From the Ashes

Chapter 52 ~ The Ash Prince

    They talked for hours about everything that happened since that fateful attack on their village. Morana listened with quiet sorrow and regret as Neeri told her what she'd experienced at the hands of Rhidian and Astaroth. She found herself grateful to Gaelen for the semblance of protection he had offered her friend and apologized repeatedly for not being able to help her sooner.

    Neeri had also told her everything she remembered about Tarion's presence in Ophir. It wasn't much, but what she did recall sent fear spiking through Morana's heart like a nail. At this point, would Tarion even wish to be rescued?

    That doesn't matter right now, she'd told herself. We'll free him and destroy Astaroth, and then he can decide what he wants for himself. But she couldn't keep herself from imagining what she would do if he chose death.

    When it was her turn to speak, she told Neeri everything, from the moment she fled the village up until the meeting yesterday before their unexpected arrival. Neeri listened to her stories with interest, brightening at her description of Drenusha's Library and growing solemn when she told of what had happened at Durga's How.

    When Morana finally spoke of what had happened between her and Tarion at Oriana's Pavilion, her friend had only gentle words of comfort.

    "I'm sure he never meant to hurt you," Neeri said. "If he wanted to betray you, he would've told Astaroth everything he knew rather than let himself be tortured and imprisoned. I think he just didn't know how to tell you the truth of it all."

    "I know," Morana sighed. "It's just...confusing. I was so angry with him for lying to me and putting us in that position, and now, I'm just afraid that he might not come back."

    "You give him too little credit." Neeri laid a smooth brown hand over her own pale one and squeezed lightly. "And yourself too. You won't fail, Morana. Everyone here knows it. Tarion knows it. I think even Astaroth knows it, and that's why he's lashing out like this. I saw his reaction when Tarion told him you would destroy him. Instant rage, but fear as well."

    "He knows his time is running out, and I think he's realizing he made a mistake in going after those you call family." Neeri chuckled to herself, adding, "It sounds so strange. Lonan is your father and you're not Morana Nellthore, you're Morana Renox."

    Morana smiled. "It's strange to me too. I haven't begun to use my father's last name though. I don't know if I can. It's like my name is the last thing I have of Koen and Vesna and if I give it up, I'm forgetting everything they, and every other family I lived with, did for me."

    "They wouldn't see it that way. In fact, I can just hear Vesna scolding you for neglecting your heritage and placing them over your father. She'd call you an ungrateful child."

    "And completely ignore the fact that I'm doing it out of gratitude to her," Morana agreed with a laugh. Neeri echoed it and her smile grew. This felt good, being able to talk to and laugh with her friend after so long. And it was good to know that Neeri could still laugh after everything she'd been through.

    Neeri squeezed her hand again. "I'm sorry you found them the way you did when you went back to the village."

    Morana's smile faded. "Astaroth knew how to hurt me, and I'm sure he knows that with Tarion in his keeping, he has an even worse way of doing so."