Her gaze flicked over to him. “I understand. I suppose I could make an exception. It isn’t often we see a cinderwolf these days. I think that it is worth some rule bending if it keeps him happy.”
Maya opened the door and held it open, scowling as Liam passed her. I assumed she was one of the people who wasn’t so happy about Liam’s appearance, which wasn’t that surprising. She had every right to be distrustful of him. It would be like if some human came to the Temple and started talking about bringing us back to the mainland and how he sympathized with us. I wouldn’t have believed him, and I would have gone out of my way to make it known.
Inside was a small lobby space with three mismatched couches. One of them was occupied by two men who were laughing about something. Maya swept past us and cleared her throat. “King Liam and his friends are here.”
The two turned toward us and one waved for us to sit down. “Welcome, welcome. My name is Jahk, and this is Nathan. Welcome to Virne. I’ve heard some interesting things about you, Your Majesty. Along with your friends.” His gaze landed on me. “Casey Kelley, I presume.”
I nodded. “How did you know?”
“How could we not?” Nathan asked. “For months all we heard about was you. Even here we get news. You and a cinderwolf defeating a necromancer, a problem long thought to be extinct. Have you started some new quest?”
“As a matter of fact, I have, and I could really use your help with it.”
Chapter 17
“A MONASTERY?” Nathan asked. I nodded in response, and he turned to Zera. “There’s one not far from here, right?”
“Yeah, but we’ve checked it out. They’ve been here since before we have, and we still have no idea what they’re worshipping. I would say it’s a god, but as far as we can tell it’s died off. Their songs are of mourning and sadness, loss, not the way religion is normally done. They’re strange. There used to be some other religious humans up in the mountains. They came here to distance themselves from the earthly world or something. They didn’t eat meat, and they were the gentlest people we’d ever seen. They never even raised their voices at one another. These ones are different. They practice battle, though not with guns like we do. They practice with swords and hand to hand. They not only eat meat, but it’s a large part of their diet. Some of the scouts come back saying they ate it raw, but I highly doubt it. Whatever it is they do in their little weird temple, I’d stay out of it if I were you,” Zera warned.
“I would if I could, but our friend Wulf had a vision. Whatever it meant, there’s something that we need from them.”
“We’ll get you a map. Perhaps Liam could stay while you went and we could discuss future arrangements,” Jahk suggested.
“I think that sounds like a good idea. It will allow them to talk to the monks, and we can start figuring out what our next step should be,” Liam agreed.
Jahk nodded and the tight curls that sprang out from his head bobbed up and down with the movement. “Good. However, I would like you to wait until tomorrow. We are having a festival in your family’s honor today. Later, of course. It will be this afternoon and will probably carry on through the night.”
Liam smiled. “I would love to be here for that. Kyle told us a little about it.”
“Wonderful. Unfortunately, we don’t have anywhere truly fit for a king to sleep, but there is an empty house for guests,” Zera said apologetically.
“Don’t worry, you don’t need to pamper me. I’m sure it’s lovely.” Liam stood from the couch, and Zera gave him a warm smile.
“Kyle can show you all the way. Some of you will have to share beds, though,” Zera said as she led us to the door, her white dress sweeping along the ground as she went.
“Not a problem, we’ve all done it before.”
Zera held the door open for us. Kyle was sitting against the wall whistling quietly. His head jerked toward the door when it opened, and he jumped up. “Hey, you guys! How’d it go?”
“Really well, Kyle. As much as I’d love to talk with you about what happened, we’re quite exhausted. We’ve been up all day, and it’s now—” Liam looked down at his watch. “—five in the morning.”
“Of course! Yeah, almost everyone is in bed now. In fact, we were only awake because I sent my partner back from the scouting mission when we saw you. He told everyone that there were strangers coming this way, so everyone just had to see for themselves. You guys will be staying just over this way, pretty close to the square, actually.”
