CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

“Elan!” someone called. The voice was soft, like the rustle of leaves in a spring breeze.

“Lugh.” Elan sighed. “Please, come in. Ka’lei, magi, please. I grow uneasy with you so near.”

“Sorry, darlin’,” Ka’lei clucked.

She moved out of his way, and Elan blinked. Lugh had several nymphs with him, men and women. His eyes glowed with joy and life. His skin was renewed, as if he had never been burnt. He made his way into the sick hold while the rest remained outside.

“My friend, Mother calls,” Lugh said. “She wishes you brought to her.”

“Mother…” Elan breathed. “Why?”

“We do not ask why, my friend,” Lugh said. “She wishes you, your mate, and your children brought to her. She wishes this immediately. We must obey.”

“Jenna,” he sighed. “She sleeps.”

“She does not have to wake, Elan. We must bring her, regardless. Let the woman sleep for now, but she will come,” Lugh instructed.

Elan frowned and nodded. “Tovran, will you take one of Lugh’s people to my suite and fetch Jenna? Do not wake her. Not yet.”

“Of course,” Tovran said. He then headed out, followed closely by one of the larger male nymphs.

“What’s going on?” Ka’lei asked. She stared hard at Elan. “We can’t heal you on the move, Elan.”

“Mother wishes me, Ka’lei,” he said. “I will obey. When Tovran returns with my wife, leave my arm until I return.”

“Fine,” she said. “Fine, but I don’t like this. Your shoulder terrifies me.”

“As it does me,” Elan admitted. “But, Mother only calls when she has reason. I will hear her.”

Ka’lei nodded. Alyssa looked up at Elan. Her green eyes large with wonder. “We’re gonna see your mommy?” she asked.

Elan chuckled. “Sort of, sweetheart. Remember that I told you the earth beneath your feet when you walk outside is alive and aware? She is whom we speak of. She calls.”

“Oh, okay.” Her little face scrunched up. “Will I hear her, too?”

Elan grinned. “I was able to let your mother hear, so I think I might be able to arrange that.”

Alyssa lit up brighter than the sun. “Will I be able to talk to her, too?”

Even the head magi behind Elan chuckled. “Yes,” Elan said. “You can talk to her whenever you want, even when you can’t hear her. She can always hear you, no matter which realm you are in.”

Tovran came back. Jenna was cradled against a nymph’s tanned chest. She slept peacefully from the look of it. The nymph nodded to Elan and hugged Jenna a little tighter as if assuring him that she was well cared for. Lugh held his hand out to Alyssa.

“Come, child,” he said gently, “your father will be right behind us.”

Alyssa looked up at Elan with wide eyes. Elan nodded and kissed her forehead, then urged her down. She went and took Lugh’s hand and was led out of the room. Another tree nymph took Sam into his arms and followed after Lugh and Alyssa. That left Elan.

“You must stop now,” Elan said. “I must go.”

“We’re going with you, Elan,” she said.

They all gave Elan room. He slid from the table and stretched, careful not to extend his hurt arm. Then he, too, followed after the nymphs. The rest of the tanned congregation flanked Elan as if he were going into battle. They were his army. Soldiers. Or were they priests taking him to his death?

The hallways seemed longer than normal. It felt like the palace didn’t want to give him up. Each step felt like it would be his last. A sense of dread washed over him. It nagged at the back of his mind. Elan’s heart clenched as his chest tightened. Anxiety. He’d never felt such anxiety.

They made it to the front of the palace and out the front doors. Lugh led them to a patch of earth thick with dewy grass. Jenna was laid on the ground with a reverence that made Elan smile. Sam was laid a few feet away from her.

“You are next, little flower,” Lugh said. “Lie down here, please.”

“Uhm, okay…” Alyssa said, clearly unsure. But she laid down a few feet from her brother.

“Your turn,” Lugh said as he turned to Elan. “Lie down.”

“Come to me, my son,” Mother spoke. “Come to me.”

Elan took a deep breath and sighed it out. He would not disobey Mother. He went and laid a few feet away from Alyssa. His shoulder felt awkward, so he turned toward her to lie on his side. He smiled at his daughter. She smiled back. And then she went limp. Sam went limp. Jenna did as well. Elan’s heart froze.

“Mother?” he whimpered.

“Hush, my son,” Mother cooed.

The ground rumbled. Earthy shells that resembled those of walnuts erupted from the grass. They enveloped his family one by one. One by one, the earth swallowed them down. The rumble continued as the same happened to Elan.

