Chapter 498: A Call For Aid (1/2)
Chapter 498: A Call For Aid
TESSIA ERALITH
“She’s going to be incredible,” I said, grinning My fingers brushed over the soft leaves of a sapling nearly as tall as I was “Varay was already powerful, but watching the way she can reach for ushi+ng, but I couldn’t help it “She’s nity”
Grandpa Virion chuckled as he poured water froood health The first person to experience Integration in the memory of ourCecilia, I followed his lead “Varay’s recovered well, yes The experience seems to have cracked the ice of her personality a bit, too She see her recovery” I fell into a fit of giggles as I re her lips
“She gives you hope”
I felt myself catch, like a notched blade pulled froht of it like that
But yes” My gaze turned back to the plants I took upthe tilled earth in which they grew “Right now, it feels like Art is all that stands between us and the cruelty of the asura I know Varay isn’t as powerful as that, but seeing her work so hard to improve, even at her level, makes me feel better about our chances”
Virion set down his can and pruned off a feeak branches on the larger saplings When he was finished, he stood with his hands on his hips and regarded the arboretum with pride “The soil is just as potent as Arthur described Iht”
S, his attention settled onabout the future, Tessia I was speaking about your future”
I bit htly on my shoulders, and he looked deep into uilty You touched power—real power—and you want it back, because you want to stand beside Arthur and not behind him There is no shame in that”
My throat constricted I leaned forward and wrapped ainst his chest “How can you knohat I’ when even I don’t?”
He scoffed “You’ve never been able to hide anything frorow from only a little seed I’ve been there for every success and every mistake You are the best of both yourheart within my chest How could I not knohat you think?”
“I love you, Grandfather,” I said breathlessly, my cheeks ith tears
He patted my head like he’d done when I was a child “And I love you, Tessia” He cleared his throat, took le step “Noe’ve waded through enough of these emotional brambles There’s work to be done We need to—”
He went quiet, turning toward the entrance A couple seconds later, Bairon flew into the cavern and landed just beyond the border of the arboretureet either of us “There is word from Alacrya The dwarven lords have called a council, and they want you to attend”
Virion gave the Lance a grave half-sly over for good, the dwarves grow more bold—and restless—with the elves who reh his silken blond hair “The sentiment that led to the attack on the Alacryans hasn’t entirely vanished Even if you weren’t wanted at the council, Virion, I’hing, Virion dusted himself off and started toward Bairon He paused after only a few steps and looked back at me “Would you pick a few subjects for our next transfer to Elenoir? Saria Triscan is chorove”
“Actually, I’d prefer to come with you,” I answered
“After my recent visit to Etistin, well, I’d like to be loves, I tossed theust of wind to blow off the dirt that still clung to Grandpa and me, and looked at him expectantly
I kneouldn’t decline et out of the cavern and be one to Etistin to begin with
My grandfather grinned and gestured for Bairon to lead the way
Virion had already been catching me up on the politics of Vildorial, Darv, and Dicathen as a whole The dwarves respected randfather, but they were resentful of Arthur’s insistence that Virion act as commander of Darv’s defensive efforts in the final weeks of the war The dwarven nation was still badly fractured after the Greysunders’ betrayal and subsequent civil conflict, and both the dwarven lords and people were hungry for leadershi+p from within their own race
The problem of what to do with the elves and Alacryans—a “probleees had left Vildorial before Alacrya’s final assault, and the Alacryans theht down thewith raised voices Durgar Silvershale, who had stepped into his father’s shoes as Daglun recovered froer into Lord Earthborn’s face
“—above and beyond for those cut-throats! This is none of our concern”
Skarn Earthborn, Mica’s scowling cousin, was guarding the door He stepped forith a hand on his weapon
I didn’t know the Silvershales, but I had fought beside Skarn and his brother, Hornfels, in Elenoir before lowered viciously at Durgar, but he held his position
“Friends,” Virion said, loud enough to cut across the arguing
The chaeode that reflected a kaleidoscope of colors—went silent Durgar straightened his tunic and returned to his seat Carnelian Earthborn watched Durgar carefully, then esture of welcome to Grandpa and me
A woman stood at the head of the table where the others sat Fro fire-red hair She was dressed si leathers At the sound of Virion’s voice, she turned
My heart stopped
I was standing in a press of bodies So tight they held led to breathe A honeyed voice, oozing through the city square Pillars of stone raised high above Red hair billowing like dancing flames as that same face looked down at us…
Around her, bodies Bodies on black metal spikes
Blaine and Priscilla Glayder and…my parents
I looked into the eyes of the woman who had paraded rona’s divinity
Virion was speaking He stepped forward, took the wo thin, co out desperate
Didn’t he knoanted to slap her hands away from his, to…to…
Of course he knows, I answered myself
I knew of Lyra Dreide’s role in the war, both before and after she ceded the regency of Dicathen to Arthur She’d done a lot of good for Dicathen, by all accounts
The words they exchanged finally coalesced intoway, and so shortly after leaving What’s this all about?”
