Chapter 34
Alchera
I’m sitting on a chair with a blanket wrapped around me while watching Raighne work in the kitchen. He has sweet potatoes on the coals and is busy frying strips of steaks, carrots, and zucchini.
A delicious aroma fills the air, and as my stomach grumbles, I say, “I never learned how to cook.”
“I’ll teach you,” he murmurs while checking on the sweet potatoes.
I glance out the window next to the front door, but it’s dark, and I can’t see much.
The memory of what happened before the asteroid hit Earth shudders through me, and I whisper, “Thana and Phoenix are dead.”
“I saw,” he says, his tone tight with sorrow. “Thank you for being there for my brother in his last moment.”
I swallow hard, and silence falls between us as I struggle to keep the memories of the past few months at bay.
The five years I spent on Earth make up most of my childhood memories.
Molly’s gone.
The Calders. Everyone at school. The whole town.
I suck in a quivering breath, then feel Raighne’s warmth as he eases the heartache before it can bleed through my chest .
Earth was all I knew, and now that it’s gone, I don’t know if I’ll be able to adapt to this new life.
“You will,” Raighne replies to my thoughts. “It will just take some time.”
I turn my attention back to him and watch as he plates our food.
“Come eat,” he orders while he sets the plates down on the table.
I move to the seat beside him, a smile tugging at my mouth as I look at the delicious food. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He keeps staring at me until I spear a strip of steak and pop it into my mouth.
The flavor bursts over my tongue, and able to feel how much I’m enjoying the bite, a satisfied expression settles on his face.
We eat in silence for a few minutes before I murmur, “I’m sorry you lost River and Phoenix.”
“We all lost a lot,” he says.
He picks up his glass and takes a sip of water before continuing to eat.
“Can we hold a remembrance service of sorts? Something where we can honor the sacrifice they all made.”
Raighne’s eyes flick to mine. “That’s a good idea. It will help give everyone closure. I’ll speak to Janak and Aster so they can arrange it.”
I nod and take a bite of the sweet potato, and once I’ve swallowed, I say, “The food is delicious. Thank you.”
The corner of his mouth lifts as he watches me eat. “I love taking care of you.”
My eyes drift over his face, and I can’t begin to describe how thankful I am to have Raighne as my guardian.
The slight smile on his face morphs into a hot grin, and wanting to know, I ask, “Could you hear my thoughts when we met at school?”
He nods but quickly explains, “I’ve been trained to give you privacy. Back then, I only checked in when you were upset.”
I relax a little as I ask, “Did you know every girl was drooling over you?”
He takes a bite of his steak, his eyes not leaving mine. “Only one mattered.”
As I cut my carrot in half, I realize this is the first time in a long while we’re having dinner without having to worry about all hell breaking loose around us.
There’s no one left to save.
There’s nowhere to rush off to.
“You can finally rest,” Raighne murmurs. “Just rest, my little dreamer.”
I nod, the feeling of having fulfilled my destiny weirdly empty.
Raighne tilts his head. “Didn’t you hear what Awo said when he brought you back?”
Confused, I glance at him. “What did he say?”
“You have a new destiny.”
“Oh God,” I mutter, dropping my knife and fork. “What now?”
Letting out a chuckle, he places his hand over mine, giving it a squeeze. “You’re responsible for everyone’s dreams.”
More confusion pours into me. “How?”
“We’ll learn more about it from Janak. Don’t worry now.”
“Easier said than done,” I mumble as I pick up a slice of zucchini with my fingers and pop the vegetable into my mouth.
Once we’re done eating, Raighne rises to his feet, and leaning over me, he picks me up from my chair.
I wrap my arms and legs around him while asking, “What about the dirty dishes?”
“Tomorrow’s another day,” he mutters as he carries me back to bed.
We lie down, and I snuggle close to his chest, pressing my face in the crook of his neck while he practically engulfs me with his body.
“Good night, my little dreamer,” he sighs, his tone filled with satisfaction.
I press a kiss to his skin before whispering, “Night.”
Closing my eyes, I get lost in Raighne’s scent, his warmth, and the feel of his body.
I relax more and more until I’m carried away into a dreamless sleep.
No matter how determined Raighne is to keep me at home, I say, “I just want to check on Fleur then we can come right back.”
“Give it a few days, Alchera,” he argues, not at all happy with me. “You need to rest.”
“She’s my friend. I promise it won’t take more than an hour.” I inch closer to him, and placing my hands on his chest, I give him the cutest pleading look I can conjure to my face.
“You’re not playing fair,” he mutters as he scowls down at me.
“Please,” I murmur, standing on my toes and pressing a kiss to his jaw.
“Only an hour,” he says, finally giving in.
