Author's Note

Sorry this is later than usual since a headache slowed me down. Thanks for reading!

* * * * *

For two weeks Anya prepared herself for what was to come. She would be leaving not only her home and family, but even her country to go to an untamed land she did not know.

It was terrifying, but still so much better than the fates that she had envisioned that she could hardly complain.

Anya had settled the few things she had to do. She had collected a few belongings and all the letters from the twins packed in a bag. She had a few coins from her old life, although she did not know if they would even help in the new land. She had sent letters to the twins, explaining everything.

The guards brought Anya to the ship early. She knew that they would be glad to return to their regular duties although she did not care. She was glad to be leaving.

She heard the guards speak at once. "Sir!"

She turned and saw the warden descending upon her position. She swallowed hard and tried not to look nervous at his intimidating presence.

"Good day," she said, wondering what he wanted from her.

"One final task," he said, and he moved closer. He did something to the inhibitor around her neck and removed it from her.

All Anya's magic rushed back to her at once painfully. She was completely disoriented after such long deprivation.

She stepped back to get her balance. She saw both of her guards look uneasily at each other.

She supposed now, at least, they had some small reason to fear her, although she never intended to harm anyone again.

"Thank you," she said.

"Anya!!!" came a cry she could scarcely believe.

"Kallie! Damani!"

The twins ran down the pier towards her. Anya thought she might cry as bittersweet feelings washing over her.

Damani threw himself at Anya without even a trace of his usual attempt at appearing grown up. Anya smiled.

"I sometimes worried that I would never see you again!" Kallie cried as she threw herself at Anya a second later.

Anya hugged both of her siblings, savoring the fact that they were real, they were solid, they were safe.

And they were taller than ever. Damani was more wiry and gawky, but still as full of energy as ever. Kallie's face had lost more of its childish chubbiness. How much they had changed. How much they would change.

Anya did not want to let them go. "The king said that perhaps you might come later. But for now it is best for you to stay where you are safe, at Wildwood. First I shall have to figure out the wild continent and work to establish some roots."

"But I want to go with you now. It's going to be dangerous, isn't it?" Damani asked suspiciously.

"I have no idea," Anya said honestly. "But now that my magic is back within my grasp, I shall be fine as well you know. In the meantime, I expect you both to learn everything that you can so you are always prepared."

Damani scowled and nodded resentfully. Kallie hugged her harder.

She had missed them so.

"We have a surprise for you," Kallie said with a little smile.

"What?" Anya looked around. Sir Thomas and his wife were standing with Jim.

And on Jim's shoulder sat another creature she had thought was lost to her forever.

"Sabin!"

The crow cawed and leapt into the air.

"How?" Anya asked, her eyes tearing up.

"Jim found him!" Damani informed her.

"Rather, he found me," Jim said. "I suppose that he must have been in the capital all this time, searching for you."

Anya inspected Sabin. There was a mark that almost appeared to be a small scar under his right wing, but other than that he looked healthy. However had he survived? "I'm glad I'll have you with me, at least," she said as she stroked him under the beak. She felt more confident already.

The warden spoke in a gruff and entirely unimpressed voice. "They'll be boarding shortly. Say your goodbyes."

"Yes." Anya hugged the twins again. "I'll write to you as soon as I can. Then, as soon as I end up somewhere, I'll let you know where I am."

Kallie was crying and Damani looked rebellious. She smiled and tried to hold back her tears.

"Have a safe trip," Sir Thomas said, his face neither friendly nor accusing.

Lady Daphne nodded. "Good luck." She smiled slightly and Anya felt that perhaps this lady understood her, just a bit.

"Thanks," Anya said, strange though it was.

Then she turned to Jim.

She had no idea what to say. "Thanks for everything, and well, goodbye."

He looked very serious. "I'm coming with you."

"What?" Anya thought that she must have misheard since there was no way it made sense.

Then she understood, he had probably been sent along to watch her, on the king's or Lord Wildwood's orders. She nodded, feeling oddly disappointed at the realization.

"We need to board now," Jim said, he picked up a bag off the ground she had not noticed in her excitement at seeing the twins.

He was correct. She hugged her brother and sister each one last time and blinked back tears.

It was too much, all at once. "Don't worry. We'll definitely see each other again. Be very good at Wildwood. Learn a lot. And take care of each other. No more fighting."

Kallie and Damani nodded together and they both stepped back. Anya held in her tears until she turned around. She picked up her bag and walked up towards the gangplank.

One of the crew waved her past, with a nervous look on his face. So he knew what she was, did he? This would be an uneasy journey for them all then. Although, even if he had somehow how heard all that had transpired, she supposed Sabin rather gave her away. She could hear Jim walking behind her. She rubbed the tears off her cheeks. Sabin cawed quietly.

Once she was aboard she went to the edge of the ship and watched the twins standing with Sir Thomas and Lady Daphne. It was such an odd situation that they should end up in their care for even a moment.

