Page 108 of Of Empires and Dust
Erik looked at the ground for a moment, then tilted his head sideways.
“What’s wrong?” Calen asked.
“Well…” Erik puffed out his upper lip. “I’m actually not sure who won that argument.”
Dann leaned over, keeping his face as serious as he could. “I’m going to write a poem about you.”
“I definitely didn’t win that one.” Erik pressed his fingers into his cheeks, then took a deep mouthful of mead.
As the nightpressed on and the singing and dancing grew louder, Dann sipped slowly at the mead, just allowing himself to drink in the joy around him. Though he tried not to think too much on what came after. Every soul in this army was marching to war. Many of them might not live to once again see a sky without a crimson moon tainting its hue.
Dann pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He wet his lips with Lasch Havel’s mead, allowing the sweetness to sit on his tongue. If home had a taste, it was Lasch’s mead. Even just the look on Calen’s face had been worth the innumerable bee stings Dann had suffered when trying to help Lasch collect the honey. What it said about Calen that he’d never noticed the red dots all over Dann’s legs was another story.
After a moment, he found his gaze wandering to Lyrei, who sat on the other side of the fire, talking with Sylehna, Narthil, and some of the other elves. Neither of them had said anything about the Eleswea un’il Valana. About how she’d grabbed his hand, about how she’d squeezed it.
Dann shook his head, laughing at himself. Those around him were drinking and dancing and singing, readying themselves tomarch to war, and there he was overthinking the squeeze of a hand. He wasn’t even marching to war. He was staying with Calen.
As he laughed to himself, he found his gaze meeting Lyrei’s, the flames causing her golden eyes to shimmer. His heart stopped, the air catching in his lungs, and then she smiled.
“Dann,” Calen said.
“Hmmm?” Dann stared into Lyrei’s eyes, returning her smile.
“I want you to go with the army tomorrow to Salme.”
“Sorry, you what?” Dann snapped his head around in disbelief. “I thought I was staying here with you? Tarmon is leading the army. I couldn’t lead a fish to water.”
“He is.” Calen leaned forwards and inclined his head to Tarmon, who returned the gesture. “But I want you to go as well. It’s our home, Dann. And what’s more, your mam and dad are there. With any luck I’ll be able to join you before you reach Salme, but if I can’t, you should be there.”
“Mam and Dad…” A realisation set in along with a pang of guilt. All he’d thought about was staying with Calen. Any other choice had seemed pointless. Dann had all but given up on seeing home again anytime soon. He wanted to see his parents. He wanted to hear his mother’s voice, wanted to see his father’s eyes, wanted to let them both know he was all right. But he couldn’t leave Calen alone. Calen already carried so much weight. Dann could see it night and day. He was always tired, always bore dark rings beneath his eyes and resignation in his voice. “I don’t know, Calen. I want to go home, but not without you.”
A weak smile touched Calen’s lips. “I’ll be fine, Dann. Gaeleron will stay with me. As soon as we’ve met with the faction leaders, Valerys and I will fly to join you. But in the meantime, I want you, Erik, and Lyrei to join Tarmon.”
Dann looked over towards Erik, but the man was lying on his back, staring up at the stars, lost in thought.
“Tarmon will be in command,” Calen continued. “But he’s going to need you with him.” He paused as though trying to find the words. “These people,” he said, looking at the men, women, and elves dancing and drinking around them. “They came here from all across Epheria. They came to fight for a reason. As much as it pains me to admit it, Aeson is right. I need to be here for when Aryana Torval and the other leaders arrive. They need to see me and see Valerys. But that doesn’t mean I don’t hate the idea of sending the army off to fight for our home while I sit here and play these games. They look to you, and Tarmon, and Erik, and Vaeril, and Lyrei. Whether you see it yourself or not, to them you are a hero. You charged down a Fade with nothing but your bow. Gods, you killed it. Without a dragon at your side, without the Spark.”
“Well, it did sort of have me by the throat before you showed up.”
“Dann.”
Dann drew a long breath. “I’ll go.”
“Thank you.” Calen leaned across and tipped his cup against Dann’s. “I want you to take Elia and Lasch back with you. This isn’t their home. It’s not fair to keep them here.”
“Ah-hem.”
Both Calen and Dann looked over to where Elia and Lasch sat beside Haem.
“Do we get a say in the matter?” Lasch raised an eyebrow.
“Of course. I…” Calen stammered. “I just thought you’d been here so long you’d want to go home. You’re both stronger now. You…”
Calen stopped talking as Lasch raised a hand in the air.
“There is no home, Calen. The Glade is gone.”
“But the others, they’re in Salme. The Glade might be gone, but the people aren’t.”
