Chapter 16 Lana #2
“There is a final prophecy that has been spoken. Thames will continue to exist unless all the darkness is destroyed. All of it. Somehow you must find a way to eliminate any and all of the darkness remaining.”
I tamped down my rage hearing another prophecy existed that the seers hadn’t mentioned and focused instead on the impossible task of eradicating all of the darkness.
“It’s everywhere though.” I gaped at her, looking at Kade.
His face tightened, forehead creasing as his features hardened.
What Evelyn said would be nearly impossible.
“Yes, it is, and it will continue to grow. You will find a way to destroy it all. Every tie to Thames must be gone. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, I—”
“Time runs short,” she said. Though her words were urgent, a smile shone on her face so brightly, it was as if she glowed from the inside.
“It’s time to see my mate. We’ve been apart since our sacrifice, but my life force remained here.
” She waved a hand around the forest. “Bound to empower the one foretold to save us all. Now that my role here is complete, I will get to see him again in whatever comes next.” She cupped my cheeks.
“You are the one, Illiana. I sensed it just as Jasper and I sensed what needed to happen to allow Atheria a chance.”
“What if you’re wrong?” I twisted my hands in front of me, my breath shaky.
She smiled, taking them in hers. “I’m never wrong, certainly not anymore.
” She winked as she handed me the journal.
“You were given a mate whose magic strengthens your own. You will need to rely on those you love for what’s to come.
It won’t be easy. The loss you will feel may shatter you, but this world will be reborn.
Just know, it is you who will save Atheria.
Defeat Thames. Bring light to our land and heal what’s been torn. ”
She started fading away, but I wasn’t ready.
There were too many questions still unanswered, and a small part of me wanted to cling to her, the only person in my family left, even if she was just a spirit.
To keep her here, so that it wasn’t time for the end to come.
Not knowing what I’d lose felt too great a burden to bear.
“I’m not ready,” I called out, rising to chase the beams of light coming from her as she disappeared farther into the sun’s golden glow.
“Read the journal and remember.” Her body almost faded out entirely. But I heard the echo of her words loudly surrounding us. “You are Illiana Dresden, and you are stronger than any darkness.”
With that, she vanished.
I fell to my knees, letting the weight of all Evelyn told us lay heavy on me.
Kade kneeled as well. Then Ian, followed by Jax. My chosen family. The ones who supported me, loved me, even if I hadn’t known some of them for very long. Time meant nothing, it was their presence that would give me strength.
“We’re all meant to be here, beside you Lan,” Ian said. “The things you will face will be met by all of us. Never on your own.” He grabbed my hand, kissing it before bringing it to his chest.
“I know,” I whispered.
Jax gripped my shoulder and squeezed. “Also, we learned that the two of you are definitely not related by blood. Which is a definite bonus we didn’t know we needed.”
“What is wrong with you,” I laughed, feeling lighter from his antics, just like always.
His knowing smile confirmed he did these things on purpose.
“So…” He heaved out a heavy sigh. “Should we head home to tell the others we’ve got an epic job ahead of us, and if we don’t get rid of all of the darkness that's infected half our world, Thames will live on in evil infamy?”
It wasn’t hard to convince Kade to let me ride with him back to camp.
While my horse followed, loosely tied to Onyx, I cautiously opened the journal, unlacing the thin leather ties.
My fingers quivered as I ran them over the binding of the well-worn journal.
My mother had touched this, written in it.
All of my ancestors pouring information in for me to find one day.
Me being some kind of chosen one still seemed outrageous, but my light magic, the prophecies—I had no choice but to believe it.
Instead of starting at the beginning, I immediately flipped to the back. My mother’s words would be the last in the book, and I had to read them. I wanted to know her, even if it was only this small piece of her.
I flipped a few blank pages and froze when I saw elegant handwriting. The last entry was only one page.
From the Hand of Fallon:
There’s a sickness in our land, festering. Each day I feel it growing, shifting closer. Seb woke me from a nightmare last night. There had been blood everywhere. Hauntingly angry faces surrounded me as I weakened on the floor of our home.
