3. The Heart #2
“We’re glad to have you back,” Vaelen said, and her voice had so much gravity—emotion and affection and relief. “Come rest your mind. Have a drink or partake in the blooms. There will always be business.”
Vaelen turned to the small crowd, who had quieted as she spoke, and the archdruid raised her voice, along with a mug. “Tonight, we revel in the return of an ally! Welcome home, Thea!”
A few dozen echoed her words, and raised their mugs—or pipes—and the entire gathering rang out in a cheer.
Thea’s eyes welled, and she dashed her tears away on the back of her hand before she lifted both of them high and shouted, “I’m home!”
They whooped and hollered, and Vaelen was grinning, holding out a palm. Thea took it and was led to the warmth of the fire, the warmth of her people.
Their joy filled her heart; their songs rang in her ears. Thea accepted the blooms, and smoke filled her lungs and soothed her worries. As she laughed and nudged shoulders with a familiar druid she’d met years ago, the fire burned on, and so did their revelry.
The runes lit up as their party drew the attention of the other isles, and the celebration grew. For the first time in months she was surrounded by nature and warmth and welcome.
By druids.
She hadn’t felt this safe since…
Thea awakened beneath a tree, the sun’s rays keeping her warm, her head pillowed on something soft. She blinked, clearing her vision, and found… Aaryn, staring down at her, a book gone limp in her hand as Thea had slept in her lap.
“Hi, sleepyhead.”
Thea blinked, clearing the memory and clearing it away with a toke of the pipe.
She was safe here.
She was home.
The sun was beaming the next morning, because what awoke her was the interruption of its welcoming rays.
“A new home and you didn’t even sleep in it, hm?” The archdruid stood above her, mirth curling her lips, hands on her hips.
Thea blinked, clearing her sight and sitting up.
“The moss was comfy,” she said, laughing at the absurdity. Around her, other druids were sleeping off the party, and the fire had burned to embers.
“Good morning. Coffee? Tea?” Vaelen asked.
“You spoil me,” Thea said, and took the hand Vaelen offered.
“Did you have fun last night?” she asked before leading her away from the clearing and toward the simple paths of Claw Hold.
“I haven’t had that much fun in…” Thea let it trail off, because she couldn’t quite remember. The knights of the crown were not nearly as fun as druids were.
“I can tell. I see you got this taken care of.” Vaelen chuckled and stroked a loving thumb over her left brow. Thea followed the touch with her own and felt the shaved notch rightly in place once again.
“Oh, that feels nice,” Thea murmured, and grinned. “Whoever did it must have had a steady hand.”
Vaelen barked a laugh, and Thea realized she had missed Cloud Haven so very much. “Lucky you!”
Thea scratched both hands through her hair, getting caught on the braids at her temples and sighing in annoyance. She gathered it at the back of her skull and secured it with a tie as Vaelen led her through training grounds and barracks and more small homes.
“I’m eager to hear of your time near the crown. The Second Guard, correct?”
“Yes. Sixth Guard for a year, Fourth for three months, Second Guard for six months." Thea filled her in on some of the basics as they made a short walk to another little abode.
Vaelen opened the door to what Thea had once understood to be her base of operations.
"You live here, don't you?" Thea asked with a disappointed sigh.
“I’m here enough I might as well.”
And it showed. The space was littered with various maps, land drawings, and dragon diagrams, as well as what seemed like hundreds of books and scrolls.
Thea noticed a small cot in the corner.
“Vaelen,” Thea scolded. “You do not sleep on that.”
“This from the girl who slept on moss last night?”
“Moss is probably more comfortable,” Thea retorted.
Vaelen waved a hand and went to the small wood stove to begin a kettle. “Don’t start with me. You only just returned.”
Thea studied her with narrowed eyes. Vaelen didn’t look much different than the last time Thea had seen her. She supposed the stress lines around her eyes might have been accented, but when one was in charge of an entire refuge…
Well, Vaelen wasn’t the type to sit back and let others do the work for her, even at her own expense.
“What, I turn my back for one minute and you stop taking care of yourself?”
