Night of the Storm: An Epic Fantasy Novel (The Eura Chronicles Book 2) (4 page)

“Auroria,” Delia said. “It is time to take you back to your birth family.”

Lilae swallowed. “My birth family?”

Delia nodded. “Yes.”

My brother, Ayaden. My
real
mother.

The idea left her feeling unsettled and her stomach churned.

“Now,” Delia said before turning to Garion, her skeleton guard. He stood there, slack-jawed, swaying as if the wind pushed him gently from side to side.

“Scout our path down the mountain,” Delia told him.

Lilae shivered as she watched him seemingly come to life once again. He straightened his back and stood tall, alert, and fierce. Without hesitation, the skeleton bid its master’s command and left Delia’s side to start the descent down the rocky path of the black mountain.

Seeing him kill all of the palace guards for her successful escape had been appalling. Garion was a dead man, just bones covered in black steel. But he was stronger than anyone she’d ever seen.

While Garion looked fearsome, Lilae knew she was safe around him.

Lilae peered into the dark woods that stretched far into the horizon all around them.

“We must leave this place,” Delia said. “There is no telling who or what heard what the two of you just did. And we shouldn’t wait to find out.”

GARION LED THE WAY DOWN
the mountain, his eyes glowing as he searched for any signs of danger. It was a treacherous descent. Thick woods of charred black trees that loomed above them, filling every open space, making it difficult to navigate the stone covered ground.

The foot of the mountain gave way to a thick forest alive with creatures.

Lilae peered into the darkness, wary of basilisks. She put her hand to her stomach. Memories of how she’d come to bear the wound from a basilisk’s sharp claws came to her. The pain would remain with her, but so would the curiosity and intrigue of the first time she’d seen Liam.

Glancing at him, she admitted to herself that she’d suffer that pain again to have met him in her dreams.

Lilae’s bare feet bled from sharp rocks and stones by the time they reached the slightly softer ground below. She stumbled to a nearby boulder with a flat surface and sighed as the pressure was lifted from her wounds.

“We can set up camp here,” Delia said, using her staff to light the area around them. “The mountain will keep us safe from at least one side. Rowe, you can take first watch.”

Rowe nodded. “I’d be happy to. But, who is going to muster up some supper? Nani and I haven’t eaten in days, and who knows what Liam had to eat while he was cheating death.”

“Death?” Lilae glanced at Liam, who blushed.

“The Mother Tree in the fairy village of Tolrinia gave me her blessing,” Liam explained. “It saved me. So did a very kind mermaid, but that’s a story for another time.”

“You have been blessed, indeed,” Delia smiled. “Lilae can trap forest creatures like none other.”

Liam’s brows furrowed when he looked down at her as she examined her dirty feet.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Lilae said.

“Delia,” Nani said. “I can call forest creatures with my magic. Let Lilae rest. Her poor feet are bleeding. You don’t mind if I heal you, Lilae?”

“That would be nice. Please. Shoes were the last thing on my mind when I escaped the palace.”

“Very well,” Delia said. “Work your magic, Nani.”

Nani grinned. “Gladly.”

Lilae rested on her hands as Nani walked over to her. She watched as the fairy rubbed her hands together and white light came from her palms.

“I take some of the life force from nature to fuel my healing powers,” Nani said, glancing at Lilae under thick lashes when she noticed Lilae staring that the grass that began to shrivel and go limp. “It will regain its vitality within a few hours. Do not worry.”

Lilae nodded, watching as the open wounds began to close.

Such magic was unheard of in Eura. She imagined what good fairies could do for the humans. Destroying The Barrier was looking like a good decision.

Too bad they couldn’t keep out the evil that came along with the good.

When she was finished, Nani tucked her hands into the pockets of her leather pants. “Done.”

Lilae rubbed her feet in wonder. “You’re remarkable. Thank you, Nani.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Splendid,” Rowe said, rubbing his hands. “Now, rabbit would be nice. You think you could find some juicy ones?”

“You know better, Rowe. It’s really all in the cooking, but I’ll summon the fat ones.”

A smile came to Lilae’s face. “I’d be happy with that as well, Nani.”

“Me too,” Liam added. He looked down at his shirt where a hole was ripped in the middle.

“Okay then. I’ll be back.”

Lilae hopped from the boulder. “I’ll join you. My feet are all better. I’ll not let you go alone.”

Nani grinned. “But I’m a god now. I can manage.”

“I’m coming,” Lilae said. She nodded ahead. “Lead the way.”

Nani gave a nod. “Very well.”

She flew into the forest, lighting the way with the glow from her wings. “Come out, little rabbits. But only the fat ones,” Nani sang.

“Is that how it works?”

“No,” Nani said. “I don’t have to say anything. I just summon them with my mind. Like this.” She paused and hovered above the ground.

Lilae watched as, within only a few moments, brown rabbits hopped from the underbrush of the forest.

“See?”

“Wow. That would have come in handy when my family and I were traveling most of my life.”

Nani’s eyes darkened as she looked at Lilae. “Lilae,” she called.

“Yes? What’s wrong?” Lilae searched the surrounding trees for any threat.

“Liam has been betrayed enough by those that we all trusted. I didn’t tell the others yet, but I will not be able to join you on your journey. I am an Ancient now, and the rules are clear; that we cannot intervene. It would disrupt the balance.”

Tears filled Nani’s eyes. “I swear I would rather be a normal fairy again. I love Liam too much to leave his side.”

