Page 153 of Cast By Flames (Dragon's Breath)
Rayna had been far away when it happened, but she wished there could have been some way to save him. He’d been a great fighter. She’d also always felt safe and respected around him. Once again, she rued the fact so many good people died in this war and that they’d found a way to warm her heart.
Unable to handle too many funerals, she’d missed Xanath’s a couple of hours before. She’d needed to recharge and be alone for a while after attending Miles’. Rayna hadn’t known the elderly sorcerer that well, but he’d been kind the couple of times she’d been around him. She heard his service was nice and did him justice.
Aidan stood before the shifter’s body, torchlight illuminating his sorrowful features.
“Eliam was one of our best warriors,” he said solemnly. “He died protecting the fortress and my sister with her unborn child. He knew the risk of going up against a Kandoran with green fire, yet he did it anyway. I will forever be grateful for his sacrifice. May he go with Zorya and find peace in the afterlife.”
His words were brief, but Bailey had told her that was traditional.
Kade came forward and handed the pendragon a smooth, round, white rock about the size of a softball. Aidan took it, closed his eyes, and blew light flames onto its granite surface.Three seconds passed before he opened his lids. She knew he’d sent a silent prayer for Eliam.
He handed it to Titan, who took over standing in front of his best friend’s body. The shifter’s features appeared ragged. Rayna had spoken to him a couple of times since the war ended and knew he was having a rough time, though he tried to hide it and be brave.
“As many of you know, Eliam and I were as close as it gets.” Titan rolled the rock in his hands nervously. “He was the toughest, kindest, most generous shifter I ever knew. I can’t imagine how the world will endure without him, but I’m grateful to have known him because he made me believe there was good in life, even during the toughest times. May he go with Zorya.”
Titan blew a small flame over the stone with his eyes closed and sent his prayer. When he looked up, he stared directly at Rayna and held it out to her. She froze. Of course, she knew Eliam’s parents had passed years ago, but she’d thought he had some other friend or relative who’d take it. Only three people were chosen to hold the stone, no more or less.
“Eliam respected you,” Titan said, emotion in his gaze. “He said no one could make him laugh harder than you just by being yourself, and he looked forward to hanging out with you after the war. I know he’d want you to take it.”
Tears poured down Rayna’s face. She’d wandered the country alone for too many years with only her horse. Now, Titan was handing her a silly rock and saying she deserved to hold it instead of any other shifter standing there. It hit her then that she’d lost a truly good friend and would never get him back. The ache in her chest grew.
Rayna drew in a deep breath and took the stone, holding it before her. “I’m grateful to say I never fought Eliam, but I did fight by his side. He was incredible in all the ways Titan mentioned. Eliam made you believe there could be a better world and that we just had to work hard to get it. May he go in peace with Zorya.”
While she didn’t have fire, she did have electricity. Rayna took care with the charge to make it as thin as possible, then covered the ball in tiny lines of blue lightning. Closing her eyes, she hoped he was in the shifter version of heaven, flying freely through the air with no more pain or worries. She prayed he found peace.
Maybe someday she would, too.
Chapter 48
Bailey
After a succession of funerals yesterday, attending a celebration feast bigger than any I’d ever experienced was a welcome relief. We’d needed to mourn our dead, but there’d been so many that I’d cried myself to sleep in Aidan’s arms. It had been harder to handle than expected.
In a couple of weeks, I’d have to go through another period of mourning when we went to retrieve my father’s body. Aidan and I agreed to settle matters here and see off our guests first. That way, I could take the time I needed to move Wayne to Tahlequah, where he still had some family members—people I’d never met. They would know his burial preferences better than me.
But for now, the day dawned bright and cheery, casting away the gloom of death. I’d keep picking myself up until the weight of my sorrow didn’t feel so burdensome. A large celebration would certainly keep me distracted.
The fortress was open to anyone who could enter in human form, and the field was covered in red, burnt orange, and green dragons. If one didn’t look too closely at the animal carcasses offered to those guests, they would be pleased by theturnout. Mostly, the Faegud, Shadowan, Thamaran, Bogaran, and Ghastanan gathered out there. All our closest neighbors.
Lorcan and Aidan had just changed forms and walked toward the fortress gates where I stood. They’d needed to socialize in the field before escaping inside, so I’d chosen to wait for them at a safe distance. Watching pure dragons eat was not one of my favorite things to do.
On a bright note, enough stray Kandoran had been sighted flying on the other side of the border that all of us slayers would have something to hunt other than allies for a while. Pure dragons and shifters promised not to kill them if they didn’t cross into their territory or cause trouble. We wanted to keep the peace for as long as possible.
“How are you doing?” I asked Lorcan, noting his weathered features.
He smiled wanly. “I’m fine.”
It couldn’t have been easy for him. The Faegud had their funerals yesterday, so everyone from their clan had gone to their territory for those before returning here today. I couldn’t imagine how Lorcan felt about losing his mother. She’d been a force to reckon with, yet she’d been a good person and a great ally to our clan.
His vague reply made me wonder. “Are the clan elders giving you a hard time?”
“Yes.” He ran a hand through his long, brown hair. “They’ve decided every time they can’t get a majority vote on a decision, I get to break the tie. Meanwhile, I’ve had several members of my toriq attempt to challenge me despite the fact the bitkal won’t take place until spring. Even if it were sooner, this isn’t the time for fighting while we’re still recovering.”
And here I’d hoped the delay would give Lorcan time to mourn his mother and decide whether he wanted to try for pendragon or not. I assumed that was why his mother made that final decree.
“I’m sorry,” I said, giving him an apologetic look. “But anytime you need to get away, feel free to join us up here.”
Aidan put a hand on Lorcan’s shoulder. “I told him the same thing. He can always use the excuse of wishing to visit the mothers of his children, and he’ll always be welcome.”
