Page 42 of The Goddesses' Gifts

We turned to look over the lake. There was a burned body just beneath the surface of the shallow water, so we walked along the edge until we found a stretch that was free of corpses. I crouched and dipped my hand into the lake. The water was too cold, stinging my skin and hissing as though my flesh were hot metal. I let it sit in my palm for a moment before raising it to my lips. It tasted sweet and slid down my throat, burning all the way to my stomach. My breath went up in curling plumes as icy tendrils spread out from my gut and through my shivering body. I’d never felt so cold before and for a moment, I wondered if I was dying. But as the invasive cold reached the ends of my fingers and toes, the warmth of my body gradually returned from the center out.

I got to my feet and found Dourlak watching me with a frown. “Did it work?” he asked.

I shrugged and pulled a dagger from my belt. “Let’s see,” I said and ran the blade across the back of my hand. It was peculiar to feel the honed edge drag across my flesh, tugging ever so slightly, but not actually cutting.

“Huh.” Dourlak nodded and went to the water to drink his own handful of magic underground lake water. He shivered and breathed steam for a few moments before testing his own flesh with the same result.

And it was finally done. The last tenuous piece of this scheme was in place, the outcome better than I could have hoped for. “Now we just need to figure out how to use the rest of the power,” I murmured to Dourlak and gave his shoulder a squeeze. He looked at my hand with confusion before meeting my eyes again.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Perhaps your talents will speed the process.”

“Maybe,” I admitted. “Either way, we have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get back and get started.”

And as we traversed the tunnel back to the compound, I found that my steps weren’t quite as heavy as they had been before. Not that they were springy by any means. The changes I wanted to make for my people would take time to implement. There would be resistance and reeducation, no doubt. We’d have to go slow. Make sure we don’t lose anyone else.

No more resisting our natures to appear capable of self-control, while undermining the real thing.

No more dead children.

No more waste.

It would also give me time to … grieve, I supposed. I’d never really done that before. What did that mean about my relationship with Rhemvile? Had I loved him? I must have on some level. Because one can’t love anything in Irnon’s shadow for that was the surest way to lose it.

We paused halfway down the corridor and took the time to seal the grotto away. It was a good opportunity to practice the other, most important power we’d gained from the spirit.

Tonight, I’d go to the commander’s study to send official word to Lady Umlern about the change of command. Make sure she understands that all of Dulanzo’s power transferred. Maybe start clearing out Dulanzo’s things. Tomorrow would be the start of a new era.

The thought should have inspired at least a flicker of hope, but there wasn’t any relief.

CHAPTER 20

LHORIS

Ozanna insisted we leave immediately. She wanted to be as far away from the warband as possible. Thankfully I was feeling well enough to ride. The pain that had me hobbled wasn’t from my brush with death. Lobikno had put me back together entirely with the last of Emma’s blessing. My injuries were metaphysical; where the soul meets body, or spiritual. Irnon’s horrid gift had left me heart-hurt and weary—injuries that would heal faster with rest and things that uplift the spirit. In theory at least. But Oz also wasn’t wrong about putting distance between our small group and the mountain. And while I wouldn’t die of these injuries, it did leave me feeling disconnected from my loved ones.

The unfamiliar distance between Oz and me was particularly distressing. Perhaps it was because we lacked Emma’s influence, but it could just as easily be that we were tired and troubled. Sleep and safety would be the best remedy for these. I just had to be patient.

Ozanna rode beside me. It wasn’t so dark once we were off the forest trail and on the road. The canopy wasn’t as thick there and moonlight illuminated the way well enough for her partial elven vision. She used it to watch Oshruli, and Lobikno, more than she looked at me. I reminded myself that it was just her concern for the boy’s well-being that kept her eyes turned away. Zelfek was correct in saying she’d protect all the boys, but she was ill prepared for the reality of elven children.

Oshruli preferred to stand on the front or back of the saddle so he could observe his new environment unhindered. Elven children were nimble and had little fear of falling for how light they were. In my experience there was nothing they couldn’t climb given the opportunity. Convincing Oz of it was the hard part. At first, she’d insisted he sit, but it wasn’t long before he was swinging on the mane of her gelding while she scolded him ineffectively in the trade language.

Once he was done laughing, Lobikno collected Oshruli and told her to watch how he handled the boy. Though it technically wasn’t handling because Lobikno simply allowed his son to roam freely and climb where he pleased, aside from the horse’s tail. It had taken some time, but Oz had mostly stopped throwing a hand out to catch him if he fell.

“What kind of tree is that?” Oshruli asked as he clambered up to stand on one of his father’s shoulders. He pointed to a bough just a little out of his reach.

I saw Oz twitch as though she was preparing to try and catch him. “He’s fine, my love,” I reassured her in a murmur.

“I don’t know, really. Some kind of fir?” Lobikno shrugged but was otherwise unperturbed by Oshruli’s constant flow of questions and observations.

Perhaps I’d somewhat inoculated him over the years.

“Is it the same as that one?” Oshruli asked, pointing to another fir tree.

“Probably,” Lobikno answered and gave Oz a thoughtful glance. “Ozanna might be the better person to ask.”

Oshruli’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t understand her,” he said.

“Uncle Lhoris and I do,” Lobikno said patiently and reached out for a low hanging bough, snapping off a cluster of leaves. The movement didn’t affect Oshruli’s balance on his shoulder perch, but Oz still twitched.

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