Esterpine

Talon studied his shields. Somehow, he knew. His stomach turned rock hard. Something was wrong. "What is it?" he said without preamble.

At the same moment, Claire said, "I'm sorry, but, do I know you?"

Saffra dropped her arms and took a surprised step back, frowning. "Do you...do you know me?" Something flashed across the seer's features. Too late, did he remember what had happened to Saffra's fiancee, Commander Daxton.

He stepped forward. "Kane has her mind under a spell. She can't remember anything from her life here. Not...not even me."

Saffra blinked, then glanced behind her, at Bedelth and Koldis. "But..."

"Why are you here?" he demanded. "In the forest. What's wrong?"

This time, Koldis stepped forward. "It's...It's..."

"No." He took a step back. The comforting feel of Jovari's palm squeezed his shoulder. He shrugged it off. "Tell me it isn't true."

"We lost the kingdom," Bedelth said, scrubbing a hand over his face, his features etched in sorrow.

"No," he repeated, shaking his head. It couldn't be real. There was no way. He'd...he'd taken measures to avoid this. Dragonwall couldn't fall. Kane couldn't have his throne.

Claire looked alarmed, glancing between everyone. "Are you...are you his other shields?"

"You truly don't remember us?" Koldis looked hurt, but Talon didn't care about that right now. All he could think of was Bedelth's words.

"How?" he demanded. "Tell me how? What...is Reyr—?"

"Alive. They're all alive, as far as we know."

He exhaled. There was that, at least. He wasn't sure how he'd handle Reyr's death. Any of their deaths. He would have completely lost it, here and now. Even still, he felt the tether on his control begin to fray. "How long have we been gone?" he demanded.

"Nearly a year." A clear, musical voice rang out. A moment later, Taylynn appeared. Both Claire and Leah gaped at her. "Welcome back, my queen."

"Taylynn," Koldis said, moving towards her. He bent to kiss her forehead, the greeting affectionate.

It had been a long while since he'd lost control. His skin itched. "Someone better tell me how that piece of filth sorcerer is sitting on my throne." His words were a low growl.

"Peace, Your Majesty. Let us go somewhere we can speak privately. My cottage is just this way."

He nearly refused, but Claire threw him an alarmed look, as if sensing that he was seconds from changing. He blew out a breath. "Yes, lead the way."

"Good." Taylynn set off, Koldis beside her. The rest of them followed.

He did not wish to frighten his mate. This would give him a moment to collect himself. A warm hand took hold of his. He jerked at the surprise contact, then looked down. Claire twined their fingers together. Heat burst in his chest. It was the first time she'd initiated contact since their reunion. "Are you...okay?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm not sure. But...better now that I'm touching you."

"Does it calm you? My touch?"

"More than you would believe," he admitted.

She captured her lip between her teeth, like this pleased her. "Then I won't let you go, Talon. Come on."

Gods, hearing her say that...

She pulled him along, keeping pace with the others. They'd spent the entire walk to Esterpine chatting about inconsequential things. She told him stories about her childhood—some of which he was already familiar with, but he let her because he liked listening to her talk—while he told her stories of the time they'd spent together. She loved the forest. He could see it on her face every time she caught sight of something beautiful.

Even her marks seemed to glow brighter under the foliage.

They emerged into a clearing that housed an overgrown garden. At first, all he saw was foliage, until the shape of a cottage took form. "Come," Taylynn said, motioning them to the door.

He blinked, then caught Koldis's eye. "She lives here?" he asked. "Why not the palace?"

"She doesn't like the palace all that much. This is home, for her. Be respectful."

Talon lifted his brows. Since when did his shields offer reprimands in the form of warnings? He exhaled. They must have grown bolder in his absence, or forgotten what it was like to have a king around.

"Oh, it's so quaint," Leah squealed after walking over the threshold. "How cute! You really live here?"

He didn't hear Taylynn's reply from inside.

"Well, mih cralla? After you."

Claire grinned, pulling him in behind her. He was the last to enter.

"Wasn't..." Koldis scowled. "Wasn't the table smaller the other day? Actually..." His shield was glancing around, confusion written on his expression.

"I couldn't very well host six people besides myself in that small space," she teased, throwing him a fond look. "It's enchanted to fit whomever it needs to fit. And since we have a king in our presence, well!"

Koldis snorted.

