The Sunset Lands Beyond (The Complete Series, Books 1-3): An epic portal fantasy boxed set

by Sarah Ashwood

  That told him who she was, as well.

  This woman floated down with her arms lowered until her hands met, clasped those of the other. High-Chieftess Laytrii lifted Artan into the air, pulling the other woman even with herself. As both of them gazed down upon him, before his eyes Artan’s garments change from a simple, flowing gown to battle armor matching her companion’s. Thus they were: two women, two warriors, two heroines, two queens.

  Laytrii spoke, saying in soft, dulcet tones, “Farewell, Lord Ilgard, High-Chief of the Simathe. You have done well in guarding our charge. All that is left is to love her.”

  Artan only smiled.

  And then they were gone, those two never-forgotten champions, ascending up, up, up into the rounded dome atop the Great Hall, disappearing at its top in a blinding flash so bright he cast an arm over his face to shield his eyes from the glare.

  The Artan’s Return

  “Ilgard?”

  I called his name as he was lowering his arm. He spun in the direction of my voice. I had awakened in a vast, silent marble atrium, where I was lying on a great stone block with Laytrii’s sword on my chest. I could only assume I’d been brought to some sort of funerary hall, but our surroundings didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he was the first thing I’d seen when I’d opened my eyes and turned my head to the side. Now, my cheek against cold marble, our eyes met and I smiled, smiled to see him again, smiled to feel life coursing once more through my limbs, and smiled to see the awe even he couldn’t quite hide.

  “Hannah?”

  He said my name like a question, with reverence and fear, as if he couldn’t comprehend the fact that I’d returned to him.

  “Hannah,” he said again, and then he was coming to me. His steps were slow and there was an odd sort of fear in his eyes, as if he were afraid that if he got too close, too fast I’d either vanish or else grow wings and fly away.

  To reassure him, I staid still as he approached, letting him sink down beside me and remove Laytrii’s ancient sword. He laid it aside to lace his fingers with mine, and I could feel them trembling. I lifted my face to his, still smiling, lost in wonder at where restoration had brought me. He wasn’t the only one having a hard time accepting the fact that I’d returned. Down in the Underworld, where my spirit had flown as it exited my body, I had doubted I’d ever see him again. But here he was, right next to me, his eyes hungrily scrutinizing every inch of my features.

  “Hannah… you live,” he whispered in disbelief.

  I felt tears prick my eyes. “Yes, I’m here, Ilgard. I’ve come back. I—”

  I never got a chance to finish. In one swift movement he slid his arms under me and lifted me from the stone, dragging me against his chest and bowing his head over me. It was too tight. I couldn’t breathe, but I wasn’t about to protest. Not when I could feel his entire body shaking as he clasped me close.

  He was a strong man, the strongest man I’d ever known. For centuries, people had judged him and his kind subhuman, emotionless. I’d once thought that too. Now, I knew how wrong I’d been. Only the deepest sort of pain healed by hope springing to life could induce a reaction like this in a man like him. I clung to him, regretting our forced separation and the pain he’d suffered on my account, but awestruck in the presence of so strong a love.

  Pulling back, he clasped my face between his palms and looked deep into my eyes. “Never leave me again,” he said fiercely. “Never leave me again.”

  “I won’t,” I promised, or tried to.

  The words weren’t even out before his mouth descended on mine and he was kissing me with a passion I’d only been permitted glimpses of in the past. It felt like he was determined to wipe away all lingering traces of pain and doubt, of fear and loneliness, of torment and sorrow. He wanted to erase the days I’d been lost to him, and I think he wanted to restore our Joining bond, because I felt prickles of the old awareness creeping back into my brain. I knew if I could feel them then the bond must be fully opening on his side. It had to be, given the power of that kiss, a kiss that left me weak and trembling when he finally pulled back.

  “There is much I would say to you,” he began, clasping my shoulders and pressing his forehead to mine. “I would speak, but the words will not come. I…”

  Straightening, I hushed him by laying my fingers over his mouth. “You don’t have to say them right now. You don’t have to say anything. Plenty of time for all that later. You’re Simathe, you’re who you are, and I’m not asking you to change. I don’t want you to change. I love you, Ilgard, for the man you are.”

