Moonshadow (48 page)

“True,” Terra replied with a soft smile. “But I realize now, that there was always much more to you that only Endymion could see. The two of you have found something that many people have had and lost, and wish beyond anything in this realm, that they could have again.”

Terra’s deep, unhealable, emotional pain echoed within Diana and her own heart reached out to embrace her. Somehow, Terra sensed Diana’s empathetic consolation and smiled her heart-felt appreciation.

“Thank you,” Diana said as she pulled Terra into a warm embrace. “I will repay your kindness, someday, I swear.”

Pulling away, Terra gently placed her hand on Diana’s belly.

“I ask nothing save that the two of you treasure this child like the blessing it is.”

“You have my word,” Diana agreed with determination.

Over the next half hour, Darien swiftly packed the essentials he needed to start their new life on the run. As she watched him struggle to decide on which precious items he could part with, Diana couldn’t help but wonder how they were going to survive what lay before them. In the end, she could only put her faith in their world-defying love. They hadn’t come this far, and been through so much, just to give up now and let unrestrained prejudice and fear destroy something so precious.

With Darien finally packed, it was time to say their farewells.

Standing in the foyer, Diana ran her fingers across the cold marble table as she took one last look around the Shepherd house. As she recalled the memories she’d experienced within those walls, Diana couldn’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes. It had all began there, the night Lani dragged Diana to Andrew’s party. She could still hear the loud music, taste the gross beer, but most of all, she could still feel the unrestrained animosity that had welled up inside of her when Darien found her in his study, and how she had wanted to rip the condescending smile off of his face.

Diana smiled. She
still
wanted to rip that smile of his face, most of the time.

“I’m going to miss this place,” she said with fond remorse.

“Honestly, I will too,” Darien said with a pained smile. “It wasn’t Belaron Stoneheart, but for once in a long while, I felt at home.”

Knowing the true meaning behind his words, Diana nestled against Darien and kissed him. She had felt at home with him, as well. Now, only God knew where home would be.

The thought startled Diana and she realized something she’d yet to consider. “How are we going to get anywhere? We obviously can’t take the Rolls.”

Darien looked a bit concerned about the notion as well. “I thought Maurice could help us procure a suitable vehicle.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Andrew called out, suddenly appearing from out of the kitchen.

“It’s about time you showed up, Anderon,” Terra scolded “Where have you been? Do you even know what has been transpiring under this roof?”

“Spitfire, there isn’t
anything
under this roof that I don’t know about, thank you,” he said with smug confidence. “When I came home to find that you and Miri had abruptly left for Qir’Halzereth, I talked to Marjorie and put the pieces together, myself.”

Andrew shook his head with mock disbelief. “Honestly, Terra? Did you really have to go all the way to the archives? I figured it out in five minutes. We all knew these two were bound to flint sparks, eventually.”

“Anderon, do you have to be so crude?” Darien asked with a sideways grimace.

“Flint sparks?” Diana asked, curious about the turn of phrase.

“It’s an
extremely
juvenile term for love making among the younger generation,” Darien replied with arms crossed.

“Anyways,” Andrew continued. “She was a Moonshadow and she was pregnant, or she wasn’t, and just ate some bad eggs; either way, you’d probably end up on the run, eventually. I figured Terra would be the one to turn on you. Color me surprised.”

“Color you
something
,” Terra said in reply and Andrew just smirked playfully.

“Following the episode with the mongrel football players, Eric and I have gotten to be quite good friends. The two of us have been working on restoring an old classic that I purchased at an auction some time ago. It needed a lot of work, but I’ve spent the last few days putting the finishing touches on it. It’s untraceable to both human and Naphalei authorities, and yours if you wish it.”

Overcome by Andrews offer, Diana rushed to his side and threw her arms around him. “Thank you so much.” 

As he returned her embrace, Diana felt how much Andrew cared for her and Darien, even if he rarely voiced his sentiments.

“Take good care of Endymion,” he said. “You’ve done a good job so far with him. He’s not quite the priggish bore he used to be. Keep it up.”

When Diana let go of Andrew, Darien stepped in and the two Naphalei grasped each other’s forearms.

“You’ve been the brother I never wanted, and the one I wish I had, my friend,” Darien said with a proud smile. “May Elberon weave our journeys together once again.”

“Oh be off with you,” Andrew said with a playful smirk that Diana knew masked the grief welling up in his heart. “Before you make me regret giving you my car.”

With a heavy heart and a sense of finality, Darien opened the front door of Shepherd house for what could quite possibly be the last time.

“Wait!” Miri’s voice called out from the top of the stairs.

In moments, Miri appeared rushing down the steps, attired in her Alma robes, holding a mandolin in her hand.

“Wait, please,” Miri begged again. When she reached Diana, the Alma looked on her with trembling, tear-filled eyes, before taking her friend lovingly in her arms and hugging her so tightly that Diana almost had the wind knocked out of her. “I’m so sorry, Diana. No matter what happens, you are my dear friend and I will always pray to the Powers on your behalf.” Miri pulled away from Diana just enough so she could look her in the face. “Please, before you go, I want to send you off with a dance of blessing. I composed the song as a Christmas gift for you, Diana,” Miri said with remorse. “Will you please accept it?”

“How could I not?” Diana replied with a smile as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. Miri’s touching gift softened whatever hard feelings Diana may have been harboring. “I can’t think of a better sendoff, Miri.” Diana pulled the Alma into another warm embrace. “Thank you.”

After Darien closed the door, he and Diana sat on the sofa in the parlor. Standing before the dancing flames burning within the stone fireplace, Andrew held the mandolin as he masterfully played the beautiful song that Miri had written, while the shrine maiden elegantly danced and pirouetted around Diana and Darien, blessing the two lovers in the way of her people.

