Elven Legacy

Chapter 117

Kili

She could see it all now, she could remember so vividly.

Her village by the Laeth Sea, the teachings of the elders, the forests of her youth. Learning the arts of healing, which plants were harmful and which were soothing. Perfecting the state of meiyun – the elves didn't believe in deities or gods, they embraced all living creatures, their energy, and connection.

Sharing ephemeral seasons with Indrian, friendship evolving into love; becoming pregnant with their child; the human tribes from the east attacking, slaughtering, capturing, torturing; losing her child, losing Indrian to madness before going mad herself.

Meiyun transformed, warped into some terrible angry force, tearing asunder her own people. The elves in the White Mounts finally ending it all.

Only, they did not.

Kili and Indrian – now Seraph – as demons, something other, banished and misunderstood. Kili without her painful memories, Seraph with too many. A breach created, a flaw in the separation between worlds, a tear in the fragile fabric. The Northern Elves realizing their mistake and thus crafting what she now held in her hand, clutched to her chest, wrapped in velvet because she didn't dare touch it with her skin. She wasn't quite sure why. Only that it was never meant for her.

As this chain of terrible events raced across her thoughts and formed a whirlwind in her heart, part of her had time to wonder, with poignant bitterness, whether all of it – whether any of it had prepared her for this moment, right here and now.

Can one ever be truly prepared for this?

"My queen," Imxi said beside her, and Kili was yanked back to the watchtower – pale stone crenels, white banners with black stars and moon flapping in the wind, the empress's teal eyes glistening in the clouded morning light, the wild tangles of her pale brown hair.

"Your eyes can see farther than mine," Imxi said, apprehension in her voice. "What do you see?"

Her gaze obediently shifted away from the empress and to the road one mile ahead, to the makeshift battlefield where four men stood against one hundred.

No, less than that now.

Amongst the tight mass of demons and silver-clad bodies that pushed against Noah's protections from all sides, Kili could discern some fallen warriors. In reality, she only saw them because Imxi's wielders were respectfully placing them aside, so as to carry on attacking without stepping on their wounded comrades' bodies.

She narrowed her gaze, her left hand darting up to hold long tangled curls behind her shoulder. Noah was trying something else. Slim cracks through his defenses, on purpose of course, though the enemy hadn't yet caught on. All too easy now for Dharkan to nimbly hack them down, for Fenek to shoot them as they clumsily attempted to wriggle in. The ghost of a smile flickered over her lips as she clutched the small velvet case tighter against her heart.

Keep fighting, Noah. Just a little longer. She could feel him focusing and filtering his energy. He was still quite strong, she had some more time. But not very much.

And then there was Jaden. He had embraced the energy within, serene and humble, in ways that defied any expectations she may have had. Her chest swelled with pride.

I'm sorry that you suffered, my dear friend. You did not deserve this. I can't very well expect you to understand. Perhaps one day . . .

Imxi awaited her answer, so Kili gave it to her, "They are standing their ground against all odds."

The empress shifted nervously, her long nails worrying at the white stone as she frowned at the faraway scene below. Even her human eyes could behold the intricacy of Noah's protective dome in the distance, Kili was certain. Its ever-changing texture, like water ruffled by the wind. The way it refracted the light, its elasticity, and its ability to absorb shocks without breaking. It reminded her of . . . ah, yes, a spider web. She almost smiled.

Imxi turned back to Kili with a slight rustle of skirt. She had a hand pressed to her stomach, slim and flattened by the corset. Perhaps she was in some pain, after all the empress had only had tea this morning. It had been the same for Kili. Any attempt at eating would've been pointless.

"Should I call for back-up?" Already Imxi was turning to the guards that stood dutifully behind them atop the watchtower.

But Kili shook her head and reached out to take Imxi's hand again. Hers was the soft hand of a noble woman, long-fingered like a musician's, no trace of calluses.

Raw guilt stabbed Kili's chest. "There's no need. Not even they can outlast your Demon Blessed." And it was the truth, in a sense. But it still hurt. It always did. She had grown weary of this ache.

Soon. It'll be over soon.

Imxi must've misunderstood the tears in Kili's eyes, then, must've mistook them for the fervent emotion that mirrored her own hope and excitement for the new world that awaited.

People see what they want to see.

"Stay here with me and watch," Kili said in a low, fierce voice. It sounded alien to her own ears. And once again this ache lashed out deep inside her, ripping her into pieces until all the bandages and all the stitches in the world couldn't have made her whole again.

She realized she still clutched the velvet case to her heart. She couldn't, wouldn't let go. Perhaps it was keeping her whole, temporarily. After all, she could feel Noah through it. If he weakened – when he weakened, she would know. Just a bit longer, now.

"It'll be all right," Kili said, and somehow . . . she put on a smile. Imxi nodded, and looked back to the road.

One last smile, for the empress who dreamed of a better world.