Page 79 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)

L ir looked back at me. “Time ye be off too, lass.”

I stepped towards the sea king, my eyes imploring him, intense worry for his safety pooling in my gut, “Come with us Lir. Dump these crystals far into the sea where no creature may find them, and join us to defeat Deirdre.”

The giant water fae shook his blood soaked head, the scales on his face glittering like his silver eyes and the shells in his beard clinking softly together with his movement.

“Thank ye goddess for inviting mi, but I have t’ decline.

I cannae leave my ship and the west winds of mi son Aodh calls mi now.

I wish t’ hear his strong baritone winds. ”

The north winds of his daughter swirled around us and I looked down at Riella who smiled when the breeze twirled her hair.

Staring at the gentle smile of my own daughter, I nodded, my heart saddened for the sea king.

“I understand.” Exhaling, I placed a warning hand on his massive arm, “But Lir you must understand, these crystals, they destroyed Atlantis, they massacred half of the water fae people—I was there, I saw it with my own eyes. They are not to be treated trivially no matter how innocent they may look.”

Together we both looked down at the several crystals still rolling across the ship.

“I had heard the tales but I never wanted t’ believe it.” Smothering his hand with my own, he smiled warmly at me, “I will take t’ heart ye warning, lass.”

I nodded and he patted my hand, shooing Riella and I towards the cabin door. “Now off with ye! I never be good at goodbyes so make it quick will ye.”

With one hand on the door handle to the cabin, I turned back to the sea king, holding up my hand, " Beannached leat , Manannan Mac Lir." Farewell.

Riella mimicked me, repeating my words, “ Beannached leat , Sea King of Atlantis. I still have my whistle you gave me.” She held up the tiny seashell whistle that circled around her wrist.

He winked with more tears forming in his eyes, reaching over my shoulder and wrenching open the steel door, “Keep it with ye lass.” Then he shoved us through, " Beannached leat , Remnant Dark, Goddess of The Well and Riella Dark Strider, true queen of Faerie.

" His normal booming voice whisper soft when the door clicked behind us.

I sighed heavily, Riella and I looking at each other with both fatigue and weariness.

There were a hundred questions swirling in her green gold eyes but she kept them silent.

Kissing her forehead softly, I set her down, and placed my hands on my hips surveying the cabin.

It had stayed just the same as we had left it, except for one thing.

Emon’s body was nowhere to be seen.

The shadows hovered above us, sensing my panic beginning.

Had the demons gotten through? Did they take him?

The heat from the nearby fire that still blazed was suddenly suffocating, the tightness in my chest beginning to form.

Now wasn’t the time to panic but my body wasn’t going to listen to me, it never had since the attacks started plaguing me after Morta.

I reached for Emon’s soul inside, and like always…even in this form, his presence eased my suffering, melting the surmounting fear from my heart and burning it out of my soul—but that wasn’t the only thing there.

Leeching, like the hungry parasite it was the Sanguine was a dark taint staining the bright glory of my soulmate and its presence sickened me.

Pure frustration had me stomping my foot angrily and making Riella jump at my side. "Goddess, damn it, how can a gigantic shifter hide so easily?"

Riella tugged on my hand several times before I looked down at her earnest face. “But maedere, all you have to do is ask the cabin for him."

I stilled and the shadows shimmered beside me, laughing at my expense. What in the goddess was wrong with me? "Of course, I do. I am sorry, little one. What a clever clear mind you have after everything we have gone through today.” I rubbed at my tired eyes, shaking my head in disbelief.

“I learned it from watching you maedere,” she said sweetly, and I drew my hand away, stunned by her honesty and her love—something I never thought I was deserving of. But seeing her confidence in me now, I knew it was time I accepted this and believed in it.

Just like Emon had always done for me when I could not. “Please reveal Emon to us," I said gently, squeezing Riella’s shoulder.

We both closed our eyes against the bright flash of light before opening them again to see Emon's body laying encased in the gold coffin, metal vines curling up over the glass keeping him safely locked inside.

I stared, my breath stolen from my lungs. Even with the ashen glow of his bronze skin, he was beautiful and I desperately ached to see the light peeking out from those golden eyes again, to hear his growling deep voice whisper the one name only he would ever be allowed to call me.

Little umbra .

It was a whisper in my heart and his soul flared gently inside me, despite the taint there.

What would become of him, of us, of our family once I returned it to him?

How much would the Sanguine change him and how in the goddess was I to save him from it?

Even the past shadows, a power unlike this world had ever seen, could not truly fight its relentless hunger, succumbing to it.

I touched my chest still staring at Emon’s soulless body.

“I won’t be able to restore him until we leave Sheol, if I do it now, we risk losing him to the sleep again,” I murmured, seeing Riella’s face etched with the same worry.

Instinctually, I smoothed back the wrinkles from her furrowed brow, “We will leave, little one. The shadows will take him and us back to the Eithne.”

"Wait!" Riella cried, running across the room to the fireplace, indicating our provision bag. "We have to bring this with us too. Faedere told me so. It also has Jar Jar’s flower inside and Lova told me to keep it on me."

I blinked. I had almost forgotten. Striding towards her, I knelt, "Yes, of course.

" Rummaging through the pack, my hand fell on a stack of letters. Peering in, I could see that they were wrapped neatly with Emon’s handwriting and my fingertips traced the name addressed on it, pausing on elegant script.

“What have you been up to, shifter?” my thoughts careening along our soulmate bond, but there was no answer back, just the steady pulse of Emon’s soul still in my chest.

Exhaling, I set the stack aside and the flower fell into my hand. The small lip shaped yellow bloom Jar had gifted us still vibrantly alive despite being clipped and taken from its valley.

Raising it up in the fire light, I twirled the delicate petals, feeling a sense of dread for why my daughter would need a flower that could save any being from any form of death. Praying that it would never be her life in question.

Tucking it gently behind Riella's ear, the crown on top of Riella’s dark hair flared in its presence, the dual yellow petals reaching towards it, happily seeking its shimmering glow.

She was adorned from head to toe with mementos of our adventures, decorated and honored by priceless gifts that I knew could only be meant for one thing—her protection.

Feeling the dread ease, I smiled softly at her. “I love you, Riella.”

She smiled and her small warm hand reached out to touch my cheek, her eyes turning a solid gold for a brief moment, her father’s eyes, chasing away the rest of my worries, “I love you too, maedere.”

Turning my head to kiss her hand, I stood throwing the pack over my shoulder, and tilted my head to my new lilin shadows hovering nearby. "Take us all back. Take us back to Sheol. Back to the Eithne, to Voltam, to the God of Death."

They swirled briefly before expanding, engulfing us and Emon’s body in their dark shadowy embrace.