by J F Rogers
He closed his eyes and breathed deep. “Why did you take off like that? Do you know how that made me feel…to find out you’d walked into the fasgadairs’ camp…without me to protect you? What were you thinking?”
He wanted to protect me? I fought a smile…and the desire to embrace him. “Would you have gone with me?”
“No. I would have kept you from doing something so stupid.”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “So stubborn.” He pulled me closer and smoothed my hair.
I breathed in his familiar woodsy scent.
A group of men, selkie by the looks of their dark hair and eyes, entered the room.
“Thank you for helping us reclaim the kingdom,” said the man in front with trim black hair and beard speckled with gray. He called to the men behind him. “Please alert the royal court that it’s safe to return.”
With a nod, one of the men ducked out of the room.
The man in front returned his attention to us. “Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m General Seung.” He bowed. “I can’t thank you enough for aiding us in securing this kingdom. These shores.”
Another man appeared in the entryway. I didn’t know who he was, but I recognized him from our ship. One of the crew perhaps? “Na’Rycha?” He spat his name as if it were a curse.
“His name is Alastar,” I said.
“Are you going to let him live?” The man waved his arm at Alastar. “He’s the reason we’re here. He’s the reason we don’t have a home to go back to. Family.” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat and addressed General Seung. “He may have helped us win this battle. But he’s the one who brought this evil to your shores.”
“Technically, Morrigan is the cause.” Alastar crossed his arms.
“If we really want to get technical.” I waved my finger. “It was those two women who summoned her through the zpět.”
“Actually, it was whoever created the zpět,” Declan said. “What difference does it make how we got here? I’m not innocent either. None of us are.”
“Well, I didn’t lead a charge through Ariboslia and kill millions of innocents,” the crewman said.
“He’s a victim too.” I moved to the edge of my seat and braced myself. “He was taken from his family as a child during Aodan’s rule. Morrigan raised him as her child.”
Murmurs swept through the room like a cyclone, circling.
“From what I saw, this man is a hero.” General Seung bowed toward Alastar. “I’ll leave you to handle your own affairs.”
“Perhaps you might assist us?” King Aleksander and Abracham came up behind the crewman and sidestepped him.
General Seung inclined his head in a slight bow toward King Aleksander. “How might I be of service?”
“I am King Aleksander of Bandia. This is King Abracham of Diabalta.”
“You’ve never been king of Diabalta,” someone said. “Your father died, and the lands were taken by the fasgadair before you could claim the throne. Why do you claim it now?”
“Because now we have hope of reclaiming our lands. We have a way home.” Abracham looked at me. “Na’Rycha is dead.” He nodded at Alastar. “And, with the selkie and the pech on our side, we have military aid.” He turned to General Seung. “That is where I’m hoping you’ll step in.”
“I will discuss it with the royal council upon their return. But please understand, the fasgadair annihilated our royal family. We’ll need to restore the rightful ruler to the crown, then deal with turmoil within our country. Revelation of the selkie-gachen hoax has turned our system upside down,” General Seung said. “But many saw your heroism today. I will see what I can do.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
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I FOUND SULLY OUTSIDE the castle on the rocky shore, eyes closed, his face aimed toward the heavens. Gulls squawked as they flittered about from craggy nook to craggy nook.
I sat beside him.
“Well done, lass. Well done.” He patted my shoulder and smiled, keeping his face skyward.
I had so many questions. “What happened? How did Declan, Alastar, and I create that fire? Or was it God? But why did it disappear when we weren’t connected?”
“You don’t yet understand? You haven’t figured out by now why we needed to separate you three all those years ago?”
“No.”
Sully sighed, pressed both hands on the ground, and shifted his aged form to me, his gray eyes staring as if he could see. “You have your mother’s ability to start fires. Declan can control fire. And Alastar can protect you from its sting. And even when you were too weak to start a fire on your own, the moment you three connected, fire erupted. That is why you couldn’t be together as small children. You are stronger together, able to use your abilities without awareness of what you’re doing. Had you been together when you were young, you could have caused much destruction. And”—he faced the sky—“this was part of God’s plan. Had any of these events turned out differently, His plan wouldn’t have come to fruition. And His will always plays out according to plan.”
“What about Declan?” I tucked my hands under my thighs and leaned closer, inspecting the old man as if his secrets might seep out his pores. “How did he turn Alastar back into a gachen?”
“That is something God has yet to reveal.”
I deflated, sagging my shoulders.
“Our fight isn’t over.”
“I know. I have to deal with Morrigan.” My stomach squeezed, pushing up the old fears, squelching the peace of this victory. “How am I supposed to go against someone so powerful? Am I supposed to pick up Cairbre’s quest and find the zpět?”
