Chapter 39 The Night of One Final Farewell
THE NIGHT OF ONE FINAL FAREWELL
“Do you see the stars, little ones? That’s where your parents play now. They chase the wind across the sky and laugh in the moonlight. And when the fireflies gather around your nests at night, that’s them kissing your cheeks good night.”
—Elder A?na, to the growlings during their first winter without their parents
Theron
“Our mothers were brutally murdered. Human arrows pierced their crystals, and they perished as one with their bonded mates. Their bodies were burned in fires of hatred and fear, leaving only ashes. This wasn’t accidental, it was planned.
A plan to break us and cage us, to ensure the remaining pups would fade into time.
“But tonight, we mark the day we learned the truth. We pray to the goddesses and thank Elder A?na for raising us all. We honor our females and remember one extraordinary woman who brought us the truth and our Lidé?en.”
I stand tall before our people, my mate by my side. Together, we oversee the gathered crowd at ávera’s sea. The waves behind us are quiet, the animals of the forest, silent.
“That house is proof,” Noel says, her voice strong and commanding, “of a woman who gave up everything to save this land. She sacrificed herself so we could have a bright future. Eyleen ársa will be remembered as a hero, a great woman who fell so we may walk with pride. We will restore the balance, and the world will know a new order. The order of life.”
She brings her hand to her heart, and I follow. Across the crowd, every vólkin mirrors the gesture—males, females, growlings, and younglings alike—all of us bow our heads in unity with respect and honor for the fallen.
“We will begin the farewell,” I announce. I turn to the nymphá standing to my side. She bows and hands me the wooden base of the svytyn prócha, the ceremonial vessel my mate and I crafted together.
We did this before, centuries ago, when Elder A?na told us their souls had left us.
Back then, we were too young to truly understand.
But tonight, we know. We understand what happened.
As pups we named these waters the Sea of Fire in memory of the fire-covered ocean, and the souls who will never return.
That night, Kael caught a few fireflies and kept them close.
The cool breeze carries the scent of the ocean as my Noel and I crouch near the water.
The others follow our lead. For the farewell, we chose blue roses to adorn our svytyn prócha.
My mate said it would honor our bond and symbolize the strength of our parents’ sacrifices.
I agreed. My parents would love the beauty of the blue roses, and their symbolism feels fitting.
My mate reaches into her pocket, pulls out small, colorful stones, and carefully arranges them on the wooden base.
She’s so thoughtful. They are for my mother.
“Thank you,” I murmur as she places the final stone between the roses.
“This one is from my mother, father, and me.” She reaches for her pendant and places it atop the roses and stones, and my brow furrows.
“But—”
“I want them all to look over us together,” she says, looking into my eyes. “ánya, Eyleen, Vládan, and ándor.”
My sweet, sweet mate.
I reach for the back of her head and pull her close. My forehead rests against hers, and I nuzzle her face, breathing her in.
Focusing inward, I lead the energy within me into my paws. Slowly, two glowing energy balls form, one in each paw. Their warmth radiates over my fur as I rub them together. The friction creates a spark that crackles in the night air.
My mate crouches, then raises the wax beneath the spark, and the flame comes flickering to life between us. Together, we light the svytyn prócha, and its glow brightens the blue roses and stones placed within.
Gently, we send the svytyn prócha onto the water to drift down the stream.
Soft ripples carry it farther. Around us, the others do the same, releasing their own vessels to honor their families and loved ones.
A sea of flames dancing in the dark stretches across the water, a breathtaking mosaic of color and remembrance. A Sea of Fire.
Rising, I extend a paw to my mate and help her to her feet. Side by side, paw in hand, we stand at the edge of the bank, gazing over the colorful waters.
Their deaths will not be forgotten. The memory of their sacrifices burns within each flame.
I tighten my grip on Noel’s hand.
“Theron, Your Majesty,” Aeson calls out. I turn to see him approaching with Kael and Zephyr. Both bow to my mate.
Noel looks up at me with a sad smile that tugs at my chest. “I’ll go to Mina and Elder A?na. We need to oversee the preparations for the first trial tomorrow. You should have a moment with them.”
I nod, but bring her hand to my snout before I let her go. As she walks away, I feel the ache of her absence immediately.
Zephyr crosses his arms, his expression grim. “It’s been a difficult day.”
