Raintree: Sanctuary (Raintree 3)

When the warriors assembled, Raintree behind Dante and Ansara behind Judah, Eve stretched out her arms on either side of her shimmering body and levitated each of her parents upward from where they stood, then brought them to her.

Judah and Mercy looked at each other and recognized the truth. Judah was no longer Ansara. His eyes were as golden as his daughter’s. Mercy was no longer Raintree; her eyes, too, were burnished gold.

Eve’s gaze traveled the expanse of the vast meadow, shadowing all the warriors with her light. As she passed over the Ansara first, at least twenty of them disintegrated in puffs of sparkling dust, and all the others transformed, their eyes as golden as their Dranir’s, and just as he was no longer Ansara, neither were they. When Eve turned her attention to the Raintree, a handful of them, including Sidonia, Meta and Hugh, also transformed. They were no longer Raintree.

“The Ansara are no more,” Eve said. “And from this day forward, the Rainsara and Raintree will be allies.”

Dante and Judah glared at each other, neither prepared to sign a peace treaty, both wise enough to know the choice was no longer theirs.

“My father is now the Dranir of the Rainsara and my mother the Dranira,” Eve said. “We will go home to Terrebonne and build a new nation.” She turned to her uncles. “Uncle Dante, you will rule the Raintree for many years, and your son after you. And Uncle Gideon, you won’t ever have to be the Dranir.”

Eve brought her parents down with her to stand on solid ground; then she led her father to her uncle and said, “The war is over, now and forever.”

Neither man moved or spoke.

Simultaneously Mercy took Judah’s hand and stood at his side as Lorna moved forward and grasped Dante’s hand.

Judah extended his other hand. Tensing, Dante glared at Judah’s hand. He hesitated for a full minute, then shook hands with his former enemy.

A reverent hush fell over the last battlefield.

Send our people home, Judah issued the telepathic message to his cousin. Ask Sidra and the other council members to remain here for now. We will need to meet with Dranir Dante and his brother. In a few days, I will take my Dranira and our daughter to Terrebonne. Mercy and Eve will need time to say their goodbyes, but our people will need the royal Rainsara family to guide them through the transition period and into the future.

Claude issued orders hurriedly. The new Rainsara clan began thei

r exodus from the sanctuary, heads held high, as the Raintree rallied around Dante, Lorna, Gideon and Hope.

Judah lifted Eve off her feet and settled her on his hip, then slipped his arm around Mercy’s waist. “If you need more time…” Judah said.

“No,” Mercy replied. “I heard what you said to Claude. You’re right. Our people need us—you and me and Eve.”

EPILOGUE

Eve walked over to Hope and placed her hand on Hope’s flat stomach. “Hello, Emma. I’m your cousin, Eve. You’re going to like being Uncle Gideon’s little princess.”

The adults watched in utter fascination as Eve communicated with Gideon and Hope’s unborn daughter. From hearing Eve’s side of the exchange, they all realized that Eve and Emma were having quite a conversation.

Mercy had accepted the fact that her six-year-old was undoubtedly the most powerful being on earth, and that she and Judah had their work cut out for them. But they would have Sidonia and Sidra to help guide them. The two old women were already acting like rival grandmothers.

Eve gazed up at Gideon, and they smiled at each other. “It’s a good thing that I got in a lot of practice with you,” he said. “I just hope Emma isn’t half the handful you’ve been.”

“She won’t be. I promise. Emma is going to be the Guardian of the Sanctuary,” Eve announced, then settled her gaze on Echo. “But until Emma is old enough to take over, you’re going to be the keeper.”

“Who, me?” Echo’s eyes widened in surprise.

Eve laughed. “You really are going to have to work on controlling your abilities. You should have known that you’re going to be the new keeper.”

“I’m no good at seeing my own future.”

Sidra placed her hand on Echo’s shoulder. “Nor am I, my dear. And I count that a blessing.”

In the two days since the final battle between the Ansara and the Raintree, Judah and the high council had met with Dante, Gideon, Mercy and the highest ranking Raintree in the clan. Word had come in from around the world that numerous Ansara had perished in the cleansing, but many more had been transformed, becoming members of the new clan—the Rainsara, allies of the Raintree.

There had also been another meeting, this one between Mercy and her future sisters-in-law. She had immediately liked both women and sensed that Lorna was Dante’s perfect mate, as Hope was Gideon’s. Mercy knew that when she left the sanctuary, she left it in Echo’s capable hands. Even if the young seer questioned her ability to handle such an enormous responsibility, Mercy had no doubts. One day Echo’s empathic talents would equal her abilities as a prophet. Mercy also knew that she left her brothers in the capable hands of the women they loved and who loved them. She was free to enter her new life with Judah without guilt or remorse.

“It will be some time before I’ll see my brothers again,” Mercy told Hope and Lorna. “At best, Dante and Gideon tolerate Judah and he them. I don’t expect they’ll ever be friends, but…” Mercy cleared her throat. “Our children will be friends as well as cousins, and then the Raintree and Rainsara will truly be united.”

At day’s end, shortly before leaving the sanctuary, Mercy tried to return her battle sword to its place of honor above the fireplace in the study, but it fell off the wall and back into her hand. The same thing occurred with her second and third attempts.