“You will need the zpět, yes.” He patted my shoulder. “For now, remember you have Someone much more powerful on your side. Keep your eyes on Him. He will guide you.” Smiling, he stood. Such tender benevolence peered down at me—how could I not trust this man? “You have a visitor.”
“Who?” There was no one nearby.
Sully crossed the rocks with the ease of a much younger man with fully functioning eyes.
Waves crashed against the rocks, sending up a spray with each hit.
Kai sat beside me. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
I chuckled. Was this the visitor Sully predicted?
He flashed his dimply smile. “Something funny?”
“No.”
“The government will overturn their rule. They’ll allow gachen who don’t turn into seals to remain. In the future, they will be allowed to keep their lands and titles. The government will work to compensate those who lost their lands and titles and restore them to their communities.”
“That’s great news.” I nudged his shoulder with my elbow. “So, you can return to your family.” Why did I feel sad?
Kai nodded. His face serious. Something was off.
“Aren’t you happy?”
“I am. But I think I’ve found something more important to do.”
“What?”
He shifted to face me, dark eyes peering into my soul. “To go back with you. To help your people reclaim their lands. It’s the least I can do after what you’ve done for us. And I’m not the only one. Others wish to aid the battle. And our government has warships and resources to assist in your quest.”
After what we’d accomplished, I felt confident going home and facing the fasgadair. Now we had a weapon. And, thanks to Sully, I had a better understanding of how to use it.
Since I’d fulfilled the quest and removed Na’Rycha from power, I wanted nothing more than to rest. I’d destroyed both Aodan’s and Alastar’s reign, albeit in unexpected ways. But it wasn’t over. This was preparation for what I hoped to be the final battle. It all came down to one thing—Morrigan.
It was time. Time to regroup and focus on this final quest to find the zpět and somehow use it to destroy Morrigan.
But how? In traveling
through Turas, I’d seen what Morrigan is capable of. The fire my brothers and I could conjure wouldn’t take Morrigan out. She was much too quick. And I had no clue how to begin my search for the zpět. And, if by some miracle, I found it, I didn’t know how to use it to destroy her.
“Are you overthinking again?” Kai pushed my head against his shoulder. “What’s that saying your people use?” He grasped my hand. “Ah, yes—you are loved.”
I breathed in the mixture of his pine scent and the sea air, and my mind calmed. Why did I worry so much? Hadn’t God proven over and over He was in control? He had this. He’d gotten me through two major battles already and countless minor ones.
Thank You, God. Thanks for protecting me. Thanks for bringing people into my life to help. Thank You that I don’t need to worry. You’ve got this. Help me trust You to get me through the next battle. Trust You in the little things too. Trust You more and more.
I’d concern myself with the next steps later. For the moment, I’d bask in victory. Somehow, with God’s help, we’d succeed in the next.
Standing on the promises of God…
The End.
Shameless Request for Reviews
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Authors need reviews! They help books get noticed, and I love to know what my readers think of my stories. So, if you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review where you purchased this book, Goodreads, BookBub…or anywhere you think a review might be helpful. I’m forever grateful!
You are loved,
J. F. Rogers
More from J. F. Rogers
The Redeemed: Pepin’s Tale—A FREE Short Story
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Continue Fallon’s journey
Aloft (Ariboslia Book II)
Buy Aloft here!
About the Author
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J.F. ROGERS LIVES IN Southern Maine with her husband and daughter. She has a degree in Behavioral Science and teaches 5th-6th Grade Sunday School. She’s a recovered troubled teen and junk food junkie turned health nut who believes wholeheartedly in the One True God and can say with certainty—you are loved.
J F Rogers
Faith, Family & Fantasy
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Acknowledgments
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As always, I must thank God first. He is my Creator, my Inspiration, my All.
Next, my husband, Rick, and daughter, Emily. I don’t know where I’d be without you. Thank you for your love and patience. I love you both so much.
Special thanks to:
My critique group: Fantasy for Christ—our gracious leader, Azalea Dabill, Terri Proksch (Terri Luckey), Precarious Yates (aka Sarah Smith), Katie Clark, Tami O’Neal, Phyllis Wheeler, and a special shout out to Jan Davis Warren for seeing it all the way through…even the race to the end.
My editor: Deirdre Lockhart with Brilliant Cut Editing.
My cover artist and formatter: Mark and Lorna Reid at authorpackages.com.
My ARC readers: Jen Tate and Jenny Cardinal.
My friends: So many people showed up to encourage me along the way. Your timing was perfect.
God has blessed me and this novel by surrounding me with so much talent. Adrift wouldn’t be the same without you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you. Thank you! I love you all!