“Virion I’lad you’re here Please, Seris needs your aid”
Carnelian Earthborn grunted “We were just discussing our response before you arrived, Virion”
“What is it you’re asking us to do?” Grandpa asked the wo like a burning flag “The blast nearly killed Seris and Cylrit, but it wasn’t targeted Apparently, it did kill Scythe Dragoth Vritra, and ue She stood flanking her father with her arms crossed, her face pinched into a scowl
“We let your people go ho again “Now, they beg for aid because they find their home inhospitable You’re lucky we don’t h those portals and—”
“You don’t have that kind of authority, boy,” a dwarven wo her hand on the table
“Please, my lords” Grandpa’s voice resounded off the colorful crystals The dwarven lords went quiet He motioned for Lyra to continue
“Lady Caera Denoir had hoped her ht reach Vildorial before Arthur left,” Lyra said, an edge of bitterness in her voice “He needs to knohat is happening”
“Perfect, let the regent handle it,” Day brushi+ng dirt frohtfully “I’ree” To Virion, he added, “Do you knoe can get a ht here in the city,” Lance Mica said, pointing doard through the floor She was speaking of Wren Kain, of course “If anyone can get to Epheotus to deliver a ar sent a runner to fetch the asura, and two chairs were added to the table for Virion and me Bairon stood behind Virion Lyra was left to stand at the head of the table
The shock of seeing her had slowly receded as the lords, Virion, and Lyra spoke I followed their conversation in a kind of fugue, hearing but not absorbing In the incredibly aard silence that settled over the Hall of Lords, hts
The asura arrived h I’d heard he favored flying around in a conjured seat like a throne, hewithout hesitation across the floating stones that led the way to the large table
Without preamble, he placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and said sie to Arthur” It was randfather who answered “Can you help us?”
“No” Wren Kain straightened, spun on his heel, anda couple of faltering steps after the asura “It’s quite literally a matter of life and death”
Wren Kain stopped and looked back over his shoulder
If not for the incredible pressure of his ht much of the man just to look at him Unkeinable power And yet, when his gaze swept across ooseflesh roughened my skin
“Aldir had the resources to travel between Epheotus and your world I do not” Wren Kain’s words were spoken plainly, but they gripped the rooainst the pressure, considering whether to ask the question that came to my mind After all, I was one of very feho knew that Wren Kain was not the only asura in Dicathen Although Cecilia was gone,Mordain Asclepius to the Hearth re to say Mordain’s name in front of so many others
Everyone present knew of Chul, even if they didn’t know his true identity as a phoenix, but they were not aware of the hidden conclave of asuras beneath the Beast Glades
Wren’s thick brows rose “Maybe I can’t say for sure You’d have to ask…Chul”
The dwarves, Bairon, and Grandpa were looking on expectantly The dwarves, even those not hostile to the Alacryans, seeer to see someone else step up and take responsibility for the situation Virion kept his face passive, but I could read hiement
Lyra Dreide looked back and forth between us “Chul? By why—” Her eyes widened, and I saw understanding blooe or seek him out on our behalf? There is nowhere else for us to turn, Master Kain”
The asura turned fully back toward us His heavily lidded eyes were bright, and his teeth ground together, causing the muscles of his face to clench and unclench “Fine No proh” His eyes narrowed as he looked at Durgar Silvershale “If you lot interfere with the Beast Corps prograet back”
The Silvershales and their allies on the council paled at the threat, rage and terror warring on their faces
“While this council continues to believe that we deserve some say in the use of the exoforms, it’s a conversation for another day,” Carnelian said, his voice even more hoarse than usual
Wren Kain nodded, and there was a dire finality to the se then”
“I will tell you everything on the way,” Lyra said, so ave them a shallo “Thank you for your assistance,” she said, a bite in the way she pronounced the last word
Wren Kain only shrugged at Lyra’s words, then gave us a disain started to leave