They took seats around the table while Koldis disappeared into a cellar. He returned with a tray of food. Jovari threw him an amused look, to see him play the role of servant. But they were all starving, so they didn't complain.

Taylynn's gaze finally lingered over Irelia. Slowly, her smile widened. "The tree warned me that you were with them, sarihon."

Irelia groaned, leaning back in her chair. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"It means princess."

Irelia snorted. "I'm no princess, girl."

Taylynn giggled—actually giggled, covering her mouth and all—before straightening. "You are Isabella's daughter. Her sister—my grandmother—was your aunt. My mother, who is now dead, was your cousin. That makes you a princess and...technically, it gives you the right to claim the throne, if you wish it."

"Are you barking mad, girl. I came here to die, not be some kind of queen."

Taylynn hummed, though she shared a look with Koldis. "How old are you?"

Irelia shrugged, "Two thousand years, give or take."

"Ah, but of course. Here you'd be some fifty thousand, were you still living. I knew someone else that old..." Her expression fell.

"This is all fine and great," Talon bit out, tired of waiting, "but you promised answers."

"Talon," Claire chided, squeezing his hand. She hadn't dropped it, so both of hem had been eating one-handed.

"Yes, yes, the kingdom has fallen," Taylynn tsked. "We did everything we could to keep that from happening. I cannot say exactly how it fell, as none of us in this room was actually there. But I can explain the events leading up to its fall. From there, we only have the information provided by my spymaster."

"Go on," he said.

She launched into an explanation, the others filling in little details while he listened. It all started with Saffra's vision of Kane, retrieving the stones. Panicked, she had set out with Bedelth to find them, in hopes of reaching them before the sorcerer. Not long after, Taylynn discovered that the forest had lost its magic. The stones hiding within were vulnerable. With Reyr's permission, they set out for Esterpine, but not before ensuring that the kingdom would see its queen alive and well. She'd enchanted a low level mage, someone trustworthy, to look like Claire, so that Reyr might go on ruling without trouble.

"We—Koldis and I—went to retrieve the stones, but Kane was waiting for us," Taylynn explained. "He...he caught me off guard. He used my own forest against me. I..." At this, Taylynn faltered. He'd never seen her look upset, and certainly not guilty. "I failed you all. I wasn't strong enough."

It was Claire who spoke. "You can't blame yourself," she said. "If you were the one destined to defeat Kane, then it wouldn't be my destiny."

Saffra frowned. "I thought you said she couldn't—"

"I've already told her everything," he explained. "Or, as much as I could."

Saffra nodded.

"What happened next?" he demanded, squeezing Claire's hand.

"Kane took the stones and Pelwynn..."

"Claire's tutor," Koldis added. "The one who taught her sprite magic."

"I know who Pelwynn is," Talon said. He'd seen the sprite in Claire's mind once.

"He...Kane killed him," Taylynn finished.

Claire looked between them, aghast. Not because she could remember Pelwynn, but because Kane had killed someone they knew.

"He wanted you to have his cottage, Claire," Koldis said. "It was one of his last requests."

Claire's throat bobbed. "I wish I could remember him."

"You will, love." Talon kissed her forehead. "When you get your memories back."

"Not long after that, Bedelth appeared with Saffra," Taylynn added.

"We failed to collect a single stone," Bedelth explained, picking up the narrative. "Saffra had seen visions of each stone's location as Kane reclaimed them. But it took us longer to find each location than it took him to retrieve them. At the final location—"

"Darknest," Taylynn added.

"—he had wraiths waiting for us. It was a trap. Saffra nearly died."

Talon jerked, turning towards Saffra. "You are all right?"

"I...I'm fine, now. But were it not for Bedelth, I might not have made it."

Something about her words had Bedelth's jaw clenching. Talon thought he could guess why. "We were outmatched," Bedelth said. "She suffered a wound."

"I thought Claire destroyed the vodar," Jovari said.

"The ones Kane initially summoned, yes." Taylynn sighed. "It seems he's summoned more. The vodar are keepers of hell, or, the place you drengr call undirfold. Their numbers are significant. Kane only summoned a portion of them, and you defeated those he summoned. It would have weakened him, and taken him time to regain the strength to summon more."

"Well, he did," Bedelth added darkly. "And one almost took my mate from me."

"So," Talon said, getting them back on track. "You brought Saffra here?"

