DragonKnight - Donita K. Paul [163]
His eyes fell again on Kale, and his heart tightened with the need to hold her, to have his arms around her, to never let her go.
“Yes,” Bardon said. “Each of these people is precious to someone, and all of them are precious to Wulder.”
“Indeed,” said his commander.
Paladin turned away from him, withdrawing his hand from Bardon’s shoulder. He put his fists to his hips and surveyed those servants who’d fallen as the earth quaked. One by one, as his gaze rested upon them, their color returned, their breathing deepened, and they moved, stretching and sitting up, blinking as they looked around. Gymn and Ardeo fluttered up from the floor and sought Kale. Sittiponder hugged Toopka. Ahnek stood and turned in a circle, his mouth hanging open as he took in the wondrous scene. Those among the warriors who were injured received healing.
“Bardon,” a soft voice spoke behind him, and he turned to see Granny Kye standing with her eldest twin. Her small, dark face beamed with joy.
Bardon put his arms around her and squeezed. “You have both your sons, alive and well. I’d say our quest has been successful.”
“And you’ve gained someone as well,” she said.
Bardon looked over her head to Kale, who was making her way through the crowd to him.
“Yes, very definitely.” He grinned at Kale and, as their eyes met, winked.
“Oh, I’d forgotten Kale,” said Granny Kye. “So I guess we should make that two someones. No, three. Four!”
Bardon leaned back to look down into her glowing countenance. He knew his face must be a mask of confusion, because she laughed.
“I’m your grandmother, N’Rae is your cousin, and, Bardon…” She eased out of his embrace so that he could face her eldest son. “Meet your father.”
EPILOGUE
The Knights’ Chamber hung silent even though crowded by the entire questing party and the rescued knights. Paladin crouched before Fenworth’s tree and spoke quietly to Toopka. The little girl had wedged herself in the old wizard’s branches.
Bardon put his arms around Kale as she started to go forward. “Let Paladin handle this.”
“Come, Toopka.” Paladin held his arms out to receive her.
She shook her head. “No, he’s sleeping. He always becomes a tree when he sleeps.”
Paladin nodded, his eyes filled with compassion. “This time he is not asleep, but gone.”
“No, no, no!”
Paladin reached in to touch her hand. He rubbed gently. “Come to my arms, child.”
To Bardon’s surprise, the doneel girl let go of her hold of a branch and slipped into Paladin’s embrace.
She collapsed against his shoulder, and he stood, patting her back. “I know for a fact that Wizard Fenworth told you he was going to die.”
She nodded, keeping her face buried.
“He is not lost to us, Toopka, but waits for us to join him in another place. Isn’t that what he told you?”
She nodded again and lifted her tear-stained face. “He said he was going to go take a walk with Wulder and ask Him some things he never got figured out.”
Paladin smiled. “And by now our friend Fenworth has his answers. It’s all right to miss him, but do not despair. The Tomes make it clear that this is only a temporary world we live in.” He hugged her. “The Tomes also give us instructions as to what to do in such a time as this.”
“What?”
“Talk to the living. There are stories in this room that are just waiting to be told. Are you curious about Granny Kye’s sons?”
Bardon caught his breath, and Kale squeezed his arm.
“He didn’t desert you,” she whispered.
He shook his head but couldn’t answer past the lump in his throat. He had avoided Granny Kye’s eldest son in the chaos after the battle. It hadn’t been difficult. Paladin had issued orders, and Bardon sprang to obey. When they reached this room, he’d chosen to stand on the opposite side beside Kale,