Morgan Rice: Night of the Bold

Alva turned to the masses.

“Today is the day we put all evils behind us. For as sure as night gives way to day, evil gives way to joy, violence to victory, and darkness to light, times of sorrow become times of joy, times of scarcity, prosperity, and times of danger, safety. And this a day of all days, a day when the dials turn from darkness to joy.”

The crowd cheered softly, and Alva took a deep breath.

“Life is a great cycle,” he finally continued. “And as the world turns one way today, it will turn another tomorrow. The same will be true of your marriage. Remember to always be true to yourself, and to uphold the great virtues of Escalon. Honor, valor, loyalty – these will sustain you through all turnings of the wheel of time, and of destiny. Remember: the wheel will always turn, but its center remains the same. If you choose to live in the center of the wheel, steadfast and sturdy to who you are, to your virtues, its spokes will never turn you.”

Kyra pondered his words, overwhelmed by his intensity, feeling the spirit of her mother and father shining down upon her. A deep and long silence filled the air, and Kyra felt frozen in time.

Finally, Alva spoke again.

“Kyra, do you take Kyle to be your husband, and Kyle, do you take Kyra to be your wife, for now and forever, to serve and protect each other, to defend your nation of Escalon?”

They turned to each other, and each smiled.

“I do,” they each said at once.

Kyle, eyes aglow, leaned in, as Kyra did, and they both kissed.

The crowds cheered.

Alva asked the same of Lorna and Merk, and of Dierdre and Marco, and as they answered in the affirmative and kissed their new spouse, the crowd cheered again.

Kyra felt lost in that kiss, felt as if she were born anew. She felt a new age, a new dawn, a new life spreading through her. She felt that she could live again. That she was being given permission to live again.

There came a great shout of joy, of triumph, and she and Kyle were suddenly covered in a shower of flowers, as all of Escalon, overjoyed, celebrating, erupted in a great cheer. There came a roar, and Kyra looked up, with the rest of the masses, and was thrilled to see Theon, circling overhead, diving down low, then swooping up again, his loving presence felt amongst them all. As he dove up he breathed a long streak of fire, and the crowd gasped in delight as it filled the skies to mark the occasion.

Kyra had never felt as happy as she did in this moment. She embraced Kyle and looked up at the sky, and she could have sworn in that moment that she saw her mother’s and father’s faces shining down on her. They were each so proud, so filled with love. And in that sky a new light seemed to shine. It was a new light spreading over Escalon. She knew in that moment that life could flourish again, that a new generation could rise up out of the ashes, one that did not know of the sorrows of the past. Maybe one day she could even have a child of her own. A child who knew nothing but peace, prosperity, joy, freedom.

Despite everything that had happened, all the tragedy they had endured, life refused to give up, she realized. Love was stronger even than death, could triumph over death. If she allowed it to. It was the coward’s way to fold, she realized. Only heroes were brave enough to live on through tragedy.

Despite all the death, all the sorrow, could she be brave enough to live again? That was the question she pondered as she held Kyle tight.

And finally, as Kyra took a deep breath, she realized the answer.

Yes. She could.

I am honored that you’ve finished this series, and am so grateful to all of you for reading.

One day I may revisit Kyra and her dramatic future in Escalon, in a separate series.

But for now, I am thrilled to announce that I am working hard on a new fantasy series, OF CROWNS AND GLORY. The first book, SLAVE, WARRIOR, QUEEN will publish this April. I would be so honored if you continue on this journey with me.