by E E Everly
“Yas wasn’t supposed to be born. Originally, my sister didn’t survive delivery, but Father changed history. He saved her. Because she wasn’t supposed to exist, she needed a soul. Rhosyn’s must have split into Yas’s body, or it could have been the other way around. Yas showed up after Rhosyn’s birth and became overly obsessed with her, to the point that Yas was speaking for Rho before she could even talk and ordering others around, telling them things Rhosyn didn’t like. It wasn’t until Siana, your great-grandmother, put them into a deep sleep and searched their souls that the truth was learned.”
“Are you serious? This is a thing?” I looked at Mom and shrugged. “Who owns the soul?” I’d heard enough about Yas to know she was batty, but if she was half of my biological mother’s soul and calling the shots in her behalf, then the pair of them were going to be seriously messed up in the head.
“I assumed the soul would have rightfully belonged to Rhosyn, but after Father changed history, Yas was born first, and took Rhosyn’s soul. Then Rhosyn was born and took half of what was rightfully hers.”
“This is why people shouldn’t time travel!” I threw my hands into the air. This—my history lesson—was wasting time. We had to get to Cystenian before one of the psychos did something to him. “Remind me to thank you for saving me from them.”
“You’re welcome,” Dad said.
I winced and looked at Mom. “It’s a long story.”
“It’s okay.” Mom nodded. “I’m following. Your real mom is a nut, and she and her shadow soul have your baby daddy.”
Shadow soul? That’s what they’ll call what they are from now on. “Wow, you catch on fast.”
“Where does that leave the rest of you?” Mom asked.
“As fascinating as their history is, it doesn’t have anything to do with their motives,” Dad said.
“So how do we save Cystenian?” I asked. “Does anyone else know about this? Can we call in some emrys cavalry?”
“I came straight here,” Bronwen said. “No one else knows. Not even Mom and Dad. Poor Aria is in tears. She thinks Cystenian did get cold feet.”
I deflated. “That is awful. I do feel sorry for her.” I turned to Mom. “She and Cystenian were supposed to be getting married.”
“Oh no.” Mom’s face pinched up. “That must have been horrible for you.”
“You have no idea.”
“The note was for Anerah,” Dad interrupted, “and to bait me. We’re whom they want. They won’t let anyone else get close to them. I believe we are Cystenian’s only chance.”
“Do you think you should take Anerah, Vaughan?” Mom asked. “From what you’re saying, these women are dangerous.”
“Mom, it’s okay. I’m going,” I said.
“They are dangerous, but we can handle them,” Dad said.
“How?” Mom looked as if she was really trying to understand and accept and be okay with all this, but she was still skeptical. I didn’t blame her. It was a lot to take in.
“Show her what you are, Anerah,” Dad said.
“Now?” I asked. “Mom does not have time to process this.”
“If we’re going to leave Trysten with her, she needs to know what her granddaughter will be capable of someday, should we not come back.”
I’m going to have to leave Trysten? “Whoa, whoa, who says we’re not coming back!”
“Show her,” Dad said.
Just like that, I flicked my palm open and a ball of light flashed into it. And just like that, my mom jumped back. I rolled my fingers and made the light dance in my hands. “I can throw it too, but that might burn something.”
“Wow. How were you keeping this from me? Vaughan?” She shook her head. “This is why… all the lies?”
“Yes. All the lies. Mom.” I looked right at her. “I’m from another planet. Cystenian is too. That’s how we found each other. I’ve been on his world for the past few weeks. That’s why I didn’t call. And Dad never hurt you. Ever. Those were fake memories, given to you because we don’t age.”
“You don’t age?” Mom asked quietly.
I was in too much of a hurry to stop and answer. I plowed on with my speech. “You can totally trust him. We don’t have any more time for this. I am so sorry. We have to save Cystenian. And I am coming back.”
“I’m coming too,” Bronwen said. “He’s my brother. You are not going off on some harebrained rescue mission alone.”
