by Meg Anne
“And the Talyrian?” Ronan asked, having been listening the entire time.
“Obviously,” Helena agreed.
“What of the wolves? And a handful of other guards.”
When Helena hesitated, Von said, “It would be odd for a Kiri to travel without at least some of the Rasmiri in attendance.”
“And for the Daejaran Commander to be without his men,” Ronan pointed out.
Exasperated, Helena rolled her eyes. “How many men are you suggesting?”
The two men commented without thought.
“Twenty,” Von said.
“At least forty,” Ronan stated.
They shared a glance, their lips lifting in amusement.
“Forty?! The entire point is not to seem like we are marching on them,” Helena nearly shouted.
“Anything less may indicate weakness.”
Helena threw up her hands. “Are you all unable to defend me then? Or yourselves? How weak I must seem, to require so many men to protect me!”
“When has that ever been the point?” Ronan asked, his eyes glacial.
“It’s not about protection. It is about appearances, Kiri. These are the men that follow you. You must be a force to be reckoned with, not someone they can easily dismiss.”
The sky turned black and wind whipped through the air. “Let them try,” she said, her voice harmonious and filled with the threat of violence as her eye shone with iridescence.
Darrin paled and swallowed audibly. “Hellion.”
Helena blinked, and the storm instantly subsided. “Forty then. No more. And that number includes the Circle and the other’s I’ve mentioned.”
“Forty plus mounts.”
Helena crossed her arms, but she didn’t argue further. The Daejaran pack was fierce and would make traveling once they arrived much easier. “Fine,” she agreed.
The men of her Circle nodded. “I will select the Rasmiri who will join us,” Darrin announced.
Helena’s spared a glance for Ronan and Von. “Which of you will select the men from Daejara?”
Von smirked. “For all that he pretends to be in charge, I am their Commander. That said, I would not question anyone that Ronan put forth as an appropriate guard.”
Ronan’s eyes seemed to glow with the compliment, but he said nothing.
“Choose wisely,” Helena said, before turning her back on both of them.
“Of course, Kiri,” Ronan murmured.
“We will get through this,” Von promised, sensing the swelling tide of anxiety in her.
“So you say.”
“Helena.” Her name was both question and protest.
“I do not want to lose more good men and women. I hate that I place so many in danger.”
“You cannot control that.”
Thunder growled and shook the sky. Helena watched her Mate glance up before adding ruefully, “If any of us could control the future, I would put every last gold piece on you. But, Helena, you cannot. These men and women serve because it is their wish. They believe in this cause, in Elysia, as much as you do. You are their hope.”
Helena shuddered. “And that is why I fear.”
“Because you are wise and compassionate. Do you think Rowena mourns the loss of her Shadows?”
“Only in as much as it affects her own power.”
“Exactly. And that is why you will win. You put the needs of others before yourself. Your compassion is your greatest strength.”
She wanted to argue further, but his words swelled within her, giving her hope. With one last breath, Helena turned back toward Von and the Chosen that were already moving into place behind him. “Let us hope you are right, Mate.”
Chapter Eleven
Eyeing Miranda, Helena broke off from the others and approached the older woman. “Keeper?”
Turning midnight eyes on her, Miranda responded, “Kiri.”
“Thank you for your assistance,” she started awkwardly.
“Why do I get the impression you didn’t come over to review our itinerary?”
Helena sighed. “Because I didn’t.”
“What’s on your mind, Kiri?” Miranda asked, not unkindly.
“Last night…” Helena trailed off, uncertain of what exactly she was trying to say.
Nothing if not patient, the Keeper waited for her to continue.
“There was a moment where it felt like I was still under the effects of the Fracturing,” Helena confessed, confusion and fear making her voice small. “How is that possible?”
Miranda laid a hand upon her arm. “Your Mate has returned, but the bond is not fully complete and so your power continues to overwhelm you.”
Helena’s brows furrowed. She could vaguely remember Effie referencing something similar when she’d spoken of the prophecy so many months ago, but the meaning of the words had been forgotten.
Seeing the question on her face, Miranda elaborated, “The Vessel is a conduit of the Mother’s own power. The depth of it surpasses comprehension and it is too much for anyone to hold on their own. Your Mate helps reinforce the barriers within you that contain and hold that power in check. He is the tether that binds you to the world, to your innermost self. And it is the bond between you that allows you to maintain control over your power instead of being overtaken by it. With the bond incomplete there are…” she paused, searching for the right word, “cracks, that allow the power to leak out.”
“How—why—” Helena broke off as frustration ate at her. After everything, she still was not free from the effects of the Fracturing, although the bulk of the side effects had been thwarted simply by Von’s presence. But what the Keeper was saying could not be denied.
Von had already proven in the last handful of days that he was the only one who could help her reign in her power. He’d done it once when she’d been lost inside her grief over discovering Anderson’s mutilated remains, and then again just last night when he’d taken the full force of her power inside himself for her to draw back out at a more manageable level. What happens when even he cannot withstand the next explosion of power?
Fear snaked up her spine, causing her to shiver despite the mild weather. This was the absolute last thing she wanted to have to worry about with the looming threat of Rowena’s next ambush.
