“Take it,” I said, looking up at my daughter when I was finally strong enough to stand again. “Claim the village. It was always your inheritance. Don’t let anyone steal it from you.”
I watched the wild Darklings who continued to hover and lurk in dangerous, brooding clusters, knowing that their storm of black wings could rain another attack at any moment. I was ready to fight, if need be, to claim what was rightfully ours. Elspeth turned slowly, gazing at the crowd that had surrounded us. I could sense the anger within her, a righteous anger, and I smiled when she brazened a clenched fist over her head.
“You have broken your sacred vows today!” she cried, her eyes like flames in the darkness. “Life and limb. You dared to attempt the Feast of Forbidden Dreams!”
She took a step forward, one hand pointing in accusation at the horde of Darkings, their voices now a low chattering moan. “I curse you!” she said. “All of you—”
The moon seemed to draw nearer as she spoke, until the luminous orb was three times its normal size. It set Elspeth aglow with a silver-blue fire. Strands of thin white lightning danced about her, crackling and sizzling. “—How dare you try to take anything from this village, from this land that is my birthright!”
Then she stared up at the moon, raised both hands above her head, palms open, and she cried out, a primal shout so raw that it cut all who heard it in the belly and few could stay standing on their feet. Like a shock wave, it surged forward, causing the mountain itself to tremble. In the near distance, trees wavered and houses shook, windows near and far rattled and broke.
Both of Elspeth’s arms swung down and in that instant an impenetrable darkness fell from the heavens, her enchantment so strong that it wiped out all sound and movement. It forced everyone to stop and listen. The entire crowd of Darklings turned, every one of them facing her now.
“A curse be upon you and your entire clan,” she continued. “On those who live here and those back in the homeland. Barrenness shall fall upon your houses and every harvest you gather shall turn bitter in your mouths! A curse be upon each and every one of you, if you do not grant me obeisance on this day.”
As one, their heads lowered.
“Kneel!” Elspeth demanded.
And all the Darklings knelt before her. Even her own kinsmen.
I too knelt, until she took me by the hand and nodded for me to rise. From that point on, I stood at her side as each of the wild Darklings came forth, one by one, each pledging that they would never hunt again in Ticonderoga Falls without her permission. This act of fealty lasted for hours, until the moon hovered on the edge of the horizon, almost ready to slip away and give the world back to her sister, the sun. Then finally, at last, a quiet peace rolled over the field, as if all the venom had been drained from an old wound. Now the humans gathered in small groups, laughing and joking, as if they knew that they were safe from the nightmarish beasts that still roamed the field. Like weary children, the humans began to scatter, free to go home now, their innocence intact.
Just as it should be.
Only a few remained.
Joe Wimbledon ambled forward then, his limp more pronounced than before. His clothes were dusted with snow and dirt, for he had been among those harvested in the field. He knelt before me, although we both knew that I was no longer the ruler and Joe had relinquished his title as Legend Keeper.
“You will always be my friend,” I told him as we clasped hands and I lifted him to his feet. “And I promise safety for you and your family for all that you have done for me.”
Joe nodded his head quietly, tears in his eyes, perhaps saddened because he could no longer hear the whispering Legend as it cantered among the treetops.
Ross Madera came forward next, concern on his face. Despite all he had been through tonight, my friend approached with only thoughts of my well-being. “Come with me,” he said. “Let me bandage your wound. I’ll see if I can find something to take away the sting of pain—”
“Not yet,” I answered. “I’ll stop by later.”
Sienna watched the two of us, something in her eyes much deeper than hunger when she looked at Ross.
“Let me see your arm,” I said to Ross.
He pulled back his sleeve to reveal the long jagged scar on his forearm. I whispered a singsong poem, words that none but a Darkling could understand, and the mark on Ross’s arm vanished.
“I release you,” I said with a smile. “Now you’re free to choose.”
Sienna and Ross strolled away, arm in arm, as if they had known each other all their lives. I could hear her chatting in a low, sultry tone about possibly moving to Ticonderoga Falls and making it her home.