«Then let us begin.»
Celieria ~ Orest
Rain stood on the battlements of Upper Orest, looking northward across the falls of Maiden’s Gate and the Heras River into Eld. A grayish haze hung over the dark-forested land of his enemies. The cooler months of fall always covered Eld in rain and mist, but the sight still made him uneasy. The last time he’d seen Eld, it had been shrouded in a similar gray haze, only weather hadn’t been to blame. The fires of Koderas—the greatsel’dorforge of the Eld—had belched smoke into the air day and night as the Eld war machine churned out weapons and armor for its soldiers and allies.
He sniffed the air. The breeze carried no hint of smoke, but he still couldn’t shake the sense of unease. His tairen instincts were roused. He could feel its claws unsheathing inside him, digging deep in preparation for attack.
«Ellysetta... »He spun her name on a thread of Spirit. They’d spoken last night, but he needed to hear her voice again.
When she didn’t answer, he frowned and called her on their bond threads, but she still didn’t respond. Growing concerned, Rain sent a private weave to Bel.«Bel? I cannot reach Ellysetta.»
There was a silence. Then,«Ellysetta’s in Fey’Bahren, Rain.»
Hope flickered in Rain’s breast.«She has found a way to save the kits?»
There was another silence, longer this time.«She thinks she has.»
Rain closed his eyes in relief. It was the best news he’d heard in days.«Thank the gods. What is it? Some long-forgotten healing weave? How did she find it?»Bel’s third long silence made Rain frown.«Bel?»he prodded.
The Fading Lands ~ The Feyls
Rain raced across the peaks of the Feyls like a dark comet streaking against the twilight sky. He flew parallel to the northern section of the Faering Mists, careful to avoid dipping even a wing tip into the radiant cloud of magic.
The Mists had challenged him again when he’d flown through over the Veil, but this time he’d been in no mood to stand for their torment. After a brief, unpleasant few chimes, he’d answered the challenge the way any aggravated tairen would: with a blast of tairen fire. The spirits in the Mists had gone silent then. Perhaps because they’d realized that if they’d tried to stop him, he would have scorched them out of existence. Whether a single Tairen Soul could destroy the Faering Mists was not at all certain, but if they’d continued to stand in his way, he would have found out.
Screaming ropes of Spirit shot out ahead of him, calling to Ellysetta on their private path. When she did not answer, he nearly set the threads of their bond afire with his furious shout.«Ellysetta! By the gods, you will answer me now!»
At last, she did, and her voice sounded hesitant. Startled.«Rain, beloved, what is it?»
Fire exploded from his muzzle.«You are weaving Azrahn? You would do that to us? To me?»
Shock rippled across their bond. Andguilt.«How did you kn—»Her voice broke off.«Bel.»
He didn’t bother to confirm it.«You will stop this madness immediately! I’m coming to Fey’Bahren. If Gaelen is still there when I arrive, I will kill him.»
«Rain! Wait! It’s not what you think. I’m not weaving Azrahn. I wouldn’t do that to you. I learned my lesson at Chakai. What choices we make, we make together, shei’tan. Please, you’ve got to believe me. I’m only—»
Whatever else she had to say was lost when he cut the connection of their bond threads. He powered the energy of his Rage into his flight, and he raced across the sky faster than he ever had before.
It was full night when he reached Fey’Bahren, and the campfire on Su Reisu shone like a beacon in the night, illuminating theslender figure of Ellysetta and the tall, dark warrior in her company.
Vel Serranis.
Rain’s wings tucked in tight. He put on a last, powerful burst of speed and shot towards the ground like a meteor.
Ellysetta must have sensed both his presence and his intent, because she leapt in front of vel Serranis and flung her arms out protectively. “Rain, wait!”
He didn’t slow a bit. He simply Changed. The rainbow mist of his magic swept over Ellysetta and Gaelen like a hard wind and gathered together into his Fey body behind them. He hit the ground in a tucked roll and came up in attack stance, teeth bared and snarling.
“Rain!” Ellysetta cried again. “It’s not what you think!”
He shoved her back with a puff of Air and bound her in place with a five-fold weave. To Gaelen, he growled, “Defend yourself,” just before his fist shot out, plowing into the underside of Gaelen’s jaw. Vel Serranis went flying. Rain leapt on him and began pummeling.
The fight didn’t last long. Rain had not spent those weeks of training under Gaelen’s tutelage without learning a great deal about how the other Fey fought and how best to defeat him. And Gaelen, cockyrultshartthough he was, knew he had it coming. When vel Serranis was groaning and breathless and his pretty face was sufficiently bruised and bloodied, Rain shoved him aside, got to his feet, and released Ellysetta from his weave.
“We weren’t weaving Azrahn, Rain,” Ellysetta protested. “We only used Spirit. I wouldn’t make a choice so grave without you.”
“I know.” He wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of one hand. “I realized the truth not long after we spoke. You asked me to believe you. Once I shook off the worst of my Rage, I realized you were right. I did need to believe you, to trust that you would never intentionally bring us to harm.Then I realized what Bel believed had to be wrong. That there had to be some other explanation.”
