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“It’s a part of growing up in this world. It’s been rare that people have been honest with me. Usually they have only tried to control me or diminish me.”
“I would never do that,” he said. “In fact I was thinking that it might be good for everyone if you were to accept my proposal. You could study in the tower and learn all about your ability, and this way you could end up exploring new worlds yourself. You could understand everything that you can do, everything that had previously been stripped from you, and you could also lead the warrior side of the pride as well. There is nobody who has been through what you have gone through, and I feel that there are plenty of lessons to be learned. Of course, it only really works if you want to, of course. I know that in many ways I am not an impressive lion or man. You would probably want someone who could best in you in battle.”
I laughed at this. “If I wanted someone who could best me in battle then I would be alone for the rest of my life,” I thought about the possibility for a moment. In truth everything had been so hectic that I hadn’t given much thought to Mika as a mate, but I suppose he did have some endearing qualities that weren’t entirely displeasing. “Let me ask you a question Mika. If we had a child who could do what I can do how would you treat them? Would you berate them for being a monster?”
“Of course not,” he said indignantly, and looked shocked. “Every child should be judged for who they are, not what we expect them to be. I know that well enough,” he added. He was right in that it would be worthwhile for me to have such a position in the pride, in order to protect the interests of my own lions as well as learn about myself.
“And what of Lanas?” I asked.
“My pride is no stranger to having two people in a relationship. If you are both fine with it then I am fine with it as well. I can tell that he cares for you deeply, and since your relationship precedes anything that we might have it would be selfish of me to ask you to end it on account of that.”
“That’s very open-minded of you.”
“I consider myself an empathetic person. I believe that the more love we feel and share the more intense a relationship can be. Perhaps there would be things that he and I would need to discuss with each other, but you are certainly worthy of our love, and I hope that we could prove ourselves worthy of yours as well.”
“Perhaps you could, although we shall see. I shall think on the matter, and then come back to you with a decision. So am I to understand that you have made your decision?”
Mika nodded. “I have indeed. You can announce it to your people and when you are ready we can return to Orestes, with all of them. Once I tell my parents Divad will be able to help transport your people to Orestes as well.”
“Very well. Then I shall address the people,” I said.
I marched outside and gathered them all before me, declaring that I had a grand announcement to make. My heart swelled when I saw them looking up at me with hope in their eyes, for they had been so empty of it for so long.
“My lions, there is a secret that I must share with you. For a long time we have been told stories. Some of these stories have had elements of truth, while some of them have been lies. One of the lies we have been told is that walking between worlds is a curse. It is not a curse, but rather our salvation, because I have done it. I know that some of you may still think that it is wrong based on everything you have been told, but it is our way off this planet, our way back to Orestes, where we first came from.
While I was in Orestes I learned many things, one of which was that our ancestors were criminals exiled from Orestes, sent here so that they would never trouble anyone else. But we are not criminals. We are honorable, noble people who deserve a chance to live, and do not deserve to be punished for their sins. I am going to make sure to fight for every one of you, because there is not a criminal among us. We have suffered like criminals though, and our time for suffering is over!
There were those who wanted to adhere to tradition and keep suffering because they thought it was the way things were supposed to be. My father was one of them, and Darrow was another. He tried to attack me to trap you here, but now he’s dead. We no longer have to worry about anyone standing in our way. We shall mourn the ones we have lost, and we shall think of them as they are consigned to the tomb of this world, but we shall not allow them to hold us back any longer. I will lead you to Orestes, to a better future, and once there we shall find a new home. It is a place where the land is full of flowers, where there are herds as far as the eye can see. We shall not be hungry again. We shall not have to spend all our energy eking out survival. We can be free to explore our passions and interests, and we can create new stories to tell the children we bear, stories of our determination and our courage and our bravery to exist in a dying world. And you may think about the lions of Orestes and ask yourselves why they would want us to join their pride, but we can offer them these qualities that have been forged within us, qualities that they cannot fathom because they have lived in a world that nurtures them.
I am your Lioness, and I declare that this is going to be the last day we ever spend on this forsaken soil. This day is the last day we are going to know the suffering of this world that hates us. This day is the last day we are going to spend in exile. Let us go to the only home that has ever mattered for us; Orestes.”
The words were stirring and everyone started to cheer and holler and roar as they realized what this meant. I looked across at Mika and smiled. Now that I looked at him with the idea of romance in mind I could see that he was handsome, and the thought of being intimate with him was not unwelcome. Blood burned in my heart as I looked at my pride with love, proud of myself that I had been able to find a way out of this world.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lanas
I heard the roar of approval in the background and knew that Ava must have just told the pride that they were going to Orestes to be saved.
“Sounds like good news,” Mom said, her words so frail as they slipped between her lips.
“You just rest Mom. You’ll see Orestes too,” I said.
“Perhaps… but there is something I want to say to you Lanas. Find a good place in this new world, and stand by the Lioness. She will need you more than she will ever admit. I know this seems like the end of things, but it is only the beginning. There will be other hardships and other struggles that you cannot fathom at the moment. Life is never truly easy, but together you can help each other and you can remind her of the right way. You must do all you can do give her strong children too.”
“I’ll try Mom,” I said, blinking away the tears in my eyes as I could feel her slipping away. She closed her eyes and fell asleep again.
“I think the Lioness needs you. You should go,” Meela said.
“I can’t. I need to stay with her,” I replied, staring at Mom.
“She needs her rest.”
“What does she need rest for? It’s not like she’s going to use it for anything.”
“Lanas, you staying here isn’t going to make a difference to your mother. But surely the Lioness is going to need your help in getting people to Orestes. I will watch over her and make sure that she is not alone, and I’ll try to ensure that she is still here when you return.”
Deep in my heart I knew it made sense, although I did not like to think of it. I pulled myself up and made my way back to Ava’s chambers, where she was alone for the moment.
