Destiny's Blood by Marie Bilodeau (best authors to read .TXT) 📗

a nervous glance at the creatures before grinning weakly to Yoma. “Should make things interesting, wouldn’t you say?”

Avienne let go of Yoma and leaned against the shields for support, flipping two knives in the air as though waiting for the right creatures to use them on. Yoma stared at the creatures, her arms still so tired, and she had no more weapons to use. She concentrated on gathering the ether around her. As she was pulling the mists into her, a light broke above them.

Bombs exploded in their midst and the creatures scattered. The light was blue, just like the shields of Mirial. Yoma looked up as a small ship landed before them. The door opened and Gobran Kipso waved madly at them to get on board.

Avienne laughed heartily. Zortan was beside them in an instant, Avienne refusing his help as she hobbled towards the ship. Yoma let him support her. The sounds and warmth of the ship lulled her the second they entered.

“I’m glad I found you, Lady Yoma,” Gobran greeted them as they took off again. Yoma was squished between Avienne and Zortan, their warmth like a blanket. Even the smell of tar clinging to Avienne was comforting.

“And Layela,” she mumbled as her eyes locked with his. A slight rush of adrenaline kept her awake for a moment longer; she remembered his desire to see one of them dead.

“Safe,” he answered and lowered his head respectfully. When he continued speaking, it was to Zortan. “They used their ether together, I could see from up above. Perhaps…perhaps I was wrong to assume that we need to keep all of Mirial’s traditions in order to save her.”

Yoma smiled and closed her eyes. Her head lolled back and forth as the shuttle rocked her into a deep, welcoming sleep.

CHAPTER 40

A familiar voice called Yoma from the heavy threads of sleep. She smiled before she had even opened her eyes.

“It’s good to hear your voice,” she whispered, her voice cracking a bit. Layela sat on the comfortable bed beside her and held a cup of water to her lips. Yoma drank slowly, remembering Zortan’s analogy about the moon and the ether. If their powers had grown so much with only the ether of the moon, she couldn’t fathom the strength they would reach under the light of the sun.

She met Layela’s eyes of night and smiled sadly, feeling pain clutching at her chest. If we both live to see the sun. Through the room’s small window she could see the sky. The red hues now mixed with blue, turning it electric purple like the nebula — the shields of Mirial — had been. Which meant the sun would soon rise. Precious little time left.

Layela ran her hand along Yoma’s cheek, still swollen from Avienne’s strike. Yoma laughed at her sister’s inquisitive look, remembering Avienne’s quick anger.

“Yoma,” Layela’s voice held no laughter, only weariness. Yoma prepared herself for the blow she knew would come. Layela swallowed hard, searching for the right words. “Josmere’s dead.”

Yoma slowly sat up, leaned against the headboard of the bed and sighed deeply. She felt just a bit of her own life escape in the breath. She had seen Josmere’s death, and had thought she could stop it. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered her vision of the wilted Berganda, and she closed her eyes and forced herself to remember how lively she had been instead.

Yoma’s short laugh came out more like a sob. She remembered Josmere’s own laughter, which crackled like electricity in the night air, and tears ran unchecked down her cheeks. She had wished to Mirial that they could meet again, and ached to see her friend one final time.

Layela hugged her and Yoma hugged back, each finding comfort in the other. The smell of sap still clung to Layela despite the clean clothes. Yoma whispered in her ear, “She died because I asked her to stay with you.”

Layela gently broke away from her twin, and Yoma looked into her deep eyes. There she saw the same strength that had resided there a long, long time ago, before three days at the hands of a Kilita had broken her.

“Yoma, Josmere died because she loved us both. She died fighting for what she loved.” The words were spoken with a calm reassurance that made Yoma smile. This was the Layela she had hoped would return to her one day. Not afraid of losing everything, not looking for a place to hide for the rest of her life. The woman before her was facing life. Yoma smiled, pleased, feeling her sister’s strength flow into her. Josmere must have been so proud of you, Layela!

Layela’s eyes did not waver from Yoma’s. When she spoke again, her voice did not crack. “Yoma, we have to do this together. All the way.”

I just found you again, Layela, she thought. Tears retreated as she looked deep into her twin’s eyes.

I just found you again. Why would I let you go?

i

The remaining ships of Gobran’s fleet were filling with calm civilians, a pleasant change from the chaos a few hours before. Gobran’s crews were busily making sure that they were space-ready, leaving behind whatever supplies the twins and the Malavants would need.

Gobran sighed. Each second he stayed on his decayed home planet made him feel older. He had argued with Ardin and Avienne that they should not stay behind, but they were adamant. Well, the boy was adamant and the girl wasn’t about to desert her brother. Even as he argued with them, he knew he was losing the battle. Radin and Sasha’s offspring were no longer the children he remembered. They were now stubborn adults like their parents, so it was not surprising that, in the end, he had lost.

At least he would leave them with what little he had, to help them. His own daughter was near and he knew that she, too, feared that parting would mean forever. He wished for the thousandth time that he could be sure he would