Page 28 of Regal Rising

Achilles looked at them. “I think I need to hear this.”

Kay hauled them off to the woods, chairs and the two djinn just appeared, and everyone sat for a chat.

Regis looked to Vemel. “Do you know what this is about?”

He frowned. “No, I don’t. I am intensely curious, though. Teyval looks like he’s laying an egg, and if Achilles covers his mouth any harder, he’s going to cave his skull in. Myrtle looks like she’s having fun.”

Regis looked to Myrtle. Her eyes were wide and sparkling, and her fingers itched as if she wanted to be writing or typing. “Yeah, she’s nearly humming with energy.”

Regis watched until Pandora said, “We need to get Achilles and Teyval back. The show is about to start.”

Achilles reached out to touch Kay, but she smiled, and he didn’t make contact. All three of them bowed to Kay and slowly returned to the stage area. Achilles, Teyval, and Myrtle all looked like they had a shock.

Regis asked, “Myrtle, are you okay?”

“Oh, it explains so much. She said I could write it. I don’t know where to start.” Myrtle looked around blindly, and Denith came to take her to their seats.

Regis looked at the filling venue. Ira came to her and said, “We have to sit. It’s important.”

Regis nodded, and Elaheh sat with them as the fashion show for donations for the school expansion started.

Each designer had a theme. Horror, circus, science fiction, and the zodiac. Pandora’s offering would have gotten a lot more attention if there hadn’t been over seventy elves in the audience.

When Pandora grabbed Kay and hugged her for the final bow, there was applause, cheering from the children, then there was a light in the sky, and it was rapidly getting larger.

Regis got to her feet and pushed Ira behind her. She was going to take a step toward the incoming light, but a warm hand grabbed her wrist.

She looked up and saw a familiar smile. “Hello, love. Just wait here. This isn’t your fight.”

Regis looked into his eyes and lunged into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back. “It is good to see you, love.”

She looked up, and her tears covered her cheeks. “What’s your name?”

“Avor. Avor Rush.” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her.

There was a gentle tugging at her arm, and she suddenly remembered where she was. She reluctantly leaned away. “Oh, Avor, this is our daughter. Amiraith. We call her Ira.”

He kept his hand on her waist as he crouched and smiled at Ira, eye to eye. “Hello, Ira.”

Ira smiled. “You’re my dad. Do you have wings?”

“Yes. Four shapes and three have wings.”

Ira stuck her small hand out. “Pleased to meet you.”

Regis swallowed as his hand wrapped around Ira’s entire wrist to shake her hand. He smiled and blinked away tears. “Pleased to meet you. I dreamed about you and your mom.”

“And my sister?”

Regis froze. “What?”

“My sister. I had a sister the first time.” Ira smiled. “I knew her when I saw her the first time. She glows the same.”

Regis said, “You never had a sister. We died the night you were born, baby.”

Ira sighed. “Yes, I did. She just never came out of your tummy.”

Regis froze. “Baby, you haven’t mentioned it.”

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