Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2)

Tani’s Destiny

The Hearts of ICARUS Book Two

by

Laura Jo Phillips

Copyright © 2014 by Kathleen Honsinger

Cover art/design Copyright © 2014 by Kathleen Honsinger

All rights reserved.

DEDICATION

For my family.  This has been a long year of sadness and loss for us all.  As this year closes it’s getting a bit easier to look back with more joy than loss.  Day by day we heal, as is right.  Those we’ve loved and lost will forever have a place in our hearts, and thus live on through us, never to be forgotten.

For Mom.  My best friend, biggest fan, constant supporter, and the best listener ever, not to mention the best Mom anyone could ever ask for.

I love all of you, and appreciate each of you every single day.

And, as always, for Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grandma---Thank you all for the creativity you passed along to me, as well as the heart to do something with it.  There is a little bit of each of you in these books, just as there is a little bit of each of you in me

Look for previews and coming release announcements at:

Website:

www.laurajophillips.com

Facebook:

facebook.com/laurajophillipsauthor

Other Books by Laura Jo Phillips

The Dracons’ Woman

Book One of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Lobos’ HeartSong

Book Two of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Katres’ Summer

Book Three of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Bearens’ Hope

Book Four of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Gryphon’s Dream

Book Five of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Vulpiran’s Honor

Book Six of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Falcorans’ Faith

Book Seven of the Soul-Linked Saga

The Tigrens’ Glory

Book Eight of the Soul-Linked Saga

Quest for the Moon Orb

The Orbs of Rathira, Book One

Quest for the Sun Orb

The Orbs of Rathira, Book Two

Quest for the Heart Orb

The Orbs of Rathira, Book Three

Secrets Kept

Mixed Blood, Book One

(Available under the name Kathleen Honsinger)

Secrets Told

Mixed Blood, Book Two

Nica’s Legacy

Hearts of ICARUS, Book One

Tani’s Destiny

Hearts of ICARUS, Book Two

Coming Soon

Rayne’s Story
(Not yet titled)

Hearts of ICARUS, Book Three

Books by Harvey Phillips and Paul Honsinger

To Honor You Call Us

Man of War, Book One

For Honor We Stand

Man of War, Book Two

Visit the home of the Soul-Linked Saga online at:

www.laurajophillips.com

or email Laura Jo at:

[email protected]

Prologue

21 years earlier

Caree, daughter of Riata, an Alverian Empath Healer much honored by the Jasani, left the guest room of the Dracons’ home where her mother’s body was being prepared for transport to Alveria. 
She walked slowly up the hallway to the living room where Princess Lariah Dracon sat on a sofa with a sleeping infant in her arms, the biggest dog Caree had ever seen at her feet, and two more infants sleeping in a cradle within arm’s reach.  Caree took a moment to absorb some of the peace, love, and tranquility that filled the room before stepping into view, pressing her hands together, and bowing politely. 

“Greetings, Highness,” she said, then quickly shook her head when she saw Lariah start to rise.  “Please, do not get up.”   

Lariah relaxed with a grateful smile.  “Greetings, Caree.  Will you sit with me?”

“For a few moments, yes, if I’m not disturbing you.”

“No, you’re not disturbing me,” Lariah said wryly.  “I just got all three mini-monsters to sleep so I should have as much as two, maybe even three minutes to myself.”

Caree laughed softly as she selected a chair close to Lariah and sat down.  “Highness, as happy as you are with your new daughters, I also sense the depth of your sadness at the loss of your friend.”

Lariah’s green eyes brightened with tears.  “Yes,” she said, nodding.  “I miss Riata so much, as I’m sure you do, as well.”

“Yes, I miss her, of course, and I always shall,” Caree said.  “She was a wonderful mother, and an exceptional woman.  But she lived a very long and highly fulfilling life on this plane, doing what she loved.  Riata has not ended, Highness.  She simply no longer walks where we walk.  And, as I believe you know, her work is not yet finished.”

“Yes, I do know that,” Lariah said.  “She is Spirit Guide to my friend Saige Lobo.”  Caree smiled enigmatically, an expression Lariah had seen so often on Riata’s lips that for a moment she almost thought she could see her friend sitting across from her.

“Princess Lariah, at the request of my mother, I am about to share with you a secret that none save Alverians know.  Therefore, I must first ask for your promise that you will never reveal this secret, or even its existence, with another.”

