there no time? Not even to dip in a healing pool?” Ambrosia asked desperately. “I thought if I saw a rippling pool we could stop.”

  Cobaaron glanced at Tyrus and then back to Ambrosia, obviously annoyed Tyrus wasn’t confessing. “No. There is no time for that, but maybe on our way back from Opalace.”

  “Please, my King,” Ambrosia pleaded as she wept, and locked her fingers together in prayer. “We’re here! I could be healed within the hour. I saw the rippling in the pool, and instead of taking it, I helped Ky get in the water to save her. Does that not mean anything to you? Won’t you repay my kindness after all I’ve done for you and your army? I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate for this! I have lost everything!” She hastily dropped to the ground, and laid her arms out flat in front of him. “Please, my King!”

  Cobaaron once again looked at Tyrus, but when he didn’t fess up to Ambrosia that she was already blessed, Cobaaron said, “This decision is young Tyrus’s. End this, or finish your quarrel in private. I’m tired of hearing you both bicker.”

  Ambrosia looked up, and bit her lip as tears fell from her eyes. “Ty, please! You have already taken my blessing once. Make it up to me, now, and let me dip in a pool. Please, do right by me this once.”

  “There is no time,” Tyrus said dryly.

  Ambrosia stood to her feet, and cried, “You troll! How can you do this to me? I thought we were friends! This is twice now! This time it’s of no consequence to you!” Ambrosia dropped her head into her hands and sobbed.

  “Ambrosia.” Tyrus placed his hand on her shoulder; she slapped it away. “Ambrosia, please.” He touched her again, pulling her closer. This time she let him hug her, possibly because she was in desperate need of consoling. She dropped her covered face to his chest, and wept. “I never accepted Noelya’s blessing. You’ve had it all along. I wouldn’t take your blessing even if I needed it. I know how badly you want children.”

  Ambrosia slowly lifted her head, and stared at Tyrus without hiding her tears. “What?”

  “You are blessed. You don’t need the pools. They’re a waste of time, which we don’t have.”

  “Do you swear it, Ty?” She searched his eyes, and slowly smiled before she covered her mouth and tears streamed down her face. “Did you truly choose me…over a blessing to guarantee your position as chief?” Ambrosia wiped her cheeks. She flung her arms around him, squeezing his neck. “Thank you! Thank you so much Tyrus!” She kissed his cheeks with hurried kisses. “I will go home since you’ve asked me to.”

  From the corner of his eye, Tyrus glanced toward Cobaaron and Ky. When he spoke, it obviously wasn’t what he wanted to say if they were alone. But he muttered, “Your room is needed. The army needs you in the condition you’re in. You promised solitude. You’re not permitted to sleep with anyone. Swear it, Ambrosia,” Tyrus entreated, and his voice dropped when he added, “Not Duval…or the other four…no one. It kills me.” He looked desperate to say more, but didn’t. Jealousy was clearly consuming him, her fondness of Duval the most, and since Ambrosia confessed enjoying his company because he was open about feelings, Ky could see why Tyrus named him personally. With an audience that couldn’t walk away to let him speak freely, he chose to repeat: “You’re room is needed, and you can’t try for children right now.” Ambrosia cried bitterly; his words weighed heavily on her.

  “I know now I had no right to…my actions hurt many. I still claim solitude.” Ambrosia frowned, and her words hid an underlying need to break that vow with Tyrus. Ambrosia looked at Cobaaron and Ky, and decided not to say anything further.

  Tyrus’s expression was so stiff that Ky almost didn’t notice his faint smile when he said, “Good.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  The underground markets were a half-day’s travel outside Opalace. The large marketplace was crowded with not only elves, but also people from surrounding cities. The area was so large the shopping center was its own city; everyone wandered through the small shops. There was a unique enchantment over the marketplace, and Ky wondered if it was powerful elf magic, because light poured into the shops from an unseen source.

