Stormlands ( Book 2 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Breathe Again

Katerin awoke the next morning, and a feeling of dread overtook her before her eyes had even opened. A sense of betrayal clouded her dreams. How could I leave him behind? How could she do so little for him, when all he had done was for her, his only thought her safety.

Fykes was sitting next to her, a hand on her shoulder and a smile across his face. She searched his expression, looking for any hint of the sadness she felt, and frowned at him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"There's something you're really going to want to see," he said.

"Can it wait a minute?" She asked, scrubbing a hand across her face, and fighting to keep her breathing steady. "I'm not ready to—"

"It can't," Fykes said. He pulled her gently to her feet. The smile never left his face and it only made her want to cry. "I promise you, it's worth it."

She sniffed, and gave him a small nod. She followed him to the ships deck while stifling a yawn, and taking his offered hand.

Sitting around a fire on the beach she saw a group of people with Trunk among them. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a stocky form with wild black hair, that sat with his back to them as he talked with animated movements.

Something about the way the form moved, so animated yet sure, struck a chord in her heart. Her steps stilled, and her hands knotted in Fykes shirt.

Fykes pulled her forward. "There's coffee, too."

The form had heard Fykes' voice and he spun, on his feet in an instant. He ran unceremoniously towards them, and wrapped Katerin in a hug so tight her ribs ached.

"Brazen?" She coughed, staring at him with wide eyes, his embrace was warm, and soft, and she felt his arms squeeze her with a humanity she had never dreamed of.

"Look!" he said. He released her and held out his arms, perfectly human, with a flush to his cheeks, and small dark bags under his eyes. Though, those eyes were still a blue too bright, his nose was still wider, and he was still short and stocky as he had been, but now he was flesh and blood. Breathing, and blinking, talking, and shuffling his toes in the sand.

Katerin said nothing as she stared at him, tears falling from her eyes without notice as she squeezed his hand.

"Katerin?" Brazen said, his face falling. "Are you okay?"

Katerin laughed so hard it hurt, and hugged him again, almost managing to lift him from the ground. "I... I'm fine."

"Watch this!" Brazen sucked in a large breath, chest pushing forward, and he held it until his face turned red.

"How?" Katerin turned to Trunk, with a bewildered expression. "Trunk, you said..."

The forest-folk shrugged, with a look on his face that belayed amazement, and shock. "Nature does not belay her secrets to me."

"Brazen, what happened?"

He frowned, biting his lip. "Well, I remember the fight, and I remember the explosion. I couldn't get to you, so I tried to shield Roahn." He huffed out a heavy breath, taking the cup Fykes offered him. "And then, everything was dark. I called out for you... but I couldn't find you. Later, I heard Trunk talking to someone. Her voice was. Stunning. But then he was gone, and that voice was gone, and it was dark again." Brazen bit his lip, and frowned. "I woke up under a tree, with these pretty vines around me. I was cold, and I had this... hollow feeling." He tapped his stomach. "But I found the beach, and then the ship. I tried to wake you up but you didn't listen and Fykes said we should let you sleep." His words were rushed, as if he had been holding each of them on his chest and waiting for years to tell her of it.