Dark. It was so dark, but it was warm. Elan closed his eyes. There was no sound. Mother did not speak. Warmth flooded his body. It enveloped him. Soothing and soft. He gasped, shuddered. His body came to life. Arousal flared within him until his penis stood fully erect. Elan let out a strangled cry as heat built up in his belly. It came on so fast. He wrapped his hand around his shaft and stroked to ease the ache. His orgasm hit so fast and so hard that he screamed as his seed shot from him.

Elan fell back, sweaty and limp. His muscles jerked with the aftershocks. Panting, he fought to control his breathing and bring it back to normal. Sleep beckoned. Precious sleep. His mind floated.

Cries woke him. They were not sad or frantic. A baby. It was an infant’s cry. Elan opened his eyes. The moon shone over him. Something soft touched his belly. When he looked down, a pod like the one he had been swallowed in rested against him. The cries came from inside.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Elan stroked his fingers over the velvety pod. It cracked and fell open with the slightest touch. Inside a tiny newborn male writhed and kicked his displeasure. A son. Elan’s son. The child’s umbilical cord was attached to one of the shell halves.

Elan sat up and lifted the child up to his chest, he looked around. Jenna and the children had risen with him. They lay in the grass. Different. They were all different somehow.

“Here!” someone shouted. “They have returned! Mother did not take them forever!”

Elan looked to see who shouted. Rynhon and Bina raced toward him. Tears were in their eyes. Both stopped when they saw Elan holding a newborn babe. Their mouths fell open.

“Rynhon, come,” Elan said, his voice watery. “My son… must be examined and cared for. Bina, wake my wife and children.”

Rynhon came over and knelt beside Elan. His palm grazed over Elan’s shoulder. Elan looked over. It was healed. There were scars. Elan had never had a scar for long. Would these remain? It was healed. That was all that mattered.

Rynhon’s fingers skated over Elan’s son’s arm. “What is his name, brother?”

“Kennan,” Elan breathed. He kissed his son’s forehead. “My son’s name is Kennan.”

“You had us worried,” Rynhon murmured.

“How long has Mother had us?” Elan asked.

“Five cycles, Elan,” Rynhon replied. “The Forest King assured us you would return. He relayed Mother’s wishes that Iliastaire remain as Sun King in your stead until you were reborn.”

“Five cycles?” Elan sighed. He looked over. His family slept in the grass.

“Elan…” Bina said from Jenna’s side. She went to Alyssa’s, and then to Sam’s, weaving between sleeping bodies. “Elan, they are elves… All three. The children… the children have your features, as well as their mothers,” she said. “They are the same but… different.”

Elan suddenly felt dizzy.

“I keep my promises, my son,” Mother said. “As you have kept yours, I have kept mine.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Elan whispered. “Thank you.”

Jenna and the children stirred. They woke. Jenna sat up and looked around. Her eyes fell to Sam and Alyssa and widened. They went to Elan holding the infant. Her jaw fell open.

“Elan?”

Elan laughed and leaned into Rynhon’s side. “My love, my wife, I think we must have a very, very long talk,” he said, then sobered. “The first, though… we must speak of an important matter now.”

Her mouth shut with the snap of teeth and she nodded. “What’s wrong?”

“These two between us,” he began, “are they your children, or are they our children?”’

Jenna gave him a quizzical look and stared at him for a long time. Something dawned on her and lit up her eyes. She leaned forward onto her hands and knees and crawled over to him. She pressed a kiss to his lips and rested their foreheads together.

“They’re ours,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Elan. I should have thought about your feelings. I should have thought. I was so used to being alone, so used to them just being mine. They’re ours. They’ll always be ours.”

She looked down at the baby in his arms. Her brows furrowed. Jenna bit her lip and looked back up at him. “What about this one? Where did he come from?”

Elan smiled and stole another kiss. “Kennan is a gift from Mother. He is ours.”

“Mommy?” Alyssa asked. “Daddy?”

“We are here, sweetheart,” Elan said. “Sam, are you awake?”

“Yeah… yeah,” he frowned and sat up. Worry tightened his features. “Grampa’s gone… He’s gone!”

“Oh, Sam,” Elan murmured. “Mother took him back. Your grandfather is at rest where he will be happy.”

“I want him back,” Sam cried. “I want him back!”

“Your grandfather says he loves you, Sam,” Mother said. “He wants you to be happy, and wishes you to live your life well.”

Sam stiffened. Alyssa did, too. Jenna’s eyes widened. Sam looked around. “Who was that?”

Elan grinned brightly. “That was Mother, my family. She is our Mother.”