by Nichelle Rae
Azrel chuckled, “Well I’ve always known that.” We both laughed gently.
I put her down at the stream. As she began to undress, I turned my back. “I think these clothes are beyond repair,” she said, and we both laughed. “They’ll make excellent fire fuel tonight though.”
I shook my head and then heard her step into the water. I gave it a few more moments so she could submerge herself before I turned around. I sat myself on the bank and smiled at her. “So you met the Gleo’gwyns, huh?”
She nodded. “They saved our butts.”
I grinned a little evilly. “What did you think of Yarin?”
She paused in her movements and I distinctly saw her face turn red as she looked at me, stunned. “Um…”
I started laughing. I knew very well the spells the leader of the Gleo’gwyns looks cast on women. I’d spent some time with them after they found me on the Ambuel River when Azrel fell in. We came across many women, all of whom absolutely tripped over themselves to get close to the man.
Azrel, realizing I was teasing her, splashed some water at me and glared playfully. “You’re a jerk.”
“What?” I said still laughing, “I’m just asking.”
Azrel shook her head then her brows dropped curiously. “What is with him? How can anyone be so…” she got a little squeamish trying to get the words out.
“Handsome?”
“Perfect?”
We both laughed and it was my turn to splash her with water, which was pointless since she was already wet, but it made me feel better. “And I’m a jerk?”
Azrel chuckled and waded closer to me. “Come on. He may have a pretty face, but lots of people have pretty faces. No one else has your pretty eyes though.”
I smiled and felt myself blush a little. “I always thought they were freakish.”
Azrel laughed and rested her hand on my knee and her chin on her hand. “No, they’re beautiful.” She sighed as she looked into them. “I know you don’t like to talk about your past but which one of your parents did you get those eyes from?”
I shrugged. “Neither actually. My father mostly contributed to them, though. He had really pretty eyes that would put mine to shame.”
She smiled. “I doubt that.”
“His eyes were purple.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you serious?” I nodded. “Wow, here we are having known each other for sixteen years and I’m still learning new things about you.”
“Ah well, I never told you much about my past anyway. You know everything about me from when I was ten years old and up.”
“Except for the nine years we were separated.”
“All I did was look for you.” I shrugged. “I had a few encounters and small adventures here and there, but it didn’t change who I am, which you know all about.”
She looked at me curiously. “You didn’t…you weren’t alone for that entire nine years, were you?”
I looked at her a moment, studying her. I could tell from her hesitation that it wasn’t the real question she wanted to ask. “I wasn’t with any women.”
Her expression visibly relaxed, but she shrugged like it was no big deal. “Even if you had been, I wouldn’t have cared. Nine years is a long time to…”
“Azrel,” I interrupted gently and looked into her eyes, “I wasn’t with any women. I never have been. My only reason to keep on living was the hope that I would find you someday and—”
“Here you go,” Rabryn said behind me as he approached with Azrel’s bathing needs. I let the rest of my sentence go in a soft sigh as Rabryn sat next to me. “Forfirith came through, the horses are all back.”
Azrel forced a smile at him and took her vials into the water. “Did you run the whole way here?” Azrel asked, trying to be playful.
“Jogged,” Rabryn said, glowing. “But apparently a Salynn’s jog is as fast as a run.” Azrel looked at him with playful annoyance and Rabryn laughed. “Come on, Sis. I haven’t seen you in a week! I missed you. That was the longest time we’ve spent apart since the day we met.”
Azrel smiled, forgiving him for his unintentional interruption. “I know. I missed you too.”
“Hurry up and get done. You’re looking worse with every minute that passes. You need to eat and sleep.”
“Ah, sleep.” Azrel sighed as she continued washing her hair.
Rabryn leaned into me. “I’m so sorry. Did I interrupt something a moment ago?”
I smiled at him and shook my head. “Nope.”
Azrel finished bathing and all of us headed back towards the road where we’d left everyone. Azrel couldn’t even walk straight. I had to keep my arm around her waist to steady her. Her half-closed, red eyes stared at nothing as she stumbled forward. Though at least she was cleaned up now and wearing a nice clean tan tunic and grey pants that Rabryn had brought with him, she still looked like a walking corpse.
