Air {Elements of Power 3}

Chapter 62: Jasmine

I hated wearing white. It was a colour of mourning and I had worn it far too often in the past few weeks. I pulled the hood of my Arcan cloak more tightly around my face, trying to keep the chill of the wind off. It was the cloak normally worn by the priestess. But there were so few of them left now that Caleb was letting me fill in. He felt it fitting that I played a crucial role in this funeral.

Three silver bowls.

Three sets of ashes.

A tear trickled down my cheek. I was surprised. I thought I had used up all of my tears.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the lives of three of our best," Caleb said, his voice sombre, carrying none of its usual melody.

From the height of the temple, you could see the extent of the devastation of the city. Two thirds of it was little more than rubble.

"This funeral is a little unusual, for we celebrate not just Arcan lives, but the lives of members of our partner Realm too. We all come together today, to mourn as one, under Arcan customs."

This had been a sticky point. Every Realm mourned its dead in very different ways. But bodies were messy to transport and they had died in the Arcan Realm, so it seemed fitting that they remained there.

My chest shuddered as I tried to hold back another sob.

"However, to honour Helian customs..." Caleb bowed his head in Emmerich's direction. My father lit a large candle by hand. The tears streaming down his face glowed in the light of the flame. As he stepped back into the group, my mother took his hand, squeezing it tightly, as though hoping to pass some of her strength into him.

Today would be hard for us all.

But now it was my turn. I stepped forward, my actions mirrored by my two counterparts.

The three of us stepped up to the dishes, taking one each.

I bowed my head and murmured the prayer of eternal rest, then Caleb's eyes met mine.

He nodded softly; it was time.

"Devon Panemos," I called, my voice loud and clear. I was not an Arcan Protector; I could not send her ashes out into the sky, to be one with the god.

Today, we were doing things slightly differently. Imogen appeared beside me and the breeze stirred.

I wiped the tears from my eyes as Devon's ashes were sent out into the air.

My eyes were so full of water that I couldn't see, but I turned my head to the right anyway, to watch the next send off.

"Avery." Roxy's voice was clear and strong as she proclaimed her cousin's name. Avery had fallen early in the battle. It may have been her body I tripped over on my way to Roxy. But I was trying not to think about it. It was a relief to even see Roxy stood up in the temple. When I had spotted her on the drakon's back with Cinaer, I had feared I might never see her again at all.

The breeze stirred again as Avery's ashes were lifted out to follow Devon's.

One more.

"Brody Holmes," Brae said, his voice carrying the compassion of a King. I watched as a tear trickled down Roxy's cheek. We had found Brody in the aftermath of the battle, a single knife protruding from his chest which Roxy was certain had been meant for her. Why he had sacrificed himself she would never understand, but I knew she took comfort in the fact that we had got him his revenge, and that he was once again reunited with Devon.