Falcon and the others stood in utter silence, watching Julia, waiting for the final vote. At last, clarity and determination filled her eyes. She had reached her decision, and he already knew what she would say.
She took a deep breath before speaking. “I think,” she began, her voice quiet but resolute, “that we should use the orb.”
Lotus smiled widely and sighed. She hugged Julia tightly before returning to Cael’s side. “Thank you.”
Julia looked at Falcon, her blue eyes wide and worried.
“You always do what you believe is right,” he told her, answering her silent question. “Even if others, including me, disagree with you. I understand.”
“You’re not going to fight me on this?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I know by now it wouldn’t do any good.”
She smiled, her shoulders sagging slightly with relief. “In the end, I thought… if we kill her, then we’re no better than Kieran. The end does not justify the means. It’s just… evil to kill an innocent, no matter what.”
Lotus beamed at her, her eyes filled with affection. Amiya, however, still seemed to be unaffected, as if they were discussing what was for dinner instead of her death.
“What happens when Kieran is trapped?” Cael asked finally, a hard edge to his voice. “What happens to the orb?”
Julia frowned. “I don’t know. Isn’t there some place it can be kept safe?”
His eyes narrowed. “Perhaps we can split it into four parts, hide it in dangerous places across Kelstone, and even have an entire village protect just one of them. After all, it worked so well before.”
Her face fell, and her lower lip trembled. “I…”
Falcon slid his arm around her waist, pulled her to him, and kissed the top of her head. “It’s okay,” he murmured, then added more loudly to Cael, “We’ll figure it out.”
The ranger gave him a curt nod, then turned his attention to Amiya. “It seems we will attempt to capture your sister, just as she did with you,” he told her, though he obviously wasn’t pleased with this plan. “You must know that there is still a chance she may accidentally be killed, and so you would be as well.”
Amiya looked confused. “Okay, but I don’t understand why you wish to hold her or kill her.”
“She is evil,” he answered flatly. “She has control of our government. She dominates every city, forcing all people to do her will, to worship Malluk or be cruelly punished. She has committed horrible acts―slaughtered many people, even wiped out the entire Shia’Lan elves.” His jaw clenched momentarily, anger flashing in his eyes, but his voice remained controlled, steady, and calm. “She labeled Hilltop Village a rebel town, and had it burnt to the ground with people still in their homes. And now, she has taken over a hundred people from Glendale and Jaida Grove. They have become slaves at her god’s true temple. Who knows what vile use they will serve there. For this, and more, we will stop her,” he concluded firmly. “No matter what.”
Amiya nodded, though she still looked like she didn’t understand.
Julia gasped at hearing the latest news, while Falcon inwardly groaned, not wanting to imagine what those people would be made to do or how they would be treated. And what about his friends―Akira and her husband, Aljet, or Cadin and his wife, Elanna? What about their children?
Julia, tears running down her face, suddenly ran out of the room. He heard her footsteps on the stairs, and then, a second later, Lotus followed.
It grew silent for a long, tense moment.
When Falcon realized Cael wasn’t going to say any more, he spoke. “Amiya, you should probably know that you’ve been trapped for some time.”
She looked a little surprised. “What is the date?”
“June 7th, 1283.”
Her eyes widened in astonishment. “It has been four years.”
“We will leave you now,” Cael said to Amiya and bid Falcon silently to follow.
Falcon nodded. “There’s a kitchen through there if you’re hungry,” he told her, pointing the way.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
Cael strode purposefully into the dining room and through the back door next to the stairway. It led out to a large, grassy backyard that was surrounded by a low stone wall. Cael stopped a few feet away, out of the shadow of the house and in the sunshine, but kept his back to Falcon, who closed the door, descended the three steps, and waited.
“Lotus and Julia think letting her live is the right thing to do,” he summarized unnecessarily. “I believe the opposite. To let her live goes against everything that is truly right. How many people will suffer before we can stop Kieran? And what if we do not succeed? I have already checked, and she is not at Oraunt Castle―not even Xavien is. They are at Malluk’s true temple on the volcano island.” He took a deep breath before he turned around and met Falcon’s gaze evenly. “It will take about five days to get there. How many will die in that time?”
“What are you getting at?” Falcon asked, though he already knew the answer.
“That we kill her and be done with it,” he said coldly. “Lotus and Julia will come to accept the decision.”
“You don’t know Jules very well,” Falcon told him with a humorless laugh, then sighed. “I agree with you, Cael. But I can’t do it. I won’t lose her over this.”
“You would let her rule your decision of what is right? She is one person and this affects many,” Cael pointed out angrily.
“Are you going to kill Amiya yourself?” Falcon challenged. “Will you take that chance? Because I’m pretty damn sure Lotus isn’t going to accept it any more than Jules will.”
Cael hesitated, and Falcon knew the truth. Even only having known her for such a short amount of time, Lotus meant too much to him.
Cael stared off into the distance for a long while. Finally, he sighed heavily, his anger deflating, and shook his head. When he looked back at Falcon, his eyes were tormented. He laughed gravely. “We are very selfish creatures,” he said, confessing it like a mortal sin.
Falcon nodded. “Oh, the power of a woman.”
“The power of love,” Cael corrected.
“Yes,” Falcon agreed.
“I suppose it is time for us to make peace.”
Falcon chuckled. “Not me―I’m not the one they’re upset with.”
Cael rolled his eyes, but nodded.
