Chapter 3 #2
That won’t work. I don’t understand all her talking, all the human words and sentiments.
Asteria wants you—she asked for me to give you to her as a gift.
As I say the words, the heat of my rage rises up inside.
I’m probably angry because I don’t share.
But now that I’m mating, I should be able to honor one small request. You and your other small humans and the noisy fur thing will all come with me.
“You know, there’s a famous human who said it’s better to love and lose something than never to love at all.”
Love? What is this word, love? The small human mentioned it, too.
“That man was an idiot, but not quite as dumb as me.”
What does the word mean?
“It’s when you care so much about another person that you would rather be harmed than watch them struggle. You would rather die than watch them be hurt. You would do anything—everything—they might ever need—you would burn the world down to spare them pain.”
It sounds horrible.
Her laughter sounds strange, almost like she’s crying. “You’re right, Axel. It is.”
She says Axel, not Azar. Maybe that’s because I’m in my golden form. Or maybe. . . Did you care about Axel? Or Azar?
“I would have been a complete and utter moron to care for either of your forms. Can you even imagine? A human being caring about the leader of the dragons who came to destroy us?”
The more time I spend with her, the more confused I become. You didn’t love me, then?
She turns so fast that it takes me off guard. “I’m your wedding gift to Asteria now, right?”
Will you come easily?
“Why not?” Her face is blank. “You’ll bring my siblings with us?”
She wanted all of you.
“Of course she did.”
You don’t like Asteria?
“She’s much better than her sister Ocharta,” Liz says. “I actually don’t hate her.” She mutters something else so quietly I can’t make out the words, except for the word mating.
Are you upset I’m mating with her?
“If we were still bonded,” she whispers, “you wouldn’t be stupid enough to ask me that.”
Which doesn’t answer my question at all. Would I not ask because I’d already know? Or had we spoken about it? Do you miss the bond?
“I miss the Axel who bonded me.” She sighs.
I am still me. You can’t miss someone who’s here.
“I miss you wanting me to say your name. I miss you doing nine hundred sit-ups.” She sniffs and lifts her chin. “I miss you flying me places at one million miles per hour.”
I can’t fly that fast.
“I miss your painfully literal interpretation of everything. I miss you always being there to watch over me while I slept.” The feathers of her wings tremble.
Have you remembered anything about what happened in that volcano?
“The demon creatures tried to eat us.” She glances behind me.
They’re there still, milling, chanting. ‘Gullveig,’ mostly.
“We didn’t get the heart,” she says. “Clearly something went wrong.”
Asteria believes she can help you recover the memories.
She walks toward me, quickly. “Fine. Let’s go, then.” She crouches down and gently shakes the small humans who are sleeping. “Hey, guys. Rufus and Gordon are here. We’re going to live with Asteria.”
The small one with the shortest hair sits up. Sammy, I think. He rubs his eyes and throws his arms over his head, making a strange keening sound. “We can leave the cage?” His eyes light up. “I like Asteria.”
“She’s marrying Azar, right?” the one with medium length hair asks.
“This is Coral,” Liz says. “Sammy’s my youngest brother. Coral’s the next oldest—five years older. And then barely a year older than her is Jade.”
“Hi.” The one with the longest hair shakes her hand at me.
“I hate the new Azar.” Coral folds her arms. “He’s a jerk.”
“At least we get out of the cage,” Sammy says. “And maybe he’ll remember us soon and be nice again.”
“Too late,” Coral mutters.
“Stop,” Liz says.
“Yeah,” Jade says. “You don’t get mad at something that’s broken. It’s not his fault.”
Liz laughs.
I am not broken.
“Oh.” Jade tilts her head and bobs it up and down. “Of course not.”
Her words are respectful, but something feels wrong. I narrow my eyes.
Gordon and Rufus laugh, which confirms my suspicion. She’s saying ‘of course not,’ but she’s implying she’s correct, and I just don’t know.
“They’re just like that,” Liz says. “I apologize for their behavior and attitudes.” She carefully slides her swords into some kind of strange holder that wraps around her shoulders while somehow still avoiding her wings.
“Let’s go.” She grabs the metal bars, flexes her arms and grunts, and they slide apart easily.
We need better cages.
“Most humans would have been contained.” Liz shrugs. “Bonding you and going into the volcano have changed me.”
I’ll carry Sammy to the celebration, Gordon says. But Asteria can’t have him.
Or the girls. Rufus is scowling.
I turn so that Liz can climb onto my back.
