[Vankara Saga 03.0] War of Atonement

by SJ West

  The way in which Fallon framed my ridiculous situation brought a reluctant smile to my lips.

  “It does sound a bit crazy when you say it out loud like that. I should have been the one to ask you if you had any doubts about us now.”

  “I don’t give my love to someone and take it back, Sarah. That’s not the kind of man I am. I will stick by you no matter who or what might try to keep us apart.”

  “I could just eat that man up,” Aurora said with a dream-like quality to her voice, as if she were the one in love with Fallon and not me. “Figuratively speaking, of course.”

  I couldn’t prevent a giggle from escaping my lips at Aurora’s remark.

  “What’s so funny?” Fallon asked. “Did Aurora say something to you?”

  I nodded. “Yes. She seems to think you’re quite the romantic hero.”

  Fallon chuckled. “Well, I’ll take that compliment from her and hope that you think that way about me too.”

  “Oh, Sarah, he deserves a kiss for that remark,” Aurora proclaimed.

  “And are you going to give it to him?” I asked her jokingly.

  “I just might if you don’t!”

  “Aurora has informed me that you deserve a kiss for making that statement,” I informed Fallon.

  “Does she now?” Fallon asked, his interest piqued by such a notion. “Well, I’ve often heard that dragons are very wise. It might be best if you take her advice. Besides, who knows how long it will be before we’re able to kiss one another again.”

  “So, just so I know exactly where you stand on the matter, you think I should follow through with her suggestion?”

  Fallon smiled. “Most certainly.”

  As we reached the door to my room, I looked to the right and left of me down the hallway to make sure we were alone. I tightened my grip on Fallon’s arm, opened the door to my room, and dragged him inside.

  “Am I about to be taken advantage of?” Fallon asked eagerly.

  “Only for a kiss,” I informed him as Aurora flitted off my shoulder to lay on top of the bed in the room. “For anything else to happen, I’m afraid we’ll have to be married first.”

  Fallon pulled me up against him and wrapped his arms around my waist to keep me put.

  “You certainly seem to be proposing to me a lot,” Fallon teased. “I suppose I’ll have to succumb to your begging one of these days.”

  “I was not begging,” I replied, playfully slapping him on the side of his arm for his banter. “Now, do you want to kiss me or not, Marshal Fallon?”

  “I most certainly do, my queen.”

  As Fallon pressed his lips against mine, all thoughts of the war emptied from my mind. His kiss wasn’t only physically blissful but also mentally soothing. I wanted nothing more than to curl up next to him and forget the outside world existed, even if it was only for a short time. It was only when he pulled away from me that the real world ebbed back into my consciousness, reminding me that we both had work to do before we could fully enjoy each other’s company.

  Fallon simply stood before me without moving or saying a word. He stared into my eyes as if he were taking a mental picture of me.

  “The next time you return home, we will have won this war,” he said to me with conviction. “And after that, if you still want me, I’ll marry you.”

  “Of course I’ll still want you,” I said, wondering why he placed such a condition on his statement.

  Fallon smiled weakly before saying, “I hope so.”

  He leaned towards me and kissed me on the cheek.

  “You should get dressed. The sooner you and Dracen get to Ledmarrow, the sooner we can set our plans into motion.”

  Fallon left my room. I found myself staring at the door, even after he left, wondering why he seemed so uncertain that my feelings for him would change.

  “I believe he still worries that more of your memories as Kira might resurface,” Aurora told me.

  I turned my gaze to find Aurora lying curled up on my bed.

  “Even if they do, my feelings for Fallon won’t change,” I assured her.

  “You and I know that, but your relationship with him is still new. I believe Fallon’s fears stem from not knowing whether or not you will begin to remember your marriage to Gabriel.”

  “Even if I do, it won’t change anything.”

  “Only time will prove that to him, Sarah. Now, why don’t you get dressed so we can finally get the business of this war over with? After that, we can handle the intricacies of your love life.”