She hoped that the twins could not see her crying from where they were standing. She watched and waved until the people on the shore became tiny dots and disappeared from sight completely. Sabin made a final sort of sound, but it was not the end. She would see them again.

"Will you be okay?" Jim asked in a concerned tone.

"Yes. Why are you here?" Anya asked and then immediately regretted it.

"I wanted to come."

Anya frowned. "Why would you? Look at everything I did."

Jim nodded. "I know."

"Did the king order you to come to keep an eye on me?"

"No."

"Lord Wildwood?"

"Of course not. I'm not his servant. He does not order me, I've helped him because I wish to."

"But he wanted you to come, didn't he?" Anya did not know why she did not leave it alone, but she could not. She had accepted that she would be alone, she had even become used to the idea that she would have to make a new life by herself for a time.

"He approved of the idea. But I would have come either way."

He could not mean the ridiculous thing her imagination was suggesting. "Then, why did you come with me?"

"The idea of you sent alone on the wild continent seemed too cruel."

She swallowed. "I'm perfectly able to care for myself and I do not need pity. If you don't want to tell me why you're here I don't see any reason that we shouldn't part ways the moment the ship hits land," she said. She did not want to have a constant reminder of what she had done if he was there because of misplaced sympathy.

"I'm not here because of pity," he said.

"No?" she asked wearily. She pushed away from the edge and picked up her bags, with the intent to figure out what she was supposed to do with herself with she waited to cross the sea.

"Where are you going?" she heard Jim ask.

"I feel overcome with the return of my magic. I need to lie down," she said, feeling guilty at her words, but leaving anyway.

* * * * *

Anya discovered she was one of several passengers the ship was carrying in addition to its cargo, but as the sole female she had been given a cabin to herself, if one could call the tiny crevice such a euphemism.

She would not complain, it had a door she could leave at will so it was better than her space in the king's prison and she would only be forced to occupy it for a week or two, depending on the weather.

She shoved her bags under the bed, and lay down, letting sleep take her from her circumstances. Sabin perched on a tiny table beside the bed.

* * * * *

When she woke and left her cubby she discovered a plate of long cold food on the floor outside the door. She put it inside so that Sabin could eat, then walked outside and was surprised to see that the sun was out of sight, although the sky was full of light.

She walked to the railing and looked out at the endless sea, trying to decide if it was dawn or dusk.

As the sun broke the horizon she realized she had slept the entire night away.

As she watched the sun rise, she was aware when she was joined by another body. She glanced over, unsurprised to see Jim. "Were you waiting for me all night?" she asked.

"Mere coincidence. I just awoke," he said. She supposed he was as used to waking in the early hours as she.

They stood motionless in uncomfortable silence, full of unanswered questions.

Finally, Jim broke the silence. "I thought you would be happy to see me, but perhaps that was wishful thinking on my part."

Anya glanced at him quickly. "I was happy to see you, I'm just confused."

"Well, I have a number of reasons."

"Why would you want to be anywhere near me? I'm a witch who nearly ripped out all your magic and your life with it," she said brutally, looking out across the sea. "And you know, I liked it. It felt so good to steal your magic."

"I know. I know what Lord Wildwood meant when he said he knew what you were feeling  when you tried to kill him that way. I could feel exactly what you were doing, at least until I lost consciousness."

"So what? Now you're fine with everything? The plotting, the lying, the attempted murder, the treason?"

"Of course I'm not fine with those things. But with Thorne gone, they're in the past," he said. "I have no need to hold it against you any longer. Your crimes were his and both of you have paid fairly."

"How very opened minded of you."

"And I wanted to come. I'm quite curious about your powers. I never knew that someone could use both wizardry and witchery."

Anya smiled, looking at the waves in the ship's wake. "So, I'm a curiosity? If I'm the only magic user who does both, it's because I'm the only one who tried. I bet even you wizards could be warlocks if you actually wished to learn."

"You're not just a curiosity, but I am curious. I think you should teach me."

She raised an eyebrow. "I have no supplies on this ship and I have no idea what materials await at the end of the journey," she said. "I may just as likely have to teach myself."

"It's likely better to wait to practice until we find somewhere safely away from people regardless," he said.

"So you're still determined to come with me?"

"Unless you're still determined otherwise," he said.

She sighed. "No, I'm not."

"Good, because the rest of the journey might be tedious with me trying to convince you the entire way."

She smiled wryly. "I am glad you're here with me," Anya admitted. She wondered what other reasons he might have had for daring to take this journey with her.

"So am I."

They stood at the edge looking out at the endless ocean, lost in their own wandering thoughts. For the first time in a very long time, Anya felt like there was hope for something better in her future.

* * * * *

Author's Note:

Thanks so much for reading Anya's story.  Next chapter is the preview for the final story in my Wizards and Warlocks trilogy.  We follow a familiar character this time. (I'll be posting the first chapter in its own book as well.)