“So Trysten will be able to do the same thing?” Mom asked, about two steps behind. “I don’t have to worry about her lighting her crib on fire, do I?”
I laughed because I had worried about the same thing.
“No,” Dad said. “It won’t be like that. Remember how Anerah was never sick for long. She heals fast. Trysten will too.”
I put my hand on Mom’s shoulder. “You all right?”
“I think so.”
“Good.” I hugged her. “I’ll explain everything else later.”
“Well, let’s do this,” Dad said. “I’ll work on a plan while we travel.”
I tightened my fist, glad that we weren’t wasting any more time but anxious for other reasons. “Do you think Cystenian already erased his memories of me before they captured him?”
“There’s no way to tell.”
“If they did, will he know my face, even if he doesn’t know our history?”
“I doubt it, sweetheart,” Dad said.
I swallowed. I could be risking everything for a man who wanted to erase his memories of me, a man who might have already done so. “What will they do to him?”
“I don’t know.”
That meant it wouldn’t be good. It was so bad that Dad wasn’t going to say. They were most likely torturing him.
I pressed my fingers across my brow. It’s not as if I had a choice. My mind was already made up. I would never leave Cystenian to their mercy. Dad and Bronwen were waiting for me to make a decision, as if I’d change my mind because Cystenian might not remember me. What it came down to was family. Trysten needed a father, and I wanted Cystenian to be her father more than anything in the world.
And I loved him. I still freakin’ loved him.
“So if we go, more than likely they’re going to force Cystenian and me to bond and then kill one of us to break the seal.”
“Yes,” Dad said.
I put my game face on. “Bring it.” I was ready.
FORTY-THREE
“I haven’t pumped anything. I haven’t bought even a single can of formula.” I was practically hyperventilating as I leaned against the kitchen counter. I thought we would have been out the door by now, but I had to make sure Trysten was squared away with Mom.
“It’s okay. Breathe, Anerah.” Bronwen was rubbing my back. “She’ll be on this formula that your mom mentioned until we return, and then you can nurse her again.”
“Won’t my milk dry up if I’m gone too long?”
“Here’s a little secret. This is why we didn’t have to explain to Aria why you were her wet nurse. Any emrys woman can stimulate her milk production. You’ll dry your milk up before we leave, and then I’ll show you how to get it going again.”
I sniffed. “I can dry myself up?”
“I was going to suggest doing it before we left.”
“Oh thank goodness.” I practically collapsed onto the counter. “I feel as if I’m going to explode.”
After a few minutes of Bronwen coaching me through how to dry my milk up, with the power of light, I was feeling better about things. Marginally. Mom swore up and down that it would be no problem for her to slip into town with Trysten and pick up formula. We already had a few bottles, and diapers, and outfits, and everything else that she possibly needed.
“I can’t believe I’m leaving her with you. I don’t mean for this to be a burden, Mom.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “You’re just having separation anxiety. Perfectly common when leaving your child for the first time.”
“I can’t. I ca
n’t… How am I going to do this?”
Dad walked into the room then with Trysten. “You’re just going to do it. You are strong.” He handed her to me. “It’s time to go.”
I sobbed all over Trysten for several minutes before handing her off to Mom. “She’s going to be hungry any minute.”
“I got this,” she said. “Go.”
With that, I walked out the door, into the backyard, and into the unknown future.
When we reached the cliff, we spread our wings and flew over the edge and down to the stream as Cystenian and I once had. Once we were through, Dad sealed the portal to keep those annoying fae from coming through and handed me the moon jewel, which I pocketed.
Mom and Trysten were safe on Earth.
I was once again back on Emira, in the meadow.
Without my daughter. My chest tightened as I squeaked, “Where to now?” We walked to the center of the meadow. “Doesn’t Earth have a direct portal to Bryn?”
“That is a possibility,” Dad said, “but not one that I know of. The first vale, Gorlassar, has a direct portal into Bryn.”
