After long, perfect moments, Dragana’s lips left his. He stared into her brown-and-crimson eyes. Many of the age lines that had wrinkled her face were gone. The Bok’Tarong no longer needed her life-force to hold his spirit. She still looked older than she was, but she was gorgeous. And she was his. Stubborn, righteous, fierce Dragana. Her spirit still radiated beauty. He’d never seen anything so breathtaking in his entire life.
His fingers traced the line of her neck, down her sword-arm. A delicate network of icy blue scars marked where Sunray had frozen her arm. Her hand was crooked slightly, like an old lady’s. It wasn’t crippled, but she’d never use a sword again. He hoped she’d be okay with that.
His fingers moved back up her arm, snaking in her hair, then moving down to run over the curve of her back, and lower. She purred at his touch, and he felt his desire stir even higher.
“Not that I’m complaining,” he said, his voice husky, “but how is this possible?”
Dragana smiled. “The carving of my spirit bound us body and soul. Wherever my spirit went, yours was compelled to go, too.”
Raeb cleared his throat. “And since the Entana are destroyed, and the magic of the Bok’Tarong with it, your spirit had nowhere else to go.”
Aeo looked up to see a very amused, very embarrassed Raeb standing above them. He couldn’t help but stare at the man for a few seconds. His eyes were no longer the black-and-peridot, vertical pupil eyes of a -taken. They were a rich, deep brown. Human. They made him look strange, but also very … normal.
Saydee was there, too, behind him, looking weary and thoroughly overjoyed. Her eyes were also brown, but as light as cinnamon.
“But how do I have a body? I mean, my real—first—body is decaying in some wood far south of here.”
Dragana kissed him. “You’re the Master of the Bok’Tarong, Aeo. You can remove yourself from the blades. And when the time came the Bok’Tarong was no longer needed … there was no reason for you to return.”
“So it made me a new body?”
“‘The Master of the Bok’Tarong can create a body from his spirit when he leaves the blades.’” Raeb shrugged. “We could probably find some prophetic guru in rural Taron to explain the prophecy of the Master of the Bok’Tarong to you, but it’d be easier to just say ‘yes’ and be content with that.”
Aeo laughed, looking from Raeb back to the woman on top of him. “I’m good with that.”
Dragana laughed, the sound brimming with life and joy. He pulled her down and kissed her.
However it had happened, Aeo would not let this chance to live pass him by.
Raeb turned away from Aeo and Dragana. They obviously needed some privacy.
He stood at one of the shattered tables in Ashwinn’s laboratory, ignoring the signs of their battle. Those memories were ones the Entana had fed upon. He knew he’d been here, and he knew he’d helped with all this, but he didn’t remember fighting, or defeating, the Keeper of Secrets.
Perhaps that was a good thing.
He felt Saydee come up beside him. The girl looked so young, especially with her cinnamon-colored human eyes. It was hard to remember she was older than he was, and that she’d lived through horrors he could never understand. But he did remember, and he marveled that she could still seem so innocent.
“Weren’t your eyes green?” he asked, tipping her chin up to get a better look at them. “When you used your glamour, I mean.”
Saydee shrugged. “I always wanted green eyes. I thought they were much prettier than brown.”
Raeb’s gaze never left hers. “I don’t think so.”
She blushed and dropped her gaze. “So what are you going to do now?” she asked.
He didn’t reply for a long time. He hadn’t thought of the future. He’d never believed they could free themselves from the Entana. He certainly never thought he would live through it.
“I think I’ll go back to the -taken sanctuary,” he said at last, a little surprised by how his heart stirred with anticipation at the thought. “I had friends there, once, I think. I don’t remember much of my past life.”
She looked a little scared at that, but seemed to understand. She nodded.
“I think that would be a good place to start over.”
Saydee shifted for a moment. “Would you mind some company?”
He looked down at her sweet face, at the vulnerability in her cinnamon eyes. He might not remember much, but he remembered her.
He smiled at her, and somehow he knew it was the first time he’d smiled from his heart in a long, long time. “Not at all.”
Keep Reading
See all my books and more on my website:
http://www.incandescentphoenix.com/monsoon/
If you liked Soul of the Blade, you’ll love this epic fantasy prequel. Find out how the Bok’Tarong was born.
Click the link to claim your free copy and continue the adventure:
http://incandescentphoenix.com/brendajpierson/free-offer.html
Thanks for reading,
Brenda J. Pierson
Did You Like This?
This book was published by Incandescent Phoenix Books, an indie press. Without reviews, indie presses like us cannot market their books. Leaving any review is a huge boon to the author—and it takes only a single line or two to make that difference. Telling others what you liked helps the author write more of it!
Most readers don’t leave reviews. If you do so, it would mean more than we can say.
Thank You,
Incandescent Phoenix Books
About the Author
Brenda J. Pierson is just a nerd living her dream. Inspired by Brandon Sanderson and R.A. Salvatore, she writes fantasy novels brimming with magic, monsters, and epic quests to save the world. In addition to writing she’s an editor, dedicated bookworm, avid gamer, lover of tacos, and crazy cat lady. She’s living the good life with her husband and kitties in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona.
Soul of the Blade Page 33