Magic Triumphed

by Andi Van

  Zaree glanced at Nirena and sighed. Any of the friends with them right now—the ones with magic, at any rate—could be the one who ended up sacrificing themself for Tasis. “No,” she said softly, trying to push the knowledge she didn’t want from her head. “It’s not time yet. But he will be back.” She looked around. “Where are Ulminara and her people? Where is Mistral?”

  “I asked them to wait outside of this area,” Nirena said, looking toward the two trees they had passed to reach her. “This is a private thing, and only those you know well should bear witness. Are you ready?”

  “Ready?” Emlynn asked. “For what?”

  “Give me a second,” Zaree said, heading for Yldost. The dragon, fully feathered, sat next to the Mother Tree with Falcon. “Do you know what’s about to happen?” she asked.

  “I do,” Yldost said with a nod. “It was easy to put together once Vashk told me all I’d missed.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the rest of their friends, who’d surrounded Kelwin for what she assumed were explanations. “Don’t let them go nuts when it happens.”

  “Reikos was very upset when you collapsed. He likes you.”

  “And he is family,” Falcon added, looking quite pleased by that. “As is the other one.”

  “The other one?” Zaree asked, looking to Yldost for explanation.

  “Shan. He is Reikos’s half brother.”

  “Reikos told us he wasn’t related to Shan by blood,” Zaree protested.

  “He couldn’t claim blood ties and keep him safe. When you have done what is necessary, ask him to tell you about his family. Parts are very bad. But some are also very good.” Yldost smiled at her encouragingly and nodded toward their mother. “Go. We will all watch over you.”

  Zaree nodded, then turned to walk back where the Maker was waiting patiently. If she’d been in her human guise, Zaree had no doubt Nirena would have had that same placid smile on her face.

  “You’re ready?” she asked as Zaree approached.

  Zaree took a deep breath, and she was suddenly reminded of the story Tasis had told her, of how Triv had faced off with the mad king knowing full well she was walking to her own death. It was terrifying, and Zaree’s respect for the woman grew immensely. “Will it hurt?” she asked before she could stop herself. It made her sound like a child, and that irritated her, but she needed to know.

  “A little,” Nirena admitted. “But do not fear. My sister knows she is not to collect you today. You belong to us.”

  And before Zaree could ask her what she meant, Nirena reared back and plunged her right hand into Zaree’s chest. It hurt more than a little as her skin split around Nirena’s claws and her ribs broke from the onslaught. But then the pain stopped, and she felt herself being lifted. She tried to look, but it was as if she had no neck to turn, no limbs to move. She heard Reikos scream something and run for her, Emlynn and Jorget right behind as Kelwin and Yldost tried to stop them. Falcon planted herself directly in front of Zaree’s body, shielding it. Her body? Yes, that was indeed her body lying on the ground. Why wasn’t she with it?

  “Because that body is dead, daughter,” the Maker told her. “Don’t fear. I hold your soul in my hand. Be comforted by the warmth.”

  Yes, it was warm. Warm and bright, and it reminded Zaree of every good thing that had ever come into her life. She could no longer see the place her body had fallen, but she didn’t need to see that anymore. She didn’t need to see anything. She simply needed to be. The only thing that was missing…. She tried to reach out, to touch something important to her, but she didn’t know how.

  “You have no body,” Nirena reminded her. “Reach out with your emotions. Your twin will answer your call.”

  Of course, why hadn’t she thought of that? She opened herself up to the comfort of the bright place and was rewarded by the faint touch of another. A surge of love and warmth went through her. Yes, this was what she’d been looking for. The other piece of herself. And this piece… it had a name, didn’t it? But the warmth was receding, and with it that touch. She tried to cry out, but she was moving too quickly, being pulled into a new vessel. And as the soul that was her true self found a new place to rest, she whispered a name. “Tasis.”

  The other soul sent one more flood of warmth, and then the touch was gone. That touch leaving hurt worse than dying had.

  “My daughter,” the Maker—her mother, now—said. “One death and one birth. Two and five to go.”

