D’Ayna Turlach was my grandmother’s aunt, and died during the first skirmish of the Forest War, at the Attack on the Western Tower. How is it that you are speaking to me now?
You are mostly correct. The laughter again flooded Ellie’s mind and soul, and she found herself relaxing, even reveling in the sound. You are indeed my great-great niece, for my brother’s family carried on the Turlach name. But I did not die at the attack on the Western Tower, Elspethe. I died in the forest, drawing the Mother Dragon away from the troops sent from the high elf citadel.
Alynatalos.
Yes, named for the great Queen of the Elves, Alyndra. She was the bravest of all of us, I think.
Are you aware that the wood elves took your name for their treetop city?
Yes, my dear Draoch told me. He wanted to honor my sacrifice and that of my dragonkind cousin, Maede, so he combined our names. Aynamaede. Laughter. It doesn’t exactly roll off the Ikedrian tongue, does it? Do you know why you are now called Ikedrian?
Because we are the people of Ikara.
Yes, after the wood elves ventured underground in their exploration and were taken by Father Ikara, those loyal to him named their underground world Ikedria and became Ikedrians. I am glad to see that the knowledge of my time is still being taught. I am not surprised that you did not know the truth of my death—Draoch told me that my family would not know of my betrayal to our kind.
Why have you come to me now?
My little Elspethe—you were named for my mother, D’Elspet, I have no doubt—you are in a precarious position. You hold the ability to stop the wizard from doing more harm, but I do not know if you are strong enough on your own to make it work.
Ellie could feel the presence of her ancestor, D’Ayna, moving around in her mind, and she let down each barrier as D’Ayna approached it to give her unfettered access. It was very different, doing this on purpose, as opposed to the pain involved when Taeben shattered the barriers she put up against his intrusion.
Oh, my Ellie, what a life you have led. I cannot allow the House of Turlach to end with you if there is anything I can do to save it. You deserve better, so much better.
I am the last Turlach. There is nothing that can be done.
Perhaps there is. You were able to contact the Nature Walker, yes? The current Nature Walker?
Yes, but only for a moment.
Let me try. I have your memories now. If I can get to the Nature Walker and the Rajah, then I can lead them to the wizard, and then to you.
Can you bring yourself to me, the way that Taeben does?
No, my child—unlike your wizard, who took advantage of you and made a blood bond before his body was lost entirely to the Void, I am but a spirit. All that is left of me is my consciousness.
A blood bond? Oh—right before he died…
Yes. Taeben bonded his soul to yours, my little one, so that he could come back to the plane of the living and—using your body—could be resurrected.
Yes, I know his plan now. I have seen him do it with the golden dragon. I fear he has killed her, D’Ayna!
I know. We all heard Daelyth’s soul cry out as it neared the Void. I do not want the wizard to do that to you as well. That is what brought me to you.
I wish that he had done it to me rather than her. She is innocent—I certainly am not. Is there no way to remove him from her mind?
There may be. But for now, listen to me, Daughter of Ikedria, Last Daughter of House Turlach, you will NOT give up on finding a way to defeat the wizard. I will help you as much as I can, but you must not give up. Turlachs do not give up. Do you understand me?
Yes—what should I call you?
Laughter again filled her heart. I suppose you could call me sa’maa, do you know what that means? Is that word still used in D’leesh? It is funny, I was your age when I died, so that seems too formal somehow.
Honored mother or aunt—that is what you are. I will call you Sa’maa Ayna. I will do as you ask, and I will be brave.
Of course, you will, pry’ah, my girl. You are a Turlach. Do not forget who you are.
Never, Sa’maa Ayna. Never.
With that, the presence withdrew. Ellie thought of her House—her family. With the help and strength of her ancestors, there was a chance that she could bring her House back to its former noble status, but she needed to focus on the problem at hand first. She had no idea how her Sa’maa was going to help her defeat Taeben from the Void, but it was the first bit of hope she had, and she wasn’t ready to give it up just yet.
Thirty-Six
Circling the Dragons
Gin squeezed the bridge of her nose as she stared out into the setting sun. It would soon be morning in Aynamaede, on the other side of the world from where she and Sath had landed. Thankfully they had avoided hitting the trees that densely covered the land in M’aanyr, the home of the Mother Dragon—and the ice that Taeben had encased them in melted in transport. Luckily the forest canopy here shielded the lush ground in the same way it did in the Great Forest, and they were able to find berries and plants to eat along with the magical food that Gin was able to conjure. She had laughed when the spell worked—the memory of her mentor Allyna’s face when she tried Gin’s first attempt at magical bread matched the look on Sath’s. The sun had set soon after they arrived, and now was setting again, but they had still not found
