Epilogue

Erix

The docks were quiet for this time of day.

The fading light of the sun shown across the ground like blood. Around me hundreds of uniformed Somas and Mageians stood at attention, but the pathway from the dock to Illyrian Point seemed oddly desolate.

The Chrysalisflowed into port as if she were sliding across glass. I could see the flows of magic that surrounded her and kepther afloat, all the elements working in harmony to get her battered hull into dock. There were gaping holes in her deck, her sails were ripped and torn, but the old girl slid into place as if she were just out of drydock.

The wind whispered across the crowd, but not a murmur could be heard from the crowd. The sound of gulls crying echoed loudly across the water.

The dockhands placed the gangplank and stepped back, faces somber as we watched the bedraggled group disembark. Mageians dressed in Legion-issued shirts and tac pants slowly flowed from the gangplank and formed a kind of honor guard on either side of the causeway.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally saw my brothers disembark. Luke supported Rhuyin, with Elex at his side. Logically I had known they were okay because of our communications with the ship, but knowing and seeing were two different things.

Beside me stood Beatrice, her normally sharp appearance long fled, eyes red with weeping, iron gray hair disheveled. As Betts' only other family in the city, she stood at my side in a place of honor.

Slowly, a form resolved itself from the shadows of the boat as heemerged from the ship, his normally bright hair in stark contrast to the darkness shadowing his face.

Hel walked down the gangplank from the Chrysalis, Betts' body in his arms.

I had only known Betts in passing, but she had always brought a spark of fire and life to every room, and my heart hurt at the sight of her lifeless form.

He stopped in front of me, setting her gently down on the bier that had been built earlier today. It was only after he set her down that Hel seemed to stumble and I heard a choked sob pass his lips.

"Sleep well, little sister," he whispered, laying a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You will be avenged."

"Aíma, idrótas kai dákrya," I said.

His silver eyes jumped to mine.

"Blood, sweat and tears," he translated.

I nodded in response and I saw him gather himself before he nodded back in acknowledgement.

She would be avenged.

He stepped back, and I saw my brother move forward to wrap his arms around his Bonded. For all that Helios was a head taller, Elex was obviously giving his Bonded the strength to get through this.

Beatrice stepped forward and laid her hand on her niece's cold cheek, tears falling silently onto the wood of the pyre as she brushed Betts' hair back as the wind tried to tug it away. She leaned forward and kissed her niece's forehead and stepped back. To the surprise of all of us, instead of returning to her place of honor beside me she walked to where Helios stood and wrapped her arms around him, the two united in their grief for the loss of the young woman.

One of the Fire Mageia step forward to light the pyre but I held out a hand to stop them.

"Would you allow me the honor, Helios Asimenios?" I asked formally. It toook Hel a moment to register my request before he responded with a sharp nod.

"Aíma, idrótas kai dákrya," I called out, using my Air powers to amplify my voice. "Blood, sweat and tears. We all know that freedom is not free. Betts Asimenios paid the price so that over five hundred other people could escape Alexandria."

At this, a murmur finally flowed through the crowd.

"We will not forget her love! We will not forget her fire! We will not forget her sacrifice!"

I held my hands aloft, summoning fire to my raised fists.

"People of Illyria!" I called. "You have heard the Legion mantra. Today we take it for our own! No retreat!

"No surrender!" thundered a thousand voices around us as I summoned Fire in a blinding flash that consumed Betts' body. I staggered back, surprised by the strength of my own power. I'd never felt Fire so…alive, before. So all consuming.

In a blink, all that remained were ashes.

"We're coming for you, Cyrius," I whispered as the bright flash faded. "See you soon."