  Her words brought Zaree back to awareness, and she looked around, able to do so now that she had a body again. The others had clustered around her. Kelwin and Jorget looked worried, Reikos looked frantic, and Emlynn looked like she wanted to kill someone. Falcon simply watched curiously, but getting more emotion than that out of the harpy would have been a miracle.

  Yldost, for their part, seemed thrilled. “My sister,” they announced joyously, and Zaree realized it was true. They shared a mother now, in a way. “How do you feel?”

  Zaree looked at her hands. They still looked the same, but she could feel a difference below the skin. There were other changes, as well. Things she had hated about her body were gone, both inside and out. The horrible, ever-present feeling of being caged had vanished. She looked up at Nirena, unsure what to make of the torrent of feelings.

  Yldost leaned in close, their eye ridges drawing together in concern. “Sister? How do you feel?”

  “Whole,” Zaree whispered as tears began to trail down her face. “I feel whole.”

  Chapter 17

  “IT IS rather odd,” Ulminara mused as she stared at Zaree.

  They were standing by the gate, preparing to go back to the isle to see what could be done to prepare for the king’s impending arrival. After a somewhat lengthy explanation of what had happened and why Zaree had been dead and then suddenly not, they’d agreed there would be no stopping the king from getting to the isle, but maybe they could go a different route than Triv had and prevent complete destruction. That second death still gnawed at Zaree’s guts, though. They were going to lose a loved one. And if they didn’t lose a loved one, if Nirena’s prediction didn’t come true, they’d lose Tasis. There was no good choice here, only the lesser of two evils. She and Kelwin had kept that knowledge to themselves, a look of pained understanding passing between them as they told the others the rest of what Tasis had said.

  “What’s odd?” Zaree asked, her hand going to one of the horns that now spiraled from each side of her head. She hadn’t seen them yet. She could have used Jorget’s mirror to look, but she wasn’t ready for it. She’d felt the horns, of course, and had reached up to measure them, only to be glad for the high ceilings and doorways within the Forest’s Edge guild. Without them, she’d likely have been knocking the horns into things. Her hair had changed too. She’d seen the ends for herself and knew it to now be the same deep red Triv and Tasis had. According to Kelwin, she also shared the ocean-blue eyes that seemed to be a family trait. It would take some getting used to.

  “Not you,” Ulminara chuckled, shaking her head as she grinned. The grin surprised Zaree. She had no idea Ulminara even knew how to smile so openly. “Not your appearance, at any rate. To us, you merely look like this world’s daughter of the Maker.”

  Merely. She said it as though it were such a common thing. “My personality, then?”

  Ulminara considered her question, then nodded. “I suppose that’s true, in a fashion. I find myself liking you and would probably feel that way even if it was not now my duty to protect you. I… do not like outsiders. None of us do.”

  “You can’t afford to,” Zaree said. It was harsh, but it was the reality of their situation. They protected that which was possibly the most important thing in all of existence. Outsiders were a danger because they were an unknown. “For what it’s worth, I find myself liking you as well, despite the glaive at my throat.”

  “Ah, that reminds me.” Ulminara gestured at one of her people, and they passed her a long object wrapped in hi
de. “This is yours. You may be the daughter, but you are also one of us now.”

  “One of you?” Zaree started to unwrap the hide, and her breath caught at the exquisitely etched blade underneath. “This is beautiful. Are you sure you want me to have this?”

  “One of us,” Ulminara repeated. “A rider of gryphons. Mistral chose you, after all.”

  The gryphon in question chirruped, butting her head against Zaree’s side, nearly unbalancing her. Zaree grabbed hold with her free hand to keep from toppling over.

  “The glaive is our weapon,” Ulminara continued. “Carry it proudly. You may never need to use it, but it will serve as a reminder that we are with you.” She looked around her at the others, then back at Zaree. “We will make preparations, and then our gatekeeper will take us to Dragon’s Claw. When the king has been defeated and your brother is awake, we will discuss an alliance.”

  “An alliance?” Jorget asked, nearly shouting with surprise. Emlynn nudged him, and he winced. “Sorry. It was just kind of a shock.”

