Page 34
T he ceremony takes place at the water’s edge right as the sun is dipping behind the horizon. The sky is boasting a wondrous arrangement of pinks and purples tonight, as if knowing what this sunset represents.
Solay’s limp body is laid out on a black and rose gold tapestry with Lotus flowers lining the edges. Small Phoenix stones dot the edges of the dossal; the one in my pocket shakes and hums in response to the others. I swallow at the sight of the mighty bird, her wings tucked at her sides, her crown of feathers limp against her head.
Her once vibrant red feathers seem dulled, even against the sharp black of the tapestry beneath her.
Ingrid steps forward, setting a large wooden bowl filled with liquid at Solay’s side. She kneels there, head bowed in prayer. I watch Nalin’s eyes glaze over, blankly staring at the sea beyond. My heart clenches for him, for his loss. He folds his hands behind his back, lifting his chin as his bottom lip quivers.
The other Phoenixes surround Solay, a chorus of chirps and chirrups that I know are promises to honor Solay’s name forever and respect the new member of their Odyssey. Orion’s broad frame towers over Solay, before he dips his head into a bow before her. Ingrid moves to kneeling before the bowl, murmuring something softly as she does. When she rises, she dips her fingers into the bowl, sprinkling the drops along Solay’s broad back.
With every drip, Solay turns to steam. She begins to burn, starting at her claws, her feathers turning a golden color as she is totally engulfed by the flames. Ashes flitter through the air, taking her with them. She disappears bit by bit, until both Solay’s body and the flames are gone.
I hold my breath, staring at the vacant place her body once lay. A spark in the few remaining ashes, and the light grows before my eyes. I can sense the entire group holding their breath, the Phoenixes included.
The budding light grows, flashing a great white that gives way to a small, gangly bird staggering to its feet. Its long legs are wobbly, knees knocking together as it stretches to stand at full height for the first time.
My lungs seize at the coloring of the bird.
Radiant oranges throughout its plume and wings; but at the crest and throughout the tail feathers, rich blue hues take over.
The bird is absolutely breathtaking .
Ganthral cries out, the others following suit. Joyful tears bud at the corners of my eyes as the newborn Phoenix emerges from the ashes.
From ash we came, to which we return.
For we are born again from it.
The words are a cog in my throat, its revered meaning tainted by the note left in my room at the Ravels.
Ridge slides his arm around my shoulders, his large, heavy arm a security blanket as we watch the Phoenix stagger to Artemis. The wind and noise die out, the birds going still.
Have you been chosen? I hardly breathe as the bird finds comfort under my giant, marvelous bird’s wing. Reborn Phoenixes chose their guardians based on primal instinct.
Her purr is audible from here, a mother’s comforting trumpet. Yes. This is Anastasia.
How lovely, I tell her, pride swelling in my chest for Artemis.
“Her name is Anastasia,” I tell Ridge through tears, looking up at him. “She chose Artemis to be her caretaker.”
Ridge’s smile fills every splintered crack in my heart, watching the bird closely. “Her name means Resurrection,” he tells me, and I choke back a sob .
Chills snake down my body, I shudder and press further into Ridge. “I am spent,” I admit faintly.
Ridge stiffens, piquing my interest. “The meeting. The others arrive in the morning.” His tone is wary; as if hesitant to even broach the topic.
My pulse quickens, nerves taking over any semblance of hope I had moments ago.
As if sensing my change in mood, Ridge tips my chin back to look at him. The gold in his eyes is incomprehensibly icy, so many different twists and turns of dimension. He admires me as if there is no one else in existence.
“I pick you over the world, Aledrya,” he murmurs, kissing me softly. “If you want out, say the word and I’ll make it so.”
“I’m tired; not giving up.” I caress his cheek, biting my bottom lip.
He turns to face Anastasia, who the other birds are ushering to the Keep. It will have to do until we can show her Zindell.
If we can show her.
Ridge rubs at his jaw, Hune gesturing to him from across our group. “I need to go discuss matters with Hune regarding tomorrow,” he says softly, pressing a kiss to my temple.
I wave him off with a hand. “Go. Discuss how marvelous I am.”
“I’ll be sure to inquire where this obscene arrogance comes from.”
I titter to myself, watching him stride off, sucked into the sheer dominance that ripples from him. The world moves and trembles at his feet. Being in his bed doesn’t appease the part of me that wants to bow to him, to his power. A primal part of me recognizes what he’s capable of, but unlike the others, it doesn’t frighten me.
I turn toward the house, to the grassy walkway. As a show of respect both for Solay and Anastasia, none of us were to wear shoes. The buttery sand under my toes had been a gentle reminder that for now, we were safe. I know what approaches though, what lies in waiting in the days or weeks to come .
Lamond is walking alongside Ganthral toward the Keep when I finally look up. His dark hair falling from the tie he’d used to pull it from his face. His powerful gait halts as he takes me in, something like disappointment lies there.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the only object that had soothed me during the first weeks at the Ravels, the only thing that lulled me to sleep when I ached for home. I approach with caution, Ganthral arching his head at me.
“Lamond.” I don’t bother putting a mask of confidence on. “Ganthral.” The bird purrs in my direction, and I fight a smile in response.
Lamond merely nods at me, folding his hands behind his back, peering at the stone in my hands. “You kept that?”
“It’s been somewhat of a security blanket for me,” I admit, turning the smooth stone over in my hand.
Lamond smiles, a faraway look in his eyes. “Those stones are crucial to the Phoenix’s Rebirth. Having one shows that they trust you, even into the afterlife.”
A single tear threatens to escape.
“I haven’t made the best decisions when it comes to you.” Lamond’s words startle me, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. “But I’m on your side.”
I unfurl my fingers from the stone, holding Lamond’s gaze.
The stone flares with heat under my fingers, as if prompting the memory of meeting Lamond and Ganthral in the woods. How far I’ve come since that night. Not only in power, but in strength.
Valiance .
My power doesn’t run me like it once did; unable to temper it, unable to summon it at will. In turn, my anger no longer has to dictate my life. A good place to start would be forgiveness and starting anew.
“We’ve always been on the same side, even when we were at odds, Lamond,” I tell him, smiling. “Which is a good thing, because we have a war to win.”
Table of Contents
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- Page 34 (Reading here)
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