Kyle led us to where we would be staying, but I stopped listening to him talk. I could feel my eyes drifting closed and tiredness finally seeping into my bones.
“Hey there, don’t fall asleep yet, we’ve got a little bit farther,” Regan said quietly as she wrapped a strong arm around my waist and pulled me against her. She held me up as we walked and eventually Kyle stopped in front of a small set of stairs created by the roots of an enormous tree.
“Here’s our stop. Get plenty of sleep. We’re going to be setting up for most of the day. You’re our guests, so if I allow you to help us out tomorrow, Zera and Maya would kill me while Nathan and Jahk videotape it. I’ll come and get you for the celebration later. Until then, make yourselves at home.” He smiled broadly and unlocked the door.
Liam was busy thanking him while Regan all but carried me through the door and to the nearest bedroom. I collapsed onto the bed and heard Regan chuckle quietly. Soon her hands were helping pull off my clothes, pulling my shirt over my head and peeling my pants off. She kissed my forehead. “Good night, my love,” she whispered softly.
It’s about time you got some sleep, Cinder commented as he found a good spot to lie down.
I hummed in agreement. The bed dipped, and I rolled over and laid my head on Regan’s chest. She draped her arm across my shoulders and her fingers trailed up and down, running across the rough scars. For a moment I felt like we were home, in our bed. Jaysun was dead and we were living a simple life in the city.
I fell asleep to that thought.
“CASE.” REGAN’S voice wormed its way through my dead sleep. I groaned and rolled away from the noise. “Case, beautiful, sweet love of my life, oh goddess of my world, please wake up,” she said loudly as she fell into bed and threw her arms around me.
I couldn’t help but laugh and try to push her away, only to feel her wrap herself tighter around me. “Cinder! Cinder help! This crazy woman is attacking me!” I yelled between fits of giggles.
Cinder took that as his cue to jump into the bed and proceeded to drool and lick us.
“Your aim is off, you dummy!” I was gasping for breath and trying to pry Regan’s arms off me.
There was a knock on the door, and we all looked up to see Cam standing in the doorway, looking off to the side. “Kyle stopped by. They’re done setting up, and the festival or whatever should be starting soon. They wanted us there when they lit some fire or something.”
“We’ll be right out,” Regan said cheerfully and then kissed my cheek before getting out of bed. “Come on, beautiful, you have to get ready.”
I watched Cam walk away before I climbed out of bed. “Yeah, yeah, get my clothes.”
Regan dug through the bag while I put on deodorant and ran a brush through my knotted hair. She threw a pair of jeans my way that “accidentally” landed on my head instead of next to me. After that a shirt sailed through the air along with socks and underwear.
“You’re in a good mood,” I commented as I pulled on my clothes, waiting to make sure she didn’t have anything else to throw my way.
“I know I’ve been a stick in the mud lately. It’s been hard. You all are kicking ass, and I just don’t feel like I’m measuring up. We’ll figure something out, we always do.” She strode across the room and took my hand in hers.
I looked up into those green eyes and just as I was about to say something, Cinder bumped against my back and practically threw me into her.
Kiss and make up so we can go. I can smell the food fro
m in here. He let out a high-pitched whine.
I rolled my eyes but kissed Regan, trying not to get too lost in her right now, and then said, “Come on, we should head downstairs before they send a search party.”
Regan entwined our fingers together and led me downstairs where everyone else was waiting, including Kyle, who was telling a story of some sort to Wulf who looked like he was about to be in tears from laughing so hard.
“Did you get any sleep?” Ston asked as we all started to walk out the door.
I nodded. “Finally. Did you?”
He shook his head. “Not much. It’ll come.” It didn’t even sound like he believed it.
When we stepped outside, the elves fell silent. None of them wore black, something I found surprising for what was usually one thing every funeral had in common.
Zera, Maya, Jahk, and Nathan were standing in a clearing where they had set up a large bonfire. In Zera’s hand there was a torch, which she handed off to Liam. “They were your parents. It only makes sense that you should send them off.”