A smile splits over my face, and turning around, I walk to the front door. “Where does she live?”
“It’s midday. Fleur’s probably at the sanitorium.”
I glance up at Raighne as he pulls the front door shut behind us. “What’s that?”
“It’s where they learn to make elixirs and cast spells.”
Right. I forgot what the place was called.
When we step into the road at the front of the house, it’s only to see Fleur standing two houses away, looking down at the ground and kicking a rock.
“Fleur,” I call out, and breaking into a run, a smile spreads over my face when her head snaps up.
Reaching her, our arms wrap around each other, and I hold her tightly to me.
“I wasn’t sure if it was okay coming by to say hello,” she says. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I squeeze my eyes shut, happy to be reunited with my friend.
Suddenly, a sob bursts from her, and it makes me tighten my arms around her.
“I’m so sorry about River,” I whisper.
She just nods as she clings to me. “I was worried I’d lose you too.”
“Let’s go back into the house where you can have privacy,” Raighne says .
I keep an arm wrapped around her lower back as we follow Raighne into the house, then I say, “Sit down. Can I get you some tea?”
She shakes her head and hugs me again. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
I hold my friend for as long as she needs, and only when she pulls away from me, do I take a seat on one of the chairs.
She sits down near me, lets out a sigh, and looks at Raighne. “They say River didn’t suffer.”
Raighne crosses his arms over his chest. “Have they had his sepulturae?”
She nods. “Two days ago at sunrise. Roark and River ascended side by side.”
My heart squeezes at hearing Roark’s name.
Fleur glances at me. “I’m sorry for your loss as well. It feels like all we’ve done is hold sepulturaes the past week.”
Has it only been a week since I left to retrieve the chosen ones?
I try to think back, but there are only memories of destruction and death, and I quickly shake my head to rid my mind of the thoughts.
“Alchera thinks we should have a ceremony to honor their lives and deaths,” Raighne mentions. “I’m going to ask Janak and Aster to arrange it.”
“That will be nice,” Fleur murmurs, then she looks at me again. “Just a heads up, but the whole village is arranging a celebration for your return and to welcome the chosen ones.”
I let out a groan. “It’s the last thing I have strength for right now.”
“It will be the perfect time to meet everyone and get it over with,” Raighne mutters.
“And there will be drinking, dancing, food, and games,” Fleur adds. “It looks like you can do with some fun.”
Knowing it’s not something I can avoid, I say, “Let me know when and where.” Changing the subject, I ask, “What have you been doing since you no longer have to tend to my needs.”
She lets out a chuckle. “I’ve learned how to make an elixir that cures a cold.”
Lifting an eyebrow, I ask, “Do you have an elixir for making hair grow faster?”
A burst of laughter escapes her as she replies, “Yes, but we’ll have to ask Aster for it. They don’t like handing out elixirs if they’re not needed.”
I point at my short hair. “Girl, it’s needed.”
“I’ll check with Aster and let you know,” she says, but then her expression turns serious as she asks, “How was it…on Earth?”
I glance down at my hands, and seeing how long my nails have gotten, I start to pick at them as I shrug.
“It’s not something we’re ready to talk about,” Raighne replies.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” Fleur says before rising to her feet. “I just wanted to check on you, but I’ll let you get some rest.”
I get up, and we hug quickly as I tell her, “Thank you. I’ll be up for a longer visit next week.”
“The celebration is Saturday night,” she warns me.
I nod and watch as she leaves the house, then sit down again.
“I really don’t want to go to a celebration,” I mutter to Raighne.
He walks to the kitchen and starts to boil water while getting things ready to make a cup of tea. “The whole village will be disappointed if you don’t make an appearance.” He glances at me. “Besides, it’s usually fun, and I think you’re long overdue for some of that.”
“What happens at the celebrations?” I ask, folding my legs beneath me as I get more comfortable on the chair.
“Like Fleur mentioned, there’s dancing and drinking.” Raighne carries two cups back to the living room and hands me one.
He takes a seat before he continues, “Sometimes there’s a fireworks show, and there are all kinds of snacks.”
“Snacks?” I sit up a little straighter, suddenly very interested. “Like what?”
“Like candyfloss, candied apples, roasted nuts, crispy potatoes, and pastries.”
“Okay,” I say, my tone dead serious, “You’ve convinced me to go.”
Raighne lets out a burst of laughter, and I stare at him because I can’t remember if I’ve ever heard him laugh like that.
The sound fades away until he’s giving me an affectionate look. “We’ll laugh a lot more in the future.”
“I hope so,” I whisper.
It’s not even midday yet when I hear bustling and joyful music in the street outside.