“We’re going to fly across four vales?” I asked.
“Here’s your chance to see Emira.” Bronwen tried to sound cheerful, but the reasons for my finally seeing more of this magical world were too sorrowful. “I mean like really see it. We’re crossing only two vales though. Brynmor is east of Pryderi and Gorlassar is on the other side.”
We stopped in the meadow. The bees were lazily buzzing around, oblivious to our urgency. Without any more hesitation, we spread our flaming wings and lifted into the sky.
How long will it take to reach the portal to Bryn? I asked Dad.
We’ll stop in Mared, the capital city. The portal is outside the city. We’ll need a good night’s rest before traveling on. I don’t want you to drain your light too much.
We’re flying all day?
We’ll stop for lunch, Dad said.
Of course.
We flew for half a day. After we crossed the high mountains bordering Brynmor, we entered Pryderi. Smack dab in the middle of the vale was a city, bright and shining in the distance. As we drew closer, grand buildings came into view, the largest and most majestic in the center.
The buildings became smaller and smaller as the city spread out, until on the outskirts were tiny homes, some tucked into the countryside next to farmlands. Everything unfolded seamlessly from thriving city to rural areas. The city had no walls. I guessed they didn’t have to defend from invaders. Emira had no enemies on its planet. The enemy was on other worlds. They could not pass through magical portals that kept darkness out.
Dragons! I shouted at Dad when I saw them. I hadn’t talked much with Bronwen while flying; it was much too hard with the wind scattering our words. Everything that I had to say went through him.
I pointed at the city. Dragons, with their riders, leapt into the sky from a central location. Others landed, allowed their riders to dismount, and then took off again.
It’s like an airport! For dragons! The dragons didn’t need a runway, so the area was a nice square flanked by the large buildings that I saw. I didn’t see too many emrys in the air with their own wings as we were. Maybe the emrys weren’t quite used to the idea, or maybe they just liked their dragons.
Dad banked toward an area that looked like a marketplace so that we weren’t coming in at the “dragon port.” Just as well. My stomach growled. Perfect timing.
We received a few looks as people parted and we landed and snapped our wings out of existence. They weren’t angry looks, just intrigued ones.
I took one step, and my legs buckled. “What the—”
Dad caught me before I went down on the cobblestones.
“What’s going on?” It’s not as if I used my legs while flying.
“You’re not accustomed to harnessing your light for such long periods of time.” Dad helped me over to an eating area. Enticing smells filled the air. Some savory and some sweet.
My body shook as I sat. Extreme muscle fatigue? As worn out as I was, I could eat a boatload at this point. “I didn’t realize how taxing this would be.”
“Your body is the medium through which your light is used,” Bronwen said, “so your light uses your body’s energy to sustain it even though it sustains the body by healing it and giving you eternal life in return.”
“It’s like I ran a marathon.” I slumped back into the chair. “I must have burned a gazillion calories.”
“I’ll get us something to eat.” Dad disappeared among the market patrons.
Bronwen sat next to me. “I should give him a hand… but I thought you might like a moment. Are you doing okay?”
I gazed at the emrys milling about. So many of them had dragon stones, but not all of them. Most of the people were as beautiful as the emrys in Brynmor. Perfect porcelain skin, green eyes, and shades of platinum or gold hair. There were a handful of half-emrys—the occasional brown-haired person. They didn’t look much out of place. No one shunned them. I wondered if Bronwen’s parents had their ideals wrong.
“Anerah?” Bronwen asked.
“I’m fine.”
“You should prepare yourself. Bryn is much different from here. You won’t see the places where there’s war, but that’s the reality there. The half-emrys you see here are Half-emrys of Light, those who carry more light than darkness. The Half-emrys of Darkness and Dark Emrys cannot enter Emira. The magic at the portal keeps them from entering.”
“You’re saying that while I’m seeing such pure-hearted people here, it’s a lot bleaker outside of it.”