The Keeper shrugged. “I cannot begin to understand the intricacies of your bond, Helena. I can only offer the answer to the first question you posed. Once the bond is fully accepted, you will control your power absolutely.”
“But I have accepted it!” she burst out. “Our souls recognized each other. We spoke the vows. I can feel him, even now, in the depths of my mind. What’s left for me to do?”
Miranda’s eyes were as apologetic as her words. “I am sorry, Kiri. Truly. I wish I could tell you.”
“Helena? Is everything alright?”
She found him without needing to search. Von was staring at her, dark brows lowered over concerned gray eyes; his lips were set in a deep frown.
Offering a small smile, she replied, “Everything is fine. Just more cryptic warnings from the Keeper.”
He crossed his arms, expression dubious. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Helena made a face, annoyed that he could sense the omission, even as it underscored her point. How could their bond possibly be incomplete when they were so in tune with one another?
“Keeper?” Helena asked softly, eyes still focused on her Mate.
“Yes, Kiri,” Miranda responded warily, as if already knowing what Helena was about to ask.
“How much longer do I have before I lose control completely?”
The silence expanded between them until Helena finally twisted back toward her. The woman’s face was pale, her eyes wide and unseeing. When she spoke, her voice sounded from far away.
“The mist stalks its prey, unwilling to release its hold. It sinks its claws in deeper with every swipe. You must find where its hold is deepest and reclaim the final piece. If you fail, all will be lo
st. The sky will glow red with flame, the air will fill with ash, and the Mother’s Tears will run with blood.” Miranda blinked, her eyes coming back into focus as she swayed where she stood.
Helena grasped her, keeping Miranda upright as they shared a look of mute horror. Both women were stricken by the prophecy she’d just shared. Helena swallowed, throat suddenly dry. Once again, she was presented with the warning from her trial, albeit from a new avenue. The words were meant to be enigmatic, but Helena knew enough to make out the gist of their meaning. A part of Von was still being held hostage by the mist. Helena frowned, silently berating herself. The warning signs had been there all along, she just hadn’t understood them. A vision of Von, ashen and wide eyed when he saw the mist surrounding them in Vyruul, filled her mind, while his broken words from the night before echoed back like an eerie soundtrack: ‘I got lost.’
She had already searched him, had pulled out every lingering piece of the Bellamorte she’d found, but she must have missed one. In doing so, it seemed that she’d inadvertently kept them from being able to complete the bond. Aqua eyes moved back to her Mate, running over his body as if it would reveal the part of him that was still under silent attack. Helena knew it wouldn’t be that simple. If it had been obvious, she’d have already dealt with it.
Von met her gaze, his own eyes clouding as he tried to decipher her troubled expression. Before he could inquire, Timmins broke through the moment with a bellowed, “Kiri! It is time!”
Blinking, Helena and Miranda shared a final look of trepidation. Helena sighed and pushed the Keeper’s warning aside to refocus on the task at hand. She would have to address the issue, and soon, but for now her attention was required elsewhere.
Reaching for Helena with a trembling hand, her nails digging in where they made contact with Helena’s arms, Miranda whispered, “You cannot fail.”
The unspoken message behind the Keeper’s words was clear. Von’s life was not the only one at stake if she failed. But when hadn’t that been the case since she’d ascended? This was just another thing for her to add to her increasingly long list of impossible things to do.
Miranda, looking for all the world like nothing had just happened, stepped forward with a Kaelpas stone glittering in her outstretched palm. “Are you ready, Kiri?”
Helena nodded, scooting in closer to the older woman. She would be making the initial jump with her Circle and their friends, along with one designated runner who would be coming straight back to collect the next group. With each new group, a new runner would step in so that no one person had to make the leap more than twice, which would also leave almost a handful of people remaining in Tigaera that already knew how to reach the others if necessary.
Von moved into position beside her, weaving his fingers through hers. She squeezed once, enjoying the way his warmth tingled up her arm, before reaching out her other hand to rest it on Miranda’s shoulder. There was a bump at her hip, and Helena twisted, chuckling when she saw Starshine’s turquoise eyes balefully glaring at her.
“I’m sorry, girl. I know you’d rather fly.”
There was an annoyed huff and a small bit of smoke curled in the air. Helena bit her lip, not entirely sure how the Talyrian would react to travel via Kaelpas stone, but the wolves had made the jump from Vyruul last time. She could only hope it wouldn’t affect Starshine too badly.
There was another feline grunt, but Starshine pressed herself against Helena. The rumbling purr she felt everywhere they connected made her grin. Starshine wasn’t happy about their means of travel, but she still enjoyed being near her mistress. Helena definitely reciprocated both sentiments; her stomach was already knotting in anticipation of using the stone.
“Brace yourselves,” Miranda murmured. Helena thought the Keeper sounded a little too amused for her liking, but the feeling of being squeezed through space made any further thoughts impossible.
When the ground steadied, Helena grasped her knees and took several gasping breaths. “Will it ever stop being terrible?” she panted.
