Adam, Crina, Wadim, Zara, Gavril, Rachel, Drake, Bethany, Sorin, and Elle. All wore battle attire. Behind them walked the rest of the pack, at least a hundred and fifty strong. The majority didn’t live at the Romania pack mansion, though they lived in homes close by. Like Costin’s bartender job, many of them had regular employment, but they answered to Vasile and Alina when pack business required more than his strongest members. All of the pack, aside from Jacque, wore battle gear. They were showing their great respect for the pair who had given their lives up in a battle they felt was worth dying for.
When they reached Peri and Lucian, Fane and Jacque stepped apart, and those behind them did the same, until a long opening formed. Moving down the newly made aisle came a floating wooden slab, and resting on it were the bodies of Vasile and Alina Lupei. The magic that directed the biers was her own. Vasile and Alina were surrounded by hundreds of moonflowers, the flower that represented their Creator. It bloomed only at night. The wooden bier upon which the pair rested was a foot thick. Carved around the entire piece were words written in their native language. Peri knew what it said because she’d watched each one of the males closest to Vasile carve the words into it. The words read: “The Great Luna blessed you in life. She gave you strength when you were weak. She gave you peace even when you were in the midst of war. She brought you a daughter, and then she gave you life through a son and a grandson. You found favor in her eyes, and you will forever have the respect of your pack. Rest in the arms of your Creator for you have done well, Alphas.”
Behind them, each floating on their own wooden slabs, were the other fallen Romania pack members, seven in all. They, too, rested on moonflower carvings etched by their loved ones.
Peri watched with tear-filled eyes as the bier bearing Vasile and Alina floated until it hovered between Fane and Jacque. They began walking again, and Peri and Lucian moved in step with them. When they were in the middle of the field, Peri moved the seven fallen wolves to hover behind Vasile and Alina and then kept the wood still while Decebel directed the pack to form a semicircle on the right side of the field. They all turned and faced the direction from which they’d just come. Fane and Jacque stayed on either side of the former alphas and watched the next group join them.
Peri’s eyes fell on the queen of the warlocks as she began walking toward them. Beside her, Cypher lay on a slab much like the alphas, only his bier was made of stone. The king was dressed in his royal uniform, laying on flowers that grew around their mountain home that had been gathered by their clan. Behind Cypher came six other fallen warlock warriors, also dressed in their uniforms and surrounded by flowers. Lilly was dressed in a layered black gown that left her shoulders bare. It had silver trimming down the sleeves and edges of the dress. She wore a silver headdress that matched the silver trim on her gown. As she walked, Peri caught glimpses of the sword that was fastened at her hip by a black belt. Behind her, on either side of Cypher’s body, the entire warlock clan, roughly three hundred strong, walked with heads held high. The males were dressed in battle gear, and the females wore black dresses, similar to their queen.
When they reached the middle of the field, Cypher’s body came alongside Alina and Vasile’s, and Lilly moved to stand next to Jacque.
“Queen Lilly,” Peri said as she gave the warlock queen a slight head bow. “If you would, please have your people join the circle.” Peri pointed to where the Romania pack’s semicircle began and ended.
Lilly nodded and then spoke to her general, once Cypher’s right-hand man and leader of his army, Gerick. With a wave of his hand, the warlocks fell into position.
The fae elders came down the path next. Vale and Talia were first. Both laid on glass biers that hovered slowly forward. The glass was etched with words in the fae language, giving descriptions of each warrior.
Dain walked beside his son, Vale. The high fae was dressed in black robes. His body glowed with power, but it was significantly dimmed, no doubt by