by C. K. Rieke
“There is no reason,” the Witch Queen shot the response at her coldly. “We leave at dusk.”
Before Veranor and the queen even heard the last syllable from her mouth, the goddess was gone. She flew past them and out the door like cold wind entering a cracked open door on a dark winter day.
The queen looked up at Veranor and let out a deep breath. Upon seeing her do this, he did the same. “A Knight of the Whiteblade has returned,” she said. “I can’t believe they still exist after all this time. And I can’t help but wonder what they’ve been doing these centuries, hiding out on the sands. How many are there? Are there direct descendants to those who fought in The Serpentine Wars?” She held her hand up to her mouth. “What if they are still out there? Hundreds? Thousands?”
“My queen, it is difficult to believe there are that many in hiding. The gods would’ve seen them. They must be few.”
“But their secrets . . .” she said. “They held weapons and wisdom lost over the ages, weapons that could pierce dragonscale, and knowledge to change the currents of water and sand. They had descendants of the oldest of men . . . Men and women from before the time of the gods. Can you imagine what wisdom that knight holds? Aren’t you interested to know what he knows?”
“My queen,” Veranor said, now seemingly exhausted. “To be quite honest, all I wish for now is some hard sleep on a soft cot before I’m with her alone again.”
“I can’t say I blame you, she is quite terrifying.” The queen leaned in closer towards him. “I’m wary of saying such things, but I think the streets can use a break from the unfortunate rumors floating around. Although I must say I am surprised there are none of the mages traveling with you. If no soldiers, it’s always wise to take a little magic. The Whiteblade were not known for strong magics, but they were clever in the ways they wielded their strengths. Be careful Veranor. Be vigilant. You travel with a companion whose strength you could ask for none higher, but Lilaci does have the legendary Sanzoral now. Gorlen may be invincible, but you are not.”
“No,” he winked. “Close to it though.”
“I take your words as truth. You have always served the crown with honor. And up until the last of these unfortunate events and revelations, you were in line to receive that which you always desired.” She paused for dramatic effect, and Veranor’s eyebrows and ears perked up. “When Lilaci came back with the girl, you were to be given a lordship and a surname. You were to become one of the elite of the kingdom, and the only male of the Lu-Polini to be one in this time.”
Veranor didn’t smile, he hardly blinked even. He was stunted in a state of shock. The thing he always wanted most— to get out of the shadow of his appearance. He was to be one of the most high-esteemed people in the entire kingdom. So close he was, yet so far away. “Lilaci,” he murmured in hatred.
“I’m sorry,” the queen said as she rose from her seat. Two guards at the door shifted their positions towards her as their armor rang. “The king— may his soul rest in peace— was quite excited to hand the name and honor down to you. If only things would’ve turned out different. That’s the way of the Arr— there will always be a hint of betrayal in all tales, and more blood on the sands than water.”
She glided up to Veranor, and she looked up into his eyes. Her held a somber gaze, as if saying goodbye to an old friend after leaving for a far-off voyage. “Take care commander and do bring back the girl. Perhaps there is a bit of redemption along the line for you here. Only the gods can decide. Farewell.” She looked away from his eyes and towards the door. She was caught off-guard and quite alarmed as she felt a touch to her hand. A set of fingers delicately held onto her fingers as she began to walk away. She shot an embarrassed, yet astonished look at him. The two soldiers moved in quickly, but she turned to them. “It’s okay, stand down.” She pulled her hand from his, and she saw Veranor for what might be described as the ‘most vulnerable’ she’d ever seen him. His shoulders were slightly hunched over, his hair was almost disheveled, and his eyes were deep and dark. “What is it Veranor?”
“The— the—” he said as he lowered his head in what looked like shame. “The name— Now that I know that it can never be mind. Could I ask of you the name I will never be given? I know the king wouldn’t—”
“Sepherophinos,” she said to him. “Veranor Sepherophinos the first.” She then turned and walked towards the door. The two guards following after her.