His lips were in a tight line, and he just nodded and took the torch from her hand. He held it for a moment, and I pretended not to notice how his hand shook. We all stood there, watching him, waiting for him to do something.
Finally Maya said, surprisingly gently, “Liam, you have to let go. They have passed now. You cannot hold them here any longer.”
He closed his eyes, and the torch fell from his hands into the bonfire, which burst into flames. I saw his lips move, forming the word good-bye, but I couldn’t hear him over the eruption of music at the same moment.
The people around us exploded into cheers and applause, which Zera quickly silenced. She raised a hand, a sheer piece of fabric attached to her dress seeming to dance in the breeze. “Today we honor the lives of our king and queen with food, dance, song, and merriment. Mourning only holds those who have passed here on this earth. So we will send them off in style, with one of the biggest celebrations of life many of us have ever seen, with their son.” She looked to the sky and continued. “Please go freely, knowing we shall care for your boy as we would care for our own child, and know that he will make a difference in this world.”
There was a moment of silence where everyone looked to the sky with Zera, and then Nathan placed a hand on Zera’s shoulder. His voice tore through the silence. “Now let’s drink and dance and eat until we can’t move anymore!” He let out a throaty laugh, and the crowd joined him.
Maya waved her hand for some help. Tables were carried and lined up beside the fire while platters of foods I had never seen were placed on the first few. Most of it was fruit and strange animals that must be native to the mountains, but I noticed the small barrels of wine and beer. I remembered the ball Liam’s family had thrown and the sweet taste of elvish alcohol. I also remembered just how strong it was and decided I didn’t want to wake up with a hangover tomorrow morning after drinking a little too much of it.
I took a plate of the strange foods and sat on the grass away from the excitement, content with just watching. A chill was in the wind that bit through my clothes, especially considering that I was so far from the fire, but it didn’t bother me. Cam was laughing with some kids, making funny faces and showing them magic. I supposed working with mages in their past helped them see us differently. Not even the adults blinked an eye; in fact, they seemed just as amazed as the children.
Ston and Liam were on opposite sides and facing away from each other, with Liam occasionally casting a wistful glance over his shoulder. Cinder had three children on his back while he trotted around happily. Wulf was drinking and flirting with a man off to the side who was waving his hands excitedly as he spoke.
Having fun? I asked Cinder as he practically pranced around.
This reminds me of home. I miss those kids.
You’ll see them again soon. Even as I told him, I felt doubt quiver in my gut. Thankfully, Regan didn’t let me dwell on it long.
A hand with long fingers was held out in front of me, attached to a beautiful woman with gorgeous eyes. “Care to dance?” Regan asked, a smile turning up the corners of her lips.
“I don’t know. We both know what kind of dancer I am.”
“May as well have three left feet.” Regan’s grin broadened. “It’s one of my favorite things about you. It’s adorable really. So, make me the luckiest woman here tonight and dance with me.”
It amazed me how Regan could make me feel like I was the only person in her world. “Fine, fine, one dance.” I laughed as I took her hand.
She helped me up and led me toward where most of the dancing was happening, a safe distance away from the fire. The music came from all around us, being played from strange instruments and in melodies I could never have dreamed of. It warmed my heart and brought joy to me, and at the same time I could hear the sadness and sorrow behind it. I supposed this was what today was about.
Regan led me in some sort of upbeat dance. Every time I glanced down at my feet, she lifted my chin so our eyes met once more. She held me close to her body as we moved, ignoring the fact that my feet didn’t seem to have any idea what they were doing.
“This reminds me of that ball, the one in Haven last year.” Regan smirked and then said, “Perhaps this time I’ll get to finish what I started.”
She leaned in to kiss me, hesitating when our lips brushed against each other. And then she pulled away suddenly. Cam was standing beside her, a hand on Regan’s shoulder and a crooked grin on her face. “Hope you don’t mind if I cut in.”
