On an exhale, he smiled at her and winked, trying to project all his love and confidence to her.No one would stop her from becoming who she was meant to be.Not even him.
“Together, in community, we cleanse our bodies and souls of the pain and trauma that came before.”Looking down at Veda standing beside her, Daya indicated she should begin.
Veda paused in her steps and flicked her eyes to his once more.He nodded at her to let her know, unequivocally, that she had his support to embrace the moment.Her hesitation faded before his eyes, shoulders straightening as she turned toward the fire.Stepping up, she held her yellow collar over the flames and released it.He let her see his pride and support.A small smile fluttered over her face, lightening her intensity as she returned and found her place next to Daya.
Opal trembled slightly in his arms.It was her turn next.Holding her tightly, he pressed a kiss to her head.“Together,” he whispered.
Two short strides brought him to the fire, and he leaned forward so that Opal could let go of her blue collar.As soon as it was done, she turned into him, pressing her head into the protection of his neck and shoulder.His hand settled on her head, gently stroking her hair until some of the tension eased out of her and she turned her head so that she could watch what was happening.
She was in time to watch Brenna and the older boy, Gavin, send their collars into the fire.The children finished with their task; the focus shifted to the adults.
Connor’s throat tightened, making it hard to breathe, as he watched Daya place a small chunk of stone into the fire.Black stone, sparkling like the carvings from the villagers she’d known.Letting go of the part of her past that held Savian and Draven.
The medallion in his palm was heavy as he stared at it.He couldn’t be Daya’s.The mountain had confirmed it would never accept him.He no longer felt the same calling to be a lightning warrior.The betrayals were too great, and his heart had changed.Without either of those things, what drove him?Who was he?He’d been focused for so long on his mother’s legacy, he’d neglected to build his own.
As he let the medallion go, he hardened his resolve.His highest priority was to take care of the traitor responsible for the death of his teammates.Then he’d figure out how to live again, when the two things that had brought so much meaning to his life and his soul had been stripped away from him.
Opal patted his chest comfortingly as he moved back into place, telling him everything would be okay.He closed his eyes as Cass stepped forward and the ceremony continued.How did he let go?He’d never done so in his life.Just the opposite.He was good at holding on tight to what was important to him.To what was important to those he cared about.
Breathing out, he released his magic and let it flow into the shadows created from the firelight.The flash of flames behind his eyelids was rhythmic, and he focused on it.Beginning to hear a steady heartbeat, he synced his pulse.Letting the blood in his veins pound with the beat of the earth and fire that sounded in his head.
Feel them.The whisper of the mountain pushed against his mind.
Accepting the command, he let himself feel.Daya and Veda radiated in his mind.Balanced, peaceful, beautiful.The strength of their connection to the earth astounded him.Deep inside, his heart clenched.They were exactly where they belonged.
“Together, we begin anew.”A deep, confident glow of hope poured from Daya, infusing her words with promise and certainty.
Her eyes met his as she took his hand for the last part of the healing ceremony.For a second before the others joined hands with them, the world slowed.He was alone with Daya, Veda, and Opal.His spirit settled and an intense feeling of home swept through him.The strength of it burned everything else away.He loved them.Would do anything for them.Including walk away.
Hoursaftertheirhealingceremony, the flames were still flickering strong, lighting up the clearing with the rustic colors of firelight.Joy raced through Daya’s blood, rightness dancing in her soul.
The ceremony had been powerful in its transformation, renewing her strength and commitment to who she was: a guardian with significant purpose and meaning in her life.She hadn’t realized how much she had needed that reminder.
Veda had been fully immersed and had embraced the power and meaning of the rite.At the end, she’d moved of her own accord.No longer shadowing Daya’s movements but making her own, dancing around the fire with joy and purpose.Connor had met her eyes as they’d watched Veda, understanding and acceptance clear in his gaze.
The children had moved from tears of tremendous emotion into unabashed joy.She knew it wouldn’t last once reality set in and they were forced to work through the arduous process of recovery.But for now, tonight, they were free and relishing the beauty of their freedom.
Their joy was infectious, and the adults were likewise in a relaxed and jubilant state.Sev had even coaxed Cass into dancing and was teaching her an Eldrin style dance, spinning her with quick movements that had her laughing as she tried to follow him.After a particularly dizzying spin that made the graceful warrior stumble, the two roared with laughter.Cass broke away, smiling as she waved to Sev that she needed a breather.
Unerringly spotting Daya in the shadows, Cass came over to join her.The warrior emitted a much more relaxed energy than she had during the past few days.
“Having fun?”Daya asked, smiling.
“Kind of a strange occurrence for me, but yes, I am,” Cass admitted, letting her smile broaden into a grin.“Sev is fun to be around.Nothing riles him, and his energy is so relaxed.I’m not used to that.It’s a nice change.”
“Wolflumen lean toward being more intense?I’m shocked.”
Cass laughed.“Yeah, we’re pretty intense and focused all the time.You are as well, from what I’ve seen.Why aren’t you taking the opportunity to enjoy the night?”
Daya sighed, her eyes unerringly finding Connor in the shadowed light.He sat on a rock near the fire, her father’s lute in his hands.The fact that he’d brought it and a few other instruments had made her heart twist in the best way.Her father would have loved to see his beloved treasures used on such a night.Connor’s fingers strummed a fast beat as he kept rhythm with his foot for those dancing.
“I’m afraid of who I’ll find if I go to him,” she admitted with a low whisper.“He seems like two different people to me since his memory returned.I love them both.Connor’s strength, loyalty, and resilience are without measure.But to be that warrior, he has to be hard.Sharp and cold.I miss the joy and laughter Raiden brought to my life.The passion.The friend I fell in love with.”Daya swallowed hard.“Tomorrow, I’ll say goodbye to Connor, but I feel like I didn’t get to say goodbye to Raiden.I can’t keep any part of him, so it shouldn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters,” Cass argued.“We build a… persona… to help us be who we need to be as warriors.Strong, ruthless, unyielding.The rest gets hidden.Protected.You probably do it too, as a guardian.Some of us have lived so exhaustively as that person that we lose the rest of ourselves.I imagine Connor feels the time without his memory is both a gift and a curse.He was forced to remember the parts of him that have been buried.Most of us never get that back, not once the warrior takes hold.”
Isn’t that exactly what he’d told her?I just want to be your broken warrior.Connor was struggling, trying to figure out who he wanted to be.
“A very insightful truth,” she murmured.
