“As did you!” Zevulun said with good-natured mirth to his tone. He took a moment to look Auraleigh over, though, now that the initial shock of seeing her had simmered down enough to follow what was happening. Just as he’d grown taller and begun to fill out, she had too. Their cream coats complimented one another well, as did the white pure as snow on their skin. While he was watching her – marveling at how similar they were and how it felt, with her by him again, as if they’d never been apart – Auraleigh was looking around them.
Zevulun’s ears flicked as she began talking, paying attention to her and what she said. Her worries were valid, of course. If she’d arrived a year ago they would have been difficult to find – tucked away in caverns deep in the Tinuvel mountains where most the herd didn’t dare travel. It was entirely possible Auraleigh would have washed up on those black pebble shores, wandered aimlessly and thought them to have left the islands as well. Zevulun pushed away the thought of his twin sister alone, searching for him in the chilled tundra. Auraleigh was here now, she was safe, and she’d come home. These were the only things that mattered.
Suddenly, thinking of who was here, a bright, wide smile split over his mouth. “I have someone! Very special! Auraleigh, I think you’d love her.” His blue eyes were bright. “Her name is Avalon and… she’s pregnant! You’re going to be an aunt!” Zevulun hadn’t wasted any time learning the charms of mares, it seemed. He grinned a little more cheekily. “Well, actually, you’ll have three little nieces or nephews running around. I had a close encounter with Jetta, she lives in the Peak. Another mare named Adelaide, too.” He frowned momentarily. “I haven’t been able to learn where Adelaide lives, but I’ll find her before long. I’m making a point to know my children and be as involved in their lives as I can be.” He nodded sharply. This was a matter that was important to him. Nephilim had pushed upon the importance of being a good father and it was not a lesson Zevulun took lightly.
“There are quite a few others, too. A few stallions, a mare – oh, and Maziel. Maziel’s here of course.” But her next statement stole away the slight cheer beginning to dawn for her return. Zevulun went quiet, at war with himself on what to say. He wouldn’t force an opinion upon her and chose instead to tell her the truth. “Auraleigh…” He trailed off and took a breath, glancing toward the steam lingering over the hot springs. “Father… last winter, we were in the caverns and we heard wolves. He went out to try and make certain they weren’t coming near the cavern we were sheltering in while Mariael and Maziel stayed with me,” Zevulun wished he’d been the age he was now. He wished he’d been able to go with his father. Maybe then… “The snow came down hard, you know how sudden the blizzards can be… Mariael went after him and when she returned she said she found only…” He looked back at her, his eyes heavy with sorrow. “Blood. Father’s blood. She couldn’t find him anywhere, and the snow was falling too fast, it covered any tracks. We’ve never found him since.”
His voice broke as tears welled in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Auraleigh. I wish you could have returned home to only happy news.”
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