Wucaii

Chapter Fifteen

Aelana found herself once again on the roof of the church. She looked through the glass into the dimly lit sanctuary. Orange lights flickered on the wall, casting a soft hue onto the few people who sat in the pews listening to Bayn speak from the dais. She couldn't hear what he said, but it was more than likely words of comfort. There weren't enough in the congregation for him to be giving a sermon, plus it was late, after midnight, and she doubted he held services at that hour. The people down there probably had a hard time sleeping and were looking for comfort in the one place they knew they'd get it.

She'd spent all day lying on the hill, searching and feeling for Kalen. Once again, she tried to find his aura, just in case, and when that didn't produce results, she searched for a large concentration of magic. She refused to believe he was dead. Finding it was difficult, as the earth buzzed with fear and nervousness and excitement. Relief and anticipation were fleeting, but they were present. Anger and hatred pulsed through the static, and she found herself focusing on people's feelings. She wanted to reach out to them, to comfort them, to make them understand. The flood of emotions overwhelmed her. She was already dealing with her own feelings of rejection and overcoming her human insecurities. Adding on top of that everyone else's issues almost caused her heart to burst. Several times, she had to pull away and collect herself. The search took much longer and drained her more than anticipated.

After collecting herself and being able to focus, she dove back in, pushing aside feelings as much as possible and searching for anything out of the ordinary. A concentration of white light and heat surged from the basement of the ruins, the same room her statue stood in. That's where Kalen was. It made sense. Whoever had him was going to make a statement. What better place to do it than where it all started?

She fought every inclination to rush there and tear his captors apart. It was a trap. Never in her life had she felt that large of a concentration of magic. Whoever was responsible was skilled, maybe more so than she was. It would be foolish to rush in there. No one could kill her, but it wasn't worth risking getting Kalen killed either. It was important to play it smart. A tendril of awareness tickled the back of her brain. The captors had discovered her prying. She sent a pulse of energy to let them know she was there and on her way. She planned on letting them squirm a little before crashing the party.

Before rushing into the trap that awaited her, it was important to make sure her faithful followers knew she appreciated their dedication. Even though no one could harm her, that didn't mean they couldn't restrain her. If that happened, she didn't want to have unfinished business. Her heart told her she'd see Kalen again, she just didn't know when or for how long.

A few of the people in the sanctuary stood and headed for the door. Four were left. Bayn waved as they walked out. The others stayed a few minutes longer before approaching the older man. They spoke for a while, and then they too left. Aelana stepped through the glass and onto the stone dragon, making a lot of noise. Bayn glanced up and smiled.

"I was wondering if you'd ever come back. Give me a minute to lock up."

He disappeared from the room and reemerged a short while later.

"Do you want me to hurt my neck talking to you?" He sat on the dais and patted the space next to him.

Aelana dropped onto the ground and sat where he indicated. He stared at her, his eyes glistening with moisture.

"You spend your whole life reading stories and believing in something, never really thinking that it will actually come to fruition. It's called faith, and it sustains and overwhelms. I never doubted your existence, but honestly, I did doubt you would come back in my lifetime. I dedicated my life to you, and I planned on making sure the next generation knew of your existence. It does my heart wonders to see you before me." He reached out and touched her cheek. "You truly are more amazing than I ever imagined."