“Father, I—”
Rsiran grabbed him and wrapped him in a hug. “I’m proud of you. You’ve done what I was unable to do.” Rsiran looked over to Carth. “And that needs to be hidden.”
“You don’t want to hold it?” Carth asked.
Rsiran shook his head. “I might be many things, but wise is not one of them.”
“You sound a bit like Galen.”
“Galen is here?”
“Galen helped me find Carth,” Haern said. “Find you.”
Galen had started to stir, and he was sitting up. Nearly half of the Binders were coming around, and he worried that the others would not. How many had been lost during this attack?
He glanced to Lucy. How many were her fault?
He wouldn’t tell her. She didn’t need to know that. It hadn’t been her fault anyway. She hadn’t been in control at the time.
“The stone will be replaced,” Carth said. She looked around at the fallen Forgers. “And I worry that they know it’s here.”
“The city will need protection,” Rsiran said.
“It has always needed protection. And it’s never gone unprotected. The Binders have remained. The C’than will need that reminder.”
“You will stay to ensure its safety?”
“Either I will or someone equally capable,” Carth said, looking over to Rayen. “What about you?”
“I don’t know how long I’ve been away,” Rsiran said, “but it’s time for me to spend some time in Elaeavn. And recuperate.”
“There’s more,” Daniel said, looking at Rsiran. “The Forgers attacked the Elder Trees. We came looking for you because you might be the only one who can save them.”
Rsiran’s eyes narrowed. “What did they do?”
“We’ll have to show you.”
Daniel turned to Lucy, but she shook her head. “I… I don’t want to go back. Not yet.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“She could stay with us. We would work with her the same as we would work with any woman,” Carth said. “We could ensure that she knows how to control her abilities as much as she can.”
Daniel clenched his jaw. “I’ll stay with you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she said, but Haern could see relief sweeping across her face. It was an emotion that never would have been there before—and as much as it pained him, he was happy that she wouldn’t stay here alone.
“I don’t have to, but I want to. Besides, we didn’t get a chance to see all that much together before we were separated. Maybe this way, the two of us could begin to understand what else is out in the world.”
She smiled. “I would like that.”
Rsiran turned to Haern. “What about you? Would you want to stay outside of the city with them?”
Haern looked over to Daniel and Lucy. For as long as he had lived in the Aisl, he had wanted to get away from the city. Now that he had, and now that he understood the real danger the Forgers posed, he thought he should return.
And there was another reason for him to return to Elaeavn.
“I think I’d like to go back with you. If you’re going to stay for a while…”
Rsiran nodded. “I will. I can’t tell you how long, but I will stay.”
Rsiran turned to Carth and spoke to her, and Haern made his way to Lucy. “I’m going to go back,” he said.
“I know. We can always Slide back.”
“But I can’t.”
“Do you still wish you had more powers?” she asked, touching the back of her head.
“Not like that.” Catching himself, he started to apologize when Lucy pulled him into a hug.
“I understand.”
“It’s just that I don’t know that it matters. My abilities allowed me to do what I have. And it’s not insignificant.” He hugged her for a long moment before stepping away. “Don’t hesitate to return to visit.”
Lucy grinned. “I have to come back and harass my friend, now don’t I?”
“Watch over her,” Haern said, turning to Daniel.
Daniel nodded. “Take care of yourself, Haern. We’ll see you again.”
Haern shook his hand, going to his father. Galen nodded to him.
Rsiran grabbed both of them, and in a flicker of movement, they Slid back to the Aisl.
When they emerged in the heart of the forest, there was a gasp, and people came running. His mother was one of them.
“Haern? Rsiran?” She wrapped her arms around them. Several of the guild lords approached, but his father’s attention was focused on the Elder Trees.
“You tried to remove these?” Rsiran asked softly. It took a moment to realize that he was talking to him.
“I tried, but I’m not able to do anything.”
Rsiran breathed out heavily. “Me either. It’s not lorcith, at least not pure lorcith, and whatever it is has created a shell around the trees that I can’t overpower.”
He frowned and then, with a quick flicker, he Slid away.
Jessa stood, hands frozen in the air as she had prepared to hug Rsiran.
“Haern?”
“We found him. He was captured, but not by Forgers. It’s over. We’re safe for now.”
“For now. Until your father decides to go again.”
“He said he was going to stay.”
She sighed. “He’s said that before, too, and he’s always left again.”
With a sudden quick shimmer, Rsiran reappeared. He looked around. “The crystals are safe.”
“That’s where you went?” Jessa asked, pounding on his chest. “After all this, you couldn’t even give me a hug before doing that?”
He leaned in and kissed her deeply on the mouth. “I should have. And I’m sorry. I’ve been distracted for a long time. And now the Elder Trees have been attacked.”
“You can save them, can’t you?” Haern asked.
