Bardian's Redemption by H. Jane Harrington

Author:H. Jane Harrington [Harrington, H. Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-12-14T22:00:00+00:00

-32-

Binding Wrists and Binding Allies

“As a bard, I sing of love that knows no barriers.

Love transcends all, love binds all, love is all.

It knows no distinction of color or gender or age or class.

As indiscriminate as death, as timeless as life.

Where love is woven, it strengthens the fabric of the world,

and stronger still with the variety of the weave.”

- Guardian Toma Scilio

Kir watched the tents go up with expert precision. Inagor watched, too, from the far distant field. Nobody had noticed him and Kir refrained from pointing him out. If the sentries had not seen him, it was definitely an illusion of the vorsnarm. Kir stared across the grasses, sending her own message: he could no longer rattle her.

The site was familiar. It had been the make-shift headquarters of the Hilian army following the Battle of Kion Rising. They had met Vann's dragon in full glory at that battle, where it had burst forth to eradicate the Keeper army at the base of the river. Kir had been the sheath that put the Kion to bed. They had learned the Guardian's true purpose in that muddy soil. Being there brought back a whole slew of recollections. They were mostly memories of jarring pain, fear for Vann, and last-stand courage scraped from the depths of desperation. It was only a year, but it seemed a lifetime ago.

The Hili army had occupied the area for quite some time after the battle, it being a convenient mid-way point between Hilihar and Gander's Ferry. The river was easily accessible, there was good cover of forest nearby for hunting, and the terrain was ideal for the horses.

While the camp was being raised, Kir slipped away to the memorial that Hili had erected for those who perished on the royal airferry, the eight lost in the mage skirmish that followed, and the lost souls of Kion Rising. The events were connected and so honored together in the monument that decorated a humble ringed garden. It was a place of serenity and reflection. Kir sat at the base and ran her fingers over the names etched into the white Arshenholm stone. At the bottom of the list were two that stabbed fresh spears in Kir's heart. Palinora, and next to hers, Guardian Arrelius.

Kir cupped her hand over the treasured names, then glanced up to where she knew he would be. In the shadows of the trees. Glaring, as usual.

Malacar was right. It wasn't Inagor Arrelius. The thing that stared was a manifestation. He was an echo of guilt and burden that was losing his battle for her soul. It angered Kir that the apparition had taken Inagor's likeness. It didn't belong to him.

“Saiya Kunnai!” a voice barked from behind. Jogging feet crunched the mulched path behind her.

“I'm here, Avalir,” Kir called. “Just paying respects.”

“Guardian Malacar is furious. He thinks you lit out without an escort.”

Kir rolled her eyes. “Keh! It's not like I wasn't a stone's throw from his meaty fist, if the martinet had just bothered to look without panicking first.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.