When her enchanting dance came to an end, Miri stood before them and placed a hand on each of their heads.

“May Madaera and Elberon bless your love, and may the Powers watch over you and your child. May your lives be sanctified by the Way of the Powers, so that you may always walk in the light in the midst of the darkness, bringing balance to your souls, to each other, and to the Great Mother. Go in love and peace; into this world, through the Veil, and unto the Golden Land Beyond.” Her prayer finished, Miri immediately wrapped herself around their necks in a loving embrace as tears began streaming down her cheeks. “I will miss you both so much. Please be safe.”

They could not have asked for a better farewell from Darien’s pseudo-family. As emotional as the experience had been, Diana knew the next stop along their farewell journey was going to be much harder. She was going to have to say goodbye to Lani—the closest thing she’d ever had to a sister.

When they arrived at her dorm room, Diana found Lani an anxious mess on her bed as she sat with a pizza, waiting for Diana’s safe arrival.

Seeing the pizza box and the nearby DVD case of
Roman Holiday
, Diana’s heart ached. She’d forgotten about Lani’s promise of Pizza with Audrey Night. It had been their particular ritual since the first weeks of school. For a while, due to their busy schedules, Pizza with Audrey had been the only time Diana had gotten to spend with Lani. It had kept them close. Would they ever get to share that simple pleasure together again?

Unable to hold back the quickly forming tears, Diana swiftly rushed to where Lani sat on the bed and held onto her tightly.

“What’s wrong?” Lani asked with a great deal of worry in her voice. “Did that bitch do something to you? I’ll rip her hair out.”

Diana shook her head, trying her hardest to stop crying.

“Diana handled my sister rather well, actually,” Darien declared with a wide grin. “I was very proud of her.”

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” Lani said to Darien in anger.

“It’s okay, Lani,” Diana said, getting a hold herself. “He had to take care of some things.”

It was then that Lani noticed Darien’s suitcase. Quickly looking back to Diana, knowing exactly what it meant, Lani latched onto her just as tightly as Diana had a moment ago.

“No; you don’t have to run,” she pleaded. “No matter how that woman threatened you; you can make it on your own!”

Diana shook her head. “I wish I could explain everything, Lani, I really do, but this is something we have to do. You have to believe me when I say that if we stay, our lives will be in danger—yours and Eric’s as well. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to the only sister I’ve ever known.”

Diana’s tears flowed anew and this time, Lani cried along with her as they continued to hold each other.

“I don’t care about any of it,” Lani said through her weeping. “Whatever it is, you promise me we’ll see each other again, okay?”

Her lips quivering, Diana nodded as best she could.

“Promise me,” Lani demanded again.

“I promise,” Diana said with resolve. “I can’t have my baby growing up never knowing its Godmother, now can I?”

Lani hugged Diana tightly again, refusing to let go.

“If it’s a girl, you’re naming her Audrey!” Lani ordered.

“It’s definitely on the list,” Diana said with a nod.

Darien put a hand on Diana’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, my love, but we must hurry. Time is not on our side.”

Diana nodded, quickly being brought back to the reality of the situation. With a sigh empowered by hours of emotional ups and downs, she began to pack. The somber task was lightened the moment Diana noticed the trunk which held her elven dresses sitting at the foot of her bed. Darien must have wanted to surprise her with them when he returned to campus, but instead, he found Diana lying in a mysterious unconscious state. Unable to part with them again, Diana laid her emerald gown alongside the other dresses, and then packed her favorite pieces of human clothing into Flinders’ smaller trunk. The rest of her clothes she bequeathed to Lani, who accepted them under one condition—that she get to return them as soon as Diana came back.

Knowing that the Naphalei would most likely employ human thralls to track them, Diana had to leave her computer and cell phone behind. The notion pained Diana at first, but she had to admit that she’d gotten rather used to not using technology over the course of their journey to Qir’Aflonas.

Soon after Diana finished packing, Eric arrived to make his own goodbyes to Diana and Darien, and to give them Andrew’s precious gift—a domineering black muscle-car. When she first laid eyes on it, Diana couldn’t help but think it suited Andrew’s personality. If she had to venture at a guess, she’d say it was an early 70’s model. What the make was, Diana couldn’t say, but she liked the hood ornament—a red and silver knight’s helmet

Once he saw the group walking his way, Eric quickly closed the distance and slipped his arm his behind Lani’s back. When he saw the grief in Lani’s eyes, he kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Diana smiled at how much her two friends loved each other.

“I wish you two the world,” she said through tear-filled eyes and then embraced them both. “Make the most of your time together, and always show each other every love and respect.”

“You act like this is the last time we’ll ever see you, Diana,” Eric replied with a confused yet reassuring smile. “Once you guys have everything sorted out, you’ll be back.”

Diana forced a nod, desperately wishing that Eric’s words held some truth in them, but she doubted it. She had no way of knowing that Eric and Lani would even live to see tomorrow, once the Shadowstalker came looking for her.

Once Darien had packed their belongings into the trunk of the car, he opened the driver’s door and held out his hand to Diana.

“We need to be on our way,” he said with fear and regret in his eyes, wishing he could give Diana more time with her friends.

Diana nodded and then gave Eric and Lani one last tear-filled goodbye before easing in behind the wheel of the car.

As Diana cautiously drove down the street, she gazed in the rear-view mirror to take one last look at Flinders University. The falling snow had given the campus the extra bit of the elegance that Foxwell’s legacy deserved. Diana’s gaze lingered on the library—her sanctuary; her refuge in times of loneliness and uncertainty.