“I’m sorry, Nani. I don’t want you to go either.”

Nani knelt to the ground and embraced the rabbits as they clamored to get to her. She stroked their fur. “I have to go. But, I won’t be able to go with peace of mind if I thought you would hurt him. He’s been hurt before, and I refuse to let it happen again.”

“What happened?”

“Liam was stabbed by the woman he was supposed to marry. The woman he
thought
he loved.”

“Oh my,” Lilae said, her heart falling into her stomach. “That’s awful.”

“She betrayed all of us. I want to find her and kill her for hurting my Liam. But that would be against the rules. Blasted rules!”

Such compassion for a man that she didn’t know overwhelmed her. She wanted to go back to camp and hold him. Every time she had been in pain or near death, Liam had been there for her in her dreams.

Could it have been the same for him? Was their time together in their dreams a form of healing?

“I promise,” Lilae whispered. “I won’t hurt Liam. I wouldn’t dream of it.

Nani nodded. “Do you know how long we’ve heard Liam talk about The Flame? I expected someone more intimidating. I didn’t expect a woman. And neither did he. But I can tell he is attracted to you. I don’t think he even looked at Sona that way.”

Sona?
So, that was the name of the woman that betrayed him.

She’d remember that name.

Lilae started collecting fallen branches and sticks for firewood, stacking them into her arms. She was well aware of how Liam looked at her. Within hours, Lilae knew there’d been a shift in her entire world. She was attracted to him as well.

“I expected fairies to be smaller,” Lilae said, trying to change the subject.

“Smaller than this?” Nani stood and twirled in the air.

“Yes,” Lilae said. “I always heard stories that fairies can talk to animals and use magic spells. There are tales that fairies can even make people fall in love.”

Nani brought her face close to Lilae’s.

“Of course, we can,” she said in a soft, serious tone. “We also steal little babies, and turn little red-haired girls into toads.”

Lilae stared in horror at Nani’s little face.

The fairy god went into a fit of giggles.

“Lilae, I was joking. Don’t be so serious.” Her giggles continued into the forest as she carried Lilae’s pile of branches back to camp.

Lilae stood there for a moment, and her shoulders slumped. She smiled to herself long after the glow of Nani’s wings disappeared. She laughed.

Lilae hadn’t laughed in ages. She had been trapped in the Avia’Torenan palace for nearly a year, and not once had she truly laughed. With cold fingertips, Lilae felt her face, tracing the outline of her smile—a foreign thing to her.

Tears trailed down her cheeks.

Jaiza and Risa used to make her laugh.

Anic was the first boy to ever show interest in her, to make her feel pretty, to show her what fun was like.

He used to make her laugh. And like her sisters, he was dead.

They were all dead.

Lhana with her fairytales, Pirin with his advice and training. Everyone she had once cared about was gone, forever.

The guilt returned. It was her fault. Lilae thought she had gotten over it, but how could one forget the death of her entire family? How could she keep her promise not to hurt Liam when all that she knew and loved were lost to her?

Their screams flooded her mind like an explosion. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. She had to make up for their deaths. She had to prove that it wasn’t all for nothing.

RETURNING TO CAMP WAS
a solemn occasion.

Nani held Liam’s face in her small hands, tears streaming down both of their faces. Rowe stood behind them, his face stoic, his arms folded across his broad chest.

Still, she could see the pain in his eyes as he faced the loss of his dear friend.

An ache filled Lilae’s stomach. She couldn’t look as Nani said her goodbyes to Rowe and Liam. It was too hard. She knew that feeling.

At least, they knew Nani would live.

Lilae focused her power on lighting the fire. Flames rose from the palms of her hands, and she watched them lick the sticks and branches piled high. This was what she knew. She could count on this power. If only everything else in life were as certain.

Once the fire was ablaze, she encircled it with stones, glancing back at Nani as Liam hugged her.

Their eyes met, and Lilae froze.

Do not forget your promise.

Lilae nodded, surprised that Nani’s voice invaded her thoughts.

Delia rose from her seat and came to Lilae. “We’ve lost one of the Chosen Class,” she said.

“What does that mean for the rest of us?”

Delis sighed. “Another will take her place. Each race has to have a champion. It’s just unfortunate for us that we will have to find them. Or they will have to find us. Both are a challenge.”

“Elder,” Nani called.

Delia glanced back. “Have you decided?”

Nani nodded.

Lilae followed Delia to Nani, watching Liam turn away from them to step to the edge of their camp. He kept his face from view, and Lilae knew he was taking Nani’s departure hard.

“Decided what?” Lilae sighed as she watched Liam sit down on the ground. If only she could hold Liam, comfort him.

“Just like any Ancient, the choice for an heir is Nani's.”

“I choose my sister, Keyata.”

Liam looked back. “We met back in Tolrinia.” He wiped his face and straightened his shoulders. “Do you think she is ready?”

Nani nodded. “Keyata is stronger than anyone might think. I know she won’t let the fairies down.”

Liam folded his arms across his chest. “I guess there is some comfort in that. Wilem and Jorge have someone to look after them.”

“Who are they?”

Liam looked at Lilae. He looked tired, drained.

“Wilem is a Legacy like Rowe. The last of his clan, they are more powerful than most Tryans because they have power passed down from generations of ancestors.
And
,” Liam added, his eyes lighting up. “He controls the last dragon.”