Haelo Rising, page 32
“You don’t have to.”
Beyond the lanai railing, out across the moonlit sand, the waves crashed in their ancient rhythm, pounding the beat of life upon the Hawai'ian shore. The auras of dozens of Basileuses and Galanas lived in that rhythm.
I stood, walked across the lanai, and descended the few steps to the beach. My feet sank into the fine sand; my eyes shut to the breeze. The wind around me, the stars above, the earth below, and the sea before me rallied my soul with their blessing. “Will we win?”
Malia had followed me. In her hand, she conjured a small ball of white flames. “Light can always cast out the darkness.”
“What if this darkness is too much?”
She raised her hand, lifting the light higher and higher into the night sky. It grew into a bright beacon that lit the whole shoreline. “Then we must be enough of a light.”
From one of the four small cottages in the tree line, Dagger’s aura approached. The melted scars across the left side of his body shined in Malia’s white fire. The thin white t-shirt he wore could only hide so much. Thankfully, his limp had improved since yesterday. He came to a stop on the other side of Malia and stared up into the stars.
“Have you decided?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, his voice low.
Malia took a step back, then another. Her firelight stayed above us even after she’d left back to the lanai.
I looked to the sea. “You’re going back to your clan.”
“Yes.”
My chest ached. I couldn’t do this without him.
“And then I’ll be back,” he said. His gaze dropped from the stars and fell to me. “With my clan.” Our eyes locked. “It’s time for the Dema people to rise up.”
“Your clan has already lost too many in the Krypteia.”
“Yes. Hundreds. And we’ll probably lose more.” His throat bobbed. “But if we don’t, we could lose everyone.”
My heart hurt more than I could say. “Hank died, didn’t he. When the Lóchos reserves were attacked.”
Dagger didn’t speak for a moment. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too. But he’d be proud of you.”
I looked away.
Dagger stepped closer, getting my attention. “I’m proud of you.”
I bowed my head, once again at the mercy of the tightening in my throat.
“In Atlantis, I couldn’t do anything but ponder my regrets. Martha dressed my wounds, cared for Cora, took care of us. I’m a chief. A colonel in an elite military force. And there I was, cradled in a hammock. I couldn't do a thing while Massáude terrorized the people I swore to protect. I went crazy.” He scrubbed a hand across his head. “And then I fell apart. I saw past the wrath that haunted me. I admitted to myself that I’d become someone I wasn’t proud of.”
I could feel the truth of that in his aura. The dark depths that had festered in him had thinned.
He looked down into the sand, and then back up into my eyes. “I treated you poorly, and that I will always regret. I’m sorry, Lo.” His words sounded like a goodbye.
I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.
He looked up into the stars. “Griffin would be proud of you, too. He always was.”
Warm tears fell down my cheeks. “He was a good man.”
We stood on the shore, collecting our thoughts. Finally, I swallowed back the pain in my throat. “When are you leaving?”
“Now.”
“And when will you be back?”
“As soon as I can.” He looked me in the eyes. “We’ll figure this out, Haelo. We’ll end it. I promise.”
“I made the same promise to Griffin.”
His eyes softened. “I know. And I’ll help you keep that promise.”
I nodded once, fighting back against the indescribable emotions that enveloped me, and exhaled every worry, every sadness, every hurt that bubbled to the surface. I felt Griffin’s aura within me. I felt Aaram’s. My mother’s. I felt the courage of the auras that still slept in the beach houses behind us and in every candeon in the world’s oceans that had strength enough to stand up against the threats against them.
On my soft command, the breeze tossed my hair behind my shoulders. With a deep breath, I grounded myself in the sand, the wind, the water. My palms opened, feeling the hum of life around me.
I would rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
Because I wasn’t broken.
I dropped my head in atonal reverence toward every Galana that had come before me. Then, with a determined prayer, I looked out across the waves. “May our auras turn the wheels of candeon destiny.”
Thank You
My Dear Readers, you are my favorite! Thank you for enjoying Haelo’s world with me so far, for telling your friends about it, and for leaving reviews. You sure know how to make a writer’s day.