It wasn’t real, and yet…I can’t help but know my time here is coming to an end. The Fates are at work, as much as I hate their cruelty for placing the future in Illiana’s hands. Since this journal will be passed to her, I write to you now, my beautiful girl.
I gasped, chest tightening through the tears blurring my vision as I continued reading.
You will face a world that doesn’t understand why you are magicless, but I know you will rise above.
You are who Atheria has been waiting for.
I know that I won’t be here to see you shine, but know that I already see the woman you’ll become.
I swear when you were born, the sunlight streamed through the bedroom in a halo around you—ask Alister, he was there—and we all fell in love with you immediately.
But be warned, he’ll cry telling the story.
Wherever you are in your life when you read this, know that you were loved.
Truly, unconditionally loved. I am proud of you.
If my time has come and I’m not with you, know that I have convinced the Fates and whoever lies beyond to watch every step of your life.
Rise up, my heart, and shine. I love you.
I wrapped my arms around my stomach, holding myself together. My entire body physically hurt, aching at the thought that my mother knew she wouldn’t live. I reread the words again, clinging to them like a lifeline.
“Lana?” Kade asked, his shadows covering my arms, holding me tightly to him.
“She wrote to me,” I whispered. “She thought she might not survive and wrote to me.”
He brushed my hair back, kissing my head. “She loved you so much.”
I nodded before sitting up straighter, flipping to another page. I read as we rode on, devouring words from my mother. About how she poured her magic into the white dagger. She was easy to love with a humor I knew my friends would have adored. I adored it.
I paused, coming to an entry where I saw the name Stronholm.
Alister and Victor have ganged up on me now, deciding for the safety of Illiana that Seb and I should stay in Valeford. Alister says he’s getting a bad feeling about something inside the palace walls.
Though I wouldn’t mind raising our baby somewhere more secluded and keeping her to ourselves, the fact that a decision is being made for me makes me want to rebel. Once a big brother, always a big brother I suppose.
Alister has gone as far as to tell me that when she’s of age, he's relieving dear Captain Stronholm from his duties guarding the king and placing him in charge of Illiana. Victor didn’t even balk.
Probably because his son was born a few weeks before Illiana and he’ll be able to keep an eye on both that way, assuming Ian follows in his footsteps.
Little does he know, Vivienne whispered to me that they were fated to love one another fiercely, though not romantically.
She had a vision of the two of them. Flashes of their life together.
The Stronholms are the most loyal friends, even with Victor siding with Alister.
It doesn’t surprise me at all. But knowing such love lies ahead of Illiana warms my heart.
At least in Valeford I’ll be able to teach her about our history without prying eyes and ears. She’ll be prepared for whatever is to come.
“Ian,” I choked out.
He pulled his horse up parallel to Onyx. I looked over at my friend “My mother wrote about your father. How he and the king were her friends. Actually—here, just read it.”
I handed the journal to Ian. Kade sent his shadows to the reins, leading Ian’s horse for him. The gesture burrowed under my skin, relaxing my tense body from the emotions of reading my mother’s words.
A few moments later, Ian looked up at me with glassy eyes. “Vivienne foresaw our friendship.”
I nodded.
He shook his head, handing the journal back to me. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”
My lip trembled, and I leaned over, squeezing his hand.
The campsite came into view and I laced up the journal.
I held it to my chest, knowing it contained my history.
I looked up at the sky, wondering if my mother had indeed convinced the Fates to watch me from beyond.
Maybe she was with her brother, watching me even now.
I closed me eyes. “I succeeded,” I whispered upward, hoping the king, the father I’d known could hear somehow.
“I found the journal, like you requested.”
Kade didn’t comment, but his embrace tightened, soothing and steady. I’d succeeded in my father’s final request to find the journal.
I ran my thumb along the spine of the journal. With it, I’d unlock the secrets of the white dagger and what to expect from my power. Armed with that information, I’d make sure Thames was destroyed.
Once and for all.