Page 77 of Kingdom of Spirits
Ragewing angled around to aim at Ptol once more.
Katk reached for units two and three, and Ewan, Cyrus, and Enora were nearly swiped out of the air. Their dragons roared with flame, but their fire was almost spent.
Ragewing hovered in front of Ptol. Marius tapped his shoulder, and the bespelled Heartsworn opened his talons. Lija dropped into the open sky. Fara shrieked at the same time as Tahlia, whose heartbeat whirred in a deafening pitch. Then Marius shoved Fara off Ragewing.
Lija fell in a disjointed pattern as she tried to use her broken wing. Her roars and Fara’s screams ripped Tahlia in two.
Trevain materialized beside her. With a grim look, he reached out a palm and shut her eyes.
Tahlia saw Mother Twilight.
The goddess smiled, her face wrinkling beautifully. She and Tahlia sat side by side in the goddess’ flowered forest meadowwith butterflies dancing about and tree seeds drifting through the warm air. Peace filled Tahlia as she helped Mother Twilight feed finely spun lavender wool onto a spool.
“What do you want of this life, Weaver?” the goddess asked.
“To live it in full.”
“Ah, but do you? Grief is a part of living in full.”
A stone formed in Tahlia’s belly and she took a slow breath. “I’ve experienced grief.”
“Yes. You’re not a… Was it amarshmallowyou told your fated mate about?” A smile stretched her ancient lips.
Surprise shrank the stone inside Tahlia’s stomach. Her limbs stopped shaking and strength flowed through her hands and legs again. She laughed. “Yes. I’ve been through terrible challenges.”
“But you must do so again. And again. It is the way of things.” The goddess lifted her free hand as if to indicate the world at large.
Tahlia’s belly tightened around the stone. “But perhaps not yet?” She smiled and looked into Mother Twilight’s deep-set eyes.
The butterflies stilled in the air, the wood thrushes and insects halted their song, and the tree seeds hung like unspoken thoughts in the sunny space around them.
The goddess nodded at the wool in Tahlia’s hands. The lavender strands flared with purple light. “You have the power to do as you see fit.”
Tahlia inhaled the sweet scent of the meadow. “I do?”
Mother Twilight pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “Well, mostly.”
“How can I save them all?”
“Hmm. Recall your first wild idea. It’s you who sees the patterns you may use as you see fit. Trust in yourself. But remember, you must feel every emotion during the variedseasons of life. Pain and triumph, joy and loss, regret and anticipation. They are connected, too.”
She lifted a hand, and sparkling threads of lavender, ruby red, black, and blue appeared in a flash of light. The strands of colors linked the butterflies, the tall grasses, and the branches of the highest trees, and they were tied also to Tahlia’s fingers and the pulse points at her throat…
“You see them now, Weaver?”
Tahlia nodded, marveling at the threads linking Mother Twilight to her as well. They were as black as midnight, lovely and strong. “I do.”
Opening her eyes, Tahlia braced for the shock of leaving the goddess’ peaceful presence and heading back into battle. She ordered Titus, “Fly over Ophelia. Now.”
Titus didn’t hesitate this time; he pulled in a quick breath that moved them both, then urged Ptol to shoot for the Green-flanked Terror. Fire touched Tahlia’s elbow and knee. Titus called out in pain but kept his seat. Ptol snarled and hovered above the Terror.
Threads of life connected every life here. The ground, the sky, the animals, the dragons, the Fae…
Tahlia leapt from Ptol’s back, a jet of flame searing her back as she landed on the Terror. Ophelia was up and throwing a dagger before Tahlia caught her balance. But the threads were there, and they spoke some silent language that said where to set foot, hand, and will.
Slipping her head to the right, Tahlia dodged the flying blade. Ophelia ran along the Terror’s spine, nearly falling as she reached Tahlia, but reach her she did. Ophelia slammed a fist toward Tahlia’s chin. Tahlia threw up an arm and knocked the strike to the side before cracking Ophelia’s ribs with a thrust of her palm. Ophelia dropped back, holding her side and heaving. Her blue-green hair fluttered around her face.
Tahlia bared her fangs. “You poisoned me, didn’t you?”