Page 162 of The Blade in the Ashes
Kent
Twilight rolled in around us as we rode onto the grounds of Nikolai’s estate, sending shadows scattering across the land. Still, they knew we were coming.
They could hear us.
They could hear the hundreds and hundreds of hoofbeats pounding into the dirt. They could hear the laughter and cheers.
It seemed that in our absence, the property had become more of an encampment. Tents covered the fields, fire pits spread between them where men roasted their dinner. They watched us as we rode through with curious and guarded expressions. As the large primary home became visible, I sent out my powers like a beacon, searching out the familiar traces of my friends.
There was Elaina and Camilla, both feeling healthy doses of affection.
There was Nikolai feeling amusement. Iris was close by feeling... the undeniable sweetness of love. I smiled as the strength of it hit me.
Rankor rode next to me, Ayanna tucked tightly against his chest. She’d fallen asleep some time ago and he’d quickly switched his reins to one hand so he could wrap an arm more firmly around her waist and prevent her from falling.
“They’re here?” he asked, watching my face shift as I took in the emotions of our friends.
I nodded, narrowing my eyes and focusing to seek the characteristic anxiety and frustration from Clay. I hunted for it, sending out waves and waves of pulsating magic scouring over the land until...
My head snapped towards Rankor and he stiffened, reaching for the sword across his back, but I shook my head urgently, unable to stop the joyous grin that spread across my face.
There was no danger. There was no need to fear.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Clay’s joy was tangible, a force that rolled through me, sending my blood singing.
There was only one person in this realm that made him feel that way.
“Thea’s here.” I told Rankor, who stilled for a heartbeat before jamming his heels into his horse and lurching forward.
“Keep steady,” I ordered Antoni behind me as I too pushed my steed into a full gallop.
Wind ripped past us, our horses racing faster and faster towards the house as we left behind the hundreds of men and women who followed behind us. It was impossible to block out the emotions that raced through me. Anticipation. Relief. Joy. Excitement. All forms of happiness poured into me, leaving me drunk off it as we crested the hilltop and saw our friends standing in front of the house waiting for us.
Rankor didn’t hesitate. After making sure Ayanna was awake and steady, he threw himself off his horse seconds before he and Thea were running for each other. She threw herself into his arms, crying as blonde hair fell all around the two of them. From the distance, I couldn’t hear the words exchanged between the two of them, but I didn’t need to. I could feel everything.
Clay came to me, embracing me with a stiff clap on the back. “It’s good to see you, brother.”
I nodded, sniffling through the sudden lump in my throat. There was no way to tell if it was mine or someone else’s.
“She’s okay?” I asked him.
Clay’s golden eyes glanced towards where Rankor had placed her back on her feet. Iris was joining them, the three of them grinning wildly at each other.
“You tell me.” His tone was loaded, his expression not quite guarded enough to hide his concern. So, I focused on Thea, sent all of my power towards her storm of emotions, and set about trying to disentangle them all.
Happiness.
But underneath that was quite a bit of... doubt. Fear. Pain.
One emotion I was intimately familiar with.
“She’s grieving,” I told him.
He nodded, eyes still locked on her. “She lost a friend.”
“No,” I frowned, focusing my attention on the Goddess who had come to be so central to our family. “That’s not the only thing she grieves.”
