When Lavinia and Ty return to their parent’s home after the battle in Drufforth found in Spirit of Life, it is with excitement and news of a marriage. But Ria’s return heralds hard truths and the knowledge she has become what her family has most feared.

Return to Mirocyne: Ria
Ria stopped on the dirt path. Fragrant orange trees hid her family’s house, but she could see the corner of the cream building through the fluttering leaves. At the sight of it, she felt she turned to stone all the way to her chest that ached from lack of air.
“Are you all right, love?” Warmth infused Ci’erra’s normal sarcastic tone. The concern in her blue eyes brought tears to Ria’s.
“My parents hate elementals,” she said in a rush.
“And you are bringing three to their house.” Ci’erra squeezed Ria’s hand.
“Worse, I am one.”
“They don’t hate elementals.” Zhao put an arm around Ria’s shoulders, nudging her a step forward. “They hate the Church, and with good cause. How many in your family were taken?”
Ria ground in her heels. “Hah! And that is better? Two of us here are now members of the High Council. I represent Spirit Elementals!”
“The new High Council,” Laireag said, but his voice faltered, taking any comfort from the words.
The new Church of Five Orders was too new. Ria doubted it would even become what Niri hoped it would be. The Five Orders could break apart and cause another war just as easily as bring peace.
Ria shook her head and stepped backward, straining against Zhao’s arm. “No, we will go back to Lavinia and Ty’s family. Mine don’t need to know—”
“That you’re alive?”
Ria stopped fighting at Ci’erra’s words. Her lover was right. She owed her family that.
“What is it really, love? I’ve seen you protect friends without fear. Why does going home frighten you?”
Ria looked away, her vision scraping the corner of the building complex that peaked between the leaves. She took a deep breath as she stared at the horizon, wishing so much to become a dragon and launch herself away from where she stood among the ordered rows of almond and orange trees. But that meant leaving her friends and lover behind too.
“I feel like every step closer we get, I become the girl I was when I left.” Ria met Ci’erra’s eyes, though Ci’erra’s face swam in her vision through the overflowing tears. “My parents were so afraid the Church would come for me, and I’m their only child… they thought they were keeping me safe.”
“Instead, they kept you confined.” Laireag touched Ria’s arm.
“And frightened of everything.” Zhao hugged her. “I remember what you shared with me. There were happy memories too.”
Ria hiccuped as Zhao released her. She dried her eyes and nodded. Yes, there were happy times too. This was her family, cousins, aunts, and uncles. She had to see them even if they didn’t like what she’d become because it was everything they had tried to protect her from.
“Just promise me if things don’t go well we can leave – fast!”
Laireag smirked. “Ria is the only one who can’t transform. So as long as we turn into something big enough to carry her…”
“I will roast you.”
Ci’erra’s flat tone started Ria chuckling, which led to full laughter. The worried faces of her friends caused Ria to stifle her giggles, but it was still a few moments before she could speak. “Call Seifa.”
Ci’erra looked at her in surprise. “But you said, with your parents… the trees…” Ci’erra swept her arm toward the orchard as much as the house. Ria had given so many excuses to get Ci’erra to leave her fire sprite behind. There was no mistaking the powerful Fire Elemental as anything other than herself when a flaming beast rode on her shoulder.
Ria touched Ci’erra’s cheek with her fingertips. “He is a part of you, and I love you. He should be here with us.”
Ci’erra’s delighted smile grew like the sun melting clouds. She darted forward and kissed Ria before stepping back. The air around Ci’erra tinged red. Heat brushed Ria’s arm while sparks popped into existence. Just when Ria was about to ask if Ci’erra was calling Seifa or something much larger, Seifa bounded to the ground, pulling all the heat and magic into him as he formed with fiery paws, a long head, body of flaming pointed scales, and reptilian tail.
Ecstatic, Seifa pounced and spun in circles like a flaming puppy even if he looked more like a miniature dragon especially as he scrambled chaotically around Ci’erra than Ria.
“A whole family who has been persecuted by the Church of Four Orders… I’m sure they won’t mind a fire sprite.” Laireag rolled his eyes.
“If they can’t accept Seifa or my friends, then they can’t accept me. Why hide who we are?” Ria walked forward with Ci’erra’s hand in hers. Seifa trotted ahead with his tail wagging.
Around the curve, the old house with its two-story colonnades supporting sweeping arches came entirely into view. Spires of trees grew around the house, the tallest higher than the roof by half again. A pond of ornamental plants gone wild reflected the nearly cloudless sky while a vineyard spread across the rolling hills behind.
Behind her, Zhao released a puff of breath. “Your memories did not adequately describe this…”
Ria smiled at him over her shoulder. “I shared what I remembered as a child. It didn’t seem so impressive then.”
Even now the momentary surprise at the size of the marble house faded as she remembered the steps where she’d play in the sun as well as playing hide and seek with cousins in the wilds near the pond. Muck had coated their legs and shoes by the time they’d finished. The estate was large and prosperous, but it was her home and she knew every back corner, broken step, and most of all its emptiness from lost family who’d been taken by the Church never to return home.
She was the first who had. And because of that, she could lay to rest so many of the ghosts who held the place locked in aching dread. No more would be taken. Hope for her family burned away the last of her fear.
“I’m sure I will be amazed by Xiazhing when you take me there,” Ria said. A smile teased her lips.
Zhao shook his head. “One, I don’t intend ever to go back there and two, I lived in a one-room pagoda. You will not be impressed.”
Ci’erra snorted. “Seriously, a one-room pagoda sounds nice compared to where I grew up.” She flashed mischievous blue eyes at Zhao. “I’m jealous.”
Zhao looked like he wasn’t sure if Ci’erra were earnest or about to trap him as he stared at her with lips slightly parted.
“I think we’ve been noticed.” Laireag nodded to the open front door.
Ria had only been gone about six months. It felt like a lifetime. But seeing her mother’s auburn hair and face nearly precisely as she remembered them brought the time home; it had been short but ages to her family as well. Both her mother and father stared into the sunlit yard with doubtful faces. She had left, chased by the Church. No one who had gone had ever come home. Ria’s mother rubbed her hands that looked chaffed from constant wringing. Her father’s head held more silver than blond. They had worried about her because they were her family.
Ria released Ci’erra’s hand and ran forward. “Mom, Dad, I’m home, and I have some amazing people I want you to meet!”
They met her on the grass in the sunlight, sweeping her into a hug as Seifa ran pell-mell around them.
© 2018 Autumn M. Birt