Memorial
1033 Words
The memorial stands in front of the bench seat in the kingdom’s garden, the same place I sat with her the first night we met. She loved it here. She even recreated it in our backyard.
Her memorial statue is large and silver, capturing her beauty and grace, with a majestic tree behind it. Her guardians crafted it with their magic after that fateful battle.
“Asher!” A familiar voice calls out, and I barely have time to react before Iliana, the mother of my angel, wraps her arms around me. Her white hair, with pink-tinted ends, brushes against my cheek as she holds me tight. The Queen of the Earth Realm fairies.
She pulls back, her expression twisting with concern as she notices the wound on my head. “Training again, honey?” she asks, her voice soft but laced with worry.
I nod, feeling a pang of guilt. Maybe headbutting the stone beam earlier wasn’t the brightest idea. I can see the worry flash in her eyes, but before she can say more, Leonis steps in, his massive presence impossible to ignore. His long hair, styled like a Viking, hangs down his broad back as he pulls me into a firm hug.
“It’s good to see you, son,” he says, patting my back before stepping away. There’s a swirl of emotions in his green eyes—pride, sadness, maybe even understanding.
The sound of crying babies pulls my attention toward Daisy and Nathan. A fairy and a werewolf, they stand with their two children—one a newborn, the other a curious one-year-old. I greet them both with hugs, forcing myself to hold a strong face, but my heart aches. I can’t help but think of the pups I could’ve had with Lenora.
I glance toward Carter, who’s gently rubbing Arya’s round belly, and the feeling of longing deepens. Even Marco and Maya are nearby with their toddler, who’s just started walking, eager to explore the garden. Claude and Siobhan stand hand-in-hand in front of the memorial. They don’t have children yet, but the love between them is vibrant and infectious. All of her guardians are still deeply grieving their queens absence but at least they have their soulmates to comfort them.
That’s why it’s hard for me to be around them for long. Everyone is so happy, surrounded by their beautiful families, while I’m left broken, consumed by regret. Tears fall before I even realize it.
“You might need to let your wolf out for a run tomorrow,” Lucien’s voice breaks through my fog. Leonis’ brother, with his strange air of mystery, stands beside me, his face as broken as mine. His eyes hold the same haunted look I see in the mirror. He’s a special wolf, with the ability to see into possible futures. He can’t tell anyone what he sees, but his riddles are always clues.
I pull him into a hug. If anyone understands my pain, it’s him. He loved her as much as anyone, he even helped her kill his soulmate, the main villain in all of our stories. The bond we share in our grief is the only thing keeping us grounded.
Iliana and Leonis move toward the statue, and the crowd begins to gather. Thousands of lycans, werewolves, and fairies fill the garden. Lenora’s absence weighs heavy on every heart here.
Iliana waves me over. As much as I’d rather disappear into the crowd, I comply, standing beside her. She pulls me close, her small arms wrapping around my waist. Her motherly warmth is undeniable, but it only deepens the ache inside me.
She clears her throat, and her voice carries with the elegance of a queen, “I want to thank you all for coming today to remember my daughter, Lenora—your beloved queen. It was on this day, two years ago, that many of you followed her into battle against the dark sorcerer. What a glorious battle it was—a union of three species against vampires, witches, and sorcerers.”
Her words stir a deep knot of grief and pride inside me. Lenora led them, fearless, and she triumphed. But at what cost?
“She won that battle, but there was another enemy—one no one expected,” Iliana continues, her voice softening as emotion tightens her throat. “Lenora sacrificed herself for the one she loved more than anything else.”
The knot in my stomach grows tighter, and tears slip down my face. Iliana rubs my back gently, a quiet reminder that I’m not alone, even though it feels that way.
“Lenora was truly selfless,” Iliana says, her voice rising with determination. “That’s the kind of person she was. And though she sacrificed herself, I know she’s not gone. She lives on. I can feel it. The enemy vanished with her, but I know—no matter how long it takes—we will find her. We will bring her back.”
A spark of hope ignites in the crowd, and Iliana’s voice becomes a rallying cry. “Now, can we all stand for a moment and channel our energy into the sky? Wherever she is, let’s hope she can feel it. Let’s hope she knows we’re still here for her.”
The energy around us shifts as we begin. I shift into my wolf form, joining Leonis, and soon, all the lycans and werewolves follow. The fairies begin to glow, lifting off the ground, their wings shimmering with light.
I call upon the four elements Lenora gifted me—fire, water, earth, and air—letting their power flow through me. The air crackles with magic as my body lights up, and I release a howl that reverberates through the air, a cry of love and loyalty. The others join, a unified display of strength and sorrow.
The sky above us flashes, pulsing with energy and light. It’s a stunning, deafening symphony of howls, magic, and hope. And I pray, with every part of me, that wherever Lenora is, she can see this.
That she knows our love, our loyalty, and our hope—it’s all for her.
- Writer
