The two L'avan got to their feet and L'iam took her hand. Me'shan stood next to Ravi, looking pale and worn. He gave them a small smile before turning to walk away. They made their way back to the others as quickly as possible.

They were greeted with relief by all the L'avan. E'nes looked around, trying to account for all of the prisoners. "Is this everyone?"

Adesina nodded slowly as she scanned the group again. "Yes, I believe so. We must hurry now. The boon of the forest has brought us most of the way home, but I am anxious to reach Yavar."

All of the L'avan agreed. Everyone gathered together and set off again, hurrying through the trees. As they came to the edge of the forest and onto the open gra.s.slands, they all stopped in their tracks.

The sun was setting, giving the sky a blood red tint. Clouds of an approaching storm blackened the horizon, and a chilling wind began to blow. In the distance, smoke could be seen rising from the remnants of war machines and the damage they had done to the surrounding area. The fields were trampled by the running feet of thousands of soldiers, and their bodies lay where they had fallen in battle.

It was as if Adesina had stepped back into her Dream, only now it had become a heart- wrenching reality.

Chapter Fifty-three: Resolutions.

"We must reach Yavar."

The wooden tone in L'iam's voice chilled Adesina's heart. She tried to speak as gently as possible. "There may be nothing left. The Shimat would have certainly destroyed the capital city."

He shook his head stubbornly. "If there are any survivors, they will be in Yavar."

She nodded, and gestured for the others to follow her as she nudged her horse forward. They headed south, towards the lone mountain where the capital of Pevothem was located. The sound of quiet weeping could be heard from every L'avan as they pa.s.sed through the carnage.

Adesina kept her eyes fixed on their destination, not looking down at those who lay dead at their feet. She knew that adding her own tears to the lament would not help anything. It grew easier as the sun went down and darkness shrouded the valley.

They reached the city around midnight, and it was much like Adesina expected. All that was left of the beautiful buildings were smoldering ruins. The parks had been burned, and bodies lay everywhere. Adesina's heart ached as she looked at what had been done to their beautiful home.

It wasn't just that the city had been destroyed. The invisible halo that had surrounded the peaceful lives of the L'avan, the belief that they were safe from the outside world, was also shattered.

Adesina slowed her horse and turned to speak over her shoulder to L'iam. "Should we look for survivors?"

He nodded absently. "Yes, but we will need help. We will first locate the refugees."

The prince pointed to the mountain, and she began riding in that direction. They pa.s.sed through the broken remains of the L'avan homes. Several members of their party dismounted at some point, running to the body of a dead loved one and sobbing over them inconsolably. L'iam did not try to stop them, but let them mourn in peace. He, too, was mourning, and knew not to disturb their sorrow.

By the time they reached the base of the peak, their group was much smaller. The L'avan prince made no comment on the fact, but continued forward. They rode up a weathered trail for a fair distance before coming to a stop.

L'iam cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted a phrase in the ancient L'avan tongue. A short silence followed before he received an answer from behind a large boulder.

A boy, probably only fourteen years old, appeared on top of the rock and stared down at them in amazement.

"Prince L'iam! You are alive!"

He then disappeared, and the groaning of a heavy weight could be heard. A door in the side of the mountain, completely invisible until that moment, opened slowly.

L'iam climbed down off of the horse, and indicated that the others should dismount as well. He led the way into the tunnels of the mountain. The boy handed him a torch, but stayed behind to guard the entrance.

They wound through the darkness for several minutes before the tunnel opened to an enormous cavern. There was a large, open area in the front, but there were also dozens of alcoves and ledges leading to different levels. It was a warren of tunnels and smaller caves, organized into a sort of underground city.

The L'avan population in this haven had many women and children, but there were a number of men as wella"though, not nearly as many as before. Some of the surviving men were those who had not volunteered for the army, knowing that their lack of training would only be a hindrance. Some of the men were chosen to stay behind and guard this stronghold and others were the wounded survivors of the battle.

There was a flurry of activity in an effort to care for the injured men, even though it was the middle of the night. The entrance of the travelers initially went unnoticed.

L'iam walked down the path that led to the common area, and the others followed close behind. Adesina watched him carefully, trying to get a sense of his emotional well-being. She stayed close to his side, wanting to be a support in whatever he needed, as he had so often been a support for her.

A woman carrying bandages spotted them first. "Prince L'iam!"

Her cry echoed throughout the entire cavern, catching the attention of every L'avan.

"The travelers are back!"

"Prince L'iam!"

"He is alive!"

"They have Chief Protector General Me'shan with them!"

"We are safe!"

"Prince L'iam!"

"Prince L'iam!"

A wounded soldier made his way to the front of the crowd that had surrounded them. He moved slowly and painfully due to his numerous injuries, but he reached the L'avan prince and saluted him humbly. Adesina barely recognized him as K'eb.

His left arm was missing, and his head was bandaged. The careful way he moved indicated broken ribs, and his face looked as if he had been trampled. He gave her a warm smile before turning his attention back to L'iam.

"Your Highness, the queen would like to see you right away."

The prince followed him without hesitation, taking hold of Adesina's hand to lead her along. He talked to people in the crowd as he pa.s.sed through, promising to explain everything once he had finished speaking with his mother.

K'eb led the way through a narrow tunnel to a small private cave. Ta'mala lay on a mat on the stone floor, attended by two maids. She had always looked delicate, but tonight she was so frail that Adesina marveled that she was still alive.

Her eyes fluttered weakly and she glanced up at her younger son. A smile touched her lips and she beckoned him to come closer.

"L'iam," she whispered lovingly.

