“Go Talus, hurry please!” she panted breathlessly. Talus hesitated. “I can help her, but we have to hurry!”
Talus leapt up again and soared back across the river. He didn’t understand how Mali could possibly help Salene, but he would not deny her the opportunity to try. The moment his feet touched the ground Mali was already scrambling to get off of his back. He extended a wing for her just in time to stop her from leaping to the ground and injuring herself. The moment she was clear, he shifted back and ran to rejoin the group around Salene. Mali was already on her knees directly above Salene’s head, just as she’d done in the silo, her small hands laid gently on either side of her face, tears running down her cheeks.
“Kapia?” Talus asked, his voice hoarse with fear when Kapia’s eyes opened and she looked at him sadly.
“Wolef is right. Her neck is broken and I don’t have the power to heal her fast enough.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry. Her life force is slipping away and I can’t stop it.”
“I can,” Mali said. Wolef’s head jerked up. He studied the child for a long moment, then turned his penetrating gaze on Talus.
“You must help her, Talus Gryphon,” he said. “And you must hurry.”
“Help how?”
“This child holds Salene’s life force within her and is attempting to share it, but she has almost no power of her own. Her body is too small and weak to survive what she’s attempting without aid. This can work, but only if you help her. Otherwise, they will both be lost.”
“We cannot feed our energy into Mali,” Talus said. “It will kill her.”
“Then feed it into Salene.”
“How will that help?” Talus asked.
“Does it matter?” Wolef demanded impatiently. “Do it now, or lose them both.”
“It’s better than doing nothing, Talus,” Kapia said.
Talus nodded. She was right. They had to do something. He gestured to Kar and Jon, and the three of them quickly combined their power. Then, with a silent, heartfelt prayer to the Creators, he directed it into Salene.
Salene was drifting in warm, velvety darkness. She didn’t know where she was or what she was drifting toward, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. She was relaxed and comfortable and had no cares.
“Where are you?”
Salene frowned. “Who is that?” she wondered. The answer didn’t come, so she let it go.
“Mom! Help me!”
“Mali?” she asked, the call for help instantly cutting through the fog that surrounded her mind.
“I can’t find you,” Mali called again, tears in her voice. “Please answer me, Mom.”
“Mali, where are you?”
“I’m here, I’m here!”
Salene turned her attention toward the voice and a moment later she saw Mali, or something that looked like Mali. She was nearly transparent, glowing white, and blurred around the edges, but her eyes, those big gray eyes that had caught Salene’s heart and held it the first time she’d looked into them, were exactly the same. She hurried forward, uncertain how she was even doing it but since it was working she didn’t really think about it much.
“What’s going on, Mali? Where are we?”
“You’re dying,” Mali said, thin ghostly tears running down her face.
“I’m dying?” she asked, shocked.
“Yes, and you have to help me.”
“I’ll do anything I can for you, honey,” Salene replied, pushing her own feelings aside. “What do you need?”
“I’m giving you my life force, like you did for me, but it’s not enough. You have to help me so I can give you more before it’s too late.”
“I can’t take all of your life force Mali,” Salene said, reaching out to wipe the tears from Mali’s face.
“Why not?”
“Because it would kill you, and I want you to live.”
“It won’t hurt me if you help,” Mali said.
“How do you know, honey?”
Mali shook her head helplessly. “I just know.” Salene hesitated. “Please don’t die,” Mali begged, more tears pouring from her eyes. “Please stay and be my Mom. I promise I’ll always be good and never cause trouble or get in the way or ask you for anything else if you please please stay with me.”
Tears flowed down Salene’s cheeks as she wrapped her ghostly arms around Mali and held her close. She didn’t know how to do as Mali asked. She wondered for a moment if she could use the dragon power, but her entire being shrank away from that idea. As she was trying to understand why that was, she felt power flowing into her. She frowned, wondering where it had come from. The moment she asked herself that question, she knew the answer. She reached for the power, confirming her guess when she felt the essence of her men around her and within her. She didn’t know what to do with it, but they wouldn’t be giving it to her without a reason. That meant there was at least a little hope.
