The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

“She is seeing someone,” said Penny,“but they aren’t past the initial courtship yet.”

“I give up then.”

“Moira Centyr!” she declared then,almost gloating in her excitement.

“Wait! What?” That trulysurprised me. Not only did I not have any idea of a romance brewingin her life, but I wasn’t even certain there should be one. Technically shewasn’t actually a person. She was a magical intelligence, a copy ofa long dead person, made immortal by the enchantment I had placedupon her and given flesh and blood by the handiwork of GarethGaelyn.

“You never saw that one coming, didyou?” added Penny gleefully.

I shook my head, “Not at all, butwho…?”

“Gareth.”

“What!?” I almost jumped out of myshoes. “That’s impossible.”

“No…” said Penny slowly, “It’s quitepossible. In fact, it makes perfect sense.”

I was having none of it, “He’s rigid,bristly, impersonal, and he drinks too much.”

“I don’t recall ever seeing him drinkmuch,” commented my wife.

“I made that part up.”

She peered closely at me, “I’msurprised. I hadn’t thought you would be like this. You’re actuallyprotective of her, aren’t you? She’s a grown woman youknow.”

“She’s family,” I protested. “I wantthe best for her.”

“Gareth is well suited to her,” saidPenny. “Plus, he’s the only other person around who is over athousand years old. They have a lot of common history.”

“Centuries of sharedsuffering are hardly a basis for marriage. Most would say they weremore likely the result of marriage,” I shot back wittily.

Her eyes caught fire then, “Is thatwhat you think?”

Maybe, if I don’t learnwhen to avoid stupid jokes. “No, of coursenot. I meant other people,” I said, adding a sly grin that impliedI really meant us. At this point she would know I was teasingher.

Penny’s face softened, but she put agrowl in her reply, “You’ll pay for that one later.”

“This is turning into aself-fulfilling prophecy,” I chuckled.

***

Moira and Gareth’s wedding was held atthe palace in Albamarl. I offered them the use of Cameron Castle,but they chose to accept Ariadne’s invitation instead. Naturally,that meant that Penny and I found ourselves in Albamarl for thefirst time since my lashing.

This isn’t aboutme, I kept reminding myself.

The ceremony was lovely, as was to beexpected. One thing surprised me, though. Moira Centyr was fairlybrimming with aythar.

Not just a little extra, mind you. No,she was, at my best guess, carrying virtually all the power I hadtaken from Mal’goroth before he was destroyed. The aythar had beendivided up between the three shining gods, but I hadn’t gottenaround to figuring out what to do with it. I couldn’t release themfrom their immortality until that problem was solved.

It was something I should have takencare of sooner, but I had been too withdrawn to focus on importanttasks. Now it appeared that someone had taken the matter out of myhands. The bride had such an immense amount of aythar that she hadto keep herself shielded; otherwise the sheer pressure of it mighthave rendered her guests unconscious.

For some reason, that irritated me abit.

“You’re tensing up,” said Penny frombeside me.

“Sorry, dear,” I told her,making a conscious effort to relax my shoulders.It had to have been Gareth. I gave him the keysto control the Shining Gods.

For a moment I had someuncharitable thoughts regarding Moira’s new husband. It seemedawfully convenient for him to have placed all that power in hisfuture wife’s hands. I pushed my paranoia aside, though.When did I become so untrusting?

Trust aside, I couldn’t risk anyonehaving access to that much power, even myself, though until I foundan alternative that was my only option. Rather than enjoy thewedding I spent the entire ceremony thinking hard on possiblesolutions.

Glancing over at my daughter, I sawher talking to the small doll that rode on her shoulder. As MoiraCentyr had predicted, she had begun bringing her toys to life overthe past few months, animating each of them with distinctpersonalities. It had been rather unsettling until I got used toit.

Her toys were unfailingly polite andfrequently adorable in their mannerisms. She invested each with asmall amount of aythar to keep them ‘alive’, but it would run downin a matter of days if she didn’t renew it. Moira Centyr had saidthey would become more durable with time and practice, or if sheput more aythar into them.

They could be very usefuland at this point in her life they were mostly harmless. They werenothing like the gods that my ancestor and Moira Centyr hadcreated. So long as I never used that enchantment again, there was nofear of another immortal, and eventually, spiteful entity beingcreated.

It was a shame really. Such a beingcould store unlimited amounts of aythar, was unfailingly loyal and…My mind froze for a moment. “Ha!” I said aloud.

Penny elbowed me in the ribs,“Shhh!”

I hushed, but I began to fidget withmy excitement. The idea running through my head was fascinating. Itsolved a number of problems at once—and it was artistic. I had afeeling none of the necessary people would agree to it, but thatwas alright. I had a way with people.

The party after the vows were done wasbreathtaking, but I had no attention to spare for celebrating. Iaccepted small plates of food and various drinks almostmechanically as my mind fleshed out the details of what might be mygreatest achievement.

Gareth will be aproblem, I noted mentally.I’ll need him to provide the flesh.

The enchantments would bedifficult as well. I already knew the essential parts, but if mydesign was to be perfect, I would have to create somethingnew. Forgetfulness is the death of themind, I told myself, thinking of a daylong ago, when Marcus and I had been searching his father’slibrary. I knew it would work.

“You seem lost in thought,” said afamiliar voice beside me.

Looking up, I realized that Ariadnehad closed on me while my mind was diverted. If I had been payingattention, I probably would have made certain we never bumped intoone another. Now it was too late.

“My apologies, Your Majesty,” Iresponded without too much hesitation. Using my magesight, Ilocated Penny. She had grown tired of my lack of conversation andwas now mingling with some of the other guests. “I think I haveforgotten the art of small talk.”

Her eyes were warm, but behind