Veranor stood there in a stupor for several minutes without speaking. He swayed slightly back and forth, as if in a drunk stance. Then his lips moved, with no smile, or expression, he said, “Sepherophinos.” A tear welled in the corner of his eye and dripped down his cheek. “Veranor Sepherophinos, the first of my name. All you needed to do was do what was told of you. Why didn't’ you bring back the god-forsaken girl Lilaci?” His lips began to quiver in anger. “Why didn’t you listen to me? Why didn’t you do as you were told? I could have been one of them. I could’ve been looked up to by all of Sorock, and all the others like us. I was supposed to be the shining light on our cursed race. It was supposed to be me.” He lifted his fists up into the air, shaking them in fury. “It was supposed to be me! It was supposed to be me!”
He lowered his fists and wiped his cheeks free of tears. Looking over both shoulders to make sure none were around to see him, he took another deep breath. “Veranor Sepherophinos. Has a good ring to it. Thank you, King Gofgenden. I would’ve served you well if things would have turned out differently. I’ll promise you one thing from beyond the grave my king— by the time my heart stops beating, these sands— these cursed sands will never feel the same. I may never live up to the future you hoped for me, but I will wreak havoc like a great sandstorm upon those that get in my way forever after this moment. There is no fear greater than for the man who has no fear. Now I am free my king. Thank you, thank you for this gift. Sepherophinos the Fearless.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Strong winds gusted down from the high cliffs of the mountain. They whispered soft hints of what was to come up on the sheer rock above. Up there somewhere on the high-reaching walls of the Dune of the Last Dragon, Kera told them of the box with golden hinges. They’d decided to wait until the following morning to scale the mountain, to give them a full day’s light for the upcoming difficult climb.
While they stood examining the rockface, Burr leaned over and said to Roren, “You know, I’ve never seen power like that before. Raw destruction like that hasn’t existed like that since the time of the fire-breathers.”
“Yes, I know,” Roren said. “Makes you happy that she’s on our side.”
“The look in her eyes when that Scaether had his knife to Kera . . . Even the gods would be wary to mess with a woman with eyes of fury like that.”
Roren looked over at Kera as she tended Fewn’s wounds. Then he looked at Lilaci, who watched Kera help Fewn. “They’ve got some serious scarring between them. We’d better keep an eye out. Kera cares for both of them deeply, but I expect it to get rocky.”
“I still think Lilaci should’ve gone through with it,” Burr said while stroking his gray beard. “I would have.”
“I,” Roren said, “I’m torn. I’m sworn to keep Kera safe, but I’m also sworn to obey her every will. Don’t mistake me when I say I wanted Lilaci to do it.”
Burr gave Fewn and angry eye. “How can we trust her? Just because Kera wants us to?”
“Just because The Dragon’s Breath is spirited in the body of a young girl, doesn’t mean she knows more than we ever will. The visions she has have always proved to be true. I don’t doubt her words. Honestly, Burr . . . I believe the only thing that matters here is Kera, our opinions and even lives may not matter in the end. She has to survive. All the rest is but a shifting gust of wind.
While the two men talked between themselves about Lilaci and Fewn’s past, and their shaky future, Kera, just finished wrapping Fewn’s arm in white cloth, stood up and looked over at Lilaci with a smile, yet she seemed t
imid. Lilaci smiled back. Kera’s pale gray eyes shimmered in a lovely light, her face was clean of sand shown her light rosy cheeks in the warm sunlight. Long, thin black hair floated softly in the breeze and her welcoming smile seemed to resonate with Lilaci like a wildly beating heart.
There she is— my girl.
Lilaci fell to a knee and held out her two arms, while a gentle tear streamed down her face. Kera met her smile with her own, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I knew you’d come,” Kera said, wiping her wet cheeks, still standing a couple of meters from Lilaci. “I just knew it.” She ran over and into Lilaci’s arms, which wrapped around her tightly.
“I won’t leave you again. I promise, my girl, I’m not leaving.”
The two cried into the other, both holding each other tightly.