  Those fathomless, alien eyes I’d once thought were full of consuming darkness were now gentle as I’d ever seen them. When he angled his head to kiss me again, I let him, feeling our breath intermingle and our souls unite. Everything about this was right; I felt it to the core of my being. He was mine, and I was his. Furthermore, if I was correctly interpreting what the prophecy hinted at, that might be for a very long time. Perhaps forever.

  Breaking off the kiss, he rose to his feet and pulled me to mine, lifting me easily off the slab of marble.

  “Although I would gladly keep you to myself, your people deserve to know you’ve returned to them,” he said.

  “I agree. I’m ready to see them, too. I can’t believe I’ve come back—to them, to you.”

  To say all of this switching between worlds was mindboggling wasn’t to say nearly enough. Nevertheless, if my brain felt overwhelmed, my heart knew nothing except joy. I felt as if I floated, as if this were a dream because so much happiness couldn’t possibly exist inside one person. This feeling only escalated as Ilgard threw open the smaller, inner door of the Great Hall and we walked out together, side by side, stopping at the top of the stairs.

  I felt my eyes widen when I saw the great mass of people gathered outside. Hundreds, thousands of Aerisians of every sort were thronged together before this marble hall, and I could only imagine the cause was to mourn me. I’d known, as the Artan, that my people had appreciated, if not loved me. I hadn’t known how much, though, and my eyes blurred with tears to see this outpouring of devotion.

  For several long seconds after we appeared, absolute silence reigned. I think if a feather had dropped to the cobblestoned streets it would’ve been heard. Then, somewhere in the crowd, a woman gasped. Quick intakes of breath from all around followed. Unfolding his large body, Kurban, the Tearkin prince, slowly rose. He was also staring at me dumbfounded, yet, finding his voice before anyone else, he stated quietly, “She lives.”

  At that simple declaration, the dam broke and the river was free. The relief, the happiness that swept the crowd was a tangible thing that could be felt as Kurban’s words were picked up and repeated by one person and the next until they became a single roar.

  “She lives, she lives!”

  “The Artan lives!”

  “She has come back!”

  “The Artan lives!”

  “The Artan has returned!”

  Cheers rose, filling the air with happy shouts and cheerful weeping. Friends and neighbors embraced, people waved their hands, and men threw their hats in lighthearted abandon. Flowers, which I presumed had originally been brought to place around my funeral bier, soon joined the hats and joyful cries that pierced the heavens. Petals of every hue drifted down to the ground, showering the gathering, showering Ilgard and me. The sight was stunningly beautiful, and it made me smile, while the elation of the crowd made me laugh with sheer delight.

  I blew a kiss to the crowd, which went wild in response. I studied their faces, some recognizable and some not, yet all Aerisians for whom I’d fought. And died. Today, lords and ladies in their finery were crowded in with poorly dressed commoners. The Elders stood beside battle-hardened Ranetron, while menservants and maidservants, masters and mistresses, were pressed shoulder to shoulder, equals at least for today.

  I looked about for familiar faces and found many. I waved at the spot where Prince Kurban, my uncle Risean, and the fairy Bra
isley stood, beaming at us. There were many Simathe in the crowd and, for once, their fellow Aerisians weren’t giving them a wide berth. Cole was the only dark warrior who permitted an actual smile, but there was a noticeable relaxing of their typical callused demeanor, which told me they weren’t immune to the joy of the day… and were maybe even happy to see me returned triumphant. Who knew?

  Next, I saw Lady Elisia leaning against the Ranetron High-Chief, who stood with his arm draped possessively about her shoulders. He had the look of a man who didn’t intend to be letting go, which told me Elisia had better expect that long-awaited marriage proposal soon. My friend Silver Rose, the Galandorf First Captainess, beamed at me and waved enthusiastically from a knot of her fellow pirates, including her soldmey, Golden Eyes. I caught the mischievous wink The Hunter flashed me just before he slipped up behind Rittean, whirling her about and stopping her cry of surprise with a long kiss. This time my cousin didn’t protest his attentions but actually rose on tiptoes to give back as good as she got. I saw Uncle Risean shoot them a questioning frown and figured they might be in for a talking to later. The occasion merited them a free pass for now, but The Hunter was still a warrior while Rittean followed the Peace of the Moon. I couldn’t help wondering where all of this might eventually lead but was happy for them to enjoy their moment.

