Red's Wolves

Chapter Thirty

Like a flame in the dying light, Alera's red cape flew out behind her as she cut across the palace grounds, through the training fields, and straight to the one place she knew she'd always be able to find the one person who had always waited for her.

The fenced yard was empty and the stables quiet, what with the horses being set free amongst the chaos. But she knew there were good people here, regardless of how she had been treated growing up. They'd not let any harm come to those horses, for Jere and Palo's sake than anything else. And she knew Jere would see to it that the horses were collected as needed. She could also see him distributing Nicholas' team to those in need of them, after some proper training, of course.

Training she wanted to be a part of, she realized. As she stepped onto the bottom rung of the fence and held onto the post, she remembered the last time she was in that yard, walking along with Jere, trying to calm a new stallion with just a song. Then, however, she knew nothing of these powers of hers, or why she was able to single-handedly train a wild horse all by herself.

She looked down at her hands. They looked the same to her, but now she knew there was a wild magic lingering just beneath the surface. And she almost lost control of that life-giving magic when she allowed Nicholas to get the better of her and her emotions. Would she have killed him if she was truly given the chance? Would her mother's dagger have allowed such an act to be achieved?

Alera dropped her gaze to the dagger at her hip. When her mother's spirit passed the blade to her that day on the edge of the late, had she knows what her daughter would be up against? She spoke of the future and foretold of prophecies and that everything was up to set things right, but how would she have known about what Alera would be up against? Or did her mother assume, because of who she was and therefore who her daughter would become, that there would always be someone against her, someone looking to undermine her and want to take advantage of her power?

Or was that the fate her mother had assumed for herself? When her father went to the forest people was Vessa convinced she would have to endure such a future? Had she agreed to marry the king to save anyone else from such a fate?

The dagger seemed to pulse with each negative thought, reaction to each emotion like her magic had in the past. Even before she knew exactly who she was and what she was capable of. The dagger, however, seemed to amplify it, especially after she had absorbed Nicholas' darkness. She would need to speak to Havea about it, to see if there was anything he and the forest mages could do to better cleanse it, and perhaps learn about the darkness Nicholas possessed so as to protect themselves and her kingdom against it in the future.

Because something within Alera warned her that this was just the beginning, and there may be others like Nicholas who would seek her power, or her people's, or perhaps even her own children when the time came.

She smiled at the thought as her attention turned skyward. The stars were just starting to sparkle in the darkening sky and she made her wish. To one day have those children, and to raise them as they deserved to be raised— aware of both the forest people and their human kingdom, and when the time comes for them to feel free to make their own choice on where to live, whom to love... decisions that were only now becoming available to Alera.

A shimmer brighter than the stars pulled her attention towards the stable, and there stood Jere, holding a lantern up next to his face, the light casting shadows on his handsome features.

She smiled at the sight, as did he in return.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," he teased as she jumped off the fence and walked over to meet him.

"I was just doing some thinking," she mused as she wrapped her arm around his waist. His free arm rested around her shoulders as he led them back towards the stable.