Kingdom's Vice Series: A Voyage of Vengeance ( #2 2015)

Chapter Forty-Four

Alec turned to face Faeore, "What news?"

She made her way over to him and sat beside him, "Darvik has found them. The legion has taken Gweyntarr and her child safely and they are on their way here."

He leaned in, "And Skaya?"

She blinked, "She remains...of her own will. To defend. Because of her, Gweyntarr made it to safety." She paused, letting another vision settle into her mind, "Duhamas and Redermarke are there, fighting off the attack. Fleshers are all around; it has taken the island. So sudden. So much death. So much—" when she finally broke free of her vision, she sensed Alec's discomfort, "Sorry," she said, ashamed, "that was more than you needed to know."

He shook his head, "Not your fault, war does this to people. People die, enemies and allies alike. Only some of us are blessed enough to endure years without the pain of death."

"But we must endure the deaths of those who are not as blessed as we," she replied sadly. He agreed, in his heart, at least. "Our hands will never be cleaned of their blood...we must endure."

He looked to the child, who was so small—small enough to fit in the mere face of his palm—and smiled. "Your son will bring great joy to the kingdom, Faeore. I truly believe that, regardless of what your visions, of what your own fears are. There is always hope in the darkest of times, and he may well be the answer to our prayers." Faeore only smiled back weakly, not even bothering to seem in agreement with him. But in her heart she agreed. In her heart she hoped, and her mind was always fighting against her heart's will.

"Perhaps," she answered, "but with the Lady Heida now in my father's love, I doubt we will see this world anew in anytime soon. Thousands of years will pass and her rule will extend beyond our borders. She will poison the outliers, the outlanders."

He covered her cheek with his hand and he looked sternly into her eyes with a love that held the strength of loyalty and of friendship, "And we will be ready. All of us. We are not alone in this war, in these dark times, Faeore." He looked around the room, towards the balcony where the plants grew skyward, wrapping their vines around the pillars, almost choking them, it seemed to his eyes. He smiled a little and sucked in a breath, "Even the air about us now is thick with a sweetness, a hope, a new day." He looked back at her, "Can you not smell it, Faeore? It's crisp and new and shining!"

And so the sun rose into the blue-lit havens and they watched it together as the child lay oblivious to the world that was seemingly about to come to its end. They were standing on the edge of the world, at the end of the world. All they could do now was wait...wait for the time to come: the time to fight, the time to respite, the time to rejoice and the time to grieve.