  Aurora was right. We had more pressing matters to deal with right now. As I disrobed to put my riding suit back on, I began thinking about Lanai. I worried she might not want to retake her place within Fae society. Even if she did, would the Fae want her back as their leader? Our plan to take control of the Fae capital didn’t exactly hinge on Lanai’s cooperation, but it could act as a cornerstone to a lasting alliance between them and us.

  All I could do was hope and pray that things would work out as they should in the end.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Once I was dressed, I walked out of my room only to find Fallon with his back leaned up against the wall directly across from my door, waiting for me.

  “I get a personal escort back as well?” I asked, secretly pleased he had remained close while I was getting dressed. “I must be special to receive such treatment.”

  “I take my duties as Queen’s Marshal very seriously,” Fallon said. He held his facial features in a mask of sternness to prove just how sincere he was about his responsibilities.

  “Well, I appreciate the devotion you show to your position, Marshal Fallon,” I replied just as seriously.

  I didn’t smile until I saw Fallon crack one first.

  “Come on.” He held out a bent arm for me to take. “Let’s go find Dracen and the others so you can begin the first part of your mission.”

  When we walked back into the war room, I was caught unawares to find Inara present. She was having a heated discussion with her father about something and holding the Mantle of Vankara over one of her arms. If Fallon hadn’t been leading me into the room, I’m sure I would have stopped dead in my tracks at the first sight of her.

  “Do you think she’s telling her father the truth about you, Sarah?” Aurora asked worriedly, feeling the same trepidation as me, considering Inara’s livid facial expressions and the urgent manner in which she was speaking to Thaddeus.

  “I can’t say for sure. Can you sense anything about her emotional state?”

  “Not exactly,” Aurora said, sounding disappointed in herself. “Her feelings seem to be all over the place. All I do know is that she’s upset about something, but you can see that for yourself without my help.”

  “Can you tell if she’s still mad at me?”

  “She’s definitely mad about something, but I’m sorry, Sarah, I can’t tell who or what it is she’s mad at.”

  When Inara noticed that I had walked into the room, she excused herself from her father and began walking towards me. I let go of Fallon’s arm and came to a standstill as I anxiously watched her approach.

  “I thought you would need this,” Inara said, as she handed me the cloak. “There’s no telling what kind of dangers you might encounter over in Fae country. You’re going to need all of the protection you can get.”

  “Thank you,” I told her, accepting the mantle.

  Inara seemed to be having trouble meeting my gaze. I’m not sure if she feared what she would see in the depths of my eyes or if she simply couldn’t bring herself to look at me. I was, in fact, a stranger to her encased in the ghostly visage of her best friend. I couldn’t blame Inara for such a natural reaction, but the fact that she had brought me the cloak seemed to indicate that she cared about me at least a little bit.

  “I agree,” Aurora said to me. “It’s a very good sign, Sarah.”

  “I hope you’re successful over there,” Inara said, her gaze meeting mine briefly. “I would go with yo
u, but my father seems to think I would be of more use here during the main battle.”

  “Our troops will need strong leaders,” I told her. “And you’re one of the strongest people I know, Inara.”

  “But you don’t really know me,” she replied in a low voice, finally looking me in the eyes. I watched as her gaze searched my face for something intangible. I wasn’t sure if she was trying to see me for the person I was or searching for any sign that her best friend was still somehow present inside me.

  “I know you,” I told her with conviction, lifting my head up a notch. “And in time, I hope you allow yourself to get to know me better.”

  Inara simply stared at me for a few seconds before nodding her head.

  I sighed in relief. All wasn’t lost with her. It appeared that she was willing to give me a chance to get to know her and vice versa.

  “I think we’re all ready to go to Ledmarrow,” I heard Dracen say as he, Thomas, and Nicole joined us. “Are you ready, Your Majesty?”

  “Yes,” I said with a firm nod of my head, making me look more confident than how I actually felt. “Let’s go.”

  “The war will be won by the time you get back,” Fallon assured me. “Good luck in your part of it.”

