The Source: Book III of the Holding Kate Series (29 page)

The first team scheduled to jump was Dirk, Brashtor, and Najwa. They were going to jump back five hundred years from the plague cure to the Gol Massif and Western Coastal Regions. Since the sickness had been lighter in those regions, they felt that would be enough time to distribute the vaccine and encode the area’s DNA with immunities.

Corey embraced Dirk. “You have been the best commander and friend a man could have,” he whispered into Dirk’s collar. “Thank you for the sacrifice you are making.” Corey held him at arm’s length and steadily gazed into his eyes, pouring peace and comfort into his jump commander.

Corey glanced at Najwa, who stood near the crates, staring into the distance. “Dirk, I know we are angry at her right now, but she does have some redeeming qualities.”

Dirk grimaced. “Corey, I don’t have to forgive her, just seed her.”

“No!” Corey shook his head and grief skittered across his face. “No. You deserve better than that, Dirk. Only for love. Don’t go into this with a mission on your mind. Go because you seek a purpose. Seek to forgive, seek to love.”

Dirk searched Corey’s eyes and his stern countenance broke into relief. “I will, Corey. I’ll take your advice to heart. Thank you.”

Dirk turned to say goodbye to Trip and Tara. “Ah, Tara, you goddess of a woman!” He wrapped her in a bear hug and lifted her off the ground. “If only I’d been quicker on the uptake, I might have been able to secure you before Trip did.”

She laughed as he set her down, squeezed his shoulder. “Be safe, Dirk.”

He turned to the other Keepers, but Corey’s attention was diverted to the conversation between Brashtor and Starlythe.

“Cheulseti’s arms are always open to her brave warriors, Brashtor. If you are able, find your way home to us. If not, then go brave soul and create a better world with your integrity and honor.” She kissed him on the lips and wrapped him in a huge hug, then he knelt at her feet and she took a red hot instrument, dipped it into a blue powder, and pressed it to his cheekbone, beneath his right eye.

“Now, all Cheleuthi will know you are honored with the highest acclaim.” Staid lifted him to his feet and pressed a leaf covered with blue paste onto the burn mark on his cheek.

Brashtor, overcome with emotion, fell into the arms of each of his Cheleuthi friends, and they bid each other safe travels. Corey shook his hand and blessed him with kind words of encouragement.

Dirk and Brashtor made their way to the jump area and stood on either side of Najwa. She did not move until the sound of the sphere, then she quickly raised her eyes and stared at Corey.

In that brief flash Corey forgave her and sent her off with a reassuring smile.

Manifus and Krenne were the next to leave. A joyful feeling surrounded their departure. They were so pleased to be heading off together toward an unknown adventure, that their enthusiasm was contagious. Corey thought it felt like sending a newly married couple off after their wedding. He felt he should throw rice or blow bubbles or something.

Starlythe performed her ritual on both of them. Unexpected tears welled in Manifus’ eyes when she turned to don him with the coveted marks of the warriors.

“But Chief Starlythe, I am a bard, not a warrior,” he said through tears.

“You have secured a place among the bravest of all Cheleuthi. You are a bard and a warrior of the highest caliber.” She seared the mark into his cheekbone.

Corey was able to see the shape of the mark this time. It was a circle with a spiraling loop engulfing it.
A sphere
, Corey thought. He suddenly wished he knew the story behind all of the tattoos that they bore.

Stealthlin and Candol were next. Corey approached them with a smile, but as he neared them they all three broke into sobs and held each other. These had been his closest friends for thirty seven years. They had built this town together, struggled, laughed, grew strong, helped each other through marriage issues, grieved the never ending dead, and celebrated each moment of life. Corey had never known more noble people than Stealthlin and Candol. They were his brother and sister. It was impossible to say goodbye to them. It felt even worse without Kate, incomplete and somehow a sacrilege.

“Corey, it was all a lie. She is out there and she loves you deeply.” Candol held his face between her hands. A fierceness flashed through her eyes as she spoke to him. “Find her. Bring her home to your arms.”

“I will. I promise.”

Stealthlin grabbed him again in a strangling hug. “Find us if you can. We will build a home for you next to ours and keep it ready for your return.”

“The day I find Kate, we will come for you,” he promised.

Starlythe stepped forward, hugged them, and performed her ceremony. Tears trickled into the leaves pressed to their cheeks as they jumped.

Drayse and Eunavae were next. Starlythe wept bitterly in his arms, whispering things Corey could not hear. Perhaps they were closer than the others or her reaction peaked from saying goodbye to the last of her warband. She branded him with the honored tattoo and turned to wait for Eunavae.

Eunavae and Tara were hugging and crying so hard they shook as one.

Tara pushed her hair back from her face. “I remember when I first met you, this was pink.”

Eunavae laughed through her tears. “Yes, and you were a stuck up bitch that we all thought was too good for us. Until you saved me from the sea monster.”

“You and your potty mouth won me over. I knew we were going to be friends from the moment you yelled out ‘what the crap?’ in the middle of orientation.”