When I woke up, I could already hear the villagers moving around to get everything ready for today’s celebration.
I’ve stayed hidden in the house for the past four days, and I’m not sure I’m ready to leave the walls that have become my sanctuary.
“It will be fun,” Raighne says once again as he holds his hand out to me.
I suck in a deep breath before I place my palm in his, and linking our fingers, he tugs me toward the front door.
The moment we step out of the house, my eyes dart up and down the busy street. There are stalls lining the sidewalks, and I swear I smell fries.
When we approach the gate in the knee-high wall around the house, a man I’ve never met before notices us, and he instantly throws his hand in the air, shouting, “Alchera’s here.”
Silence falls over the street, making me feel awkward as hell.
When we step onto the cobblestones, applause starts to fill the air as everyone moves closer, forming a tunnel of sorts for me to walk through.
“Nope,” I mutter to Raighne. “You said it would be fun.”
“Let them welcome you home,” he whispers. “You deserve this.”
My muscles tense up, and not having much of a choice without looking like an ungrateful asshole, I walk down the street, doing my best to force a smile on my face.
“Welcome home, Princess,” a lady calls out.
“You were missed,” another shouts.
Soon, the air fills with people telling me how loved I am, and it makes it near impossible for me not to cry. I swallow hard, keeping my chin raised, but then I see my chosen ones, and the battle is lost.
Letting go of Raighne’s hand, I hurry to them, and when Jason opens his arms, I plow into his chest.
He gives me a bear hug, then says, “It felt weird not getting to see you the past few days.”
When he lets go of me, the others take turns giving me hugs, and when it’s Sarah’s turn, she sobs, “Thank you for saving us.”
She looks so much better, and I assume Aster managed to heal her.
“Yes,” Dylan agrees. “And sorry for the hard time some of us gave you.”
I let out a chuckle as I pull free from Sarah, and looking at each of them, I’m relieved to see they seem to be okay. “How are you all holding up?”
“It’s an adjustment,” Jason mutters, “But it’s not bad. The leather clothes are weird as fuck, though. I miss jeans and T-shirts.” He gives me a happy grin. “And I’m glad to be reunited with my animals. Thank you for saving them, Alchera.”
A lump forms in my throat as I nod.
Before I get too emotional, Matt says, “They said as soon as we’re settled, Sky and I can work at the seminarium. I have to learn everything about Vaalbara, and I’m looking forward to it.”
I glance at Lydia and Pearl. “Will you work at the infirmarius?”
They nod, and Lydia mentions, “But apparently, we need to learn about stuff called elixirs before we can start working.”
“I’m glad you’re all finding your place,” I say.
“What about you?” Dylan asks. “Do you get some time off now that you’re done saving our assess?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s weird seeing you with blue sparkly eyes,” Jason says. “But it looks badass.”
“Yeah?” I chuckle, feeling much better now that I’ve seen with my own eyes they’re all okay.
“Alchera,” Raighne says, pulling my attention away from my chosen ones. “There are more people to speak to.”
“I’ll catch up later with you all.”
When I turn around, it’s to see Janak, Aster, and my mother waiting .
“Peace be, Alchera,” Janak says loud enough for everyone to hear. “We’re overcome with joy to have you home.”
“Peace be is the way we greet each other,” Raighne reminds me mentally.
“Peace be,” I reply before fidgeting with my hands because it’s awkward as hell to have all this attention directed at me.
“You have made us so proud,” Janak continues. “This celebration is in your honor.”
My voice is strained as I say, “Thank you.”
With a gesture from Janak, the music fills the air again, and the celebration begins.
Janak walks to me, and in a softer tone, he says, “You must meet with me next week so I can explain your new destiny to you.”
Needing to know, I ask, “Is it bad?”
He shakes his head. “Not at all. It’s nothing to worry about.”
Feeling a little better, my mouth curves up. “That’s a relief to hear.”
“Raighne mentioned your idea of having a ceremony to honor the fallen,” he says. “We’ll arrange it for next Sunday.”
“Thank you.”
He reaches for my arm and gives it a squeeze. “Enjoy your day, Alchera.”
I nod, and when he walks away to speak to someone else, Mom comes closer. Her eyes drift over my face, then she asks, “How are you doing, sweetheart?”
“Better.”
When she hesitates to hug me, I move forward and wrap my arms around her.
I feel her body shudder, and I whisper, “You don’t have to be careful around me. I’m okay.”
She presses a kiss to the side of my head before pulling back. “The color in your face looks better. Did you get plenty of rest?”
I nod. “All I’ve done the past few days is eat and sleep.” Not seeing Brenna and Finian, I ask, “Where’s Brenna?”