  Whatever the future might bring, for Rittean and The Hunter, Garett and Elisia, Silver Rose and Golden Eyes, the Simathe, Prince Kurban, Uncle Risean, Lady Tey, the High Elder, or Braisley, Aureeyah, and the rest of the fairies, this moment was a moment for all of us to share. As flower petals swirled through the air, the crowd’s clamor swelled, reaching higher and higher into the heavens, piercing the thick clouds above. Following the direction of their shouts, I looked up as all of the commotion merged into a single chant: my name.

  “Artan! Artan! Artan! Artan!” the people cried.

  Another smile broke across my face as I continued to stare upwards, watching expectantly. In a moment, just as I’d known they would, the shouts did their job, forcing the grim clouds overhead to break apart. A warm, cleansing wind rushed in to drive them away, dispelling any traces of gray. There was no room for darkness or shadow on this day, only light and the promise of freedom. The sun’s rays, now free to shine their brightest, were balmy upon my face.

  Celebration, Culmination

  Laytrii’s entire city had come alive. There was drinking, feasting, games, and dancing. What had initially begun in a few houses had spilled out into the surrounding streets until they were simply clobbered with people. I felt almost claustrophobic, as though I could hardly move or breathe. There was barely room to shove through the crowd, much less walk. However, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. This was our night—this city, this land, my people. Prophecy had been fulfilled for all of us. The threat of the Dark Powers and its invading hordes was gone. We could be happy as a city, a nation, a country, a realm. So we celebrated, long into the night.

  I’d never witnessed a celebration like this. I don’t think anyone in Aerisia had ever witnessed a celebration like this. Lord Contrey, who approached at one point to solemnly inform me of his admiration for what I’d done and his joy at my return, said he’d never seen the like. He was by far the oldest Simathe with whom I was personally acquainted.

  The festivities were still going strong when I became aware that I hadn’t seen Ilgard in some time. Not that he’d really been glued to my side: the crowds had quickly separated us, and I suppose it wasn’t as imperative for him or the other Simathe to watch over me anymore. Still, I can’t deny a part of me longed to get away from everyone and everything and simply be alone with him. So much of our relationship had barely been hinted at, and I wanted to explore further possibilities. That wasn’t about to happen, not tonight, so I’d had to content myself with catching glimpses of him whenever I could.

  Which hadn’t happened in a while, I realized, sometime after midnight. I managed to extract myself from the group of merrymakers surrounding me and started making my way through the fringes of the crowd, seeking him out. I saw a black head in the distance, but when he turned it wasn’t Ilgard. A second Simathe also fooled me momentarily, and I was getting exasperated when I felt a hand tugging at my elbow. I turned, fixing a smile on my face, certain it would be another well-wisher, but instead my cousin Rittean stood there. Her tropical water eyes weren’t just bright, they were glowing, and with something more than simple happiness. Scheming, maybe?

  That didn’t seem right. However, maybe my initial impression wasn’t too far off. Catching my hand, speaking loudly to be heard about the noise, she said, “Come with me, cousin. I’ve a thing to show you.”

  “What is it?” I hollered back, but she shook her white head.

  “Nay, you must come with me,” she begged.

  Shrugging, I acquiesced, letting her lead me away by the hand. I had no idea where we were going, but she seemed to as she wove through the throng like a champ, demanding, “Make way, make way, make way, please.”

  I was sorely tempted to laugh. Being pushy was not part of my Moonkind cousin’s character at all, but, clearly, she was on a mission she was determined to fulfill. We soon stopped before a tall, stately house with scarlet gables. She led me inside, up the staircase, and into a second-floor bedroom. Only a few candles were lit, and the shutters were tightly drawn. The place had an air of secrecy, as if whoever had prepared the room had done so with privacy in mind.

