***
I continued to feel Exinious’ arms around me, but saw only stars and the dark night sky. The stars turned to streaks of light. I felt as though I were descending in the cage the bird carried. I closed my eyes and huddled against Exinious. So long as I felt him I knew no fear.
When the feeling of gliding ended, and my feet once again felt solid ground, I lifted my head. We were still in the fortress before his throne. The gods and goddesses were gone. I looked around me with lingering disorientation. Then I fixed on my husband.
Exinious smiled. “I brought the fortress to my home.”
“Your…home?”
“Helder referred to planets. We’re on a different planet from where we were. I can school you on that later.” He touched my back gently. “Come with me. You’ll see it’s very different outside.”
I didn’t move. My lower lip quivered as I tried to form words. “My…little brother…”
He smiled again and soothed my hair. “Have no fear. Trust me, Ashla.” He continued to guide me forward. “Come.”
He brought me up to the highest spires of the fortress where I’d gazed down on the village. We were at the back of his fortress, opposite to the side I’d been before. What I saw took long moments for my mind to decipher. It was a village, certainly, but greater than my own by a thousand times. The structures were white, some were rectangular, some round. All of them glittered like jewels. Many were so large I thought they were near to us, but as my eyes adjusted I could tell they were quite far, only bigger than our mountain. There were white vines connecting buildings and crisscrossing through the air, only they weren’t vines. They were as broad as streets. I finally had to look away. This was the village of the gods, and far too much for me to fathom.
“Come to the other side of the fortress, Ashla.” He coaxed me with a gentle hand. “There’s still more I want to show you.”
I closed my eyes. “I don’t think I can see anymore. You’ve made my head hurt.”
“But you’re a clever girl, Ashla. You’ll come to understand it all. It will be wonderful to share it with you. My world will be made new to me, at the same time. That’s what I need after such a long absence.”
I let him bring me to the opposite side of the fortress, but hesitated to look. Visions of the white village still addled my mind.
Exinious caressed my cheek. “Look down, Ashla. Don’t be frightened.”
I obeyed him. Then had to blink to be sure what I saw was real.
It was my village, just as I’d seen it before.
My lips parted. I could see our dark soil spreading out over the white surface of Exinious’ world. The ocean that had bordered us was gone, and more of that unfathomable white village skirted our boundary instead. But the village was there. The mountain was beneath us. And the fortress…of course, the fortress.
“You brought us all with you?” Was that what had happened? I couldn’t believe it as I said it.
“Yes. There’s no exile for you. I’m going to incorporate your village into my world, as slowly and as delicately as it needs to be done.”
I shook my head. I was still stricken by disbelief. “Helder told you to abandon us.”
“He said to abandon your world. I followed his decree.”
“Won’t he be angry?”
Exinious stroked my hair. “I hope so.”
I resumed my gaze on the village. “Oh…but what a shock for them all.”
“This place is better for your people, Ashla. It’s a world of comfort. No child will ever know the poverty you suffered here. And they’ve no need for a healer any longer. In my world we’ve replaced your magic with the science of my mortal followers. You’ll see it’s just as effective. Your role will now be to help acclimate your people to their new home.”
My brow rose. “I’m amazed.”
He hugged me from behind. “Be happy, Ashla. I’m free now. Free with you, my sweet new bride.”
I turned into his embrace to face him. “I can be happy. I’m sure of it…in time.”
He swept back a strand of my hair. “What would make you happy right now?”
It took only a moment’s thought to have an answer for him. I smiled. “Introduce me to Thina.”
Exinious laughed and kissed me. His sweet mouth sent flutters of warmth to my belly. I was heady with exhilaration; fearful, but also eager. My trust in him gave me the freedom to believe in happiness. Even if I didn’t know the full scale of this world, I knew he would always be there to guide me.
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