Salene latched on to that hope with all of her will. She wanted to live, dammit! She wanted to soul-link with her men, and she wanted to have a long and happy life with them. She wanted to have babies with them, and she wanted to be a mother to Mali and Tab. She wanted to show them all of the wonders and possibilities that life had to offer. She wanted to watch them grow up and lead happy and productive lives. She wanted to hear Mali laugh. There were so many things she wanted out of life, and she wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
Then she looked down into Mali’s eyes, and smiled. As much as she wanted to live, it was far more important to her that Mali live.
“Tell me what’s happening, honey.”
Mali’s eyes lit with hope. “There’s a lady here trying to heal you, but the dragon said your life force was leaving too fast.”
She wasn’t surprised that Wolef was there, but she spent a moment wondering where a healer had come from before letting that go so she could consider what Mali had said. She had an idea that she hoped very much was right. “You don’t need to give me any more of your life force, Mali. Just help me hold on to mine.”
“Then you’ll live?”
Salene hesitated. She didn’t want to frighten Mali more than she already was, but she couldn’t lie to her either. “I’ve never tried to do anything like this before but I think so, yes. But if it doesn’t work, I want you to know that I love you with all of my heart, and I always will, whether I’m here with you on the plane of the living, or not.”
“You love me?” Mali asked in a small, quavering voice.
“So much, honey, so very, very much,” she said, reaching out to cup Mali’s pale, transparent face in her hand. She hid the sudden fear that filled her when she saw that her own flesh appeared more solid than Mali’s. Using her borrowed power, she reached out, shocked at how weak Mali really was. In her fear and panic, Mali had pushed nearly all of her life force into Salene, leaving herself very close to death.
“Hold my hands,” she said. Mali reached out and they clasped hands. Salene forced herself to remain calm. Nothing had changed. Mali was her daughter, and she came first. She began to slowly feed the power her Gryphons had given her into Mali. After a few moments she felt the energy coming back to her, and she frowned. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t know,” Mali said. “But we both look more real now.”
Salene looked down, surprised to find that Mali was right. They were both gaining color.
They were connected now, she realized. Far more connected than she’d imagined possible. With that knowledge came the realization that her plan to sacrifice all of her borrowed power to save her daughter wouldn’t work. Either they both lived, or they both died.
“What’s wrong?” Mali asked, staring up at her with wide eyes.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Salene said soothingly. “We both have to focus now, okay? Imagine both of us getting stronger and stronger so that we both look real. Can you do that?”
“Yes,” Mali said, nodding.
“That’s my girl,” Salene said. Then she fo
cused harder herself, determined to keep both of them on the plane of the living. After some time passed, she looked down, relieved to see that they appeared to be almost completely solid. She was strong enough now to feel that someone was healing her. She felt the energy, though she didn’t recognize it. A moment later she felt her Gryphons surround both of them with their own power. She smiled with relief. The worst of the danger had passed.
“How do you feel, honey?”
“Much better,” Mali replied. “Do you feel better too?”
“Yes, I do. We’re going to be all right now. All we need to do is relax and be patient.”
“I feel Talus, Jon, and Kar,” Mali said in surprise. “They’re holding us. Both of us.”
“That’s because they love us,” Salene said. “They couldn’t do it otherwise.”
“They love me?”
“Of course they love you,” Salene said gently. “We all love you, and Tab, too.”
“I don’t understand,” Mali said. “Why do you love us, but no one except Grandfather did before? Why do you want us when no one else did before?”
“I don’t know, honey,” Salene said. “Maybe they were scared that they wouldn’t be able to feed two more children, or find clothes for them, or take care of them. Life wasn’t easy for anyone in the silos, Mali. Not for the adults or the children. From what I saw of the settlement, it wasn’t easy outside of the silo either.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Mali agreed. “Everyone was always scared about finding food, and clothes, and how to stay warm in winter and not get caught. Do you really think that’s why?”
