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Ninti the firewolf

We sailed beyond the heavy influence of Gloom, liberated from the stagnant mist that had surrounded us for weeks.

Finally, I could visit my sister.

Wandering to my makeshift den at the rear deck of our boat, I curled up and fell asleep, allowing my consciousness to drift across the sea.

I materialized upon the giant sea turtle’s back, my astral self a pale comparison to my body.

My sister lifted her gigantic fin from the water, acknowledging my return.

“It has been a while, fiery one.” Leo’s voice resonated through my being. “I was worried.”

I wandered to the front of her shell, weaving through the trees that grew upon her back until I reached her shoulder. The critters that Leo cared for—rabbits, otters, and rats amongst them—scampered about my feet, excited by my return.

The waves crashed about us, filling the air with a thick salty mist, not a single isle in sight. Leo had positioned herself far from any island, as she always did.

Looking down, I caught the gaze of the turtle’s large eye. She lifted her long neck and slowly turned toward me.

“It’s good to see you too,” I replied.

“Is all well?”

I pawed at her shell.

“Tell me of her, your companion Ayla, does she treat you well?”

“She does, it’s just… Sister, the fae have changed.”

Leo watched me carefully. “The seas have said as much. I tried to warn you.”

“It’s not all bad.” I met her large dour eye. “Our quest was successful. The necromancer Inarus has been defeated, and the Shadow Queen has claimed her throne.”

“If it is done, I will retrieve you. If the fae have no more need for your intervention—”

“Wait!” I couldn’t go back. Not when I’d barely had the chance to live. “They still need me.”

“Explain.”

“Inarus possessed a black diamond shard.”

Leo’s jaw tightened. “Are you sure?”

I swallowed. This news, while terrible, guaranteed the value of my presence. “It gets worse. The rest of Gloom’s shards have been found, and they’re being used to manipulate her mists. If they’re not reclaimed, Gloom will cover the Isles, forcing everything into stagnation.”

The giant turtle exhaled slowly, steam rising from her nostrils. “The shards were scattered. The fae were never intended to find them.”

“I know that,” I snapped, fire licking my fur. “I was there.”

“Sister, I mean no ill will. What happened before was not easy for any of us.”

Through a long breath, I soothed my flames, quieting memories from millennia past.

“What is your plan?”

“The Shadow Queen is using her throne to fortify Gloom, but she cannot sustain the effort. So we will find those wielding the six remaining shards, and when we do, we’ll reclaim them.”

Leo nodded her large head. “I am assuming that you have chosen to remain with your companion, your Ayla?”

“Yes, even now, I’m with her and the Shadow Prince. We have a lead on the first shard bearer. She should be at Mer.”

Leo lowered her head back into the water, and when she next spoke, her tone was softer. “Sister, I will speak frankly. Perhaps you should return to me, where it is safe. Leave Gloom and the fae to their fates.”

I looked at my feet, glancing at the critters. I’d expected this, certain Leo would never understand. “I have to stay.”

“Your companion could destroy you as easily as these shard bearers control Gloom. You trust her too much.”

“Ayla would never—”

“Ayla is young.”

“But—”

“Stop meddling in the ways of fae. They are too dangerous, and I do not want to see you hurt.”

My chest ached. “Last time, my presence mattered, and I suspect it’ll matter again. I didn’t choose Ayla lightly, and I suspect she’s the lynchpin in the times to come. Even if she is... uncertain.”

“Explain.”

“Ayla has awoken her magic, and with its explosive start, she tethered herself to the Shadow Prince.”

“A tether? Are you certain?”

“My own power contributed to its formation. Ayla is hesitant to accept it, but Zayne speaks of it. It’s only a matter of time until it grows stronger, and when it does…”

Without saying more, Leo started paddling her fins, swimming forward.

“Where are you headed?” I asked, examining our surroundings anew and realizing these waters were farther north than the ones Leo usually frequented.

“Toward Mer.”

“Don’t! I told you, I want to stay! I’ll—”

“I will not interfere, but if you insist on chasing danger, I will not be far away. I hated how long you vanished into Gloom. It was… boring without you.”

“That’s the closest you’ve ever come to saying I’m your favorite sister.”

“Do not let it go to your head.”

For a wonderful moment, I laughed before lowering my tone. “Thank you. It’s reassuring to know you won’t be far away.”

“What you have shared is worrisome.”

“On that, we agree wholeheartedly.”