“I don’t know that I can. I don’t know what the Forgers have in mind, but for now, the crystals are safe. Maybe it’s best that I planned on staying here. We can keep an eye on the crystals, and we can watch for another Forger attack. Considering how soundly they were defeated, hopefully it will be a long time before another attack comes.”
“I can help,” Haern said.
His father nodded at him, smiling. “I know you can.”
“And it’s time for me to go,” Galen said.
“I’m sure Cael will be thrilled to see you,” Jessa said. “We’ve been talking since you’ve been gone, and she’s been worried.”
“Your son has been an excellent help.”
“You don’t want someone to Slide you back?” Rsiran asked.
“It’s not necessary. It’s not a long walk, and besides, I need to gather myself and come up with what I’m going to tell Cael.”
Rsiran chuckled. “That’s something I understand all too well.” Jessa pounded on his chest, and she smiled, looking up into his eyes.
Strangely, despite everything they’d been through, there was a sense of happiness here, a sense that Haern hadn’t felt in a long time. His father was here, and it seemed he was going to stay. His mother laughed. And despite the danger to the Elder Trees, Haern felt as if there was the possibility of safety here.
Maybe it was because he understood the threat of the Forgers, or maybe it was because he had survived several attacks and knew that he could defend himself if it came down to that. Or maybe it was simply because he knew there wasn’t anything he could change.
That might be the most important thing.
Galen started away, and Haern watched him go for a moment before racing over to him. “Galen. I have a question.” Galen paused. “Will you work with me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Teach me. I want to know what you know.”
“I’m not sure your parents would approve of that.”
“It’s not up to them. It’s up to me. After what we faced, I want to be ready,” Haern said.
G
alen chuckled. “Let’s give it a few days, and then I will come find you.”
“You want to do it here?”
“Better here than in the palace.”
“Thank you. For everything.”
“You don’t have to thank me. You’ve given me something I haven’t had in a long time. It was excitement I didn’t know was missing. I only hope Cael can understand.” He grinned and then turned away, disappearing into the forest.
As he did, Haern smiled to himself. It had taken nearly dying to find something that interested him, but now that he had, he wasn’t sure he wanted to wait.
“What was that about?” his mother asked.
“Oh, nothing. Just Galen promising to teach me.”
Her eyes widened slightly, and she cast a sideways glance at his father. “Oh, Haern. Don’t tell your father about this.”
“Why not? I need to learn what Galen knows. It seems as if he’s one of the only people who’s managed to capture him.”
She laughed softly. “And never tell your father that, either.”
They headed back to the heart of the forest, arms wrapped around each other, a family for now.
Epilogue
Ryn’s entire body ached. She had been walking for days. Her feet throbbed, and the stone had scraped through the soles of her shoes, scratching at her heels and leaving them bloodied. She had tried wrapping them, but even those wrappings had begun to fail, the stone ripping through them, leaving nothing but pain.
Every so often, she would think back to the day she had lost everything. It should have been a peaceful day. Other than the volcano erupting, there had been nothing unusual about it.
Until Lareth had destroyed her home.
Not just her home, but everyone within it.
As she wandered through the village, searching for survivors, she had found dozens upon dozens of broken and bleeding bodies. Their faces haunted her dreams, not the least of whom were her mother and Tab. Finding her mother had nearly broken her. Blood stained her clothing, and she had clutched a necklace in her dying moments, the same necklace her father had once worn. Ryn had pulled that necklace off, sticking it in her pocket, and carried it with her during her travels.
Tab had been another matter. When she had come across him, he still breathed, though the chunk of wood piercing his side told her he wouldn’t last long. She had stayed with him until he’d breathed his last, and by that time darkness had fallen. The lava flowing from the volcano had seemed almost a taunt, the promise of destruction that would have been avoidable had it not been for Lareth’s attack.
When she’d managed to leave the village, she had paused at the outskirts, watching for hours. It hadn’t taken long for the lava to flow all the way down the side of the mountain, and by the time it reached the village, consuming it, it was almost cleansing. What Lareth hadn’t destroyed, the volcano claimed.
Ryn didn’t even know if she was on the right path. She had only vague memories of taking this journey with her mother after her father’s death, and when they had come, she recalled the temple, and recalled how her mother had pointed it out, telling her that it was supposed to be a safe space.
Unless Lareth had gotten there too.
Ryn tried not to think of that.
She had nothing. Her stomach rumbled. The only food she’d had in the last few days had been berries she had collected on the side of the path she took. Most of them were overripe and bitter, an awful taste that left her wanting water. At least they’d settled her stomach, and as she hadn’t thrown them up, she knew they were safe to eat. She wanted something more, and if she were a hunter, she might have found some way of trapping an animal, but she’d have no way of starting a fire to cook it.
The last week had been the same. She woke up and staggered forward, trying to keep a steady pace, unwilling to stop or even to slow. Every so often, she would take a break, resting for an hour or two, and when she came around, she got going again.
As she went, she tried to push away the thoughts that troubled her while she slept. She didn’t want those while awake, but visions of people she had known in the village kept flashing into her mind, and it made it difficult to think about anything else.