  Most of the goods hovered at eye level, so no one had to hunch while considering purchases. There was a fountain of white sweet nectar much like chocolate, outside one of the shops. Like a fondue pot, people dipped exotic fruits, as they gathered around the fountain, eating and chatting. There were stores that sold magical instruments, foreign foods, and even stores for children that sold charmed, animated toys. In fact, there were a lot of stores that sold only items for children. Ky found it odd, considering there were few children born.

  “People buy things in hope to get pregnant. Collecting is considered good luck,” Cobaaron explained. “I’m sure we’ll find something for us, and for Lu Lyle.”

  Cobaaron led her into the toy store. They wandered and gazed at a vast assortment of games and dolls. While they took their time looking, teddy bears of fuzzy, light-brown cloth waddled behind them. They reminded Ky of home; because they were similar to the bears she remembered as a child, except the cloth nose was like a koala. There were also wooden dolls like Ambrosia used to have, but there were very few warriors and the rest were small girls, and none had been dipped in living water.

  “Look Ambrosia,” Ky said, but when she turned, Ambrosia and Tyrus weren’t behind them.

  “They’re outside, letting the warriors and women out of her room to shop.”

  “I should tell Ambrosia they have wooden warriors. She was sad about losing them. If she wants them, will you buy them for her?”

  “If you wish. She has done a lot for us. You’re in elf walls. You will be safe. I’ll be here looking for gifts if you want to tell her.” He brought her close. “This is making me long for children. You remember your promise to me, right? You’ll give me a child in the City of Lights.”

  “I haven’t forgotten.” Ky kissed him. She was starting to like the idea of kids, but she still wanted time, and thankfully she had it. “Get something for their child and ours. If they’re destined for one another it might be nice for them to grow up with the same toy. I like the teddy bears.”

  “The what?”

  “Bears.” Ky pointed to the group following them.

  “Oh, love, those are mirror critters. They are nice now, but put them with a spoiled kid, and they’ll act ornery.”

  “Looks like a teddy bear to me,” Ky said, and reiterated that she still wanted one.

  Ky left the shop, and went into the hall looking for Ambrosia and Tyrus. She saw the warriors spill out of her room, but she didn’t see her friend. She looked around, but Ambrosia wasn’t close
. She passed several shops before she spotted them. They were in a store, surrounded by floating candles and incense. The smoke was thick, and smelled of cinnamon. She approached, but stopped when Ky saw Ambrosia grinning at Tyrus as they held hands.

  “You want to bond? Your career… Are you sure?” Ambrosia beamed, as she cried with evident joy.

  Tyrus tapped his palm and then Ambrosia’s with his wand, making them bleed. Then he squeezed his hand to hers as blood dripped between their fingers.

  “I’ll hide our bond, Ty, if that is what you want. I’ll never tell anyone whose children I’ll bear. I can keep a secret; you know I can. I’ll do anything for you.” Ambrosia leaned away from him to look at what he did to their palms.

  “All I ask is we refrain from uniting fully until it’s obvious your studs didn’t successfully help you conceive. I want others certain your children are mine.”

  “I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too, Ambrosia. I always have.”

  Ky hurried away before she was seen, instantly guilty that she had witnessed their secret bond. They were obviously hiding in the smoke in the back of the store on purpose. Before she took more than a few steps, she vowed she wouldn’t tell anyone, not even Cobaaron. Ky rushed into the toy store and held onto Cobaaron’s arm when she found him. She tried acting naturally, but was breathless from running. As if playing a role, she did her best to look complacent as she panted. Cobaaron narrowed his eyes, smiling at her when she returned alone. “Did you tell them?”

  “I didn’t see them.” Ky cleared her throat nervously, because she was positive he didn’t believe her. She couldn’t regulate her breathing.

  Cobaaron slowly nodded. “You didn’t see her standing in front of her open room as warriors poured out in droves?”

  “Oh, no…uh...I came back to tell you I wanted to pick out my own teddy bear.”