Page 40 of Hainn

Murmurs from the Badari behind her brought Jezari’s attention back to the body of the alien woman. Something was happening as the birds continued to circle the container. It was as if the woman was becoming sparkling dust, little by little and the wind carried the glittering particles away, lifting them high into the sky as the songbirds escorted them aloft. In a rush the entire body dissolved and a wave of the ashes or whatever they were flew over the lake, whooshing past Aydarr and Jezari and spreading over the surface of the water. A portion of the sparkling fragments sank into the water and the rest were lifted into the sky yet again, to vanish from sight as they journeyed.

Aydarr grabbed Jezari by the elbow and drew her away from the now empty container, which was folding in on itself as if melting. Hainn joined her at a safe distance and they watched together as the lady of the lake’s imprisoning capsule became smaller and smaller until it was a mere puddle of metal on the lakeshore. There was a flare of blue and purple flame and when the afterimage cleared from her eyes, Jezari saw there was nothing left of the container but a scorch mark on the ground, which was a huge relief to her. She wanted all traces of the lady and her sad fate to be gone, nothing left to tie any part of the woman’s soul or essence to the spot.

She checked but the goddess had departed.

“I think our task is complete,” Aydarr said, consulting Jezari. “What say you, Daughter?”

“Yes, there’s nothing else left to deal with,” she said, wondering if she was the only one who’d seen the Great Motherperforming her miracle. “Thank you all for helping retrieve her and for coming today to bear witness to the conclusion of Ilynis’s journey.”

“Sandara has catered a special breakfast,” Daegan announced. “Anyone who cares to partake is invited to walk with us to the commissary. The meal is in honor of the ceremony just concluded and also the mating of Hainn and Jezari.” He gave her a glance and a wink, having agreed not to mention the pregnancy for now. Jezari wanted to keep it between herself and Hainn for as long as she could. There’d be a day to announce the news but it wasn’t today, thank the goddess.

One thing left for her to do, one open issue to resolve. Jezari moved to intercept Timtur, laying one hand on his arm. “Thank you for watching over Ilynnis and your words and song today.”

“Of course, Daughter. It was my honor as Chief Healer to help set this ancient wrong to rights.”

“I wanted to apologize for any embarrassment or discomfort I caused you or your mate when I was so sick,” she said, the words coming out in a rush.

Timtur patted her hand and smiled. “It was a new situation for all of us. Lily and I only wished you the best. We understood your condition and what you’d survived at the hands of the Khagrish. I think you ended up with the right healer after all, don’t you?”

Hainn stood at her shoulder, his arm around her waist and she leaned into him. “Oh yes, I couldn’t be happier,” Jezari said.

The Senior Healer winked. “And more good news to come at a later date, I know. But my lips are sealed. See you at the breakfast.” He moved on.

“What a relief to finally address the issue with him and clear the air,” Jezari said, rubbing her chest, where it did indeed feel as if a great weight had been lifted. “I didn’t want things to beawkward for the rest of my life when it came to Timtur. I was so foolish.”

“You were unwell and he was the one thing you could cling to at the time,” Hainn said. “As the humans say, all’s well that ends well. We can move on with our lives to new adventures.”

“More surfing,” she said as they followed the crowd in the direction of the commissary.

With a startled laugh Hainn agreed. “I had other things in mind, I must admit. Parenthood among them”

“Ssh, someone will hear.” After checking to see no one was paying attention to them she gave him a quick kiss.

Hainn stopped and held her close. “Are you satisfied the lady of the lake no longer haunts you?”

“Today was perfect. I saw the goddess—did you?”

“No, I wasn’t so blessed but I felt her presence. The Great Mother watches over us all but you seem to have a special link to her. Fitting for a woman about to be a mother and a healer’s mate.”

“I’ve got nine months to get used to being mated,” she said with amusement. “And then we’ll plunge into our next adventure with the baby.”

“We’ll find ways to spend the time, I’m sure,” Hainn said with a grin. “Surfing, if nothing else. We have to practice our lifts.”

She gave him a mock punch on the shoulder and they linked hands and hastened to catch up to the others, bent on celebrating the events of the day. Jezari was confident she and Hainn could handle whatever the future held for them as long as they were together and she sent the goddess a prayer of thanks for all her interventions.

Enough of looking backward to what she’d endured and survived. Time to face the future and embrace the happiness ahead. There might be a war on but within the overarchingsituation, Jezari was determined to pursue her dreams with the man she loved.

The war would end someday and they’d go to their island in the South Seas and live happily ever after.

She knew it.

EPILOGUE

Nine months later…

Jezari rode the waves, surrounded by beautiful ocean vista, with a cobalt blue sky above. The time the waves weren’t the giants forming on the sea mount but the steadily progressing contractions which would prepare her to give birth to the cub she and Hainn so eagerly awaited. Her pregnancy hadn’t been too uncomfortable until the last month when the weight gain seemed intolerable, everything ached and the baby kept kicking her bladder as if it was a tisba ball.

Left to her own devices Jezari would have created a nest for herself far from other people and curled up there to have this baby. Maybe she’d have let Hainn keep her company but in the mood she was in currently that was iffy. Of course there’d been no chance of her reclusive dream happening. Aydarr and Daegan had decreed she had to be closely monitored throughout the pregnancy and the child would be born at the hospital in the valley in case of any emergency. Dr. Madarian, mate to Camron, was an actual human obstetrician before the Khagrish and their allies had kidnapped her along with so many others.She took the lead on Jezari’s pregnancy and Dr. Garrison, mate to Mateer, backed her up. Jezari had grown to appreciate both women over the long months. The pair were cheerful and positive, full of advice when she asked for it and of course Megan, having given birth to her own half Badari daughter, had direct experience to share.

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