“I’m alive and well, aren’t I?” Vaelen huffed, and gathered two tea cups. One of them was chipped.
Thea sighed and took a seat at one of the chairs strewn about. The large table in the center was covered in more maps and information pertinent to their survival.
“How have things been?” Thea asked. “A lot has changed.”
“We raised a new isle to accommodate the refugees from Timberscale."
“Why did the crown go after them?”
Vaelen sighed. “They didn’t want to accept the trade deal Evergale offered. So they took their timber by force. Couldn't be bothered to offer something proper in exchange.”
Bitterness filled Thea’s heart. “Bastards.”
“They’ve taken control of the village and the ports in that area. Yet another trade corner they’ve secured for themselves.”
“What happened to the people?”
Vaelen sighed and brought the tea over before sitting beside Thea. “The crown wouldn’t have killed all of them. They need someone to do the work, you know.”
“They’re damn sure not going to do it themselves,” Thea mumbled. She imagined the prim and proper little prince stripping bark from the timber till his callouses bled. As if.
“We’re turning our attention more toward the castle. The dragons.”
“Right." Thea rubbed her brow. "I should go visit Starspark today. See how he’s doing.”
Vaelen nodded. “He's not been very cooperative, from what I’ve heard.”
Thea pursed her lips. “He never did like me very much.”
"And yet you managed to get him here," Vaelen pointed out.
"My hardship was certainly lessened because they're trained to let anyone on their back," Thea grumped. Evergale.
“We'll help him regain his independence. He'll come around once he realizes he’s safe,” Vaelen said. “Now, shall we talk about the elephant in the room?”
Thea winced and sipped her tea from the chipped cup. It was too hot and she pretended not to care. “We might as well.”
“You didn’t bring the dragon’s Tethered with you. What happened?”
Thea’s mug clinked against the table, shaking her head at the ridiculousness.
“I know. I had a plan. It was—she was never going to just leave with me. I had planned to take Starspark to her,”—and confess— “But the guards surprised me. I had to create a distraction, and she was gone by the time I got to our meeting spot.” Thea sighed, the memory of her rehearsed plea echoing through her mind.
Aaryn never even got to hear it. “I think she might have seen my distraction from afar. I didn’t have time to search for her. ”
“So now we have a dragon without his Tethered,” Vaelen mused. “And damages to the castle. Evergale will not take that lightly.”
“I know,” Thea muttered. “I made a bigger problem for us.”
Vaelen patted her shoulder. “Nothing we can’t handle. They haven’t found us yet.”
“What do we do now?”
“Well Starspark is safe with us. I know that's what his Tethered would prefer, even if she doesn't know why," Vaelen pointed out.
Thea ignored how her heart leapt just at the mention of Aaryn, her fingers clicking against the ceramic of her mug.
“Is that it, then? You care for the Tethered," Vaelen guessed.
Thea schooled her expression and glanced up at Vaelen. “What do you mean?”
She tapped Thea's knee, stilling its bounce. “You’re restless, and while I might be able to accept that you’re just thrilled to be home, I wonder if it’s something else. You did spend a lot of time with her—Aaryn, right?”
Thea pursed her lips and pulled her legs up to sit crisscrossed. “I’m dedicated to this cause.”
Vaelen smiled, tilting her head. “Do you not think your heart vast enough to care for two things at once?”
Thea grumbled and leaned back. “No. My heart is dead and cold.”
With a chuckle, Vaelen poured herself another cup of tea, and motioned the pot toward Thea. Vaelen refilled it as well.
“I think we both know that’s a lie. You feel guilty."
Thea groaned, running a hand over her face. "How could I forget how damned insightful you are?"
Vaelen laughed. "Do not hold onto your guilt. We'll make sure Starspark is well. We'll make him comfortable. He'll warm up to us."
"And if not?" Thea asked, wincing, heart racing at the thought of the answer.
"Then I think you know what you have to do."
Thea's heart skipped, tripped, leapt during Vaelen's knowing pause.
A smirk, then, "Retrieve Aaryn," she clarified.