Stars of Charon (Legacy of the Thar'esh Book 1) (39 page)

I turned around as the question swirled in my mind, and then,
a glint in the darkness provided me the answer. I think I knew what it was from
that first moment. I walked slowly, moving my light from side to side. On the
edge of the Tevarite was a shard of metal. On one end was a hand-spun leather
handle grip, the other a half-forged blade.

There were scratch marks on the Tevarite nearby. I had been
forging the blade.

As I turned the knife in my hand, I could see the memories
that had been hovering just out of reach. The face of a young Thar’esh, a boy
sleeping on a feather bed at night. A ceremony that never was.

It had been for my child.

My son.

I had been forging his blade when the terraformers hit.

I fell to my knees and wept for my son who was gone. I wept
for all the lives that had been swept away that day when I had been spared. I
thought of Lee, of Lor’ten, of Filian and Taro. But most of all, I thought of
Ju-lin.

When I was done I set the unfinished blade in the center of
the Tevarite and buried it under a pile of stones. It was one, small, grave to
mark the passing of a fallen people who were once great.

When I got to my feet, my eyes were dry and my spirits were
light. Fanto’s ship lifted off at noon, and I would be on it.