Regan pressed her lips into a thin line but stepped aside for Cam. “We can continue this later tonight.”
Regan had obviously meant for the words to irritate Cam. Even so, Cam didn’t even look like she heard. Instead she just put her hands on my waist and started leading me in a new dance.
After a few moments, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. “It still feels so strange to be here with you. For so long I had to watch from the sidelines. And now I’m here, dancing with you again.”
“Which I’m sure Regan is loving,” I joked.
“She makes it so easy, ever since the day we met. How’s engaged life? Everything you dreamed of?”
“It feels normal, I guess. She’s Regan. Being with her feels simple. It’s not complicated; well, before all of this happened it wasn’t. Now she goes back and forth between being desperate for more power and feeling guilty about it. But when this is over, things will be back to how they were.” I bit my lip and nodded after I said it, trying to ignore the seed of doubt in my gut.
“I’m glad that you’re happy, Casey. You deserve to be happy.” Cam’s ice blue eyes were glued to mine, and her voice showed me how much she meant that.
“And what about you? What would make you happy?” I didn’t want the answer to be related to me. I didn’t want to be what she revolved around.
Cam cocked her head to the side as she thought. “I think traveling would make me happy. Getting to know the world and the people in it. Settling down somewhere, maybe with a nice girl, and spending my time cooking, writing, painting, and swimming. And a dog. I’d like a dog.”
“That sounds nice,” I whispered, feeling like I was betraying Regan just by thinking of a different life than the one we had planned, even if I wasn’t thinking about it with Cam. Regan and I had decided on simply settling down, nothing fancy, nothing adventurous anymore. We had decided we’d had enough adventure. Enough danger. We were going to live normal lives. But there was something enticing about the idea of travel, of living life day by day and doing what we wanted to do, whether or not it was normal.
Cam hummed in agreement. “It does. I’m not sure if it’s what I’ll want for the rest of my life, but right now that sounds pretty good.”
After a while the music seemed to transition to another song but never fully stopped. Cam stepped away and kissed my hand. “Go find Regan. I’m sure she’s been waiting with bated breath for our dance to be over.”
> I could feel my cheeks heat, but I wasn’t sure what for. “Thanks for the dance,” I said before going off to find Regan.
There was more dancing that night, and a little bit of drinking, but mostly there was laughter. There were stories and jokes and songs sung about Liam’s parents. Cam and I performed magic for the young elves, and Wulf told wild stories about his life as a pirate. Ston spent most of the night sulking and refusing to talk about it, but he had been like that for a while now. Perhaps it was the alcohol that made it particularly noticeable tonight.
It was dark out when we finally decided to get some rest. We bid everyone good night and retired to our rooms. It only took moments for me to fall fast asleep in Regan’s arms.
WE LEFT around noon the next day after Nathan insisted we stay and have lunch before leaving. Over lunch Zera handed us a map that showed us how to get to the monastery and said it would only be about two hours from here. Kyle led us to the gate, but told us he couldn’t take us to the monastery in case it started bad blood with the monks there. It made sense, of course. If something happened, it would be they who had to deal with it.
Cinder was running ahead and inspecting everything he was unfamiliar with. His thoughts were filled with excitement and wonder, which was something I missed. Ever since Regan and I started trying to have a normal life in the city, Cinder had toned himself down. Maybe we weren’t cut out for normal lives.
I was deep in thought about my possible future when I realized Cam was trying to talk to me. “What?”
She smirked slightly and shook her head. “I asked how far away we are.”
“Oh.” I looked back to the map and frowned as I tried to place us. “We should be there any minute.”
“How do you want to do this? Through the front door or try and find another way in where they might not notice us?” Regan asked as she looked over my shoulder at the map.
“You’re asking if I want to break into a place of worship?” I glanced at her, wondering briefly if she were insane.
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