Kael rubs his face, ruffling his fur. “I want to run until my legs give out. Thinking about Mother and Father has always been hard enough, but now . . . knowing the truth . . .” His voice trails off.
Aeson remains quiet, his gaze hollow.
A low, snarling voice cuts through the air behind us. “I’m going to destroy the tsar. I’m not waiting for trials or your little ritual with your mate.”
I turn to see Or?on standing there, muscles flexed.
Or?on is much older than the rest of us, at least two hundred and thirty years. He remembers his parents, having been raised by them for far longer than any of us. That memory, I know, fuels his rage.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I growl. This isn’t the time for rebellion.
“The barrier is gone, and we know the truth now. What are we waiting for?” His fur bristles as his shoulders tense. His eyes are wild with anger.
Baring my fangs, I stride toward him, grip his mane, and force him to look at me. “You will not cause trouble, Or?on,” I say. “You will behave as your leader commands. We will complete the trials, bolster our forces, and then we will attack. That is the plan. That is her word.”
Or?on huffs and grabs my wrist, his claws digging in.
“Alright, mighty warriors, let’s not tear each other apart.” Kael steps between us.
I straighten my back and lift my chin as I look down at Or?on. “If you wish to defy your leader, then you have no place here.”
“You can wait, but I can’t,” Or?on snarls. “I see their faces every time I close my eyes. I hear their screams. You didn’t live with their voices haunting you for centuries.” His claws flex, digging into the dirt.
I understand his rage, I feel it too. The craving for revenge burns deep. But we cannot afford recklessness. We are the last of our kind. Only a few hundred vólkins remain in the world. If we fall, there will be no one to remember, no one to restore balance.
“You want to charge in by yourself and die for nothing?” I ask, my voice cold.
Or?on’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t answer.
Aeson finally speaks, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles pale. “Rage blinds us all. Let’s hope it doesn’t cost us more than it already has.”
I turn my attention back to Or?on. “The tsar and his warriors were able to cage even the goddesses. Do not underestimate what they are capable of now. You are older, Or?on, but not wiser.”
He growls low in his throat.
I step closer, invading his space. “Hold yourself together. No one will go against my mate’s order.”
He doesn’t reply, but his claws retract, and his shoulders relax just slightly. For now, the fire in him is quelled. But I know it will take more than words to keep it contained.
I walk through the forest. Alone.
The air is cool, but it does little to settle the heat in my chest. I need to breathe, to calm myself, before my anger mirrors Or?on’s. His dreams have turned into nightmares, but at least he has them.
Or?on knows the sound of his mother’s voice. He remembers the habits of his father, their values ingrained in him over years of shared life. He knows them.
I do not.
A sharp ache rising in my blood, I bare my fangs in frustration. With a burst of energy, I leap forward. The branches whip against my fur as I run through the forest, the ground crunches beneath my paws, but none of it slows me.
I must calm this storm before I return to my mate. She carries enough burdens without mine adding to them.
Does Or?on think I haven’t thought of revenge? That I haven’t dreamed of tearing apart those who dared to leave so many pups orphaned?
I have. From the moment I met my mate and heard her stories, the thought has consumed me every day.
My sweet, sweet mate. The simple thought of her wakes the beast within me. My cock unsheathes, ignited by her scent alone.
Her scent.
I stop, and my claws sink into the bark of a nearby tree. My ears twitch as I strain to catch the sound of her voice.
“This will be a good spot. Try not to leave any traces of scent, you know how they can track even across distances.”
Who is my mate talking to?
A low growl rumbles deep in my chest. The beast within me stirs, starts to claw its way out.
Hunting. My mate.
I drop low to the ground, my body coiled and ready. Her voice guides me, and the sweet scent of blue roses fills my snout. My nostrils flare as I follow her trail.
Through the bushes and twigs, my heart pounds in my chest. The thrill of a hunt.
“Tomorrow at dawn, we will gather. Make sure the scrolls are there as well,” she says, confident and commanding. Deliciously authoritative. It excites me beyond reason.
I stalk closer silently. My precum soaks the soil beneath my paws.
My thigh muscles rub my swollen sac, and it only fuels my desire.
And there she is, my beautiful mate. Standing with two nymphí. They haven’t noticed me yet. Good. This is good.
She’s wrapped in fabric, her body concealed from my eyes, teasing me, hiding the full grace of her. I want to tear it with my teeth and mount her.