  “We do not trust outsiders,” Ulminara repeated, her voice holding a steely edge before softening again. “But Zaree is not an outsider. Our faith has always been in the Maker and her daughter. She would not lead us astray.”

  “Not on purpose, at any rate,” Zaree said. “The portal to the isle is within a cavern. There should be plenty of room for you and your gryphons when you arrive. We’ll warn the others that you’re coming.”

  “We’ll be late coming back too,” Jorget reminded her. “Emlynn and I will contact you by morning, when the giants who want to take part in whatever’s coming are at the portal. Arin and whoever he brings as well. I’m just sorry we have to invade Falcon’s home to do it.”

  “It is temporary,” Falcon said, though it was obvious she wasn’t thrilled about it by the frown on her face. She cleared her throat. “I will be going with the others to the isle.”

  Zaree stared at her. She had to have heard that wrong. “You’re what?”

  Falcon stiffened her spine, standing at attention as she lifted her head proudly. “There are many unpleasant memories waiting for me there,” she admitted. “And it is no longer my home. I do not belong there. But I do belong with those I care about.”

  Panic squeezed at Zaree’s chest. What if it was Falcon? What if she was the one they lost? She wanted to tell the harpy no, that she needed to stay away from the isle.

  Except she couldn’t. And Maker, it hurt.

  “We’ll be glad to have you,” Kelwin said when she couldn’t find the words. His face looked a little strained, and Zaree knew he was thinking the same thing. “And despite how you may feel about it, I think it will give you the closure you need.”

  “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Regardless, I know where I need to be.”

  “We’re coming too,” Reikos said. Shan, still looking like he was a bruise with legs, was propped against him. “It’s probably the safest place for Shan, and….” He glanced at Zaree before looking away. “I just think it’s best that we be there. I mean, it’s the man who fathered us who’s causing all the problems. We’d like to help set things right.”

  “You know there’s a chance he’ll end up dead, don’t you?” Zaree asked. “We’re going to try to avoid that, but if he attacks and we have no choice….”

  “Then we dump him in a furnace and piss on his ashes,” Shan slurred. “He killed my mother. I’ll waste no tears on him.”

  Zaree looked at Reikos, who shook his head before mouthing the word later.

  She nodded, then turned to Ulminara. “Kelwin will take us to the isle. Would your gatekeeper be willing to take them to Mountaindeep? Kelwin will fetch them back, but this would save time.”

  “I am willing,” one of the Gray Forest elves said. Zaree really needed to learn their names, but other than Ulminara they had largely remained silent. She assumed it was out of caution, but if they were going to work together they needed to communicate. There would be time to fix that, though. She hoped.

  “Thank you,” Kelwin said. “I appreciate the help.” He stepped up to the gate and took a deep breath. “We wish to go to Dragon’s Claw.”

  The portal flared brightly, and Kelwin nodded toward Yldost and Falcon. “You two first.”

  As they stepped in, there was a touch on Zaree’s arm, and she looked up to see Emlynn standing next to her. “No matter your guise, you are still my sister.”

  Zaree heard Kelwin direct Reikos and Shan to step forward, but her eyes didn’t stray from the giantess’s face. “And you are mine. Funny how we’ve both ended up with such large families.”

  “Large families are the best kind, so long as they are also loving families.” Emlynn smiled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Tell Nabiha we will see her soon, and that she is in our thoughts.”

  “I will,” Zaree agreed, echoing Emlynn’s smile. She couldn’t help it. The trio were so awkward and adorable together. Granted, most of the awkwardness came from Jorget, but still…. “Keep an eye on them for us, Bahz.”

  Always, the falcon agreed, leaving off from grooming a wing to lean over and grab a lock of her hair in his beak and give it a gentle tug. Otherwise Jorget will do something stupid again, and then where will we be?

  “Can you not?” Jorget asked the familiar.

  Did I speak an untruth?

  “Zar,” Kelwin said, interrupting the argument. “It’s our turn.”

