Born of Flames

Chapter 38 ~ The God's Atonement

Tarion kept one eye on Morana as they moved through the ruins of the camp, searching for the remaining bodies. It had been Morana's decision to bury them, despite how long it would take. Already the majority of the day had passed. Tarion could only feel relief though, not the sense of urgency everyone else seemed burdened by.

As long as they were busy here, they couldn't travel to the Gray Desert. They would have a little more time before facing Astaroth and Rhidian. They could make a plan. Judging by the ever present thoughtfulness and anxiety in Morana's features, she'd been doing just that. He had been coming up with plans of his own too, thinking over every aspect of each idea until his head was sore.

Tarion gritted his teeth as he dragged the last body towards an open pit in the ground, the corpse of the male Morana had killed. He let the body fall beside the hole and shoved it in with the heel of his boot. He took up the shovel still stuck in a pile of dirt beside it.

"Don't," Morana ordered before he could begin covering the body. "Leave him to the beasts."

Tarion's gaze flickered between the heartless corpse and his mate. There was no part of him that didn't understand her actions, no part of him that condemned them, and yet, some small fraction of him sympathized with the male. He had once done terrible, irreversible things for the sake of survival. He had once pleaded for mercy and been met with brutality.

Tarion let go of the shovel briefly and stepped closer to Morana. "He has suffered for his crimes," he murmured, hoping to soothe her lingering pain. "He was trying to survive, and his wrong choices cost him. But don't let his downfall become yours."

"You want me to show him respect?" She spat.

Tarion shook his head. "I want you to show the gods respect. Let Drenusha's earth have his body to feed new life. Let Hadeon and Durga war over his soul. Be content with knowing you killed him and avenged every other life lost here."

Morana closed her eyes and sighed, but gave a small nod. She lingered as Tarion took up the shovel and began to scoop dirt back over the body. As he did so, their other companions started to gather, having finished their own tasks. Everyone was there by the time Tarion was finished, and they all left the smoldering village without a word.

The silence reigned until the scent of smoke and blood faded from the air and the village was nowhere in view. They halted when Morana did, but she merely slumped onto a fallen log, not looking at any of them. In a heartbeat, Neeri was seated at her side and had an arm hooked around her shoulders.

"Astaroth and Rhidian are waiting for us in the Gray Desert," Morana said quietly. "I think I should..."

"Don't you dare say you're going alone," Lonan interrupted. "Like Hel any of us will allow that. And don't forget you aren't the only one here who can use Noxbane."

Morana lifted a stricken gaze to her father's. "You don't understand. I don't think there will be anything any of you can do. I'm the only one with the power to defeat Astaroth."

"Be that as it may," Rehema interceded, "we will all be there."

Tarion knit his brows and turned to the Elder. "Have you had a vision?"

She dipped her chin. "The future has begun to write itself again. The visions came with some of their former clarity. I saw all of us in the desert. We will each have some sort of role to play, but you two..." Her silvery gaze fixed on Morana, then Arlon, to Tarion's surprise, "will be the key."

"Me?" Arlon repeated in disbelief. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I didn't see more than you standing with Morana before Astaroth and Rhidian, but I believe the answer will come to both of you when it's time."