“She’s with the children. She refuses to leave them for a second,” Mom says, letting out a sigh. “Of all my daughters, I never thought she’d be the motherly one.”
“Is she okay, though?” I ask.
“Oh yes, she’s fine. It’s poor Finian I’m worried about because the man isn’t getting much sleep.”
Raighne lets out a chuckle but doesn’t say anything.
“I’ll let you enjoy the celebration, but if you have some time next week, I’d like to have you over for tea and sweet cakes.”
“I definitely have time. I can come over tomorrow because I’d love to see Brenna being a mother hen.”
“Good.” She gives me another hug. “You can come over any time.”
I nod as she pulls away, and when she walks to where Aster is talking to two young women, I glance at Raighne.
“Snacks.” I grin at him. “You promised me snacks.”
With a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, he leads me to the nearest stall. The second I see the little paper bags filled with squares of crispy potatoes, I almost let out a happy shriek.
“Oh, you’ll love these, Princess,” the woman standing behind the table says.
“Just call me Alchera,” I tell her as I take a packet from her. “Thank you. It smells so good.”
She gives me a curious look, her eyes flicking between the snack and my face, and realizing she’s waiting for me to try one, I quickly pop a crispy potato into my mouth.
On the first crunch, my eyes drift shut, and I moan, “So good. Oh my God. This is food for my soul.”
“Don’t moan like that in front of everyone,” Raighne growls in my mind. “Only I get to hear you make that sound.”
I almost choke, and when I cough, he pats me on the back, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.
Turning my attention back to the woman, I say, “I’ll definitely be back later for another packet. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she says, looking proud of herself because I liked the snack she prepared.
By the time I get to the fifth stall, I’m so full I’m going to burst, but I don’t have the heart to decline the colorful cotton candy spun around a stick and accept it with a smile.
“Enough eating,” Raighne says, leading me to where people are sitting on logs around a group that’s dancing.
Once we’re comfortable on one of the logs, Raighne takes the cotton candy from me and hands it to three teenagers. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” one of the girls replies while they all stare at me like I’m some kind of miracle.
“It’s because you are.” Raighne takes my hand and links our fingers. “You’ve come a long way from the Jane I found in Steamboat Springs. Everyone is proud of you.”
Jane. Wow. I haven’t thought about that name in a long while.
“The shy girl turned into a selfless warrior,” Raighne murmurs, his tone filled with pride.
I have to admit I’ve grown a lot from the socially awkward girl I used to be.
His eyes meet mine. “I had to live Two hundred and four years without you by my side.”
My mouth lifts into an affectionate smile. “Old man.”
He lets out a burst of laughter before his expression turns serious again. “Will you let me love you forever?”
“That’s a solid yes. You’re stuck with me.”
His fingers tighten around mine. “Does that mean you’ll become my wife?”
My eyes widen, and before I can even think of a reply, someone says, “Gosh, you’ve been so busy I didn’t think I’d get a moment to speak with you.”
I glance up, and seeing Luna, I climb to my feet. “Hi. How have you been?”
“Better than you,” she says. “Just training. I’m glad you’re back.”
“Thanks,” I murmur.
“Luna, bring her to dance with us,” Lucius calls out to his sister.
She gestures with a jab of her thumb over her shoulder, then asks, “Want to dance? ”
I glance at Raighne, who waves a hand at the dancing group. “Go have fun.”
I take hold of Luna’s hand, and as we walk to the middle of the group, she says, “I should warn you, I suck at dancing.”
“We can suck together,” I chuckle as I start to bounce and move to the joyful tune.
Fleur joins us, and soon, our laughter fills the air. I’m taught how to do some kind of sidestep dance, which feels more like a workout than anything else.
Night begins to fall around us and cosy fires are lit for everyone to sit around.
When I’m completely out of breath, I walk back to where Raighne is sitting with a smile on his face. Not once has he taken his eyes off me.
I hold out my hand, and when he climbs to his feet and links our fingers, I begin to walk toward the Virtutes Waterfall.
With the sound of the music, laughter, and talking fading into the distance, the calmness of the night settles around us.
The stars shine bright above us, and for the first time in a long while, I feel at peace.
When I spot flickering lights in the long grass, I ask, “What are those?”
“Fireflies.”
A smile spreads over my face, and grinning at Raighne, I whisper, “Yes.”
“Yes?” He asks.
“I’d love to become your wife,” I explain my answer.
I’m yanked to a stop and wrapped up in his strong arms. His eyes sparkle in the dark as he stares at me. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course. I love you, and you’re my home.”
He looks deep into my eyes, then his voice sounds up in my mind. “We are bound as one and will never live as two again.”
“Forever,” I agree as I push myself up on my tiptoes and press my mouth to his.