"Yes. I knew the sprites had healed Claire's wound. I did what I could to contain the magic. Not as good a job as Koldis would have done, I'm afraid." Koldis appeared pleased with Bedelth's praise. "She..." Bedelth's throat bobbed.

"I lost a portion of my arm. Well, lost implies it's been amputated. It's still here, it's just..." Saffra rubbed her bicep, hidden beneath the fabric of her long sleeved tunic. "Dead."

Talon exhaled. It could have been worse, much worse, he reminded himself.

"Two days later," Koldis said, "intel arrived. The capital has fallen. Kane swept in and claimed the throne, imprisoning Reyr and Merrian—Claire's body-double. We've got spies there now, working to make ready for our arrival. We've been waiting for your return. Waiting to reclaim what is rightfully yours."

"And how do you expect us to do that," Talon said, rubbing a hand over his chin.

"I..." Taylynn swallowed. "I think I have an idea."

They talked strategy for another hour, until Claire began yawning.

Gods, he'd never been so exhausted in all his life. He felt numb. The news had wrecked him.

"My mate needs sleep," he said at last.

"She should stay here, tonight," Taylynn said. "Tomorrow, we will figure out what is to be done about her memories. Her magic."

"Is there a cure?" Claire asked, perking up.

"If there is a cure to be had, the king tree will know. Until then, it is best we not advertise to our people that you do not know them. You are their queen. Though they will support you no matter what, showing weakness is not ideal. We must find a way to avoid that."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Talon demanded.

"I'm sure we can come up with something. A quest, perhaps, as an excuse to keep her out of sight." Taylynn appeared thoughtful, then added, "You will find an ample number of sleeping arrangements in the loft. I hope you don't mind bunking together."

"As long as I get to rest, I don't mind at all," Irelia grumbled. She'd been unusually quiet, absorbing everything with wide eyes and a sense of curiosity. She seemed more relaxed now—now that they'd reached the forest. He couldn't help but wonder if it was the same reason Claire often felt more at home amongst the trees. Irelia was half sprite, after all.

"Good." Taylynn brightened. "And there is an outdoor bathing pool just behind my cottage. You will find everything you need there. Help yourself. Get clean. Koldis will have more food prepared before you turn in for the night, as I'm sure you'll be hungry again. I, however, must return to the city for a short time. I will be back later." She swept from the cottage before they could stop her.

"Well, you heard my mate, hop to." Koldis stood. "My queen, a bath?"

"Oh, yes please!" Claire's expression brightened.

Talon growled. "I'll take her. She can bathe first. The rest of you can wait."

"As if we would have it any other way," Bedelth teased, watching Talon lead Claire from the cottage. Talon grabbed her pack on the way out.

They found the small bathing pool exactly where Taylynn had said it would be. "It's...wow!" Claire pressed her hands to her chest in wonder.

Calling it a bathing pool was an understatement. The stone pool was decorated with vines and flowers, and a small water feature fed into it, creating a waterfall ideal for wetting one's hair. The small stream that fed into it babbled. There was a shelf, stacked with towels and soaps.

"It looks like you have all that you need," he said, studying the space. "Just call if you need me." He turned to leave but Claire's hand shot out.

"You...you don't want to join me? Don't you want to clean up?"

He all but choked. "My queen—"

"I mean, it's just bathing, isn't it? Isn't that something we did together?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Claire..."

"I don't mind if you see me naked." The corner of her mouth pulled up mischievously. It took every ounce of self control he possessed to decline the offer. He leaned in to whisper, "Mih cralla, if I see you naked, I will have you pinned to the wall of the pool in seconds, screaming my name. There will be no escape for you. After everything that has happened, my self control is hanging by a thread. Are you ready for that?"

He felt her shiver against him. The slight gasp that fell from her lips was almost a moan. "I..."

When he took a step back, her skin was flushed. "I thought not. I'll be out front. Call if you need anything."

💕❤️💕Don't forget to heart this chapter!❤️💕❤️

Happy Friday, Bookdragons!

Poor Talon. He has just had a lot of bad news dumped on him. I can imagine how overwhelmed he is. But I'm glad he's been able to reunite with some of his inner circle.

Next week's chapter is from Jeanine's POV. We have a quick glimpse into Kastali Dun before we return for many chapters between our gang in the forest. So you'll be getting lots more time with  them. 

See you next week!

--Mel