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CHAPTER FOURTY-THREE: A NEW FAMILY

Just as it happened in The Soundless, the weather had completely changed overnight. The gardens were warming nicely in the sunshine, and the flowers willingly gave up their fragrance to create a delicious cloud for walking around in. I stopped near a man who was plucking spent pink blossoms off a bush and tucking them in his pocket.

“Does it always change so fast,” I asked. “I mean the weather?”

“Nah, nah,” he drawled, and pointed to the next garden. “Too late in the season for this. Moire asked the druids to pray for fine weather, for her to-do today.” A friendly nod, and he bent back to his task and forgot me.

When I turned my head toward the druids, I heard a strange note of music—a single humming note that couldn’t possibly come from a human. I had to investigate, and following the sound led me directly to the druids, more than a dozen of them. They were gathered on the grass with their hoods lowered, kneeling in front of an older man with a set of large bowls in front of him. Some metal, some smoky glass, the bowls emitted the elusive music while the man leaned over them, running a padded stick around their rims.

Without pausing, he looked up at me and smiled, then nodded to an open spot on the grass beside the other druids, inviting me to join them. Whether it was that smile or the tones embracing me, I felt compelled to stay.

I settled on the ground and mimicked their sitting position, knees apart—a move made much easier wearing trousers. I closed my eyes, rested the back of my hands on my legs, and opened my palms to the sounds surrounding me. I imagined those sounds filling in little holes in me, as if I were made of heartstone and the humming made me smooth, complete…

As each note began to fade, another one would overlap and build. It was captivating.

A low tone built slowly and filled my bones…or maybe something deeper. My body, on its own, began to rock.

Next came a dissonant note that made me feel like arguing. But the longer it lasted, the more that urge lessened. Then another dissonant note. I had the sensation of rocking a child, holding it against me—something I’d only been able to do once in my life. Or maybe I was the one being rocked…

I knew where my hands were, but if I didn’t look, I could hold onto that feeling.

The introduction of a high note felt like an unexpected rain shower. I wanted to laugh. Then more notes joined, and I realized there were other sorts of perfection in this world that needed exploring.

The low note came again, reminding me of the ground beneath me, holding me up, reminding me…but reminding me of what?

From a distance, from underwater, someone called my name.

“Demius?” It was a whisper, a prayer. That dissonant note brought anger up to the surface of my mind, an anger I hadn’t intended or expected. I faced a truth—Demius could have fought, could have defended himself. But he’d stood there and allowed that monster to take his head. I’d needed him, and he’d known I would need him…

My name, again.

The air shifted all around. I found the druids looking at me, wishing I would go away.

I smiled and got to my feet, bowed my thanks to the old man, then looked for the source of the interruption. The figure smiling and waving, running down the path toward me was Viggo! From old habit, my heart jumped a little at just the sight of him. It used to mean I would have a reprieve from the red dust and tedium of the day.

Dressed in his dragon rider military of black and red, he was out of place in the blissful gardens with their clouds of sweetness and droning bowls. I pointed down the walkway, to a patch of grass nearer the main palace, to lead him further from the reverent Ard Draoi , and we collided there, literally.

His arm came around me so fast it knocked the breath from my lungs. “Asper! Asper! I’m so happy you came! I was just about to go back to the canyon to find you! I thought that old man would never let you leave. How did you manage to convince him?” His attention caught on my trousers and his brows peaked. “You should have checked the keep. There were beautiful clothes?—”

I waved away the suggestion. If he knew I’d sifted through every inch of his desert home, he might assume I owed him something for the intrusion, permission be damned.

“Demius was murdered,” I said.

Viggo slapped his hand over my mouth and glanced toward the druids before allowing me to push it away. “That name is dangerous here,” he said quietly. “Better to call him the old man, eh?”

“All right.” I rubbed the lower half of my face and glared, letting him know he’d pay dearly if he did it again. “ The old man was murdered.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” he said sincerely. “Everywhere I go, people have lost their wits. I suppose the canyon couldn’t have been any different. But still, you’re here!”

“Yes, but she’s not alone.” Tearloch came to a stop just beside me. “And you are?”

Viggo grinned and his grip on me tightened. “I’m her?—”

“Neighbor.” I tried to push him away. “We were neighbors in the canyon. I was just telling him about…the old man.”

“Ah.” Tearloch put his hand around my waist and pulled gently but firmly. Viggo had no choice but to let me go or he would have looked like a spoiled child.

Instead, he said, “And you are?”

I answered for him. “He’s my?—"

“New family,” Sweetie said, barreling around Tearloch to come toe to toe with Viggo. He took the dragon rider by the shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. “Nice to meet a former family friend.” He tucked him under his arm and started leading him away. “How long have you known our Asper, then?”

“Nearly all our lives?—”

“And you’re a dragon rider. Say, there, that’s impressive. I hear you boys are not allowed to consort with women?—”

Viggo balked. “That’s not true?—”

“But it feels true, doesn’t it?” Sweetie patted Viggo’s shoulder and left him ten feet away, to return to stand between Minkin and me. Bain stood at Tearloch’s other shoulder, creating a solid wall of resistance dressed in fine new clothes. Blues and greens and golds, as if they’d all intended to honor Kivi.

My new family.

When Viggo took a step forward, they tensed and he retreated. I couldn’t say the hard look in his eye was jealousy, but it was something just as intense, and it had no connection to his forced smile. “You’re staying for the ceremony?”

I tried not to grin. “I am.”

“Then perhaps we can have a nice chat afterward…without your bodyguards.” He looked at Minkin and bent at the waist in a deep bow. “Miss.” Then at me. “Asper.”

“Viggo.”

A curt nod and he marched off in the direction he’d come from.

Tearloch captured my fingers between his, tucked my arm beneath his elbow, and turned us toward yet another section of garden where servants were setting up tables. “Come on. We’re going to steal some food.” When I came willingly, he couldn’t hide his smile.

I glanced at each of my “bodyguards” and couldn’t hide mine either.