Finally, after all this time. All the blood that’s been shed, all of the long days and nights upon the sands. Here she is. This feeling I get, I just can’t describe it. The closest I can relate it to is from my distant past, when I was just a girl. The feeling of my father’s smile. The feeling of being wrapped in the safety of my mother’s arms. The feeling of watching my brother and sister play in the candlelight under a tent in the moonlight. She makes me feel like a person, someone worthy of love, and she gives me life. She gives my life meaning. “I don’t want to ever let you go Kera.”
“I missed you, Lilaci. I— We need you.”
Lilaci’s eyes shot open and over at Fewn, who was watching the two of them. She had a terribly concerned look on her face.
“I know what she did to you was awful,” Kera said.
Lilaci pulled back from Kera but left both her arms on her shoulders. Looking deeply into her gray eyes, wet with tears, she said, “What she did to us.”
“Fewn brought me here,” Kera said. “We knew you’d come find us. She could’ve taken me to them, but she didn’t. Now we’re here all together again.”
“Listen, Kera,” Lilaci said. “These men I brought with me, they’re good men. Roren you know. The other is a knight who’s come to help us from a long ago forgotten order. We don’t need her. Fewn can find her own way now. She made a choice back there. She chose to take you from me.”
Kera’s eyes grew sad. “I remember.”
“I’ve known her practically my entire life. She’s not one of us. She’s a tormented soul, she’s lost. We need to cut her lose. I can’t trust her around you again.”
“No,” Kera said, shaking her head. “She’s not like that anymore. I care about her, she’ll be all alone out there if we let her go. I know she needs to stay with us, whatever happens, she has a part to play in our path still.”
“Listen, I know that’s how you feel, but she left me in that nest of sandworms to be eaten, alone.”
Kera’s eyes moved over to look at Fewn, as she appeared vulnerable by herself with her new wounds now bandaged.
Fewn leaned against the rock with one arm and stood up, slowly walking towards Lilaci and Kera.
“Looks like the reunion is about to take place,” Burr said, who looked down to see Roren grabbing at the hilt of his sword. “Easy there, Lilaci can handle herself.”
“It’s not Lilaci I’m sworn to protect,” Roren said and walked over towards Kera. He gently put his hand on Kera’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come with me for just a moment, Kera.”
Kera looked up at Lilaci, not wanting to leave, but to be involved in the upcoming conversation. “Go ahead, Kera. We are just going to talk.”
Kera followed Roren’s lead and they walked back over to where Burr was standing. She looked worriedly at Fewn as she walked over. “Kera, I’d like you to meet one of the descendants of the Knights of the Whiteblade, Sir Demetrius Burr.”
Dropping to a knee, and lowering his head, he said, “M’lady, it truly is an honor.”
“Sir Demetrius Burr, nice to meet you.”
“Oh, and there’s no Sir about me. Simply Burr will do just fine.”
Fewn stopped just before Lilaci, within arm’s reach. The two stood there staring at the other. Fewn stood just slightly taller.
“She seems older,” Lilaci said. And with a surprising speed, Fewn rushed towards her, and wrapped her arms around her.
“I so glad you’re alive,” Fewn instantly began to weep. “I’m so sorry for what I did. I wasn’t thinking. I was so scared. I know you hate me now, but I hope you can forgive me.” The words were difficult for her to say, as she cried loudly, and her eyes flooded with tears. “I really do want us all to be a family. Just like we talked about before. Back before I screwed everything up. I don’t want to be alone. I want to be with you, I want to be with her. Please don’t hate me. Please.”
“I told her I’d try,” Lilaci said, but gently pushed Fewn back to where she stood. Look at her, she doesn’t even look like the same person that I grew up with. She looks like a strong wind would blow her right over. I— I almost feel bad for her. No. Remember what she did. Remember that you almost died back in those caves. She took her from you. She took Kera away for herself, they were going to kill Kera. “Why did you take her?”
“Why?” Fewn’s eyes darted around at the sand at her feet. “I told you, I was scared. I thought they were going to come after us. They still are. That’s why we need to stay together now.”
“You led me into a trap. A trap you thought I wouldn’t get out of. You thought I’d die, be eaten by those things, and you know what? I almost did die. I shouldn’t be standing here in front of you now, but somehow, I am. I don’t know if that’s lucky— or unlucky— for you.”
