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11
EVANNA
An unusually chilled breeze swirled around us as my gaze followed the procession from where I stood on Luna’s back. Together, the Elevated Warriors carried the wooden cradle where Penelope’s body lay, as though she was merely sleeping.
I wished I could say the oddly low temperatures bothered me, but the truth was, that just like the frosted flowers and bushes lining the path to the beach tonight, I, too, felt frozen. My heart was just like a frozen river, hardened and cold on the surface while its waters still rushed fiercely underneath.
The pain of her loss was still there, inside me, but it was trapped under layers and layers formed by the cold and harsh reality we had been forced to live for so long. My heart was hardened, and though the pain was still inside it, it was trapped too far underneath the thick ice for me to truly feel it.
Willow told me once that holding in the sorrow hurt me more than letting it all out, perhaps she was right, but I couldn’t tell the difference anymore. Maybe I was just frosted to my core, icicles growing along my veins and organs until my warmth could no longer radiate, and there was nothing else I could do.
I felt everything and nothing all at once, but the nothingness was stronger on days like today.
Another gust of wind blew my hair back when I turned to face the others. Asher, Braxton, Hanna, Arlo, and the rest of the guard bent down slowly, placing the beautifully carved wooden cradle onto the raft our people had built for Penelope. Pushing the raft together, they let her body float onto the vast sea of the Wetlands.
“Let’s go, Luna…” With my words, we lifted into the sky, flying towards the sea until we neared the raft.
Opening her mouth fully, Luna sent a small stream of fire towards it. The flames caught onto the bed of dry brush that lined the cradle, instantly igniting it. Silently, I watched it spread along the sides until the yellow and orange glow illuminated Penelope’s form in an eerie but beautiful way. She seemed so peaceful in her white dress, hair adorned with wildflowers, while a sunflower was nestled between her hands.
Two ocean guardians suddenly surfaced, their long, turquoise-silver bodies curling in and out the water as ribbons would, swimming on each side of the raft. The gentle waves they created guided Penelope deeper into the sea, until only a soft glow could be seen. It felt as though they had chosen to escort her to theLake of Tranquilitythemselves,so her soul would find peace once it awoke there, grace, and honor for her heroic sacrifice.
The sight was both awe-inspiring and astonishing. Ocean guardiansneverinteracted with us. Never once had they joined our funeral ceremonies since I’d been alive, or before that. Perhaps, the magnitude of our losses this time was so strong, that they felt compelled to show their support…
Or perhaps, it was notourgrief which had called to them.
My gaze lowered to Braxton, the man I loved, to witness the torment he felt painting his features and chest like runes of war. In that instant, I knew that just like his father’s, it was his heart who’d brought the Dragons back to us.
Turning around in the air, Luna took me back to our kingdom while the rest of the Sky Legion’s Dragons took to the sky with their riders, following silently. There were no words to share. No prayers. Nothing that hadn’t been said thousands of times in thousands of farewell ceremonies like this one.
It wasn’t the first time we’d lost someone we loved, and though every cell in my being wished I could vow otherwise, it would not be the last.
As we approached the mountains, Fire Fury and Braxton began to descend, and I noticed them heading straight for the large opening on the hill. Azazel’s breath had destroyed it. The hole left us more vulnerable than we already were, now that Raithian had not only attacked us in our own home but killed one of our own.
For the past year we had created a good home here. It was the longest we had ever been able to stay in one place, giving us a false sense of security. Helping us feel safe, but that was no longer the case. We should have kept moving. I shouldn’t have allowed my people to settle down here as though this was their true home, but they deserved better than to live a life constantly running, and I wanted to at least give them that since I couldn’t yet offer them freedom…
Now, I needed to find a safer place for all of us—one where the Warlock King could not find us—and relocate everyone there before the next full moon if possible. The weight on my shoulders increased instantly.
Stopping before the opening, Braxton and Fire Fury reared back, red fire illuminating the Dragon’s entire form, and they fired. I watched in wonder as what Brax called thefire lavaengulfed the entire side of the mountain, melting it like Azazel’s fire breath had done. In this case, however, it closed the opening, creating a solid barrier no one could penetrate. Once again protecting our kingdom.
A slight warmth ignited in my chest, spreading through my being. With his actions, Brax reminded that I was not as alone in leading our people as I thought. At least, not anymore. No one had asked Braxton to do this. To be honest, after the events of today, it hadn’t even crossed my mind to fortify the kingdom after the attack. He thought of it… because it was now his kingdom too.
Gods, I loved that man.
With a renewed sense of hope, the determination we had before Raithian came to hurt us returned. There was nothing more important now than to clear the Harbinger of Justice’s name before our people, and announce Braxton was his son. He’d been enslaved in his own way since he got here, under the weight of the secrets he kept and those kept from him. It was time to set him free.
Landing inside the mountain, I stepped onto the talon of Luna’s wing and let her lower me to the ground. The others dismounted their Dragons, the Elevated Warriors walking towards me slowly to accompany me through the castle’s gates.
“Before we leave to our rooms,” I called seeing them stop before me, “I would like a moment to speak to you all.”
“Of course, Princess.” Asher bowed his head slightly, and waved to Braxton and Elijah, who were helping Harper down from Alkor, Elijah’s ride. Spike was still recovering.
Our gazes followed their advance our side. The medicine woman had partially healed Harper’s fractures, resetting her bones correctly so her body would take care of the rest, and placing a supporting brace on her arm and leg. However, that made it difficult for her to mobilize on her own.
Unfortunately, a healer’s magic wasn’t absolute—not that I was aware.
Giving time for them to arrive, I took in the faces of the men and women who had willingly placed their lives in danger time after time under my ruling. Without question or hesitation, they answered my call each time, their duty and love for this realm and our people was stronger than anything else.
I owed them everything.