  I looked around us but saw no sign of Gabriel being present.

  “Where’s Gabriel?” I asked.

  “He said he had to get something,” Dracen replied, looking uncomfortable as he said it. “He didn’t say what though.”

  We stood around in mutual silence for at least a minute before Gabriel came rushing back into the room, slightly out of breath. He was adjusting the strap of a leather satchel that crossed over his torso while the bag itself rested against one hip.

  “Sorry for the delay,” he said as he joined us. “I had to grab a couple of things.”

  “Well, now that we’re all together, perhaps we should get going,” Dracen suggested. He held out his hands to both Nicole and Thomas, leaving me to be the one who transported Gabriel.

  “So, how many people can we teleport with us?” I asked Dracen.

  “We’re both limited to two souls each,” he replied.

  “Good to know.”

  I held out my left hand to Gabriel, who accepted it rather hesitantly. I felt no emotions stir within my breast as the two of us stood there together. When I looked over at Fallon, I noticed he was staring at mine and Gabriel’s conjoined hands. Fallon lifted his gaze to look me in the eyes, and I winked at him, hoping to reassure the man I had given my heart to that the physical contact between Gabriel and me wasn’t unearthing any long buried feelings of love between us, at least not on my part.

  “Now,” Dracen said to me, “simply think of Trill and you will be transported to his chamber.”

  It sounded easy enough, but I couldn’t prevent myself from envisioning the exploding apple when Dracen first began tutoring me on how to control my magical abilities.

  “Well, please don’t explode us, Sarah!” Aurora said in alarm.

  I took in a deep breath.

  “I’ll try not to,” I told her. It was the only assurance I could give.

  “Don’t worry,” Dracen said to me, obviously having heard my trepidation. “My magic is very reliable. The locket I made you will work, Your Majesty.”

  Of course. How could I be so stupid? I wouldn’t have to call upon my own magic for the teleportation spell to work. All I had to do was rely on Dracen’s magic within the locket itself.

  I thought about Trill and instantly found all of us standing within his chamber in Ledmarrow.

  Trill’s petrified body brought the otherwise empty chamber inside the mountain a warm golden glow. I was pleased to find his ghostly form already manifested within the room.

  “Well, what an unexpected pleasure,” Trill said to Aurora and me. “I did not expect to have so many visitors today. It’s quite the treat.”

  I heard Thomas take in a sharp, surprised breath from where he stood.

  “Who is that?” he asked in awe as he stared up at Trill’s misty white form.

  Nicole looked towards the spot Thomas was staring at, but it was obvious by the confused look on her face that she couldn’t see or hear Trill at all.

  “Am I missing something?” she asked, looking confused. “Who is who, Thomas?”

  “Him!” Thomas said, pointing excitedly at Trill. “Can’t you see the big dragon standing over there?”

  I did remember Trill telling me that children were more likely to see him than adults. Since Thomas was able to see him, it was obvious the young man had an open and accepting mind.

  “We can’t see him, Thomas,” Dracen began to explain. “Only you, the queen, and her dragon companion can see Trill’s ghost.”

  “Ghost? Why is the queen able to see a dragon’s ghost?” Nicole asked, looking perplexed by my ability to see Trill.

  “Most adults are too closed-minded to see apparitions of the dead,” Dracen told her. “Our queen is more willing to accept new ideas than most.”

  “I guess that’s a good thing,” Nicole replied, not sounding completely sure my open-mindedness was indeed an asset.

  “But how is Thomas able to hear Trill without being bonded to a dragon?” I asked Dracen.

  “Trill is more of a spirit now than he is a dragon,” Dracen explained.

  “Are you one of the dragons helping us in the war?” Thomas asked Trill.

  “Unfortunately, I’m unable to undertake such an exciting endeavor,” Trill told him. He looked as disappointed by his limitations as he sounded. “As it is, my condition is very restrictive and forces me to stay within this chamber.”

  “How come?” Thomas asked.

  “It is my final resting place, young Thomas.”