“The promise is given,” Lariah said without hesitation.  Then she smiled.  “If you’ll agree to call me Lariah.”

Caree pressed her palms together and bowed her head in acknowledgment.  “I thank you, Lariah.”  She straightened, sending her senses out to be sure they were alone.  When she was sure they could not be overheard except by Tiny the dog and the sleeping babies, she began to speak softly.  “When an Alverian dies, we are granted the opportunity to visit and speak with one person one last time.”

“That’s a priceless gift,” Lariah said softly.

“Indeed,” Caree agreed.  “We guard this secret vigilantly because so many Alverians travel to distant worlds, and in their work learn secrets of other peoples.  We think it best that those peoples have no cause to worry that we will share their secrets from the beyond.”

“Wise,” Lariah said.

“Yes, I believe so,” Caree said with another smile.  “My purpose in disclosing this to you is so that you will understand my meaning when I say that my mother visited me the night of her passing.  She made a point of telling me that she was greatly moved by your generosity and thoughtfulness in naming one of your daughters for her.”

“No,” Lariah said, her eyes stinging with tears, “I couldn’t name her
Riata
as I wanted.  But I did name her
Tanjelia,
in honor of Riata.  It means
angel
.”

“Yes, I know, as does my mother,” Caree said, smiling gently.  “It is more than enough.”

“I’m glad she knows,” Lariah said, looking down at the sleeping face of the daughter she held in her arms.

“More than that, she has taken a vested interest in her namesake’s future,” Caree said.  Lariah looked at her in surprise that quickly became curiosity.  Caree shook her head.  “I do not know anything about that future, Lariah.  Some things are not for we, the living, to know.  But, my mother did bid me to do one thing in particular.  That is my purpose now.”

Caree reached into a pocket of the sweater she wore and withdrew a necklace of red and gold.  The pendant was a carving of a creature that Lariah couldn’t quite make out because of the way Caree held it, though she suspected that the red stone was a ruby because of the way the sunlight coming in from the windows seemed to set it on fire. 

“For as long as I can remember, this necklace belonged to my mother,” Caree said.  “I know nothing of how she came to have it, though I do know that it was precious to her, and that it’s quite ancient.  It’s also a reliquary, a place to keep a relic or a treasured memento.”

Lariah frowned doubtfully at the pendant which was only about an inch high and an inch and a half wide.  “There is a small well carved into its center, and a tiny stopper here, on the back,” Caree said, tilting the pendant so that Lariah could see it.  “In accordance with Riata’s instructions, I have taken a feather from her head and burned it to ash, then placed the ashes within the reliquary and sealed the stopper so that it cannot be opened.”

“But…why?”

“I know only that it is my mother’s wish that her namesake be presented with this gift on the twenty first anniversary of her birth.  You needn’t keep the necklace secret, or that what I’ve told you comes directly from Riata.  You need keep secret only what I have told you of the Final Visit.  With that in mind, Lariah, will you agree to be the caretaker of this bequest on behalf of myself and my mother?”

“I would be honored,” Lariah replied. 

Caree held the necklace out and Lariah accepted it.  It was surprisingly heavy.  The chain was a thick, flexible rope of gold so smooth that it felt silky beneath her fingertips.  Now that the pendant was in her hand, she could see that her guess had been right.  It had been carved from what must have been a truly enormous ruby.  Then she turned the carving over in her palm and her smile slipped.  “Is this a…I mean…um, Caree, this isn’t a dracon, is it?”

“No, Lariah, it is not,” Caree replied.  “It is a dragon, as you can clearly see by the scales carved into the stone.  I understand the Jasani’s feelings toward the Narrastian versions of the reptilian giants, but I assure you that not all dragons…not even most dragons…are related to the Narrasti in any way.”

Lariah nodded as she closed her fingers over the pendant.  “Prejudice is a virulent poison, is it not?”

“Yes, it is,” Caree agreed, handing Lariah a small black velvet pouch to put the necklace in.  “Do you still agree to pass this legacy to your daughter on Riata’s behalf?  If you have any doubts, please tell me now, and I will not consider your word broken.”

“No, Caree,” Lariah said, slipping the necklace into the bag and closing it.  “I will do this for Riata.  On this you have my solemn vow.  I shall even amend my will to provide that Tani will receive this necklace if I die before she reaches her twenty-first birthday.  No matter what happens, whatever the future holds, Riata’s request will be honored.”