Most of all, she thought about what her mother had said.
The timing worried her. Why would she have told her about this man only moments before he had attacked? Could she have known that something was going to come?
If so, why wouldn’t she have tried to escape? Why wouldn’t she have tried to warn Ryn about it?
There were so many questions.
Every so often, she felt the strange nausea she had experienced during the attack. When it came, she waited, fearing that there might come a flutter of movement, something that would tell her Lareth had come for her, but there was no sign of it.
When that sensation came, it made it difficult for Ryn to settle and sleep, so she kept walking, lumbering forward, her feet throbbing with each step.
Find the temple. Find safety.
Those thoughts kept coursing through her mind. She couldn’t shake them, but she didn’t think that she should shake them, either.
When she found the temple, she would be safe.
Night passed slowly, creeping into day. The sun glowed overhead, reminding her of the lava that flowed into her village. For a moment, she thought she was back in Vuahlu, but then it passed, and she realized it was nothing more than the sun creeping over the distant sea. Waves crashed along the shoreline, and occasionally sprays of mist came up to greet her.
When had she started walking along the seashore?
She couldn’t remember, and Ryn knew that should trouble her, but all she could think of was taking another step, getting a little farther, and finally reaching safety.
Now that she knew she was walking along the seashore, she glanced out, looking to see if there was anything she might recognize. Maybe some of the fishermen from the village had survived the attack. But there was no sign of boats out in the water. Nothing other than the endless expanse of blue, and the white crests as they neared the shore.
As the sun rose higher into the sky, Ryn turned away, following the path away from the seashore, heading inland. Eventually she passed through a thicket of trees, climbing a gentle slope. The ground was rocky, the stones piercing her feet the same way the rough volcanic rock had, and each step pained her. She tried to ignore it, but there was no way to push that sensation out of her mind. It stayed with her, a constant companion, so that by the time the sun set late in the day, all she knew was pain.
The trees parted, and the sun glowed in the distance.
It took her a moment to realize that it wasn’t the sun.
A city.
Ryn staggered forward, barely able to believe she had finally reached it. Lights glowed from windows, smoke drifted from dozens of chimneys, and more than anything else, the temple rose high into the sky.
Ryn offered a quiet prayer to the gods before continuing on.
At one point as she neared the city, she stumbled, and she lay motionless for moments that stretched into hours. She wanted to get up, but her body didn’t work. Everything ached, and the longer she lay here, the more she stiffened up, making it even harder to stand.
After a while, movement caught her attention.
She tried to get up, but she couldn’t.
That movement called to her, but it left her unsettled. If she remained where she was, she would be captured.
A moment of terror fluttered through her. What if it was Lareth?
It couldn’t be him. He wouldn’t have followed her here, would he?
She didn’t think so, but she knew nothing about him. Maybe he tracked people like her, people that came from a place that shared his eye color. Maybe he hated all of them.
When the figure approached, she saw that it was an older man. A scar ran along one side of his face, ending beneath his chin. He had brown eyes that softened when he saw her. A long walking stick tapped the ground w
ith each step.
“What do we have here?” he whispered, his voice soft, almost gentle.
Ryn tried to move, thrashing against the idea that this man might get too close to her, afraid of staying where she was, but at the same time afraid to move. If she did, how much would she hurt?
“Hush,” the man whispered. He ran his hands along her legs, and it took her a moment to realize that he was searching for injury. His fingers probed cautiously, and by the time he reached her feet, he was moving gingerly. He lifted one foot and then the other, a frown on his face deepening as he looked at her. “What have you been through?”
“Don’t hurt me,” she managed to say. Her throat was dry, and her voice harsh. How long had it been since she’d had water?
Ryn had lost track of such things. Her stomach had stopped rumbling at some point, no longer clamoring for food, and she didn’t think it mattered anymore.
“Hurt? No, no, no.” The man reached into a pouch, pulling out a small jar that he unstoppered. There was a strange odor to it, reminding her of the conosh shell.
He slathered something on the bottom of her feet. It hurt, but only for a moment. The pain lingered, and when it passed, she was left with a numbness.
She managed to open her eyes, watching as the man worked. She had thought him older at first, but the longer she stared at him, the less certain of his age she became. It was possible that he was older, but it was just as possible that he was the same age as her mother. There seemed to be a strength within him, though it was difficult for her to determine that.
“Is that better?” he asked her. She nodded, and he smiled. His eyes seemed to twinkle a little as he did. “What was I thinking?” He pulled a strap off of his shoulder and brought a bottle to her lips. “Drink.”
Ryn slowly took a drink, and when the water touched her lips, cold and refreshing, she sighed.
“How about now?”
“That’s… better,” she said.
“What happened to you?”
Images flashed in her mind, faces of the people that had been lost, killed in the village during the attack. She tried not to think of them, but they came to her unbidden, choking her up. “My home…”
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