Her soul disappeared.
61
It was surreal to stand at the center of the Blight without a wall of mist anywhere to be seen. The colorless earth warped and puckered in a spiral pattern, meeting at a distinct point. Mareleau shuddered at the pulse ofmorathat flowed from that point, moving through the land, through her body. A tether of magic remained forever between her and Noah, a circuit she sensed no matter where he was. Larylis held him, several feet from where Mareleau stood, and still the pulse connected them as strongly as if he was in her arms. She supposed she’d feel it until the day Noah came of age and her role as regent became obsolete.
It was a bittersweet prospect. The day her child would no longer need her. She hoped she wouldn’t be too disappointed to give up this power when the time came.
Etrix came up beside her. “We’ll need to build a temporary shelter here until an official palace can be constructed. And you’ll need to train in how to move themoraat once. Our priority is healing the Blight.”
She met his ruby-brown eyes and found lines of fatigue on his ageless face. Even though he spoke in a diplomatic tone, he was grieving. His daughter had died only yesterday. It didn’t matter that they’d been separated for decades, or that Etrix hadn’t even known if she’d been alive in the human world before they’d recently reunited. A loss was a loss, and his was still fresh. A full week had passed in the human world, but here it had only been a day. Luckily, Cora had retrieved Ailan’s body and brought it back, along with all the other Elvyn soldiers—the hale, the dead, and the wounded alike.
It must have been exhausting work for Cora, constantly worldwalking back and forth over the past week, often with multiple companions in tow. With the tear fully sealed, the only way Cora could enter El’Ara was with Valorre. Cora had sent word an hour ago—El’Ara time—that her mission was complete. All that remained was escorting Helena to El’Ara.
After that…
Mareleau would never see Cora again. She’d worldwalk away for the last time. Her throat constricted just thinking about it.
Making friends, losing friends.
Yet another bittersweet eventuality.
If you’re building a new palace, came a voice in her mind,I demand ample caves nearby.
Mareleau glanced skyward and found the opalescent creature soaring overhead. She still wasn’t used to her bonded dragon. Especially since Ferrah wasn’t the warmest companion. She’d demonstrated a few short-lived bouts of neediness, approaching Mareleau at random times to head-butt her hand with the vigor of a beast who didn’t understand her own strength. Ferrah otherwise remained cold and independent.
Like a cat, Mareleau supposed.
I resent that. I don’t know what that is.
You don’t have felines here?Mareleau thought back. She was amazed that that was all it took to communicate with her.Small bodies, pointed ears, soft fur.
You mean the Elvyn?
I said soft fur.
Isn’t that what’s on their heads? I suppose you wouldn’t know. Ferrah said the last part with what Mareleau imagined was a smirk, before flying off and out of sight.
Mareleau touched the ends of her chin-length hair. She’d cried when she’d seen her reflection in the mirror yesterday, but today she wasn’t feeling nearly as self-conscious. Her short locks suited her fine, now that one of her maids had taken a pair of shears to them and styled them in loose waves. It left her with nothing to braid when she was anxious, but that was probably a habit she should discard already. She was regent of El’Ara, after all.
“So…this will one day be our home?” Larylis said, coming up beside her with Noah in his arms. She frowned, puzzled by his words until she realized he was referring to the palace Etrix had mentioned. The Elvyn now stood several yards away, staring up at the sky as if mentally constructing their future palace. Mareleau imagined they had Elvyn specialists who designed and constructed their impressive feats of architecture, but if it distracted Etrix from the loss of his daughter, who was she to judge?
“Yes,” Mareleau said, meeting his lips with a soft kiss before placing an even softer one on her sleeping son’s forehead. She met her husband’s eyes again. “Are you all right with all this? I know it’s happening so fast. Everything we thought we knew about our lives and our roles has changed.”
“I admit, this is nothing like the future I imagined for us,” he said, his gaze scanning the barren landscape of the Blight.
Her heart sank. Gods, he’d lost so much. Before she could open her mouth to apologize, he pinned her with a knowing look.
“Don’t you dare, Mare.” His tone was gentle, his lips tilted in a smile. “Don’t tell me I’ve lost everything, because it’s far from the truth. I will ache for the human world and the people we’ll have to leave behind. But don’t forget who I am at my heart. I wasn’t born to be a king, but a lover and a scholar. I have my wife and child. And now I have an entire world to satisfy my intellectual curiosity. This place is a storybook legend come to life.”
That was so like him, and it lifted her heart to the heavens. She wasn’t sure how much of his words were meant to placate her, but they served to remind her that they could thrive here. Theywould. And they would do it together.
She pressed her lips to his again, and as she pulled away, movement caught her eye. She and Larylis turned to find the colorless landscape warping and swirling midair not too far away. Mareleau’s heart leaped in anticipation. Etrix turned toward the vortex too. It spread wider to create a large opening.
Garot stepped out first. “Look how brilliantly themorahas improved my abilities! My Path works through the Blight now.”
Fanon followed next, far less jovial. His complexion was wan, and dark circles shadowed his eyes. Mareleau’s gaze dropped to the silk bandages wrapping his blunted wrists. She’d heard about the injuries he’d sustained, heard he might not even recover. But there he was. She wasn’t his greatest fan, but he’d supported Ailan’s wishes where Mareleau and Noah were concerned. So long as his loyalty outlasted his consort’s life, Fanon might be an essential advocate in the coming days, second only to Etrix. She needed their support and influence on the tribunal to ensure the Elvyn continued to honor their vows.
Garot and Fanon stepped aside, revealing the faces of those Mareleau had been most excited to see: Cora, Teryn, Valorre, and…
