Song of the Ascendant

4. The Blood of Elves and Orcs

Twelfth of Harbinger

She found herself standing on the roof of the crumbling watchtower. Storm clouds gathered overhead, turning the midday dark as night as the cold rain began to pour. A strong wind threatened to knock her off the building as she took a hesitant step forward, two daggers in her hands. Before her, among the ruined parapets, stood Adrianna in that damnable silver dress that had lured so many to their deaths. Her blonde hair didn't move in the driving wind. She grasped a curved sword in one hand, Davos' throat in the other.

"You are marked by the gods, Belkai," Adrianna shouted over the rain. "Everything you love will be turned to dust. Your precious forest will burn."

"Let him go," Belkai yelled back, and tightened her grip on her daggers. "You have a chance to walk away."

Adrianna's face twisted as she gave an animalistic growl. "I hope you feel this."

Without another word, and before Belkai could take another step, she threw Davos backwards. Eyes wide with fear, he fell a hundred metres to the ground, his body shattering on impact. Belkai felt every bone shatter, every blood vessel erupt, every agonising second that his heart kept beating until it finally tore itself apart. She screamed and leapt at Adrianna, only to feel the sword enter her stomach and begin to tear –

Belkai Androva woke to find her husband's naked body pressed against her own as he slept in the silk sheets. She took a deep breath to settle her racing heart and ran a hand down his bare chest, feeling his warm skin and twisting his chest hair in her fingers. The beating of his heart settled her own as she felt a body shaped by years of hard labour, and the scars both old and new – including those left by his recent captivity by a pair of werewolves using him as bait to draw out Belkai. She'd saved him, and killed his captors, but still the dreams kept returning, tormenting her even in her victory. The further she was from her home in Narandir, the worse they seemed to get.

She didn't realise he was awake until he cupped her cheek with one hand. Eyes still closed, he whispered,

"The dream again?"

"Yeah." She turned her head and kissed his hand, her own fingers now resting on his thigh. "Worse this time."

"It's only a dream," he said. His eyes opened, and he smiled as he leant forward and gave her a soft, lingering kiss. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know," Belkai whispered, and gave him a weak smile. "You've always been there."

He gave her another kiss then rolled onto his back, stretching his powerful frame in the soft bed. Belkai admired his body for a moment before turning her attention to the room. They were in the royal palace in Taleia, the capital of the Aliri Empire, at the invitation of King Silari. After both his invading forces and the Svaletan defenders had been slaughtered by Arcane forces at Arborshire, he had been persuaded to seek Belkai's counsel and learn the reality of the situation that he had been pulled into by Echtalon, one of his highest generals.

The room that they had been given was nicer than anything that either of them had experienced before. Every surface was gold trimmed, with bronze statues of presumably famous elves along the walls. A beautiful ceiling mural showed elves dancing in a country fair. The bed had occupied much of their time and attention with its burgundy silk sheets. Perhaps, Belkai thought as her hand rested inside Davos' thigh, there was something to these royal invitations.

"You're officially royalty now, exposing yourself in palaces," Davos said – as if he were reading her mind. Or were her own thoughts feeding off his, subconsciously reading his mind and translating it into her own? She had found new abilities growing inside her. First she had found herself sensing Davos' thoughts, and as she focused she had learned how to read others' as well. It was only limited, but she knew that the ability would grow. Stories had always told of the most favoured of the Brilhardem who could read minds, but Belkai had never seen herself as more than the average student. Certainly she had never been a master – but that was before Narandir. Had that mysterious magic unlocked the Brilhardem's abilities within her? Or was this a natural growth of the magic? Time would have to tell.