“Aeron,” Eila said, looking up at Reven. “Please, we can’t leave him.”
“We can’t,” Rielle reiterated, still sobbing. Kaleo only just noticed, his jaw dropping as he realized what was happening. It was too much for Reven to bear, making the tirsai bard growl as he limped back inside toward the stairs.
“Liam!” he barked.
“Weren’t me, mate,” the thief-taker said, hands up to prove his innocence. Ajana glared at him.
“Shut up, fool. I need you to catch,” Reven said.
“Catch? Why, what… oh ya’ve gotta be kiddin’, ya dammed idiot. Rev - the kid’s dead,” Liam argued, but followed. Kaleo made to follow too but Serai held on to him. She needed him for whatever she was going to do. Reven let her work. He had his own work to handle.
“Oi - horse, might wanna follow, yeah?” Liam continued.
Reven did not look to see if Navid followed. He was not accustomed to having the centaur around yet or having him stare with so much guilt permanently plastered on his aging features. It was… odd. Nadya and her shadow-born friend stood in the hall just outside where the prince lay, Jaysen hovering in the doorway of the room he’d been given. The peace of the morning was quickly devolving into a full maelstrom of chaos. The room Aeron occupied was small, filled with various trunks or crates and sacks of trinkets the bard collected over time but had no place for yet. He dug through them, opening crates haphazardly and tossing things around until finding what he sought: a piece of quartz the length of his hand and width of two fingers that was as clear as a perfect pane of glass.
“Yer crazy, ya know that,” Liam barked as he entered the room.
“You weren’t complaining when I did this for you,” Reven countered. Liam snorted. Many of Reven’s talents showed themselves in unexpected and surprising ways, usually in times of duress or panic. Liam liked to take contracts that regularly put their lives on the line, claiming the payout was greater than the risk. The risk became overwhelming during one instance and the thief- taker nearly lost his life in the process. If not for Reven, Liam’s bones would still be at the bottom of Krishin’s Rift in Rellen.
“Tha’ was diff’rent. I weren’t dead.”
“Yet,” Reven added. “Close enough to it though, as I recall. Now shut up or you’ll ruin my concentration.”
“Dare I even ask?” Navid added, finally catching up.
“No,” Reven and Liam said in unison. Reven ignored anything else, looking at the still, pale form of the tirsai prince. He felt the boy’s chest at his heart, sensing for anything to hold on to.
Beloved… please don’t.
You shut up, too, Reven barked back in a mental scolding that silenced the phoenix even as he flew in, landing on Reven’s shoulder. Either help or leave.
It took a little too long to find what Reven sought - the tiniest of pulses still clinging tightly to the mortal coils. It was enough. He focused all his energy on that tiny pulse, fueling it with his own, using the quartz to funnel his Power. He pushed harder, feeling himself grow weaker until he heard the distinct, steady - if weak - sound of a heartbeat. It was then he allowed himself to let go, falling back into a pit of total blackness.
Liam reacted quickly, catching the bard with little effort. He was pale and lifeless, the quartz rolling out of his scarred hand and onto the tiled floor. He made sure the bard was, in fact, still breathing before looking up at the centaur.
“Oi, check yer boy there,” Liam directed as he shifted Reven’s weight, hefting him onto his back with a groan. The idiot was dammed heavy!
He watched Navid move to the young tirsai, folding himself down to look the boy over. The stunned expression on his face made Liam nod knowingly. “Don’t get too excited. Kid’s still gotta fight fer it or this’ll be fer nothin’. Stupid blighter, prolly wasted all tha’ energy fer shit anyway. C’mon lt’s go before them blasted winged assholes show up.”
Liam led the way back down to the grand foyer. Navid followed along with the three that loitered in the hall. Once in the foyer, he glowered at the questioning looks and winced at the bright doorway in the middle of the open space that appeared to go to a jungle on the other side.
“An’ then we wonder why I prefer t’travel by ship. Ain’t nothin’ normal ‘round ‘ere is it?” Liam complained, hefting Reven up on his back once more before walking through the gate.
***
Serai closed the Gate once everyone was through, the two rather large audeas included. Azure rode atop Reven’s back, making Liam grumble as he carried the bard and the phoenix at the same time. Serai maintained her silence until the Gate vanished to a tiny pinpoint of light. The surrounding area was called Yira’s Grove. It was a place well known to Serai though it had been a very long time since she last set foot within the Grove. It looked different, smaller, but the feel of it was the same, the smell of the verdure and the earth. She closed her eyes, taking it in. The gentle pulse beneath her feet made her toes wiggle and her lips curl into a smile.
“Serai?”
She opened her eyes. Kaleo looked at her, brows bunching. Her smile broadened. The Node in the Grove was his.
“She is happy you are back,” Serai said simply. She picked her way over root and twig to where Liam stood. Ajana stood with him, their heads together in conversation. The thief-takers were concerned, annoyance adding to Liam’s mental voice. Reven had done something.
I tried to tell him not to… Azure said. She looked at the small phoenix, feeling his distress. Reven was very weak, more than he should be. He didn’t listen.
Serai sighed but nodded. She glanced at the gathered group noting their haggard faces, feeling their concern, their