  “Well, what if we moved your body?” Thomas asked. “Could you leave then?”

  “I’m afraid not. My soul is tethered to this place, and I’m unable to leave the mountain while it still stands.”

  “That’s really sad,” Thomas said, exuding the innocence only a child can possess.

  “It’s not an ideal situation,” Trill agreed. “But it is one I have made peace with.”

  “So where are the dragons that I can see?” Nicole asked, gently slapping the black leather satchel hanging from her left shoulder. “We need to get these instructions to them as quickly as possible so they can fly out to meet the fleets.”

  “Of course,” Dracen said, heading towards the door of Trill’s chamber. “If you’ll follow me outside, I can call to one of the dragons to help us get down to where the others are staying.”

  “I should go down there too,” I told Trill. “But I’ll come back before we leave Ledmarrow.”

  “I look forward to speaking with you then,” Trill said kindly before disappearing from my sight.

  We all followed Dracen up to the exit at the top of the mountain. Once there, I heard him call out to Gregoire, the leader of the dragons. Within a matter of seconds, Gregoire, Seneca, and Vincent swooped down from the sky to land in front of us.

  “Woah,” I heard Thomas say beside me as he gazed up in awe at the sight of the three dragons before us.

  “Why have you brought one of your younglings here?” Gregoire asked, as he regarded Thomas as if he were a curiosity.

  “He has the potential to become a great sorcerer,” Dracen said aloud for the benefit of those around us who weren’t mentally connected to the dragons. “Thomas here is going to help us with our mission on the Fae side of the island. Right now, we need three of your fastest fliers to take messages to the Kamoran, Chromis, and Vankaran fleets that are still at sea. They need to know where they can make safe harbor and meet up with the people leading the assaults on Iron City and the Fae capital.”

  “I’m glad to hear that your people agreed with my plan to take the Fae capital first,” Seneca said.

  “It’s a sound course of action,” I told him. “And if we’re able to convince the previous queen of the Fae to retake the throne, I think
it will help them in the long run. The last time I was over there, it seemed as if Nuala’s method of ruling was primarily through fear. My hope is that the Fae are tired of living that way and will take this opportunity we’re about to give them to improve their lives.”

  “I think it will all depend on whether or not Nuala’s reign has worn them down to the point where they fear her more than they want freedom from her tyranny,” Vincent told me. “Prolonged fear of something or someone has the ability to incapacitate a person before they even realize what’s happened to them, and fear is one of the hardest emotions to conquer once it’s been instilled.”

  “Sarah,” Gregoire said to draw my attention back to him, “who are these other people?”

  “Gregoire,” I turned my head to look at Nicole, who was standing to the right of me, “this is Nicole Jardine. She is commander of our special operation forces.” I looked to my left where Gabriel was standing. “This is a good friend of mine. His name is Gabriel, and he’s one of my trusted advisors where political matters are concerned.”

  I noticed Vincent narrow his eyes on Gabriel with added interest after learning his identity. He didn’t say anything to me about Gabriel’s presence in front of the others, but I was sure he could feel my unease.

  “If you could take us down to meet with the other dragons,” I said, “we can discuss our plans in more detail with everyone all at once.”

  All three of the dragons lay down on the snow-covered mountain to allow us an opportunity to climb on their backs. I decided to take Thomas with me on Vincent’s back. Since my leather saddle was still mounted on him, I knew I could keep him safely in my arms during the flight down into the valley. Dracen and Nicole mounted Gregoire’s back together, which left Gabriel to ride on Seneca by himself.

  Thomas’ youthful enthusiasm proved to be contagious as Vincent soared through the sky with us.

  “This is awesome!” Thomas yelled at the top of his lungs, holding his arms up in the air as if he didn’t have a worry in the world. “Woohoo!”

  I, on the other hand, did worry and wrapped my arms around his waist to make sure he stayed firmly in the saddle.

  “Oh, Sarah,” Aurora admonished, “let him have some fun. He won’t fall off that easily.”