There were a few grunts of agreement from beside her, where the others were in more or less the same state. Von and Miranda alone appeared mostly unaffected. Helena shot him an annoyed glance. It wasn’t fair that she had to suffer while he still looked entirely unruffled.
Feeling her ire, he grinned at her and shrugged.
“Bastard. You could at least pretend,” she said without heat.
He coughed half-heartedly. “Better?”
Helena rolled her eyes, amused despite herself. Finally able to stand, and breathe, she pushed herself upright. As she took in their surroundings, her mouth fell open in awe. They were poised on the edge of a dock that was surrounded on all sides by angry waves. There must have been a shield keeping the worst of the water from touching them or the dock, although her hair was entirely at the mercy of the wind and had already ripped free of her neat braid.
The feeling of being suspended in the middle of the sea was intimidating, but it paled in comparison to the mass of churning wind and water rising up and towering above them. She’d heard that the Ebon Isle was known for its storms. Now that she was face-to-face with one she certainly understood why, although that didn’t make the greeting-by-cyclone any less surprising. The tempest twisted on top of the inky sea, dancing with the edges of the maelstrom. It was surreal to watch wind and water mate in the sky, while just beside it there was a massive whirlpool that seemed to drop all the way to the center of the world. The juxtaposition was hard to comprehend.
A grumpy roar had Helena pulling her gaze from the storm to her Talyrian. Starshine shook out her wings, pacing along the edges of the dock and whining. Eyeing the sky, Helena imagined that the Talyrian was not overly fond of the torrential downpour. One-by-one the Circle moved toward her, and together they made their way carefully to the place where the dock met the land.
Lightning split the sky and Helena swore she could feel an answering throb within her. Nothing was natural about this storm, and her power was humming with the need to answer its call.
Darrin eyed the sky, his frown deepening as the storm seemed to worsen. “I can’t say I’m impressed with what I’ve seen of the mysterious Ebon Isle,” he muttered.
Ronan bumped his shoulder. “Unmanned by a little rain?”
“A little rain? Are you blind?”
Ronan chuckled. “Let us hope the Storm Forged are feeling hospitable.”
Darrin grimaced at the thought of having to spend the night in the rain. The others laughed. Effie took pity on him, and put her small hand in his, offering silent comfort.
Timmins had just smoothed away his own grin when he asked, “Should we start making for the keep?”
“It would be best to wait for the others to arrive,” Kragen said, but after a quick look back at the dock, he saw that they already had. Letting out a low whistle he shook his head. “It’s almost worth feeling like a wrung-out tunic for the convenience of that kind of travel.”
“Almost,” Helena emphasized dryly.
Von was considerate enough not to laugh out loud, but she snarled at him anyway due to the flickers of mirth shooting along their bond.
The group made their way toward a stone keep sitting precariously atop a hill of rocks. The keep had obviously been crafted with magic. There was no other way it would have been able to withstand the assault of the water, or the crumbling bed of rocks it rested upon.
They must have been quite a sight, trudging through the wind and rain, with the Daejaran pack loping beside them and one very annoyed Talyrian prowling at their side. Miranda walked just beside Helena and Von, being the one that had the connections to the Storm Forged and the only one who had been to the isle before. Unfortunately, there had not been time to send word they’d be coming, nor did Helena or the Circle feel comfortable announcing their plans.
“Halt!” a disembodied voice rang out. The storm grew in intensity, the howl of the wind eclipsed only by a crack of thunder.
They c
ame to a sudden and complete stop, their eyes warily searching for the speaker.
A man separated himself from the wall of rock he’d used for camouflage. His face was as hard as the stone behind him. With only a quick glance, Helena could tell this was not a regular Chosen. He was tall, very tall. She had to crane her neck back to meet his eyes. His skin was a dusky blue while his hair was the color of the sea during a storm. The power of the storm raged in his eyes, which were a deep, glowing sapphire. Now she understood why the people of Ebon Isle were referred to as the Storm Forged.
“Mother’s blessings to you!” Miranda called, stepping forward.
The man glowered at her, lifting his twisted driftwood staff threateningly in his hand.
“We seek an audience with the Stormbringer,” Miranda continued.
“And you are?” the man asked, the thunder in his voice echoing in the sky.
“The Keeper Miranda Ikusimón. I am joined by the Mother’s Vessel and her Circle.”
If the man was impressed by her answer, or her companions, he did not show it.
Helena could feel the men of her Circle growing impatient behind her. None of them were used to being the ones on the defensive.
“We seek his aid!” Timmins added from his place just behind Miranda. The Keeper scowled, not appreciating his assistance.
That caused a reaction. The man threw his head back and laughed. “And why would the Stormbringer wish to ally himself with the likes of you, Chosen.” He bit off the word, slinging it at them like an insult. “The Mother has no place here. The Storm Forged do not recognize her divinity.”
“You may not recognize the Mother, but that does not mean she has abandoned you. I can feel her in the air even now. The threads of your power tie you to her whether you wish it or not.” Helena did not need to shout for her words to carry. The air itself amplified and carried them on its currents.
The man was impressed by her manipulation of his power. He was the one behind the storm and had not anticipated one in their ranks being powerful enough to do so. The wind began to die down as the man considered the group before him.