He knelt by her side and took her hand. "Mother, what happened here?"

Ta'mala struggled to speak. "An army of mercenariesa Your fathera" She could say no more, but sobbed silently.

L'iam was almost beside himself. "What about Father?"

The queen shook her head, and one of her ladies in waiting leaned forward to soothe her. He turned his question to the young woman.

"Bri'dey, where is the king?"

She took a deep breath, fighting tears of her own. "He never came back from battle, nor did Prince L'on."

L'iam's shoulders slumped in despair.

The lady in waiting went on. "Her Majesty fell ill when she heard the news, and she has grown weaker each day."

Queen Ta'mala grasped her son's hand. "But you are here, you and your sister! Where is L'era? Where is my darling?"

L'iam gently chafed his mother's withered hand between his own. "She is resting, mother. We have had a long journey."

Fresh tears came to her eyes. "Could she not come see her dying mother?"

"Do not say such things," he admonished. "You will not die."

Adesina leaned forward and touched the woman's thin shoulder. "If it were possible for her to be at your side, she would be here. We were pursued by the Shimat for most of our way home. We often rode all night."

Ta'mala's face relaxed from the anxiety that had become habitual. "Yes, of course. My sweet daughter must sleep."

Her eyes closed and she dropped off to sleep herself, as she murmured the names of her husband and children. L'iam continued to rub her hand, staring at nothing as his mind tried to accept the news he had received.

Adesina put her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I am so sorry," she whispered.

"It is the Shimat," came his stiff reply. "They must be the ones behind the army of mercenaries that came here. They have destroyed everything."

She didn't know how to respond. Clearly he was right, for only the Shimat would be so bold as to send an army to the L'avan haven, and only the Shimat could have done so without revealing themselves to the eyes of the world.

She still felt partially responsible for their crimes, and this act of mindless violence made her feel even more tainted. She began to move away from the L'avan prince, but he put his mother's hand down and turned to embrace her.

"We cannot let it stand. We cannot allow them to continue in their reign of fear. People think that they are shadow demons, that they are untouchable in their power. I want to prove the world wrong. I want to show that we can fight the Shimat and every other evil in this land."

Adesina studied his eyes intently. "I can help you do that. I do not know how, but I want to help the L'avan bring an end to the Shimat order."

Tears spilled over onto his cheeks. "My mother is the only family I have left."

She held him close again. "You are not alone, L'iam. Just as I was not alone once I found my people. We are your family."

He nodded, but continued to weep silently. Neither of them noticed the quiet entrance of an elderly Royal Advisor.

"Prince L'iam? We must speak with you."

He glanced at his mother before getting to his feet. He took hold of Adesina's hand to lead her along as he followed the old man. They walked down the tunnels until they reached the cave that was serving as a temporary council room. A good many of the Royal Advisors were gathered there, waiting for their arrival. They all stood when the prince entered the room.

The woman who seemed to be in charge of this meeting stayed on her feet even after L'iam told the others to be seated. "We all mourn the loss of King L'unn and Prince L'on most deeply. They were good and valiant men, and they cannot be replaced."

L'iam inclined his head, but said nothing.

The woman cleared her throat and composed herself. "I know that this may not seem like the best time to discuss this, but the sooner it is resolved, the better."

Several Advisors shifted in their seats uncomfortably, but kept their peace. L'iam fixed his gaze on the table in front of him, and Adesina looked around with a puzzled expression on her face. It seemed everybody knew what was going on except for her.

"I am speaking, of course, of the succession."

L'iam shook his head. "Pleasea"

"I am sorry," she said insistently, "but the L'avan are frightened and without a leader. The king and his eldest son are dead, and the next in line must be crowned immediately."

"Why must we do this so soon?" asked a white haired Advisor at the far end of the table.

The man seated next to him answered. "Our people need someone to show them that we can move on from this horrible tragedy. They need to know that we can all move forward. They need a king."

"Also, what if the enemy army returns?" added another woman. "We would need a king to lead us then."

L'iam spoke up suddenly. "A king may not be enough."

This brought several alarmed expressions to their faces. Some of the Advisors even half rose out of their seats in dismay.

"Your Highness?"

A humorless smile touched his lips as he guessed what they were thinking. "I am not refusing the throne. My father prepared both of his sons for the duties of a king. Even so, the L'avan need something more to look to than just a king."

His eyes turned to Adesina expectantly, hoping that she would choose to become the person they so desperately needed her to be.

She thought carefully about what he was asking of her. Doubts and concerns and reservations swirled around in her head, but somehow she knew that she could not afford to listen to them. She had chosen her path, and now she must follow it to the end.

"The Threshold Child," she said softly.

L'iam nodded, his face a mixture of pride and relief. "The Threshold Child."

Murmurs broke out around the table. One woman leaned forward in disbelief. "Do you mean to say that you have found the Threshold Child?"

His eyes never left Adesina's face. "Yes, that is exactly what I mean."

The full meaning of his words slowly sank in, and all eyes turned to the young woman's pale face. A shocked awe filled the makeshift council room.

"But, why now? Now that those mercenaries have left us to die?" asked a frail old man.

"Why did she not save us from this terrible ma.s.sacre?"

L'iam immediately defended her. "She has only recently discovered her place among our people. More importantly, she was risking her life to save the lives of the L'avan who had been taken prisoner by the Shimat. We did not know that our homeland was under attack."

The council seemed mollified, but they were at a loss as to what action to take next. "What now, your Highness? Shall we send out a proclamation?"

"No," Adesina said instantly.

L'iam agreed with her. "No, we will make no announcements. We will do all the things we should have been doing all along, and everything else will fall into place."