Ride the Wave

4

Most of the Resistance members had left to fight the battle at Salt Creek Tower and wouldn’t return for another week, including my sister, Leni. Auric and Jasin had assured me she was alive when they last saw her, but I would continue to worry until I saw her with my own eyes.

Auric stood up straighter, though his voice was weary. “I’ll bring Faya back. She’s needed here now.”

I rested a hand on Auric’s shoulder. He’d already flown across the Earth Realm for hours with no break, and now he was preparing to set out again. The man had to be exhausted, and I respected him more than ever. “And my sister?”

He nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll get her and Brin too.”

I nearly hugged the man. “Thank you.”

“I should be going with you,” Jasin grumbled, the frustration clear in his brown eyes. “Stupid wing. Make sure you eat something before you go.”

“I will,” Auric said, as they clasped each other in a quick hug. The two of them were like brothers now, which was still hard to believe, considering they’d once hated each other.

As Daka took Auric away to find some food, Jasin sighed. “I wish I could do more.”

I knew exactly how he felt.

S

leep proved elusive that night. I tossed and turned, worrying about Kira, praying my sister was unharmed, and hating myself for my failures. When the sun began to rise, I gave up, threw off my blankets, and went to find some food.

I nearly crashed into my youngest sister in the entrance to the guest house, along with her girlfriend, Brin. Relief flooded me as I swept Leni into my arms. She was the most headstrong, stubborn, and frustrating woman in our family, but she was alive and that was all that mattered. She and Brin had joined the Resistance in the battle at Salt Creek Tower, even though she was too young and inexperienced as a fighter, in my opinion. I wished she was back at home and safe with our mother and sister in Clayridge, but she was an adult and didn’t listen to her overprotective brother anymore, much to my dismay.

“Slade!” she said as she embraced me back.

I pulled back to look her over, my grip tight on her arms. Her dark skin was smudged with dirt and some of her small braids were starting to come undone, but she appeared to be well otherwise. “Are you unharmed?”

“Yes, I'm fine. I twisted my ankle, but it's already better.” She glanced over my shoulder with a smile. “Brin had my back.”

I turned toward Brin and bowed my head. “Thank you.”

With golden skin and silky black hair, Brin was beautiful and had the grace of a woman born to money and power, although she was an excellent fighter too. She was a noblewoman from the Air Realm and had once been Auric’s fiancé, though they’d never been more than friends. I just hoped she wouldn’t break my sister’s heart.

She gave me a dazzling smile. “I would never allow any harm to come to Leni, and she protected me as well.”

“I did what I could.” Leni nudged me in the side with a grin. “So is it done? Did you and Kira get intimate? Are you a Dragon now?”

My shoulders tensed. It was bad enough talking to my sister about “getting intimate.” It was worse being reminded of my failure. “Yes, we bonded and I’m a Dragon now, although I'm still not used to it. But we were attacked by the other Dragons, and Kira was taken. I... I couldn't stop them.”

Leni squeezed my arm. “I'm sure you did the best you could.”

“Tell us everything,” Brin said.

I gave them the quick rundown of what happened, although I didn’t mention that Doran was helping us. In return, they told me about the battle at Salt Creek Tower with the Dragons. By the end of their tale they were both yawning, and I guessed they had been up all night as they flew here on Auric’s back.

I sent them both to get some rest, and then caught sight of a beautiful, dark-skinned woman with short hair on the street outside the guest house. Faya’s head was bent and her eyes were red, but her back was straight as she walked alone. I headed outside to speak with the woman I once thought I'd marry.

“I'm sorry about Parin,” I said. “He died a hero and fulfilled his duty to the Earth God. We would not have found the Earth Temple without him.”

Faya nodded. “His mother would be proud. Thank you for bringing his body back to us so that we may bury him.”

“It was the least we could do to honor his sacrifice.” I touched her arm. “I truly am sorry, Faya. What will you do now?”

She gazed down the empty streets of Slateden, her face a mixture of grief and grim determination. “The Resistance still needs a leader. I will step up and do what I can until they can elect someone else. It's what Parin would have wanted.”

“You’ll make a good leader.”

“I doubt I could ever be the leader Parin was, but I’ll do my best.” Her hand rested on her lower stomach. “Not only for his sake or the Resistance’s, but for his child.”

I stepped back, my eyes dropping to her waist. “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes, I’m three months along. We tried for years without success and never thought it would happen. Now he won’t get to see our child born.” She sighed and her body sagged, all the energy leaving her small frame. “At least a part of him will live on.”