Page 334 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
“Is that all?” Tessa demanded.
“For now,” she agreed. “But we all know the future is ever-changing. Enjoy the calm moments, Tessalyn. They are as important as the storms.”
“You’re sure you won’t come with us?” her mother asked as they made their way through the Dreamlock Woods.
The woods housed the Serafina Kingdom mirror gate, and she should have known, really. Of course the mirror was in the center of woods where nightmares came true.
Tessa had left this one intact, along with the one on Ekayan Island and the one in the Underground. The Falein Heir had helped them find two upstanding scholars to be the sentinels of the Ekayan mirror mate, monitoring and reporting any activity immediately to Tessa. Cienna and Rayell monitored the Underground mirror, and here? Corbin and Lange were the Dreamlock mirror gate sentinels. They had a home with the woods in their backyard just outside of Sanal, the Serafina Kingdom capital city, and Corbin also served on the Serafina Council.
Tessa gave her mother a weak smile. “My place is here. With Theon and Luka.”
“But…Temural can’t come here,” her mother said with a frown.
No, he could not. Because gods and goddesses still couldn’t set foot in Devram. Whatever Accords were in place were a magic that could not be broken. If she’d learned anything this last year though, it was that the gods weren’t the ones they had to worry about. Or rather, it was who the gods sent to interfere.
“I’ll be all right, Akira,” she said.
Her mother nodded. “Because you’re not alone anymore.”
“That’s right,” she whispered, watching Akira struggle to keep her magic in check. Tessa sent a wisp of her own magic to calm her soul, and she sucked in a shuddering breath.
Ultimately, this was why it was time for Akira to go. She had stayed these extra months, and Tessa had been grateful. They weren’t close by any means, but there was…something for them to build on. Not that it would be easily done when they were in separate worlds, but maybe it was another reason she’d wanted an excuse to not destroy the last of the mirrors. She would have—to keep the realm secure—but she was also a little relieved to still have them.
“Welcome back,” Xan said with a sad smile when they emerged from some trees.
She’d gone on one last walk with her mother. One last moment to soak in having her here, and now they were facing another goodbye.
Or, more accurately, three of them.
Because Xan and Aiyana were leaving too.
Scarlett and Sorin stood next to the mirror once more, and her cousin was far more subdued than last time. Perhaps it wore on her to be the one to ferry others across the stars and constantly have to be present for these farewells.
Aiyana was hugging Luka, tears on her cheeks as she murmured low to him. Her husband’s features were emotionless as always, but she could feel the pain down their bond. So much more than her own. Luka’s relationship with his parents was far different from what she shared with Akira.
“How is Tristyn?” Tessa asked her cousin.
“He is well,” Sorin answered. “Spends most of his time in Avonleya with Razik.”
Tessa nodded, tipping her head back as Xan stepped before her.
“A path to salvation by way of death,” the dragon said, sapphire eyes searching hers.
She gave him a half-hearted smile. “Thank you. For keeping me company when I was too…” She swallowed thickly. “Just thank you. It may not seem like much, but it made a difference.”
He was pulling her into him then, and she embraced him back. “Those visits were just as valuable to me, Tessa. After years of silence, you were a welcome reprieve. And thank you. For loving him.”
“You will come back?” she whispered. “He will miss you both deeply after just discovering you once more.”
Xan released her, stepping back as he said, “I think you know more of what the future holds than I do, do you not?”
“The future is ever-changing,” she retorted.
“That it is, my dear,” he said with a huff of laughter. “That it is.”
Tessa caught Scarlett’s eye and nodded, and her cousin called forth her magic, funneling the power into the Temural symbol. Minutes later, a male stood among the swirling darkness and white embers.
He was tall, like all the gods and goddesses seemed to be. His long black hair was tied back at his nape, and there were twin swords at his waist. A crown of gilded leaves and feathers sat atop his head with a black eagle at his shoulder, and his pine green eyes were pinned on Akira.