“I am so happy to see you’re alive. I think a part of me always knew you were going to make it through there. You’re strong, Lilaci. And I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. It’s something I’m going to have to live with. The regret haunts me every day. I want to redeem myself. More than anything.”
I’m trying hard, but how can I ever truly forgive her for what she’s done? How many times am I going to forgive, only to be hurt again, and regret it later. Why is Kera asking me to do this? I need to trust her, I know I do. But when I love someone the way I do, how can I forgive the one who hurt them?
“She did lead the girl here to where we could find ‘em, and she’s still alive,” Burr said from over behind Kera. He put his palms up to his chest. “I know this is all past doings you’re talking about, but I’m just getting that out there."
“She also tried to kill Lilaci,” Roren said to him.
“Nobody’s perfect,” Burr said.
“The only redeeming thing I see in you, Fewn, is that Kera is still here,” Lilaci said. “So, somehow, someway, you protected her— hid her— until we arrived at this moment. That’s all I see. The rest— is just a scared girl who got in trouble and doesn’t want to be punished. It’s as if we’re back in Sorock, and Elan found you stealing food again. You’d cry and beg for forgiveness when you were little.”
“I’m not that little girl anymore,” she said, with her shoulders perking back up from their hunched position, and she wiped the tears from her cheeks with her fresh bandage. “I’m here to protect her, that’s my life now. I have nothing left. Except you.”
Lilaci looked deeply through Fewn then. I don’t like either of the two options I have here. The first is I kill her where she stands now. Shove my sword straight through her heart. Kera would never forgive me though. She’s still quite fond of her, but she’s also young and naive. The second is to forgive her the best I can and let her come with us. The upside to that is that we have one more strong fighter to help us, but I’d have to constantly keep an eye on her. Kera won’t let me just leave Fewn behind, so that’s not even an option.
“Kera,” Lilaci said. “I trust you. I trust your judgment. What do you want me to do with her? Do remember though, she took you from me once, I can’t let that happen again. She won’t get a second try at that. If you want me to forgive her, I will do my best. But it may be safest to move on without her.”
Kera
looked up at Lilaci with a serious gaze, and then walking back over to her she grabbed Lilaci by the hand, who dropped to a knee. “Thank you,” Kera said to her softly.
She then walked over to Fewn and grabbed her hand, as Fewn fell to a knee. “Fewn, I thank you for bringing me here safely. You do mean a lot to me, as does Lilaci, as does Roren. I’m asking Lilaci to forgive you.” Fewn began to smile, but then Kera’s tone took a grave tone. “But if you ever do anything to hurt her again, you won’t have Lilaci’s vengeance you’ll have to worry about. You’ll have mine.”
In the early morning the next day a crisp dew collected on the dying grass as it swayed in the breeze. The smell of saltwater in the air cascaded up from the sea was a pleasant welcome to Lilaci. That was the closest she’d ever been to the sea in her life. As she was the first one awake, as the others were huddled into their blankets at the mountain’s base around the freshly-stoked fire at their center. Lilaci stood with her blanket around her shoulders, and she felt the cool breeze wash over her sandy cheeks. She watched the sea as it rolled back and forth onto the sandy beach. Its gentle roar was a reminder of her small existence. Lilaci grew up with a sense of respect for the power and might of the desert, and then, standing in front of the ocean like that, she felt even more respect. She thought about the amount of courage it would take to cross such a thing. Something you could not walk over, something that would pull you under to depths unfathomable by man. What creatures live in such a wild place, she thought.
Then the small island in the distance caught her eye as a white, cloudy fog rolled past it. With her keen eyes she was even vaguely able to make out the palace on the island, the home of the gods— Firen-Ar. She remembered that not all the gods were there then, one wasn’t— Garenond, before his death, told her that The Witch Queen was still in the Arr. She was back in Voru. Lilaci knew that for Kera to live, the gods have to be out of the picture, somehow. Dragons could at least fight the gods. They were powerful enough to match the brute strength of the gods. But what would a dragon do against the magics they wielded? Did the dragons have magics of their own?