“Almost there, Azrel. Then you can sleep.”
“Sounds good to me.”
On our way back we saw a column of smoke rise above the trees. I figured the bodies of the Welptacks were being burned. We finally emerged onto the somber scene of everyone packing up. I was about to voice a complaint because Azrel and Reese desperately needed to sleep, but Acalith met my gaze. “Addredoc wants to go.”
I closed my mouth, not sure what to say. I could understand Addredoc wanting to leave so badly, but then I looked at Reese and Azrel in their sad state. I sighed and looked at Azrel. “You can ride with me. Maybe sleep against my back?”
Azrel swayed with exhaustion. “No, I’ll ride my horse.” She looked at Reese. “You ride with me and sleep on my back.” He nodded once and swayed on his feet so badly Lisswilla had to steady him. He was clean and changed though.
“Azrel you…”
She weakly held up her hand to stop me. “I’ve got an hour left in me. Addredoc needs to get out of here.”
I pressed my lips together and reluctantly conceded. “Alright. Let’s go everyone.”
I started to guide Azrel to her horse, but she paused and looked at Acalith. “I’m sorry that I don’t have the strength right now to officially name you my Deralilya, but as soon as…”
Acalith held up her hand. “It’s alright Azrel, I understand. We’ll get to it when we get to it.”
Azrel nodded, “Thanks.”
I walked with Azrel over to her horse and helped her mount him. Then I helped Reese mount behind her. I got on my horse and pulled her up alongside Forfirith in case one or both of them toppled over.
“I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, Azrel…if I’m not meeting your expectations,” Reese said, his words slurred together.
Azrel smiled and patted his hands, which were wrapped around her stomach. “I’m not disappointed. You have far exceeded my expectations, Reese. Not many people could –”
“He’s already asleep,” I said.
Azrel nodded. “Let’s get as far away as we can while we can. I have to rest Forfirith too.”
I nodded and all of us started our horses forward as we left Meddyn and Thrawyn in their final resting place.
Azrel gazed in the direction of their graves and said a long string of words in Ancient Salynnian. “Thank you for your loyalty and believing in me. Thank you most of all for the fine son you left behind to watch over me. Rest in peace, my dear Salynns. I will miss you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Addredoc
“No.” My voice came out in a soft whimper. “I can’t. I have to be able to protect Azrel.”
“Some son you are!” My mother sneered. “You’re not even angry that we’re dead, are you?”
“Did you want us to die?” my father asked.
“No,” I sobbed. “How can you say that?”
“Then why aren’t you vengeful for the wrong done to us?”
“I can’t…I can’t have such hateful, evil thoughts.” I brought my tear-filled gaze to them. “You know why. You know better than anyone.”
�
�Oh save it!” my mother cried. “You’re pathetic! You’re weak!”
“No I’m not,” I sobbed.
“Yes you are!”
“No…”
“You make me sick!”
“You’re a worthless son! Worthless, Addredoc!”
“Please,” I moaned pathetically. “Please stop saying such hateful things, Father.”
My name, spat hatefully by my father, echoed in my ears over and over again as I lay on the floor in misery. Eventually his voice faded into a louder, clearer voice calling my name, and I felt myself being shaken.
Then I heard it clear as a bell. “Addredoc!” But it wasn’t my father.
My eyes slowly opened. I felt numb and half dead. As the dream faded into reality some feeling tingled back into my body. I felt like a block of ice that was warming and melting to the solid touch of the hand on my shoulder. I realized I was sweating even though I was cold. Feeling a weakness I couldn’t explain, I turned to see who was touching my shoulder.
The sight of her concerned bright blue eyes chased away the rest of my nightmare. “Azrel,” I breathed. I saw Reese kneeling behind her, looking at me with the same concern. Everyone else lay around the camp, still asleep.
“Are you okay?” she asked her voice filled with worry.
