by Vivian Venus
“It’s time,” Keln said. “I’ve given you as much as I could. Daggen, are you ready?”
“Just a minute,” he said. “Just give me one more minute.”
Daggen stroked Ryn’s warm cheek, wiping away tears. “I promise you, I’ll be back someday. Somehow, I’ll find a way to come to you. We’ll be together then, forever. I promise you.” He kissed her.
“Don’t forget,” she said.
Keln held up his pendant.
“I love you,” Daggen said.
The pendant shot out a blue beam that shone on Ryn’s forehead, and her eyes fluttered and closed. Daggen closed his eyes and fought back tears. Then he was enveloped by a warm sensation, and when he opened his eyes again he was standing next to his ship.
He took a deep breath and looked back out at the desert, his heart aching to return to Ryn. He entered the ship and walked to his quarters. He smiled and picked up the wide-brimmed hat she had given him and brought it to his nose, then gently set it back down. It was time to go.
EPILOGUE – FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
Daggen drove his brand new Volkswagen SUV across the unpaved country road through the thick evergreen forest. He was Darryl now, or at least that was the human name he went by. He glanced at the address written on the bottom of an art gallery flier and double checked the GPS on his cell phone. He hoped he was going the right way – he still wasn’t used to navigating roads. He wished he could just use his pendant to teleport now that it had been upgraded to match his new rank, but he knew better. Ten years of pestering the higher ups, petitioning and re-petitioning, and five years of additional training and Daggen had managed to secure a very rare assignment change. He had proven himself worthy of the highest possible task – human integration.
The moment the notice came through, Daggen set to work to find her. It wasn’t hard, she was a world famous artist now. The next Georgia O’keeffe, the woman managing her show had said. Daggen didn’t know who that was, but he assumed it was good. She deserved it all.
The GPS announced his arrival and he turned off the main road down a narrow gravel one that lead through a spacious grass lawn. He could see the house, a pleasant country cottage that was a far cry from the tiny camper she had in the desert. He parked the car, took a deep breath, and started towards the house. He hoped she was home. He had been too nervous to call her, unsure of what she would say, so he figured it might be better just to show up. He hoped he wasn’t wrong – he remembered her fiery attitude when they had first met and wondered if he would get chased away.
He reached the front door and with a moment of hesitation, knocked loudly. His heart leapt as he heard her voice calling from the inside.
“Yeah, give me a second! I’m just making some tea.”
A few moments later the door pulled open, and Daggen’s breath was swept away. She looked nearly the same as she did the day he left, softer maybe, less edge. She looked up at him and smiled.
“Um, hello,” Daggen said. “I… My name is—”
“Daggen. Daggen Trys,” Ryn said slowly. “I had a feeling you’d show up someday. I was beginning to think it’d never happen.”
Daggen coughed in shock. “You know who I am?”
She laughed in a way that sounded like she had just thought of an old memory she had forgotten. “I haven’t a clue who you are. But it's comforting to know that we have met before. It’s kind of a weird story, but…here take a look.” She walked back inside the house. “Come on, come in.”
Daggen followed her. The house was pleasant, furnished with all hand made wooden furniture and adorned with dozens of paintings and photographs. His mouth dropped open when his eyes came on one that was framed and hung above the mantle.
It was the painting. The portrait she did of him on the day they were separated.
“We have a lot to talk about, I think,” Ryn said. “You want some tea?”
He smiled. “I’d love some.”
Also by Vivian Venus
Warriors of Raspharion Standalone series:
Trapped with the Warrior (Kyp and Crysta’s story)
Warrior’s Taken (Krix and Cheyenne’s story)