by Cate, Marnie
“Enough of this, Mara,” Blaze said. “If he stayed, he would have died. You told him yourself that he needed to forgive himself. Now be strong and stop drowning in your self-pity. Stand up and let me see you.”
Circling me she sighed, “Still weak. Look how skinny your arms are. Did you lose all your muscle tone there?
“I was able to run pretty far from Cole when he was trying to kill me,” I said defending myself.
“I bet you regretted not being in better shape then,” she said, eyeing me.
“Yes, I did. I thought of your words as I hid from him in the forest.”
“So, we will together help you get through this,” Blaze said.
“You are staying this time?” I asked.
“We have always been here, Mara,” Blaze said. “And Cole will return.”
“But, when…”
“When he is ready and then you will need to forgive him for leaving you,” Blaze said. “If you start working on that part while he is gone, then when he returns you can move forward.”
“Go on Mara. Call us again,” Blaze said.
“What do you mean? You are already here.”
“Say the prayer for your baby. Say the words Gram would say to you each night.”
“That is silly. You are already here.”
“Call us for your family. You need them now more than ever.”
Relenting, I took a deep breath and I threw my hands above me. “Danu, Goddess of Light, I ask for your loving guidance and your aid in invoking the elements that guide.”
“With my hands to the east, I call upon you, Air and ask you to blow away any doubt and fear that surrounds us. I ask that you clarify our thoughts.” A rush of air surrounded us as Breeze zipped around in her blue bird form.
I continued the prayer, “With my hand to the south, Fire, I call upon you and ask you to burn away any fears that fill our hearts. Burn away those feelings that harm.” Red embers filled the sky as Blaze appeared, as a fiery dancer. Her body was entirely made of flames.
“With my hand to the west, Water, I call upon you and ask you to wash away my fears and shower me with forgiveness for those that have hurt us.” Bay appeared calling a rainstorm. The droplets of water fell hard and then slow as the sound of chimes and laughing children surrounded us.
A tiny sensation began in my stomach grew stronger. Meg appeared and continued the request. “With my hands to the north, I call upon you, Earth, and ask you to strengthen us and protect. Your gift of life has blessed this family and we thank you.” Daisy stepped forward and put her hand on my stomach smiling. The blades of grass at my feet began to grow and we were surrounded by a field of white daisies. I felt overwhelmed by the magic and love surrounding me.
“Goddess, our request is complete and I ask you to keep us safe especially the child that grows inside me. Please watch over Cole and bring him home to us when he is healed.”
The sky filled with petals that showered us as Danu stepped out of the tree. “You have all brought me great joy. Your love as a family and your commitment to each other is the greatest gift you could give me.”
Kissing me on the cheek, she said, “You once promised to protect the magic and you have fulfilled this vow a thousand times over. Now it is time for you to embrace the magic. Heal your heart, Mara and forgive Cole.”
“Thank you, Danu,” I whispered, as she faded away.
As the night began to fill with stars, Meg took my hand. Standing under the night sky with my family, mortal and elemental close, I knew that the future would not be easy but my child would be surrounded with love.
Epilogue
Nights were the hardest time for me. As my stomach grew, the baby inside me became even more active. Flipping on the lamp, I looked at the tapestry hanging on the wall that Livia had sent me. It was the beautiful girl with the butterfly wings. This time she held a child in her arms.
“My little night owl,” I said, as I climbed out of Gram's bed. “If I take you there, will you let me rest?”
Kicking me as if agreeing to my terms. I laughed. “Fine, some fresh air will do me good too.”
Slipping on Gram's gardening boots and a long sweater to cover my nightgown, I left the warmth of our house and felt the rush of the cool breeze of the night air. Recalling my time in Snowstrum, I wrapped the sweater tighter around me.
Rubbing my stomach gently, I said, “This is the yard that I played in and where I first met our elemental friends. Over there is Gramp's workshop, where your grandfather has been hard at work making you a beautiful crib.”
As I grew closer to the renovated structure, I could smell the wood chips mixed with the smell of furniture oil. The whirring sound of the woodworking equipment resonated in my memory. Lost in a daydream, I didn't see him.
“Hello, Marina,” Cedric Drygen said, as he stepped out of the shadows.
I stopped and stared. His hair had grown longer and was peppered with gray. His face was rugged. Time had left its mark.
Calling Fire, I readied myself to fight him.
Holding his hands up in front of him, he said, “No need to call magic. I am just here to talk.”
“Why are you here?” I demanded. “You have no right to be on my property.”
“I promised your mother that I would make sure no harm ever came to her children. I failed before. I could have stopped her from taking you if I had been stronger.”
“Snowystra? No one could have stopped her,” I said. “It was what had to happen but she is gone now. So what do you want from me?”
“You sound just like her. You should have been my child. Eliza and I were meant to be forever before it was taken away from us.”
“I have a father…no thanks to you. You can go now.”
“I've seen my son. He has grown very tall and I am told that he is very smart.”
“Have you been following him?” I said, contemplating calling Air and sending him away.
“I just wanted to see him. I just needed to see that he was safe,” he said. “He is all I have left of her.”
“Did your mother send you to come take him from us?”
With a small laugh, he said, “My mother isn't able to take care of herself these days let alone worry about taking care of a boy. She spends her days sitting in a chair talking about how I have failed her just like my father did. All the years of hate that has built inside her have taken its toll. The day Snowystra left this world, I fear my mother's sanity left too. She is too weak to come after anyone and I do not follow her orders anymore.”
“Just say what you came to say, Cedric,” I said.
“Miles was the best thing that came from me and Eliza. No matter what happened, it was all worth it just to bring my son into this world.”
“Are you here to try and take him? If you do, I will have to hurt you. I will not let you take him from us.”
“There is no reason to keep my son from me anymore. He needs to know where he comes from. What it means to be a Drygen.”
“Miles will never be a Drygen. You have said what you wanted to say and you can leave now.”
Nodding, he said, “Fine. I will go now but this conversation is not over. My son should not be without his real father.”
Calling a gust of wind, I said, “Go now and do not return.”
The look in his eyes was cold. His hands sparked silver. “You are not the only one with magic,” he called.
Releasing the gust of air, I glared at him and called Earth. The ground underneath him shook. He struggled to stay upright. He was unable to maintain the magic he was calling and it fizzled. Smoke emitted from his hands.
“Cedric, I am not in the mood to have a battle of magic with you. Just leave.”
“I'm going now but I will be back for my son.”
Not waiting for my response, Cedric walked off. Waiting until I was sure that he was far enough away, I entered the woodshop, locking the door.
I sat on one of the rocking chairs. Snowystra was gone bu
t the damage she had caused was not. The Drygens would not rest until Miles was with them.
A hard kick in my stomach brought me out of my thoughts. “Don't worry. No one is going to take anyone else from our family and I will bring your daddy home.”
My child would have both of her parents in her life. Cole was going to come home to us. But, now I needed to be patient… And follow my heart.
The End
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