I rolled over onto my opposite side so I could face her and nodded. “Just a dream.”
Her fingertips gently rested under my chin and she tilted my face up to hers. “Addredoc,” she whispered with her eyes glazing over. Her thumb tenderly brushed my cheek and I realized it was wet.
I flinched and pulled away from her. I sat up, frantically wiping my eyes and cheeks. I was crying! How embarrassing. Shedding tears in front of the White Warrior.
“What was your dream about?” Azrel asked.
I finished drying my face but kept my gaze on my feet. “I’m sorry I woke you,” I said, not wanting to talk about it. My voice surprised me by coming out in a raspy whisper. I attempted to clear my throat, but it was thick and dry.
“Here,” Reese said, handing me a cup of water.
“Thank you,” I replied and drank the entire thing. Azrel then gently took the cup from me. Both of them waited in the darkness for me to explain. I really didn’t want to get into it. “Did you both get enough rest? I know you were the most exhausted of us all.”
“Yes,” Azrel replied. “We’d been awake, actually, for about an hour before we heard you.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. I lay myself back down on my opposite shoulder, putting my back to her.
Azrel gently rested her hand on my arm. “Tell me what your dream was about.”
“Just a dream,” I said again, too ashamed to look at her.
“Please talk to me,” she said softly. “You’ve suffered a great loss. Both your parents at once.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Do you have to remind me?”
“Do you really want to forget?”
Her words struck me so hard and fast that I actually flinched. I wrapped my arms around myself to try to hold myself together, but I started to cry full force. Azrel came around in front of me, sat me up, and held me against her as my body jerked in rocking sobs. I cried for my mother and my father and everything they’d ever been through, only to meet such a messy, sticky, pointless end. I cried for the peril that the world faced. I cried for every extra foe we would have to deal with without my father’s sword master skills and my mother’s magic. I cried for how alone and abandoned I felt.
“I know it hurts. It’s going to be okay though,” Azrel softly whispered as she held me close and stroked my hair.
No, I wasn’t abandoned. I had Azrel and Acalith, Rabryn and Ortheldo. I would be okay. I had to be okay. My loss should only reinforce my determination to aid in this mission. Hathum was the Lord of Evil, Evil had killed my parents, and the White Warrior was going to kill Hathum.
“Addredoc,” Azrel whispered softly. She placed both her hands on my cheeks and slightly pulled away so she could look at my face. When I looked up at her, I couldn’t help the shock that went through me; she was crying too. I watched, mesmerized, as each white tear fell from her eyes and down her cheeks. The White Warrior was shedding tears for me? Strength filled my heart as I watched those beautiful white tears fall onto her lap. “Tell me what your dream was about.”
I swallowed. “It was my parents. They were angry at me. They were”—I squeezed my eyes shut to try to block out the memory of the dream—“saying hateful things, accusing me of wanting them dead because I didn’t want to avenge them. I told them hateful and vengeful thoughts were a gateway to the path of evil and that I couldn’t start down a path like that. They know that!” I looked at Azrel pleadingly. “They know that better than anyone! After all the evil done to them, it took all the strength they had to not have vengeful thoughts against Godel and to start down that dark path. They themselves taught me the importance of not having such evil thoughts as revenge and hatred! Why were they so angry at me? I don’t understand how—”
“Addredoc, ” Azrel said firmly but softly and cupped my face in her hands. I looked into her intense blue eyes and my feelings for her stirred inside like a whirlwind in my soul. It was the unavoidable penance for being the White Warrior’s protector. “Those were not your parents.” She paused and suddenly her eyes widened with terror. She slowly leaned away from me. “Hathum must have paid you a visit.”
I shook my head and wiped my face again to be sure no more tears leaked out. “He can’t.”
“He…he’s closer than I thought!”
I looked up at her, a little confused. “Azrel, it’s impossible for him to invade my mind.”
Her brows dropped in confusion, “How’s that?”
I looked back at Reese. He looked confused for a moment, then shrugged. “She didn’t know what the Deralilya was until I told her in Rocksheloc. She must not know how her team is protected either.” Then he smiled wolfishly. “I’ll let you tell her.”