“Yes, I do,” Salene said. “There’s not a single thing wrong with you, Mali. Or Tab either. You’re wonderful, beautiful children and we love you very much.” Salene smiled and held up their clasped hands. “Look, we’re both solid now. You saved my life.”
“You won’t die?”
“No honey, thanks to you I won’t die.”
Mali released her hands and flung herself into Salene’s arms. “I love you, Mali,” Salene said, holding her tightly.
“I love you too, Mom.”
Chapter 17
Salene opened her eyes slowly, surprised to see a med-scanner on the ceiling above her. She frowned as she tried to make sense of that, but could not find a memory to tell her why she was lying on a bed in a med unit, how long she’d been there, or even where the med unit was. She heard steps and shifted her eyes to see an unfamiliar woman stop beside the bed and look down at her.
“How are you feeling, Highness?”
“Confused,” Salene replied. The woman nodded.
“That’s to be expected. Just relax and try not to move for a moment while the scanner makes a pass.”
“Sure,” Salene said. “Would you mind telling me where I am and why I’m here?”
“You’re onboard the Aegl, and we’ve just removed you from a healing tank,” the woman said from just out of Salene’s range of vision. “You were seriously injured during a battle.”
Salene watched the scanner descend from the ceiling to just above her body, then move down to her feet before sliding slowly along the length of her body to the top of her head. She closed her eyes, letting the memories come without trying to force them. She heard the scanner rising back to the ceiling and opened her eyes again.
“Where’s my family?”
“Out in the waiting room,” the woman replied absently. Salene relaxed a little at that. Then the woman was looking down at her again. “Everything looks great, Highness. You can get up and take a shower now if you like.”
Salene sat up slowly, but felt no pain or weakness. “Would you mind telling me why I was in a healing tank?”
The woman looked at her in mild surprise, then blushed. “I apologize, Highness. I should have already informed you of that. You had a broken neck, a cracked skull, and a serious concussion.”
Salene’s eyes widened in surprise as the information released another set of memories. “I’d like to see my family now.”
“Of course, right after you take your shower.”
“I’d like to see my family now,” she repeated, meeting and holding the woman’s gaze.
“Of course, Highness,” the woman said, dropping her eyes. “I’ll just go get them.”
“Thank you.” Salene watched the med tech leave, then swung her legs slowly over the edge of the bed. Her skin felt tight and uncomfortable, her hair was stiff, and her scalp itchy. But before she did anything else she had to see her loved ones. Especially Mali now that she remembered how close her daughter had come to dying while trying to help her. She had to see her and touch her to convince herself that she was all right.
The door opened and she looked up as her family filed into the room. Her eyes went from face to face, relieved to find they were all there, and appeared to be well. Talus was carrying a smiling, bright eyed Mali who was dressed in a pink sweater, blue jeans, and pink sneakers with a pink ribbon in her hair. Jon held an equally happy Tab, and Jinjie sat on Kar’s shoulder while Tonka stood beside them, his green eyes focused intently on her.
“It’s good to see you up and awake,” Talus said as he stepped forward to hug her with one arm while Mali hugged her other side. Salene hugged them back, then released them to hug Jon and Tab, then Kar. Tonka approached the bed last, but he was so tall that she was able to hug him, too. Then Jinjie hopped onto her shoulder.
“Me do be glad to see you well,” he said. “Do being worried.”
“There’s no need to worry now, Jinjie. I’m perfectly fine. Thank you for watching over the children.”
“No do be need to thank,” Jinjie said, then grinned. “Children do be my family, too.”
“Yes, they certainly are,” Salene said, still smiling as she looked from face to face, feeling the love and concern from all of them. She couldn’t help but compare it to the loneliness she’d felt not so long ago. “It’s so good to see all of you,” she said. “Is everyone all right?”
