Chapter 36
She followed in silence, her eyes wandering around the forest trying to take in the familiar scenery. She had thought she would never see this place again, and yet she was here because of him.
They made it down to the town, the streets mostly empty and lights lit the small windows in each home. Only a few were completely black meaning no one lived there or maybe they went to bed early.
A small child ran out in front of them, a wooden sword falling onto the ground that he was about to pick up. When they got closer, the little one’s eyes glanced at them and widened.
“Kaden!” the boy yelled and ran closer to them. “You are back. Did you happen to see the princess again?”
She giggled next to him, Kaden’s hand lightly squeezing her.
“Who do you think I brought down to see you?” Kaden smiled and she watched the boy look up at her with wide eyes.
“Hello there.” She smiled and bent down at the waist so she was closer to him. “What is your name?”
The boy stood frozen in shock and it wasn’t until she pulled her free hand in front of her with a small flame dancing on it that the boy moved.
“It is her!” he yelled. “Everyone, the princess is back!”
The boy lunged for her and wrapped his small arms around her waist, her hand having to let go of Kaden to balance.
She heard doors opening and people walking into the street, her eyes looking up to see a crowd forming.
“Is it true Kaden?” an elderly female asked nearby.
Kaden nodded and gestured towards her, the boy still hugging her like his life depended on it and she smiled.
She pulled at her power and this time let a large bundle of flames glow around her hand.
The people around them started to celebrate, yelling in joy and more moved closer to her in excitement.
“Princess!” someone yelled.
“We are so glad you are home!” another shouted.
The boy moved to her side but kept hold of her as her people started to approach wanting to shake her hand. She was at first shocked by it, but as more people gave her happy smiles and vigorous hand shakes, she relaxed.
There was no panic or anxiety from their touch, and she realized maybe she was healing more than she thought.
“Thank you Kaden.” many said as they walked past him.
He would just nod and keep watch as more people filed by without a hint of anger or malice towards hers.
Soon they were just a group standing a few feet away, many just staring at her in awe and she wasn’t quite sure what to do.
“What’s your name, little one?” she asked the boy again who loosened his grip on her.
“Halvard,” He said shyly.
“Nice to meet you, Halvard.”
The boy smiled and pulled away from her to join the rest of the people staring at her.
“I don’t really know what to say,” she said hesitantly. “Only that I was very happy to hear you are all still alive and that Kaden was gracious enough to take care of you in my absence.”
“Was it true Mavros held you captive?” she heard someone ask.
“Yes,” she replied. “He tried to get me to give him the Ivory Flame, but as you can see he did not succeed.”
The elderly female from before approached again and gestured for her to grab her hands.
“You are just as I remember you.” the lady smiled. “Your mother would be so proud of you.”
The lady did look familiar, however she had forgotten a lot of things over the time she had been gone and was occupied with the war last time she had been home.
“I wish she was here,” she whispered.
“She is my lady, in here.” The female placed her hand over her heart, the rest of the crowd following suit in tribute to her mother.
She felt the tears start to well in her eyes and Kaden stepped closer to her with his hand finding her lower back.
“We should get her back so she can rest, I just thought she should see her people before we leave tomorrow.” Kaden’s voice was soft and she looked quickly to him unaware they were leaving so soon.
“We can’t wait for you to return again.” The lady nodded and the rest of the crowd started to disburse back into their homes, Halvard giving her one last smile before disappearing.
Once the street was empty she let out a shaky breath and turned towards Kaden.
“Thank you,” she said with quivering lips. “For taking care of my people and bringing me to see them.”
He pulled his free hand from her back, the other still holding the lantern and wrapped it around the nap of her neck. He pulled her close and placed a kiss on her forehead, her hands reaching out to him and grabbing onto his shirt for support.
“I wanted you to see that they loved you and that you are more than enough for them,” he whispered against her forehead. “You are enough Alyra, for all of us.”
His words hung between them for a long minute in silence, her mind trying to process everything.
“You not only saved them, but you got to know them too?” she asked quietly.
“When we first arrived, they were skeptical of us but once they figured out we were there to help they have been nothing but friendly. They mourned everyone who died and when they learned you were alive a few months ago they celebrated.”
She pulled away and gave him a questioning look. “It’s not that long of a flight to get here from Elnora, did you come and sleep here in the evenings?”
He nodded and she clenched her fists in his shirt.
“So if I hadn’t fallen for Silas’s manipulation, I could have come home sooner?” she growled.
“Maybe,” he shrugged, “But Emris doesn’t know Mydalsa is still here and it would have been hard to explain your disappearance every night.”
That made sense and she just looked in a deep breath and let it back out. “We leave tomorrow?” she whispered.
“We still need to get you to Bromel so no one suspects anything. The horses and wagon are in a town just past Grimstone so we land there early in the morning before the sun rises and we should make it to Bromel as scheduled.”
He slid his hand from her neck and traced it down her arm before taking her hand again in his. She didn’t fight it as their fingers tangled again and that thread between them pulsed.
“We do need to get you back to the Longhouse though, you need to eat and rest up some more before we leave.” His voice was quiet and she sighed in agreement.
They started up the path back to her house, her eyes watching the woods again.
“Do you think Mavros will come after you if he finds out you have the Ebony Fire?” she asked quietly.
“Probably.” he squeezed her hand. “But I would never give it to him.”
“Do you think one person can hold both powers at once?”
“I think that would make whoever held them as close to a god as they could be.”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” she mumbled and Kaden rubbed his thumb on her hand for comfort.
She knew neither she nor Kaden would give Mavros their power, but if he could reanimate the dead, who knows what else he could do now that he has The Book of Trenches.
She tried not to think about it and kept walking silently up the path, her heart for once finally starting to feel like it was mending.