Arrival (34 page)

The battle fell apart instantly. Accolon called to everyone to cease their fighting.

Satine rode to meet them on the hill. From the expression on her face, they knew what she had done. She dismounted and stood in front of Accolon, her hands shaking slightly.

Eventually Satine said, “I’m sorry for deceiving you.” Then, “I knew he would not believe me otherwise.”

“Why did you not tell me about the child? Is it his?”

A hesitation, but only brief. “Yes. I didn’t want to upset you.” And why did she say that? Why not take the opening for truth? Because she loved two men now who were dead, and perhaps this could be a gift for the second. Letting the child be his.

“Did you really love him?” Accolon asked quietly.

“Yes,” she said, matching his tone. He looked to the ground and nodded slowly.

She did not tell him that she still loved him too, as she had planned to. It would not do either of them any good.

“We will be leaving soon.”

“Feel free to stay as long as you like ... to rest,” she said, feeling oppressed by the formalities.

“Thank you. I will camp my soldiers here for another day so that they may recover, and then we shall leave. It is best if we start our journey soon, for it will be a long one. Silven!” he said, turning away from her to face the Elvish prince. Eben, as always, was at Silven’s side.

“Greetings, King Accolon,” the Elf said. Satine moved closer so she could hear what was said.

“I don’t think words will ever be able to describe the gratitude we all feel towards you and your people, Silven,” Accolon said.

The prince did not reply. He was silently weeping for his lost brother, Fern.

Accolon turned back to Satine. “We will not come up to the town while we are here, Satine. You need time to rebuild it as you see fit. This city shall prosper with you as its queen.”

“I intend that to be so,” she replied firmly.

“Well,” Harry murmured tiredly, “That was pretty intense.”

Anna hugged him tightly. “We did it after all.”

Luca and Jane came to stand with them, and the four of them looked at each other.

“We did it after all,” Jane agreed softly, and they clasped hands.

Jane made her way to Cornelius. Elixia held her father’s hand and Cornelius peered at Jane.

“You were his friend, weren’t you?” the old man asked. Jane nodded, a lump rising in her throat. Elixia reached out and squeezed her hand gently.

Jane blinked a few times and asked, “What are you going to do now? What’s everyone going to do?”

Cornelius sighed. “Only what we can, my dear. My people and I will make our way home, and try to manage as best we can without our prince.”

Hot tears came to Jane’s eyes as she saw the man’s grief. The world had not been ready to lose Prince Fern. Not yet.

“We must to do the same,” Queen Elixia said, “manage as best we can, and come out stronger for all that we have lost.”

Jane nodded, taking strength from the words. She walked to the hill where the Elves had fought so bravely with their arrows and looked over the battle’s aftermath. Far below she saw Queen Fey with her remaining Amazonian women, gathering themselves together. She saw people from every country, tending their wounds and readying for the long journey home. A lot was gained, but so much lost. It was time to rebuild.

Freyja came to stand beside her.

“Jane, there will come a time when all will be right again,” she said quietly, staring down at the girl.

“I know there will,” Jane replied, “But we have a long time to wait.”

“Yes,” Freyja agreed. “You have only just started to realise your true potential. There is power in you that you have not yet begun to fathom. But I will be with you the whole way, wherever your journey takes you.”

“Thank you,” Jane said, smiling in return at the goddess. Then, without another word, Jane put her fingers in her mouth and gave a long piercing whistle that sailed through the air.

Out of the sky flew two unicorns, one white, one black, and they landed in front of Jane. She went forward and embraced them. Her joyous laugh filled those who could hear her with happiness.

A dark creature appeared next to them, and he bowed to Jane.

“These creatures are yours, my lady. They were made for you, and only you. I am the keeper, and I have guarded them for centuries, waiting for you to claim them.”

“Thank you,” Jane said warmly. “You may go.”

The Equinox gave a contented sigh, and he drifted away on the wind, his yellow eyes the last part of him to fade.

Everyone had turned to look at her now, as she carefully climbed onto one of the unicorns.

“Jane! What are you doing?” Luca asked in alarm.

“I’m going some place where I can wait. I have to do this. Don’t worry, I will be back very soon,” she said, her smile giving warmth to each of them.

Then, without another word, the unicorns leapt into the sky, and with them Jane flew into another time and place. One that did not exist in Paragor, or any other world.

She flew, unhindered by anything but the thought of waiting. No matter how long it took, she would wait for him. She became like a wraith, trapped in her longing. But she was content, for though she could not remember anything else, she could remember Fern’s words to her.

“Whatever happens tomorrow, Jane, you won’t lose me. I’ll always be here for you. There is more than this life. Remember that.”

Emperor Liam of the Kabduh stood with his arms folded over his chest and watched the disappearance of the Bright One into the sky. His brow was furrowed as his gaze swept over the evidence of their victory.

His brother Lastaam came to stand quietly by his side and together they scrutinised what had happened.

“You’re not happy,” Lastaam murmured in their own language.

Liam didn’t reply for some time, but when he did his voice was very low. “We’ve won today. But has anyone given thought to the prophecy?”

Lastaam didn’t reply, only exhaled deeply, understanding now what plagued his emperor.

Liam murmured, “Only four were here. Four, when the Great One spoke of six. I fear, brother, that this was not the battle of prophecy. It is not over.”

Far below, further even than the chasms of hell, the soul of Leostrial lay as death, waiting, waiting for a time when it could be reborn. It would have sighed, if it could, for they had won the battle, but Paragor had unknowingly returned itself to darkness.