  She looked over to see that, indeed, the rest of the party had gone save for the two of them, Daro, Mistral, and her hatchlings. “Right,” she said, squaring her shoulders. “Let’s do this. I want to see for myself that Tasis’s body is safe before we start preparing for battle.” She took the hand Kelwin offered, her other hand still gripping the glaive she’d been given. She paused and looked at Ulminara, who bowed. Then Zaree followed their four-legged friends into the light.

  When she stepped out of the gate at the other side, she took a deep breath and was relieved to smell the familiar salt of the ocean. “Home,” she said softly. “Finally.”

  “May it remain our home and not become our tomb,” Kelwin said, his voice grim.

  “Well, that’s cheerful,” Zaree said with a sigh. She couldn’t blame him, but this wasn’t the time for such pessimism. “Come. Let’s go to the castle.”

  He grunted in what Zaree assumed was agreement, because he turned and opened the side of the cave exactly as Josephina had taught him. Zaree sighed again, this time in relief to see the familiar view outside what had once housed the dead—relief because she was greeted by blue skies. If it had been raining, it likely would have meant the king was near, close enough to activate Vashk’s storms. They still had time.

  Unfortunately, not everyone was so relieved. Falcon made a noise of distress, and when Zaree turned to look at her, she shook her head. “I… need a moment,” she said, running from the cavern and leaping into the air.

  Yldost looked at her, then whipped their head around to look at Zaree. “Go,” Zaree told them. “She needs a friend.”

  Without another word, Yldost took to the air and chased after Falcon.

  “Is all of this really over ancient feelings for Triv?” Kelwin asked.

  No, Daro answered. She feels guilt for not being here when they needed her most. It was her father who destroyed the guild originally, remember.

  “I can imagine the pain she’d have to live with because of that,” Reikos said. “She and I may have felt differently about our fathers but knowing that the person partially responsible for your existence is also responsible for mass murder is a very special kind of torture that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”

  “There’s nothing you could have done about it,” Zaree pointed out.

  “Are you sure about that?” Reikos asked, his face as grim as Kelwin’s when he looked at her. He shook it off and looked at Shan, who was wincing just standing still. “I think I’m going to need to borrow Mistral again,” he said before looking at the gryphon. “If you don’t mind. I t
hink it’ll be easier for him.”

  The fact he’d thought to ask the gryphon herself instead of assuming Zaree could make that decision for her pleased Zaree immensely. It must have made Mistral happy, too, because the gryphon stepped up to them and chirruped before bending down to make settling Shan into place easier. Once they were sure he wasn’t going to fall off, they headed for the castle. Despite his worry for Shan, Reikos kept looking to-and-fro to take in the land around them. When the castle came into view, he stopped in his tracks. “That’s….”

  “Huge?” Zaree suggested.

  “I was going to say it’s beautiful, but huge also applies.”

  “It’s home,” Kelwin said shortly, and Zaree glanced over to see that his expression was still dark, a hint of anger starting to make an appearance. “And no one is taking that away from us.”

  Get him to Tasis’s room, Daro said quietly, and Zaree had a feeling he was speaking only to her. It will soothe him. He is under as much pressure as you, but he’s not as well suited to handle it.

  Zaree doubted that greatly, but she heeded Daro’s words anyway. She put a hand on Kelwin’s back, feeling how tense he was as she got his attention. “Let’s get Shan inside to Firea. She and Josephina can get him settled while we keep an eye on Tasis.”

  The muscles under her hand relaxed almost imperceptibly, but it was enough to make Zaree feel a small measure of relief. She hadn’t imagined it. “Yeah,” he agreed. “That would be good.”

  Firea, in her weird all-knowing way, was waiting for them at the doors. Zaree had a feeling Daro had warned her, and she was glad of it.

  “Thank the Maker you’re—” Firea took in the change in Zaree’s appearance and the small family of gryphons in the group, and raised an eyebrow. “—all right?”

  “We’re okay,” Zaree assured her. “It’s a long story, and I’ll explain it in a bit. But for now we have wounded we need you to take a look at.”

  “So I see.” Firea fearlessly sidled up to Mistral and gently placed her hands on either side of Shan’s face to look him over. “Have you had any problems with your memory? Are your thoughts clear?”