Corey laughed and looked at Trip, who nodded in memory.

“You are my two-century sister and brother.” She reached for Corey and pulled them into a group hug. “I will never have such long-lived and meaningful friends as you. We have been together for two hundred years.” She reached out and scooped Trip into the embrace. “You’re the big brother I always wanted. I’ll never forget our stars.” She kissed his lips.

“I’ll miss you, Pinky,” Trip whispered into her hair.

Drayse cocked his head. “Wait a minute, did you say two hundred years? How old are you?”

The group broke into tearful hysterics as they wiped their eyes and shared kisses.

Eunavae stood before Corey and searched his eyes for a long time. “I simply cannot say goodbye to you, Corey.” Her voice broke and tears ran down her face. “You’re always with me, every day. I think of you and I’m stronger and a better person because of it. You’ve always inspired me to hold on, have faith, and believe.” She wiped her tears, then grasped Corey’s forearms.

“Now, I say to you, Cianti Todura, hold on, have faith, and believe. She came for you after two hundred years. She will come to you again. Don’t give up.”

“Eunavae, my sister.” Corey held her for a long moment, neither of them wanted to let go. It was just too painful.

Finally, Eunavae drew back and looked into Corey’s face. “Sing it for me, one more time.”

Trip and Tara reached for each other as Corey’s lips quivered. He didn’t know if he could sing, he was so choked up. Especially this song. Not without Kate at his side. But it was the least he could do for his brave sister who was sacrificing her life to save this world.

He looked at Drayse and then Eunavae, then took their hands and joined them. Eunavae gasped at the significance and looked into Drayse’s eyes. He gazed down on her with such love and devotion that the moment became sacred.

Corey swallowed and cleared his voice, then choked out the Immortal Song, binding the two into one. Corey sang the Darchori marriage ceremony over Drayse and Eunavae and forever sealed them together.

Hold me close, fly with me

Across immortal portals free.

Fall into the lover’s sea.

With lips so full of worship.

I will hold you for all time.

Come and press your heart to mine.

With my promise on your breast

I live in your nearness.

Hold me fast, come let’s go

Where fireflies bask in afterglow.

My kiss enfolds the tender soul

“In bliss so full of worship,” he sang the last line of the song and Drayse took Eunavae’s face into his hands and tenderly pressed his lips to hers.

“Forever, you are my wife, my sister, my kin. I take you Eunavae into myself, to protect and cherish for eternity,” he whispered the Cheleuthi vows and Eunavae wrapped her arms around him and kissed him so passionately that everyone in the room broke into smiles and chuckles.

“Ditto that,” she sighed when they broke apart.

He laughed and gazed at her with a new fire kindled beneath his gaze.

Starlythe stepped forward. “Eunavae, when a Cheleuthi warrior takes a bride from outside the clan, we put her through a series of lessons and tests to prove to all of the clan that she is worthy. You have already succeeded in all tasks that were set before you and we find you worthy to be called Cheleuthi.”

She held up the tattoo instrument. “Because the two of you confess your intent to become one and because you have spoken vows binding your hearts together, as Chief of the Cheleuthi, I Starlythe ap Murkhul welcome you into our family and our tribe. I do not have the traditional tattoo for marriage but this will speak far louder than that symbol, for it comes from both of your worlds.” She turned Eunavae’s hand over and seared the sphere into the tender flesh of her left wrist, then did the same to Drayse.

Staid put the leaves on the brands and embraced both of them.

They stepped to their supplies, embraced, and turned to look at their dearest loved ones. “I love you, all!” Eunavae’s voice quaked with emotion as the sphere fell, leaving the echo of her sentiment ricocheting from heart to heart.

Starlythe turned to Staid and performed the tattoo ceremony on him, and then he did the same to her. They sealed their tattoos with a passionate kiss that lit fire to the room.

Starlythe and Tara stood looking into each other’s faces for a long time. Then Starlythe said, “The day I look into a mirror and find shining from my eyes the integrity and honor that shines from yours, is the day I will be complete.”

Tara embraced her. “I don’t have your fancy words, Starlythe, but you’ve been an example of grace and beauty, strength and honor to me. I will never forget you, my daughter.”

Staid walked up to Corey and clasped his forearm. “Stand firm. Love is not hindered by time or distance. I know this.” He glanced at Starlythe. “Follow it. It will lead you to her.”

“Thank you, Staid. I will.” Corey turned to Starlythe. “I’ll do my best to get word to you and let you know how things turn out.”

“Good. But I already know how things turn out. I lived and ruled in the future we create today. We go to recreate the reality we’ve already lived, the outcome that was stolen by this evil man. We go to reclaim Ampeliagia’s true history. It is a good thing we do now.” She hugged him, then she and Staid moved to their supplies and jumped.

Corey, Trip, and Tara drew in deep breaths, let them out, and collapsed into the chairs around them.

“Grueling,” Trip moaned. “I’m exhausted.”