“We’re all fine, Zerura,” Talus said. “The only one who got hurt was you. Well, Mali made herself quite weak, but a couple of days of rest put her to rights.”
“Ata, why do you call Mom Zerura?” Mali asked, surprising Salene.
“Did you know, Daughter, that Salene means heaven?”
“No, I didn’t know that,” Mali said, shaking her head. She looked at Salene for a moment, then smiled. “That’s a good name for her because she’s pretty like an angel, and nice like one too.”
“I agree,” Talus said solemnly, though his eyes shone. “In the ancient language of Clan Jasani, zerura also means heaven.”
“Oh, I get it now,” Mali said. “How are you feeling Mom? Are you all better now?”
“I feel great, and yes, I’m all better now, thanks mostly to you,” Salene said. “You look wonderful, honey. What’ve you been up to?”
“All sorts of things,” Mali replied, her eyes bright and shining. “Do you know that Aunt Nica has wings like a butterfly? I didn’t know what a butterfly was until Popi showed me a picture but I like them. Dede says there’re lots of butterflies on Jasan and that there’re lots and lots on the ranch, and will you teach me and Tab how to ride a horse? Ata showed us pictures of horses and told us all about them and he said you ride really good and would teach us if we wanted to learn and we really do. Tab wants to wear one of those funny hats and pointy shoes, but I don’t. I want to ride on a horse, but in regular clothes. Can I do that?”
Salene laughed out loud, her joy simply too big to be contained. She held her arms out and Talus and Jon put the children in her lap so she could hold them, but stayed close just in case. She hugged them tightly to her and kissed them both. “I love you two so much,” she said. “Do you know that?”
“Yes, Mom, we know,” Mali said as both of them smiled up at her. “We love you, too.” She paused to look at Tab, then looked back at Salene. “Tab wants to know why you’re all sticky.”
“Because I was in a healin
g tank and I didn’t want to wait until after I took a shower to see all of you,” she said. “But now that I know you’re all okay, I can go take my shower.”
“We were scared for you,” Mali said, her smile fading.
“I know you were, honey,” Salene said. “I’m sorry about that, but there’s no need to be scared any more. I’m fine now.” She gave the children one last kiss, then looked up at Talus and Jon who immediately lifted them off of her lap.
“Come, Mali, Tab,” Tonka said. “Let’s go look at more of those vids and give your parents some time alone.”
“Okay, Tonka,” Mali said easily. “Will you be able to have lunch with us Mom? We like to go to the cafeteria. They have so many things to eat and we get to try anything we want as long as we eat most of it. It’s a lot of fun.”
“Yes honey, I certainly will,” Salene replied. Tab clapped his hands together, then Jon set him on his feet and he hurried over to Tonka’s side where Mali joined him a moment later. They waved just before they left with Jinjie on Mali’s shoulder.
“Ata, Popi and Dede huh?” she asked once the door closed behind them.
“It was a surprise that Mali spoiled a bit, but we didn’t have the heart to try and stop her,” Talus said.
“Well, since part of it is out, you want to tell me the rest?”
“We had a long talk with Mali and Tab, and we all agreed that it would be a good idea to make ourselves a family officially, just to be sure no one can ever try to part us from each other,” Jon said.
“Mali and Tab decided they want to be brother and sister, and that they want us to be their fathers, and they want to be Jasani,” Talus continued. “So we contacted Uncle Olaf and he had the documents drawn up and sent them out to us. We made it official yesterday. Well, almost. You need to add your seal for everything to be complete, but I didn’t think that would be an issue.”
“I’ll do it right now,” Salene said, clasping her hands together tightly as she blinked back tears.
“I think it can wait until you’ve had a shower, love,” Jon said, smiling.
“Thank you so much for this,” she said. “I don’t have words to tell you how happy I am.”
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