Theskybrokeopenand rain poured down upon my upturned face, cleansing me of the death that had become one with me. Using the shadows, I shielded Riella from the downpour while Emon's wraith form repelled it completely, and then carefully stepped over the heavy water cascading off each step. The sight of it was magical, a clear fluid waterfall that poured over the smooth steps from the sky above, sparkling from the brilliant glow of The Well.
A flash of light shot through the heavy rain and I exhaled when the ethereal glow coming off a black scaled water fae with a matching set of electric blue hair and eyes peered back at me.
"Bay." My voice solemn, a part of me was not surprised to see her here, her big eyes widening as she took me in.
"My lady Solaire!" She waved her finned hands frantically, "Oh no, I apologize! My Goddess, Goddess of the Well, Remnant Dark!" She bowed low, her long blue hair sticking to her scales inthe torrential downpour. Lightning cracked across the sky illuminating her gentle yet vibrant presence.
I smiled sadly, she had not changed in death, still vibrant andtalkative. "Please do not bow to me, friends have no need to bow to one another and I had hoped you considered me a friend at one time." I opened my arms. "And I do believe friends embrace." I said gently, water sputtering from my lips.
Bay rose, her webbed hands cupping her face with pink tinged eyes—water fae tears. "Oh my goddess, yes of course! Always my lady, my goddess, my friend," she grinned, her sharp razor teeth flashing before she stepped into my arms.
I don't know how long we stood there, holding one another while Wrath’s storm pelted us with its heavy rain. Grief weighed heavily on the bright soul that should have lived a full happy life with her artful paints and open heart. Turning inward to my sight, I basked in her bright blue aura, the one I would have seen the first day we met had not the Sanguine taken everything from her.
Pulling away, her webbed hands touched my face gently, careful of her sharp claws, the water dripping off of us in rivulets. "You are exactly what I thought you would look like in land fae form…although a bit wet still."
Waving her hand, she weaved the water, pulling it from around me and creating an invisible umbrella. Suddenly dry, I touched my wind blown hair with surprise.
She nodded eagerly to herself. "Yes, yes, that is exactly how I pictured your hair…so beautiful with those dark shades of blue and your eyes." She grinned, her sparkling gaze caught on the swirled ink of my arms and she traced her clawed nail along the markings. "You had these before we met, yes?" Glancing up, to see me nod she grinned even wider, if I didn't know her disposition well I would have said she looked almost sinister. "These are the markings I pictured when I painted your scales. It was as if I could see every one of these swirls…it was my favorite work I had ever done."
"As it was mine."
She smiled shyly then, pulling her hand away and shielding her eyes through the rain to look down at Riella. "The little fry," she breathed and stooped on the step. "I am sorry Mariella. I should have tried to protect you better. Had I questioned more…"
Riella tilted her head and bright lightning crashed around us, making her crown surge with its energy. Also staying dry from the shadows, her spirit guide mimicked her movement. "I know you.You're Bay, the cousin of my…" she glanced up at me, "of Kira's guard."
Bay smiled gently. "Yes. I hope you will forgive me…and the water fae one day sweet little fry. We should have protected you, cherished you." Glancing up at me she smiled sadly, "found your true mother for you."
I watched as my daughter frowned, suddenly gripping the dragon scale tightly around her neck. "If I forgive you, will you help my mother?"
"Riella—" catching Emon's eye, he shook his head and my lips thinned.
Ignorant of our exchange, Bay nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes of course! That is why I am here." Rising she turned back to me, her features turning dark and fierce. "My life was taken from me too soon…I want to see the blood witch pay for what she has done to me…and to my people. We will take long to recover from what the Sanguine has done. As your shadow, your lilin, I will assist you in painting the lands red with her blood."
Raising my chin, I honored the ferocity of her vow, "I accept."
Bay nodded, "I also warn you, the souls after me…they are eager to meet you but not in the way you hope."
I nodded, knowing deep in the depths of my soul what I would face. "They are the souls of Morta."
"What?"Emon snarled in my mind.
"Hush, shifter, it is only logical, their lives were taken too soon, of course some of them would want retribution."
Bay's eyes gleamed through the pouring rain. "They want you to hurt, my goddess, and they will try but know that there are rules that bind us all to The Well. If they break them, you have the right to forfeit their soul."
Emon growled low, not liking her words one bit, his claws slashed downward through the rain, glinting in the storm. "Promise me you will forfeit them if they harm you, Remnant."
My lips pursed and I ignored Emon’s lack of control, his anger palpable and it seemed alsodangerous. "Will they try to hurt my daughter and soulmate?"
"Remnant…"Emon growled, this time the warning inside my mind.
Bay’s eyes widened as if she had not thought of this, her concern focused solely on me. "They may try." Her eyes flashed along with a bodily shaking crack of thunder. "I will not let them, never again."
My newly acquired shadows rose up between us and Bay tilted her head—listening? She nodded, drawing her wet hair around her, wringing out the long rivulet of tresses.
"We are in agreement. We will not let them hurt any of you should they step out of line but your lilin say you must appeal to their vengeful side to alter their focused hatred of you."
"If they don't behave, I will devour them myself," Emon snarled, flashing me a glare that said he was not happy about my ignoring him.
