Aureate Fates

46

DEAFENING QUIET

—REESE—

It had been three days since the end.

Drew had been correct. The killing of three-hundred Zardanian soldiers would have been enough to win. Yet, the death toll went beyond that.

The entire army perished, along with Boris and his closest council. It truly shouldn't have been possible, but the lake erupted, claiming the lives of invaders to the land. Delphinia explained it as Galvnius' payment to them, for accepting their fate. For fighting as if they had Verskyian blood zipping through their veins.

But Reese guessed that it could not have been Galvinus, a man who was merely a myth. Nowhere and unseen.

It was Thema, her final piece of wisdom thrown to them like a merciful gift. She had only been a girl, without the experiences to justify her death. And yet, she had given him everything back when he thought he had lost it all. One lucky bastard he was.

Drew sat on his lap, drawing something over a piece of paper. He looked up at him, his blue eyes searching his own. Saying nothing.

"Can't read minds, remember?" Reese said close to his ear.

A tiny smile jerked at Drew's lips. "Just making sure you're still here," he whispered, then turning back his paper.

If Reese said anything at all, he'd surely fall apart, he'd feel the fear and the sorrow he had felt days ago. So, he settled for giving Drew a gentle kiss to his cheek.

To his side in Delphinia's office, Erik and Marisol stood at the large windows. Simply looking, but trading soft words and knowing smiles. Erik pushed a strand of hair behind Marisol's ear, and said something into it.

Marisol took a step forward, closing the distance between them, and kissed him. Erik was smiling, and Reese could have sworn he saw a small girl in the corner. Glowing skin and happy green eyes.

When he blinked, the girl disappeared.

The door swung open to reveal Delphinia, clad in black robes. A grieving, yet strangely victorious matron mourning the fallen soldiers of her country.

"Ready?" She asked, settling down at her desk. Her eyes on them were familiar. Friendly. "It only gets harder from here."

They nodded, rising to their final task, and began to rebuild the nation. One that had become theirs, too.