The Hope of Elantris Read Online Free Page A

a sudden burst of light from around the
perimeter of the city. The soldier paused, looking up at the
sky.
    Suddenly, Matisse felt warm.
    She didn't realize how much she'd missed feeling warm, how much
she'd grown used to the stale coolness of an Elantrian body. But,
the warmth seemed to flow through her, like someone had injected
some hot liquid into her veins. She gasped at the beautiful,
amazing feeling.
    Something was
right.
Something was wonderfully
right.
    The soldier turned toward her suddenly. The very ground seemed
to be shaking. He cocked his head, then reached out and rubbed a
rough finger across her cheek, where she had been wounded long
ago.
    "Healed?" he said, confused.
    She felt wonderful. She felt. . .her heart!
    The man, looking confused, raised his knife again. "You healed,"
he said, "but I can hurt you again."
    Her body felt stronger. Yet, she was still just a young girl,
and he a trained soldier. She struggled, her mind barely beginning
to comprehend that her skin was no longer blotched, but had turned
a silvery color. It was happening! As Ashe had predicted! Elantris
was returning!
    And she was still going to die. It wasn't fair! She screamed in
frustration, trying to wiggle free. The irony seemed perfect. The
city was being healed, but that couldn't prevent this terrible man
from-
    "I think you missed something, friend," a voice suddenly
said.
    The soldier paused.
    "If the light healed her," the voice said, "then it healed
me
too."
    The soldier cried out in pain, then dropped Matisse, stumbling
to the ground. She stepped back, and as the terrible man collapsed,
she could finally see who was standing behind: her father, glowing
with an inner light, the taint removed from his body. He seemed
like a god, silvery and spectacular.
    His clothing was ripped where he'd been wounded him, but the
skin was healed. In his hand, he held the very sword that had been
impaling him moments before.
    She ran to him, crying-she could finally cry again!-and she
grabbed him in an embrace.
    "Where are the other children, Matisse," he said urgently.
    "I took care of them, Father," she whispered. "Everyone has a
job, and that's mine. I take care of the children."
    #
    "Interesting," Raoden said. "And, what did happen to the
children?" Raoden asked.
    "I led them to the library," Ashe said. "Galladon and Karata
were gone by then-we must have missed them as they ran back to New
Elantris. But, I hid the children inside, and stayed with them to
keep them calm. I was so worried about what was happening inside
the city, but those poor things. . . ."
    "I understand," Raoden said. "And Matisse. . .Dashe's little
daughter. I had no idea what she'd gone through." Raoden smiled.
He'd gifted Dashe with two Seons-ones whose masters had died, and
who had found themselves without anyone to serve once they
recovered their wits when Elantris was restored-in thanks for his
services for New Elantris. Dashe had given one to his daughter.
    "Which Seon did she end up with?" Raoden asked. "Ati?"
    "Actually, no," Ashe said. "I believe it was Aeo."
    "Equally appropriate," Raoden said, smiling and standing as the
door opened. His wife, Queen Sarene, entered, pregnant belly
first.
    "I agree," Ashe said, hovering over to Sarene.
    Aeo. It meant bravery.
    THE END
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