“That you are not,” he denied. He drew her up into his arms and whispered his vulnerability for her ears alone. “My sun rises in your eyes, shei’tani. I cannot bear for you to be hurt.”

Her eyes opened, and she lifted her hand to his face, stroking her fingers against his skin. “Then let me heal you.”

Tears pricked his eyes. He kissed her once with great tenderness and released her. “Tend me if you must, Ellysetta, but do not try to take all the pain upon yourself.”

Rain nodded his permission for the smith to continue. Ellysetta knelt at his side. She flinched when he did as the second wrist shackle fell free, and cried out with him when Lian pulled off the first of the manacles piercing his ankles. Despite his command, she absorbed the worst of his torments into herself and muted them. Her tears and fingers and soft lips brushed over the deep puncture wounds at his wrist and each ankle.

When the last despised manacle fell free, they were both exhausted and trembling. Rain gathered Ellysetta into his arms and simply held her, resting his head against hers, breathing when she breathed, clasping her hand and offering back what strength he had.

“It is true then,” Farel murmured. “Rain Tairen Soul has found his truemate.”

Rain looked at him. Farel and all of the other dahl’reisen, men who had long ago learned to bear suffering without emotion, stood there, their eyes reddened with the bottled tears dahl’reisen could not shed and their hands clenched tight. They stood witness to the love that would always be their deepest dream, and it still had the ability to touch them as nothing else could.

“It is true,” Rain confirmed.

He saw the woman Sheyl meet Farel’s gaze and saw the brief nod between them. Gods, how could I be such a trusting fool? He started to rise, reaching instinctively for his absent weapons’ belts. The weave came crashing down upon him like a killing wave. Darkness descended with brutal abruptness.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Fading Lands ~ Dharsa

7th day of Seledos

“Kieran!” Robed in green and white and shining like a star in Dharsa’s fragrant night, Marissya v’En Solande raced down the steps of the gold-and-white palace of the Fey king. Her truemate, Dax, followed close on her heels. Together, they rushed across the courtyard and rounded the great, Fire-lit tairen fountain, to greet the approaching band of weary travelers.

“Mela.” A smile broke across Kieran’s face. He loped across the remaining distance and fell into his mother’s outstretched arms, savoring her flurry of hugs and kisses, and submitting with good nature to the thorough maternal inspection that followed. “I am well and unharmed, mela,” he assured her, lifting her hands to his mouth and kissing them before stepping into his father’s fierce embrace. “Gepa.”

“You worried your mother and me.” Dax’s eyes were suspiciously bright when they broke apart. He cleared his throat and gripped his son’s forearms. “I wish I could ask you never to do so again.”

Kieran ducked his head. His parents would never make such a request because he could never honor it. Worry was the burden of every Fey warrior’s parent.

“Lillis, Lorelle. Master Baristani.” Marissya stepped past Kieran to greet Ellysetta’s family with calmer, but no less heartfelt, embraces. “Meiveli ti’Dharsa. Kiel.” Her smile turned solemn. She hugged the blond warrior, kissed him on both cheeks, and held his hands tightly. “Beylah vo, ajian. Thank you for bringing Kieran home safely.”

Marissya waved everyone towards the palace. “Teska, come inside. Master Baristani, I will show you and the girls to your rooms. I’m sure you must be weary.”

They were, Kieran knew. The girls hadn’t had the energy to do more than ooh and aah over the starlit beauty of Dharsa. Tomorrow, however, would be a different story. As soon as they were rested, they’d be bounding all over the city, getting into the Haven only knew what sorts of mischief. He grinned just thinking about it. Quiet, well-ordered Dharsa was about to get a much-overdue jolt of joyful chaos.

As his mother led the Baristanis into the palace, Kieran’s brief humor turned solemn. He and Kiel followed Dax to one of the balconied terraces overlooking the city.

“We passed Eimar v’En Arran on our way here,” Kieran said. After Tenn’s latest refusal to support Rain, Eimar v’En Arran, Air master of the Massan, had gathered several thousand like-minded Fey and headed for the Garreval to join the war. Kieran watched his father closely. “Is there no hope Tenn will admit he was wrong and repair the breach between himself and Rain? Does he not understand the evil of the Eld?”

Dax sighed. “He understands, but he is convinced he’s doing what’s best for the Fading Lands.”

“How? By tearing us apart? Dividing our people?”

“By keeping us safe. By holding to the Light and living with honor, in accordance with the Scroll of Law.” Dax put his hands on the balustrade and leaned forward, watching the glowing lights of the fairy flies darting through the gardens and the Fire-lamps of the city flickering through the trees in the valley below and on the sides of the surrounding hills. “I’ve known Tenn a long time. I do not question his motives. I truly believe he’s doing what he thinks is right.”

“Do you think he’s right, Gepa?”

“I think he is an honorable Fey.” After a brief pause, Dax met his son’s gaze, and added, “I also think there is a reason other than their link to the prides that our kings have always been Tairen Souls and not truemated Fey Lords.”