I looked back at Azrel’s gorgeous face. Her clear blue eyes burned with curiosity. Suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious, I cowered away from her. I didn’t want to tell her this. I didn’t know how she would react.
“Addredoc?” Azrel asked.
I looked to Reese again for support, but he only looked at me with teasing mischief in his eyes. “Go on. Tell her, Addredoc.”
I grimaced before facing Azrel again. She was waiting. Maybe I could tell her without actually telling her. “Well, you see”—I had to look away from those penetrating eyes of hers for a moment in order to think clearly—“your protectors have a magical and extremely powerful shield around their minds. It was created by the Light Gods way back in your father’s time. The Light Gods knew the Shadow Gods had gifted Hathum with mind corruption magic. So they understood that the White Warrior’s own protectors could pose a danger to him, if those protectors were susceptible to such magic.
“So as long as certain requirements are met, this shield is absolutely impenetrable by Hathum’s magic. It’s this shield, and this shield alone, that allows us to be your protectors. The Deralilya is not only an extremely gifted and ruthless warrior and protector, but he or she also has the ability to detect ‘cracks,’ if you will, in any protector’s shield. The Deralilya will either dispatch or dismiss the protector, depending on the severity of the crack.”
Azrel looked at me with intense interest. “Well, what causes a crack?” I thanked the Light Gods she didn’t ask what the requirements were to receive the shield.
“Any evil notions that a protector acts upon,” I replied. “Things like revenge, hatred, and so on. We are allowed to think thoughts like that; we can think pretty much whatever we want without fear of causing a crack, but the moment we act upon those thoughts, there is a break in the shield, and Hathum can get in our minds.
“The only thoughts we can’t have, that do not require action, are doubts about Goodness. The moment we question whether Goodness is the path for us, or is
worthwhile—the moment we think anything negative about Goodness—the shield will crack severely, allowing Hathum in with barely any effort on his part.”
Azrel scratched her head with interest. “And what makes this shield of yours come about?”
I heard Reese snicker behind me. I pressed my lips together and looked back at him helplessly. All he did was shake his head to tell me he would not be taking this burden from me. I so wished he would—he was better with women than I was.
As I looked back at Azrel, I summoned all the courage I possibly could in order to utter one word. Even then my voice trembled. “Love.”
“Love? What do you mean love?”
I sighed softly in frustration and bowed my head. That’s it. I was done explaining. I didn’t have the guts to say more.
“What he means,” Reese said, coming to my rescue finally, “is we have to have such unconditional love for you, the Warrior of Goodness, that we have to be willing to die for the pure sake of that love.”
Azrel stayed silent for a while, her eyebrows moving up and down in increments of confusion and disbelief. “Wait, so”—her brows went up—“all of my protectors are”—brows down—“in lo…” She made a choking sound at the word, then cleared her throat. “They are in love with me?”
“You”—a new voice piped in from behind me, one that made my skin crawl—“or the White Warrior.”
I glared over my shoulder at Lisswilla, who stood behind Reese. I hadn’t even heard him get up. “Way to butt into the conversation.”
Lisswilla’s dark green eyes turned on me and slightly narrowed. “The White Warrior asked a question and I have a right to answer it.”
“Reese could have answered it just as well as you could have. If you would have given him half a second, he would have. Now run along back to your little bed roll and let the adults talk.”
“I swear Addredoc, you better stop ta…”
“Enough!” Azrel finally said. “My Light Gods! You two are like little children!”
“Or husband and wife,” Reese muttered.
“I don’t know what beef you two have accumulated in these ‘other world’ meetings of yours, but leave it there. I don’t know what goes on there, so I’d rather be spared the effects of it while you’re here, alright?” Both Lisswilla and I sighed and looked back at Azrel. She massaged her temples for a moment before looking back at us with a hand on her forehead. After a long moment of staring at each of us in turn, she put her hand down and sighed. “What about Acalith? Is she in love with me too?”