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"Thane," Ashlynn said gently, smiling at the vampire knight kneeling before her. "I need something special from you. Will you indulge your little sister in a selfish request?"

"Speak the words," Thane said with a smile on his soft lips that was bright enough to dazzle anyone looking at him. "However I can help, you have but to ask."

"I broke my sword facing Ansgar, High Lord of the Seven Peaks," she said, placing her hand on the hilt of Thane’s outstretched sword. She left out that Ansgar had been a ghost possessing Hauke. There were some things, after all, that shouldn’t be said in front of the broader audience, but it was true that she had faced off against a former Frost Walker High Lord and lost her darksteel Falchion in the process.

"He was weakened but he used a powerful blade of eternal ice and his techniques were better than mine in every way. "

"When the time comes for me to face Owain," Ashlynn said in a voice that was tight with barely restrained hatred.

"When I face Owain, I would prefer to face him with a sword in my hand.

He thinks of himself as the greatest swordsman of the modern age and even if I am stronger and faster than he is, it may not be enough to overwhelm him. Will you help me to counter him?"

"You left in a hurry before," Thane said with a light chuckle. "Now that you’ve adjusted to the changes in your body, you’ll learn even faster than before. If you weren’t already stronger and faster than him, it would be impossible in such a short time, even for you.

But given a few months, I can ensure that he will stand no chance against your might. "

"That’s all I ask," Ashlynn said, lightly tapping the pommel of Thane’s sword and allowing him to return it to its sheath before helping him to his feet. "Thank you, Thane, for always being the big brother I need," she said before pulling him into a brief embrace.

Around them, the crowd’s energy shifted subtly with many people blinking in surprise.

Moments ago, they were all stirred by the commander’s strident declarations.

Some were even ready to march to war at this very moment!

But instead of capitalizing on the energy that filled the room, the Mother of Trees seemed somehow vulnerable, turning to the vampire general. .. for a moment of comfort?

"Still stealing moments with my Ashlynn I see," Nyrielle teased from beside them, though the soft smile on her lips made it clear that she didn’t mind.

"Teach her well, Thane, the way you once taught me," she added as she stepped close to her greatest progeny and rested her hand gently on the sculpted muscles of his upper arm.

Amber eyes met midnight blue in a moment that conveyed more between the two of them than simple words ever could. Thane and Nyrielle had known each other long enough that a simple look was more than enough for the vampire knight to understand the words Nyrielle couldn’t say.

They both knew that the flames of hatred and the thirst for revenge burning within Ashlynn’s heart were growing more intense with every passing day since their return to the Vale of Mists.

They’d seen first hand how close she came at times to being overwhelmed by the ghosts that haunted her along with the memories of being buried alive.

At the moment, Ashlynn was in complete control of herself, but in the days to come, as she sharpened herself in preparation to take her revenge, that control could slip at any moment.

Ashlynn had asked Thane to teach her, and he would.

But Nyrielle had asked him to protect Ashlynn from herself and that would be much, much harder to do as the days slipped by.

Still, Thane had never once failed Nyrielle in anything she’d asked of him and he wasn’t about to fail Nyrielle or Ashlynn now.

"Everyone," Ashlynn said, stepping briefly away from Nyrielle and Thane to address the crowd.

Around the hall, she could see many people whose faces were still flushed with battle-fever, some holding their fists in the air while others thumped their chests, and all of them had eyes bright with the promise of war.

But as her gentle voice carried through the great hall, she watched a wave of calm spreading through the crowd, matching the gentle pulse of energy she released when she addressed them.

It took her several deep breaths as the crowd calmed themselves to do the same for herself.

She’d known what Nyrielle intended to do, but in the moment, especially with the furious response of people like Commanders Savis and Tausau and the simmering rage of many in the crowd when they heard what Owain intended to do to Jocelynn.

.. it touched something deep within her heart that was dark, savage and fighting to break free.

Keeping that feeling bottled up, sealing up the dark beast within her heart again was harder than it had ever been.

In less than a day, Tausau’s Mongrel Horde would strike the opening blows of this war and at long last, she could strike back at the man who had wronged her on what should have been the happiest night of her life.

But now, she wanted to treasure this night.

She wanted to be here, in this moment, with Nyrielle and all the new family members she’d found since entering the Vale rather than focusing on the battles that lurked beyond the next sunset.

Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath, inhaling the lingering scent of lavender soap that clung to her after embracing Nyrielle and let that scent become an anchor, grounding her in this moment where she stood among her precious family members.

"Everyone," Ashlynn repeated as the hall grew quiet again.

"Tomorrow, we will strike the first blow to topple the Lothians from power once and for all.

In the days to come, we will have moments to rage, moments of fear, moments of sorrow and moments of victory.

But tonight, I want to create a moment to treasure. "

"You may not know this, but each tree is special to witches, especially to me and to the witches in my coven," she said as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"The Willow tree is a gentle, nurturing and yielding tree that is a boon to healers," she said as she looked affectionately at Heila who snuggled close to Ignatious.

"It’s also a fierce protector of those who shelter under its boughs. "

"The Cypress tree is a powerful protector," Ashlynn said, turning her gaze to land on Ollie where he stood in Ignatious’s place next to Zedya. "Even the fiercest storms cannot topple the stalwart guardian tree and it extends its protection far beyond its own boughs."

"But tonight," she said, turning her gaze back to the attentive crowd.

"I asked that the floor be covered with freshly felled cedar boughs instead of simple reeds or rushes," Ashlynn said.

"That wasn’t just so I could honor the mighty cedars of the Vale of Mists or because I favor their rich scent, as lovely as it is. "

"The Cedar tree," Ashlynn explained as she began to draw brilliant, emerald energy to her hands. "Is a shapeshifter’s tree. It shows one face to the world and hides its true self deep within its heart, but more than that, it’s soft, pliable and with a little bit of skill, is capable of transforming in miraculous ways. "

"Tonight, I want you to witness a moment of wonder, and I want you to join me in creating memories that we will all treasure for the rest of our days," Ashlynn said. "And I want you to bear witness to the power of a witch...."