“Yes.”
“Relax. Earth is the same way. Some people use their agency to do horrible things. I think I know what to expect on Bryn.”
“But there aren’t half-emrys on Earth or people like them with powers.”
“You mean magic. I’m about to enter a world full of magic and evil people who can use that magic for bad things.”
“Yes.”
“I understand.” I closed my eyes as I hardened my resolve and pushed fear away. “I just want to get Cystenian back.”
“We will. But it won’t be easy. Yasbail is powerful, and Rhosyn is deceptive. They have trained for years to be warriors.”
And Bronwen was a humble ambassador. Although her muscles were well toned, I could see that she was no warrior. “Are you afraid to face them?” I asked.
“No.”
“Then what has you worried?”
“I’m afraid that the prophecy will come true despite our efforts,” Bronwen said.
“I don’t care if the prophecy comes true. I have to save Cystenian. And we will save him. I won’t stop until we do.”
Bronwen rubbed my hand. “I’m with you in this. We will save Cystenian.”
Dad returned with a tray of sizzling meats and veggies. They smelled amazing.
“Bring it to momma,” I said as Dad placed the tray on the table between Bronwen and me. I had no idea what sort of meat or veggies I dove into. Dad showed me several sauces to dip them in and this amazing flatbread to wrap them in.
We ate our fill and relaxed for a good hour. Then reluctantly I conceded that we had to get back into the air. Cystenian might not have a chance to rest. He might not have had a meal today. He might be in untold amounts of pain.
I said a silent prayer to the creator of this world to protect his life and to aid us in our quest.
FORTY-FOUR
As evening arrived, we approached the capital city in Gorlassar. Even though I was getting my first look at the original vale and its metropolis, I was much too exhausted to be astounded by its beauty. Mared was lit up by thousands of lights. Like Pryderi’s city, the capital also had a center square, which was where we landed.
“The capital was the model layout for some of the other cities,” Bronwen explained.
I nodded as I took in the four stately buildings flanking the square. Their columns reminded me of ancient Greek architecture, and
in the darkness, they looked intimidating.
“Those are the universities,” she said. “The emrys train here while Pryderi is the center for record keeping.”
“Keeping prophecies and such?” I asked.
“How did you know?”
“Cystenian mentioned the prophecies kept there.”
The majesty of the inhabitants in their homes for the night seeped into the atmosphere. The purity of their light overwhelmed me practically to tears.
I inhaled a full breath as we walked the quiet streets to an inn. “Where are the dragons?”
“At night they stay in their nests in the mountains or on the breeding grounds,” Dad said.
“They emerge during the day or whenever their riders call.” Bronwen held Dad’s hand as they walked.
I envied her. I sighed to myself. What I wouldn’t give to hold Cystenian’s hand right now.
He could still feel my emotions through our bond. Unless he had succeeded in erasing his memories.
He would probably feel them regardless; he just wouldn’t know the source, Dad said. An emotional bond is hard to break.
I gathered that, since no one offered up any hope of dissolving the bond I had with him.
Satisfied with Dad’s answer, I focused on peace, calm, and hope. Hang on, Cystenian. I wished that I could sense him, wished that our bond had been two ways instead of one. Even though he wouldn’t hear my thoughts, I sent him the positive emotions I had, which was the best I could do.
I thought of Trysten and how happy she made me. That should be pleasant. Or would my good thoughts make him sorrowful for what he was missing?
It should help, Dad said. Anything would help.
I nodded. So I sent Cystenian my love. I didn’t care if he wanted to feel it or not. If I were being held prisoner, I would want to know someone loved me and was thinking of me. We are coming for you.
We reached a lovely inn that had Tudor style décor, if it was even called Tudor style here on Emira. Dad checked us into three rooms. “I have things to see about,” he said. “Go ahead to your rooms, and get some sleep.” He handed us the keys. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He winked at Bronwen.