  I didn’t have to wonder long who Rittean’s accomplice was, because we’d no sooner entered and shut the door behind us when Elisia opened it again, flying into the room with something soft and white clutched in her hands.

  “I’ve finished,” she announced breathlessly. “I conscripted three fellow Spinners to assist, but I did not tell them why it had to be done, or with such haste, and I swore them to silence. We should be safe.”

  “Safe?” I echoed, glancing in confusion between my two friends. “What on earth is going on?”

  Rather than answer, Elisia hurried over to me and pressed a long, flowing gown to my shoulders.

  “What do you think?” she asked Rittean, who’d stepped up to take a look. “It’s one of mine—we made it over to fit her. I thought nothing of hers was quite proper.”

  “It’s lovely,” my cousin agreed. “Your taste is impeccable, as always.”

  “My gratitude,” Elisia nodded. Lowering the gown, she said to me, “Come, Hannah, let us waste no more time. Don this gown, and then—”

  “Wait, hold on!” I snapped. “I have no idea what you two are planning, but I’m not putting on anything until I know what it is.”

  That was what I said. Turned out, neither the Spinner nor the Moonkind were in a frame of mind to accept arguments or protests. In fact, I barely got a word in edgewise as they pretty much stripped off my clothing and re-dressed me in Elisia’s made-over gown. One of them brushed out my hair while the other placed a wreath of delicate white flowers on my head. Holding my hands, Elisia turned me this way and that in the candlelight, surveying me critically, before announcing, “Perfect. Simple and perfect.”

  “I agree,” Rittean concurred.

  I looked in the mirror. Whatever my friends had in mind, the gown was simple. Beautiful. I’d thought the color was white, but it was really a pale pink so soft it appeared white. A band of teeny satin flowers studded with seed pearls decorated the empire waist, the neckline was gently scooped, and the long sleeves flowed to my fingertips. I had only a moment to study my image. The next thing I knew, I was being trundled down the stairs and out of the home’s back door, which opened onto a less busy lane. A dark carriage sat there, into which I was practically shoved. Rittean climbed in after me, and Elisia closed the door.

  “You will never forget this night, my friend,” she said, smiling at me through the window. “May it bring you great joy.”

  That was an odd remark, one that left me thinking, What’s going on here? Is everybody acting crazy because I’ve won a
nd I came back, or is it something else entirely?

  The Spinner closed the curtains and rapped twice on the door. The carriage started forward with a jolt, clattering over the cobblestoned streets. Everything was dark. I had no idea where we were going, and Rittean sat mute, refusing to reply to any of my demands, entreaties, or questions. My confusion had only grown by the time the vehicle finally stopped and she opened the door. We were at the edge of the forest bordering Laytrii’s great city. My Moonkind cousin scrambled down and I followed. The carriage driver snapped his whip and took off, leaving her and me alone at the edge of the forest, with only a waning moon to light our way.

  Or so I thought, until Rittean gave her moonstone-tipped staff a shake. “Light, please,” she said.

  The gem lit up like it was on fire, practically affording us a flashlight’s beam as she started us off into the trees. I wasn’t afraid, but my curiosity was growing stronger and stronger until I thought I might burst… and then, weaving around a clump of thick oaks, grown together and twisted with ivy, we came upon a wide, moonlit clearing a little ways off, dotted with fanciful stone arches that thrust up toward the sky. Standing between us and clearing was the Simathe High-Chief.

  I stopped in my tracks. My breath caught in my throat. My heart did a funny little skip. My blood prickled in my veins. I barely heard Rittean say, “I will leave you now,” and walk away. I felt as if I were frozen, not by fear, but by anticipation and a growing sense that something was about to change, forever. That this night and this moment, whatever it held, was the final culmination of my long journey from Earth to Aerisia, from Hannah to the Artan, and back to Hannah—me, myself—again.

  Ilgard was walking toward me, and I stood motionless until he approached, halting in front of me.