They both headed upstairs and found the women in a guest room. They looked up with matching expressions of worry. Falcon leaned his shoulder against the doorway, as he watched Cael walk over to where they sat at the end of the bed. He held out a hand to Julia in truce. “Friends?” he asked gently.
She nodded, but didn’t look at him or take his hand.
“Tell me,” he said.
“What?” she whispered.
“What you feel. Do not hold it in. It will only hurt you more.”
When she said nothing, Lotus put a hand on her shoulder. “Go ahead,” she coaxed.
It took Julia a minute before she spoke quietly. “I feel bad. I understand your point, but I can’t…” She didn’t finish as fresh tears broke through.
Cael dropped into a crouch before her. He covered her hand with his. “I know. You do what you believe is right.” He glanced at Falcon for a second, then looked back at her. “And so do we.”
Her head shot up, and she stared at him with wide eyes, scared of what he meant. “You’re going to… to…”
“No,” he replied calmly, all traces of anger now gone. “The two of you are more important to us than anything else. So, if this is what you must do, then we must as well.”
Lotus smiled lovingly at him, thanking him silently.
“Thank you,” Julia got out. “I’m sorry…” She had to pause for a moment to rein in her crying. “I’m sorry I’m making it harder.”
“I appreciate that.” He waited for a minute, as if he expected her to say more. Finally, he asked, “You still fear something, what is it?”
She swallowed and examined the floor, looking like a child.
“You can tell me.”
“I…” She hesitated. “I’m worried… that you’re mad at me. Or… hate me,” she mumbled.
“Yes,” he told her, causing more tears to fall. “I was angry with you. But I am fine now. Even though I disagree with you, I also respect you for your conviction, for standing up for what you believe is right. And I will never hate you.”
She glanced up at him through wet lashes. “Really?”
“Yes. You are a good person with an open heart. I admire that in people.”
Lotus smiled at that; she had told Julia the same thing once.
Julia looked down again, having a hard time listening to compliments as usual. “Cael?” she asked.
“Yes?”
She fidgeted with the end of her braid. “Can I hug you?”
He chuckled as he stood. “You do not have to ask.” He took her hands, helping her to her feet, and then drew her into his arms.
After a long moment, she pulled back and looked up at him. “Thanks.” She smiled a bit shyly. “I’m glad we’re friends.”
“As am I.”
She made her way to Falcon as Cael turned to Lotus. The two woodlanders said nothing to each other. They shared a long meaningful look, and then he was holding her face and kissing her.
Julia followed Falcon’s gaze. When she turned back, she was smiling again. “They’re so perfect together,” she whispered.
Falcon nodded. “Don’t bother whispering,” he told her. “He can still hear you. Elf ears, remember?” He chuckled at her predictable blush, took her hand, and pulled her out of the room. “Come on, let’s leave them alone.”
Julia stifled a giggle as she closed the door behind her. She pulled Falcon to a stop in the hallway. “Hey.”
“What?”
“Are we okay?”
He smiled down at her. “Yes. We were never not okay.”
“You weren’t upset with me?”
“No. I knew what you’d say.”
“But you don’t think I’m right.”
“No,” he agreed lightly, caressing her face and gazing into her warm, vulnerable eyes. After the life she had―and he only knew a small part of it―it was amazing how open and loving she was, how much she cared for everyone. “I love you,” he told her, kissing her forehead. “All of you.” He kissed her cheek. “Just the way you are. Because of all that you are.”
When he put his arms around her, she melted into him and tilted her head back. “I love you,” she whispered, only a breath away, then barely brushed her lips over his. “So much.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, so she could bring him closer and kiss him more fully.
Suddenly, she pulled back and looked annoyed, but when he followed her gaze, he understood―Jade was at her feet. She sighed. “Yeah, well, I’ve been busy,” she told the cat. “Oh, I’m sorry, your highness―I will endeavor to think of you every second from now on.”
Jade rolled his eyes and walked off.
She sighed again. “Apparently I’ve been ignoring him, and right now I need to go let him outside.”
Falcon chuckled as he let her go and followed her downstairs.
She opened the front door and watched her cat leave. “Good riddance,” she called after him.
Jade turned his head to stick his tongue out at her, and then sprinted away.
“That darn cat was in my pantry earlier,” Ikoris complained, seeming to appear out of nowhere.
“Sorry.” Julia backed up to let the old man enter the house. “That’s Jade, my familiar, like Rufus,” she explained. She glanced around for the chipmunk, but he wasn’t there. “Jade was with me when we met you in your cave.”
“Oh. Well, that’s that, then,” he said, pacified. “By the way, I found this. Did anyone lose it?”
Falcon took the orb from him. “Yeah, thanks.”
“Oh good, good,” Ikoris said, seeming pleased with himself. Then his brow wrinkled in confusion. “Who is that?” he asked, pointing at the priestess who was on her knees in the living room, praying.
“That’s Amiya. She’s a friend,” Falcon said, giving a simple answer.
“And… who are you?”
“Falcon and Julia.”
“Hmm,” Ikoris said, twirling a finger around the end of his long beard. “I get the feeling we’ve met before.”
Falcon fought a smile. “Yes. We’re friends, too.”
Ikoris nodded. “You have a very nice home.”
“It’s your home.”
“Oh… well… the skunk went around the bend,” Ikoris told them, suddenly very intent. “I think I’d better go tell him that his dinner is getting cold.”
“Good idea,” Falcon told him.
As soon as Julia closed the door behind the old mage, both she and Falcon erupted into laughter.
