Chapter Twenty-Four
Lonan
The puddle of blood is too big. Entirely too big.
Sounds dull, even Kai’s scream, and Vale’s screech.
Lilac dove, blade out, between Ollie and the guardsman who lied.
I saw Vale tug Ollie away, and when I looked back, Lilac was on the ground, draped over the guard.
Surrounded by a puddle of blood. One that is entirely too big.
I look for Ollie. She’s being flown away, both of Vale’s front feet wrapped around her one arm. She’s yelling, kicking, trying to escape. But Vale, Goddess bless him, doesn’t let her go. Instead he flies away, away from this disaster.
Away from this puddle of blood.
My ears ring and I cut down my opponent without thought, forcing my way forward, to my captain.
I collapse on top of her, my legs giving out.
I roll her off the guard, his eyes distant and body already cooling.
Sun glimmers off the silver hilt of a dagger.
A dagger in the chest, a large one to have breeched her leather top.
Lilac blinks at me slowly, eyes searching. When she finds me, she opens her mouth, blood dripping down her pale lips.
“Tell Rosie... Rosie... I love her. Kill Alder... for her. For all of us... Lo.”
And her eyes close as her last breath leaves her body.
THE REST OF THE BATTLE is a blur. Knowing Ollie was safe, and Lilac dead, I let my magic fly. Large groups of soldiers—wherever I found them without one of my Fae or a townsfolk in the middle—drowned in their own fluids as I flood their lungs.
I hear the screeches of the dragons, the booms of some of their magic, the feel of other types as it raises goosebumps on my skin.
They are a sight to behold, a full thunder. They are killing machines; ripping Fae apart with their jaws and feet, magic taking lives of Fae that should live to see a thousand years. Their fury feels personal and I tuck that thought away for later.
Tazi is herding townsfolk out of the way, her little short sword in hand.
I catch sight of Vale at some point, claws wrapped around the mast of a huge boat, mouth open as he kills with his lightning, fires starting on the boat to finish the job as he hops to another.
Kai fights, in a blind rage, one sword, one hand full of fire.
I find myself in front of the Cathedral.
I should wash it away.
A black dragon lands next to me, glittering in the late afternoon light. It takes me a moment to realize it’s Princess Ilma. Tazi slides off her back, face bloodied and braid frazzled.
“Don’t, Lonan,” she argues in a stilted voice.
“Where is Finnick?” I ask, voice deceptively calm.
“Ilma says an elder took him to Thistle Grove.”
I blink, wondering how they forged a mind bond but deciding that is yet another question for later.
“And Oleander?”
“In the Mother and Father’s apartments. Vale gave out orders to the dragons that it remained untouched. There’s no stairs out. I’m guessing she’s going to poison Vale about it.”
Good dragon, I think tiredly.
“Princess Ilma, would you get her for me? I’m going to let the seas reclaim this hunk of rock.”
The dragon nods and takes off. I turn and see Kai headed for me.
The fighting is over, except for a few small skirmishes perhaps.
I can see the other side of the Dannet from here; the armada is sunk, sinking, or burning.
A charred disaster that is only the beginning of the destruction I have planned for Alder.
Kai’s arm wraps around my waist as he silently stands next to me.
“I’m going to get rid of it,” I say.
“Not today, Commander.” His voice is firm. Exhausted but firm.
He continues, “You’ve run your magic to the bottom of the barrel. You need food and sleep before you can swamp an island.”
Before I can respond, a very pissed off Ollie appears.
“I’ll have you two, and the Goddess-damn dragon, know,” she starts, still perched on Ilma’s back, “that if I ever, ever get carted away like a fucking child again, I’m poisoning your dicks.”
She slides to the ground over Ilma’s sparkling black scales. “Where is Finn? Where is Lilac?” Her voice shakes but her face is blank.
Vale lands next to me, disappearing into a cloud of blue smoke and emerging in his Fae form, hands bloodied, white hair singed, eyes dull.
“Star,” he starts for her, arms out, and for a moment she looks indignant, but she collapses into his arms. She doesn’t weep though. Just holds him.
When they part, his tail emerges and wraps around her calf firmly, like he’s afraid the foolish creature is going to run off into danger again. He’s not wrong.
“Where are they?” she asks again, voice cracking.
“Finn is probably in Thistle Grove already,” Vale says softly.
Silence surrounds us, broken by a sniffle from Tazi.
“And Lilac?” Ollie asks.
But I think she knows.
I take a deep breath. “Dead. She’s dead.”
The silence that surrounds us is thick enough to choke on. I blink, my gaze going to the ground.
Ollie’s wail hits me as she drops to her knees.
Tazi sits heavily and leans up against her, tears running down her face.
