The Crossing (Book One)

Epilogue: Crown Guard

"From this moment on things will be different. Do you understand that?" Aurora nodded at Tezaro's question. They were waiting in a room at the palace in Crown Guard.

The city was sprawled across the bottom of a mountain side with multiple coves filled with docks. It seemed to Aurora that some of the buildings floated into the waters of the fast flowing river like tentacles.

At first sight, the city appeared to be washed away by sparkling bubbles but as they reached the shore Aurora saw domed shaped windows in various shades of blue and purple glass adorning most of the buildings. It was unlike anything she had ever seen.

The palace itself amazed her the most. As with the city, the palace was spread across the cliff walls. The dome structures of the palace resembled ships sailing out of the rock among long thin streams of waterfalls.

It was in one of those 'ships' that Tezaro spoke with Aurora. "There's one more thing." Tezaro pulled Aurora to the side from Eri and Owen. "You have something of mine."

"Oh, right of course." She began to remove the locket and hesitated as it crossed over her head. She looked at it then at Tezaro whose eyes were focused on the locket in her hands. "I wish I didn't have to return it."

For a moment he almost faltered, but it was best this way. After this, she would be farther away from him than ever before. As soon as she passed through that doorway, she would be out of his reach. Aurora would become royalty and he had nothing but a doomed prophecy to offer her.

"It might sound silly, but it gave me comfort to know that you were always nearby. I felt safe."

Reluctantly he took it from her, feeling utterly broken by accepting his crest. Better the pain of the sword slicing through his chest than the pain he felt now.

The door opened and their attention turned to the woman that entered. Her hair and eyes were that of charcoal on tan skin and only a few crease lines marked her age. She wore white robes with a simple pale blue tunic and a large sash across her waist.

When she entered the room her eyes glimmered at Tezaro with motherly warmth. Tezaro approached her, and yet her eyes remained fixated on Aurora. "It does me good to see you Tezaro and in such wonderful company." She glanced at Eri and Owen before lavishing a smile on him with open arms.

Tezaro walked into her embrace. "It's been a long time, lady Neera. Are you well?"

"Stop that. You know better than to use a title for me. You are like a son to me." She kissed him on the cheek before she released him. Her gaze then returned to Aurora. "But you are not here to ask about my well being. Go on then, he's waiting for you."

"You know?"

"Do you even have to ask? Nothing happens within this rock that does not reach my ears." She padded his hand and walked to the others. "I'll just visit with your friends while we wait, hmm?"

Nodding, Tezaro walked towards the door and looked one last time at Aurora. His words came back to haunt him. From this moment on things will be different. Resigned, he shut the door and faced the Steward of Armindia.

A month ago he had stood in this very room with the stars as witness threatening the Steward. Now, in the early morning, hope teased him with justice for his brother.

In his clothing, Anthonias was a drop of blood against the book lined walls that loomed over him. This time, it was he who dispensed with formalities. "You have returned. I assume you have the Key or are you here to carry out your threat to kill me?" The light that streaked in highlighted every deep wrinkle that carved his face.

"She's in the other room waiting."

The fruition of years of guarding the throne and waiting for the Key was beyond the door. Ignoring Tezaro, the Steward made for the door to judge Armindia's savior. But he did not get far before he was intercepted.

"Wait." Tezaro's command sliced the air. "Aurora may not be what you expected. She's incredibly stubborn, but also brave. Not many would enter a Crossing without knowing anyone or anything. And she's scared."

"How do you know this?"

All the memories he had gathered in the past month of her flooded him; each one fighting to the surface and be relived. "I know her."

The white haired Steward absorbed the information and stored it. "What is it she fears?"

"She's afraid of what you want from her. Of what everyone will expect of her. She's smart enough to understand the implications of what she's getting into." Years before he'd been in her place. It was daunting feeling.

"We all must face our destiny."

"But not through manipulation."
Anthonias studied the man before him. Something was different. There was a change in him even though the taciturn attitude remained. "You've formed an attachment to the girl." If he expected a reaction, there was none.

"I've done what you've asked. Now tell me what it is I want to know."

With deliberate calmness, Anthonias walked to his desk and retrieved a small leather scroll. "You'll find what you need in there."

Positive that Anthonias knew its contents, Tezaro left it sealed. "What does it say?"

"They are instructions to finding the man you are looking for." No attempt was made to deny knowing what the scroll held. "As it happens, your search across Armindia was pointless. He is elvin and has refused to speak further of what he knows. He will speak only with you."

Finally, something tangible for him to follow. "Where can I find him?"

"Kai'lym. He is a servant of House Verakis. His name is Nim."

A/N: Well, we made it! This is it for book one in what I'm calling The Crossing Trilogy. Thank you for sticking by me with some of my more long winded prose and some of the head hopping that goes on with my characters. Read on for more information on book two!