“No, thanks.” She launches from the edge of the cage and flies out of the cavern exit. She’s only had wings for a short time, but she’s already improved quite a lot.
I think she’s been practicing when I’m not here.
She has, for sure, Gordon says. There are a lot of great things about Liz, but she’s not obedient at all.
I really have no idea why I would have liked her. We catch up to her quickly, and in no time, we’re landing near the River ?lfusá.
Just past the bend in the waterway bisecting Selfoss, there’s a large section of open land with buildings on either side. Asteria chose this spot for the easy access to the river for the water blessed, and the wide section of land that’s openly accessible.
As we draw near, I can’t help notice that the earth blessed have been busy. What is that?
Our prince is marrying, Gordon says. The earth blessed worked all night to make you a palace worthy of your position.
That was a waste of resources. I doubt we’ll be here for long.
It’s easier than ever before to craft things, Rufus says. And we’re finding that our different strengths are even more marked now that we’re stronger.
“This is amazing.” Liz lands on the rocky river bank, her face turned upward.
The earth blessed raised large amounts of stone, reshaping it into one seamless, raised dais, with the shapes of curved, sinewy blessed surging up and around the platform on all sides.
Behind it, a massive palace soars—open air in parts and closed in others, but with high, soaring ceilings.
Lit torches blaze on every corner so that as the small amount of sunlight for the day wanes, it’ll still be easy to see.
Liz shivers next to me, and Gordon steps closer. Do you need a warmer cloak?
“I don’t have anything that fits over my wings.”
Gordon’s expression falls. I can’t change shapes anymore and make you whatever you need. I’m sorry.
She places one hand on his side. “It’s alright. I understand. I’m sorry for what you’ve lost, too.”
Losing the ability to shift into human form is no loss. I push past them all and head for the platform where Asteria’s waiting for me. The blessed are gathering around—sunset was the appointed time. It looks like everything’s ready.
Earth blessed form? Asteria’s words don’t betray her disappointment, but I can hear it all the same.
You’re disappointed.
The blessed know Azar as their Recovery Leader.
I’ll shift. With one small push, I change from Axel to Azar. Now I’m ready.
You brought her. Asteria’s eyes move past me, to Liz. I’m surprised.
Surprised?
And pleased. She smiles. Very pleased that you’re willing to give her to me.
I can’t keep my nostrils from flaring. I don’t want to give Liz to her, but that’s just part of being flame blessed. We don’t share well. I’ll have to practice more, now that I’ll be mated.
“I’d like permission to fly into town.” Liz points. “I need to look for proper coats for my new form.”
“She’s freezing.” Coral slides down from Rufus’ back. “Weak little humans like us need things like outerwear.”
Liz does look a little blue, especially on her extremities. I’m not an expert, of course, but I haven’t seen other humans turning that color.
After the ceremony. Asteria straightens. Come. Watch us mate.
I’ve never seen Asteria act like that—like she’s enjoying the suffering of another. Surely if she’s cold. . .
Asteria calls for the ceremony to start. Hyperion. Now.
Liz is shivering now, and it bothers me.
A lot. I blow heated air in her direction, unwilling to let her freeze to death while she’s here.
Gordon’s on one side of Liz and her small humans, and Rufus has fallen in on the other.
Even before that happened, all of them moved easily among the blessed for non-bonded humans.
You can’t do that anymore. Asteria’s gaze narrows. She’s mine. I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry. She won’t die from being a little cold.
Hyperion’s watching us carefully, his eyes bouncing from Asteria back to me.
The blessed are filling in all the open spaces quickly—wings for the earth blessed help this process happen much more quickly than it would have otherwise.
The water blessed aren’t pleased to have been left out of the wing upgrade, but at least they aren’t openly complaining.
As all of you know, we’re gathered today to celebrate the wedding and mating ceremony of Asteria Strike Blessed and Azar Flame Blessed. Hyperion’s starting. Our hope is that their union will be the first powerful blessed union that creates offspring in the millennia since we left Earth.
And Axel Earth Blessed, Phileas, one of the stronger earth blessed warriors, says.
Hyperion’s glare is ferocious, and Phileas ducks his head quickly.
He’s right, I say. I am also Axel Earth Blessed.
The earth blessed have had offspring all this time, Phileas says, encouraged by my support. If it works, how will we know whether he’s able to create offspring because of our proximity to the alleged heart, or whether it’s because he’s earth blessed?
Hyperion frowns.
I’m not earth blessed, Asteria says. It’ll still be an effective test.