Ilma rests her big head on Tazi’s shoulder, eyes solemn.
Kai drops to the ground, tugging Ollie into his lap.
He looks at me, then Vale, and holds his arm out.
I take Vale’s hand silently and we curl in with them, our sorrow a palpable thing, oppressive enough that we can’t even stand in the face of it.
I rest my head on Kai’s shoulder as tears leak out.
It's Kai that finally speaks. “A pyre. We need to send her through the Veil.” I nod, exhausted beyond reason but knowing there can be no rest until we’ve taken care of her.
Rowan lands, followed by a small copper dragon, who is holding a twisted-looking hind leg off the ground.
Vale says, “Rowan reports that the fleet is sunk. Any non-gilled Fae aboard are certainly dead. Two pearl dragons are searching the seas for survivors. The coppers have the remaining guardsmen and soldiers from the armada corralled. They are requesting permission to play with them, and after, eat them.”
Ollie’s head shakes firmly. “Denied. Rowan, can you appoint someone to find the gaol and put them there?”
Ollie looks to Kai, “Where are the Fae Finnick trained with for leading the griffons? Barak and Faust?” She turns to me, “I think we need to promote them to captains. We—” her voice breaks. “We need some more leaders.”
I nod, nose feeling thick. “Done, sweetheart.”
“Good then. Fine,” she declares flatly, looking at the field littered with bodies. “Let them manage this for a bit. Let’s go get Lilac.”
THE SKY IS DARKENING by the time we find a proper area near the cliff face and bring enough downed brush and sticks to keep the fire going. We don’t need the tinder, given we have Kai, but it’s traditional.
I trudge slowly to my circle of friends, and family. I am holding Lilac. She’s cleaned, her hair brushed and eyes closed. She’s one of the taller female Fae I’ve known, of a height with me, but she weighs so little in death. She’s still in her fighting leathers.
I enter the oval of Fae standing around the pyre site. Tazi holds Lilac’s helm, sobbing loudly. Kai has her sword resting on his shoulder. Vale’s eyes are filled with tears and his tail is around Ollie’s waist as she cries silently.
I carefully place Lilac in the center of the dry wood. I arrange her arms and Kai steps forward, laying her sword in her hands. Tazi shuffles forward and places her helm next to her waist.
We all step back. The chirping of insects is loud on the warm isles, even though it’s nearly winter. A complacent breeze blows, and the sound of the waves crashing against the black stone is lulling.
I take a deep breath and step forward. “I met Lilac nearly four decades ago. Her mother was a maid at Gaeba, who had died in the first wave. She had been adopted by a Woeton family and was leader of the city watch. She hated me.” I chuckle.
“Once I won her over with my charms, she joined us and quickly became one of my trusted friends and captains.” I place a small squarish stone down next to her.
“Woeton had cobbled streets and upon our second meeting, she threw a loose one at my head.”
Kai steps forward as I step back. His voice is rough. “I knew Lilac near as long as Lonan. She was an incredible sparring partner and she loved as hard as she hated.” Kai places a small wild rose on her chest.
Ollie chokes back a sob.
Tazi steps forward and places a small stick, broken to look like a miniature sword, on top of Lilac’s real sword. “She taught me to defend myself. To use my size to my advantage. She was like a big sister to me.”
Tazi stands there, forlornly, and Ollie steps forward and puts her arm around Tazi’s shoulders.
“Lilac figured me out first. Before Lo. Before Kai. Here is a piece of glass, because she saw me clearly.”
They step back together, crying softly.
Vale steps in. “I knew Lilac the shortest of you all. She seemed a right bitch. Which means we would have gotten along just fine. For all the drinks we didn’t get to have, Captain,” he says quietly as he pours a shot of alcohol on the ground near her.
When Vale steps back, Kai raises his hands, letting his magic out. A wall of fire surrounds Lilac, crackling merrily while our hearts are breaking. Kai doesn’t let up his magic, doesn’t let Lilac go slowly with the burning of wood. He takes her out like she lived: fast, intense, harsh.
As Kai’s hands drop, the flames quickly sputter out, all fuel—magical or otherwise—gone. His head droops and I can feel his sorrow.
A pile of ash remains where Lilac lay last upon this side of Veil. We can only hope she spars with worthy opponents on the other side, for she will never spar with us again.
I AWAKE WITH A JOLT, in a strange bed, a body that is not Kai nor Ollie against me. My hand is under the pillow and wrapped around my dagger before I can even think.
“Easy, Lonan,” Vale’s unconcerned voice emerges in the dim light, “If you gut me, I can’t suck your cock, now can I?”
I lower my dagger, my body relaxing a bit.