Be sure to check out my website, tmholladay.com, so you don't miss the launch of Haelo's next book. There are extras as well, including a free short story about how Zeta left Atlantis and joined the Krypteia. And as always, I love to hear from readers, so send me a line at tara@tmholladay.com. We’ll chat.
There are some very special people who need some extra special thanks.
To my fantastic editor, Jana Miller. Jana's Boarding School for Wayward Manuscripts has done it again. You “get” this story, and my characters, and my world, and I can’t thank you enough for that.
To Rachel Harris, Becky Ray, and Mekeli Nelson. Your developmental feedback was incredible. Essential. This novel would not be what it is without you.
To Lauren Dickerson, a great friend and my biggest fan and cheerleader. Thank you for alpha reading this book and making me believe others would love this story as much as you and me.
To my other amazing beta readers! Grace Ellingson, Amy Nelson, Tyson Abaroa, Alexis Dewitt, Hailey McDonald, Kim Waldron, Kimberly Jepson, Rachel Rydalch, Dean Kleinman, Stephanie Ortega, Janalyn Watkins, Maya Watkins, Diana Croft, Marissa Shum, and Jaqlyn Shirts. Extra props to Tyson for your service to our country, and for reading a mermaid book to help me make my weapons and military stuff more believable.
To the talented cover artist, James T. Egan, who made the second edition covers for this series. I’m so impressed, every single time.
To Stephanie Ortega, for creating the coolest Pankyra maps. And for geeking out with me.
To Lauren Bullock, the best girlfriend out there. You make me laugh, you make me think, and you make me cry, in all the greatest of ways.
To the ladies of the Red Mountain Writers chapter of ANWA. My tribe. And to all of the other supportive friends and fellow wordsmiths I’ve met because of the writer home I’ve found in the American Night Writers Association.
To my Huddle. Crystal Muntz, Cathy Jones, Marissa Shum, and Whitney Tisdale. We’ve got a really good thing going on, and I cherish it. You keep me sane. Also, I put in your dang “mer-cat” reference. You’re welcome.
To my parents. For believing that I might actually make a go of this whole author thing. And for being wonderful examples of hard work and service.
To my entire family. On every side. None of you have made me feel crazy for pursuing my writing. In fact, I think some of you kinda dig it. And that means a lot. (Extra thanks to Uncle Dean for your power plant advice. The hydro-electric power plant situation in my first draft would have been completely laughed off. Hopefully my final only gets a few eye rolls.)
To my kids, Reese, Nash, and Irie. I’m so stinking proud of you! Thank you for putting up with cereal nights, writing Saturdays, and so much more because of this passion of mine. I love you dearly.
And most importantly, to my incredible husband & best friend, Nick. (Whose support is off the charts.) You’re the best thing in my life and I’m honored to be by your side.
Books by T.M. Holladay
The Candeon Heirs Series:
Hiding Haelo (Book 1)
Haelo Hunted (Book 2)
Haelo Rising (Book 3)
Haelo Redeemed (Book 4) coming December of 2023
Out From Atlantis (Novella 1, Zeta’s origin story, best to be read before or after Haelo Hunted)
Untitled Neo Novella (Novella 2, Neo’s perspective, best read between Haelo Rising and Haelo Redeemed) Coming Soon.
Romantic Comedy:
The Wingman Dilemma (coming soon)
About the Author
In a letter to Ms. Pat Broyles, my third grade teacher, my eight-year-old-self declared that I would be a writer. That desire was shadowed by other dreams and goals, and by college was forgotten. In my last few semesters, while in an elective creative writing course, I started writing Haelo, a pretty terrible rough draft that still makes me blush a bit.
I graduated with a Bachelors from BYU-Hawai’i in World Music Studies, studying composition (the surprisingly useful hippie degree), and then a MPA in Public Policy from Grand Canyon University (the practical degree).
Though writing novels is my go-to creative outlet, life stays pretty busy with motherhood to my three minions, various music endeavors, church service, and home renovating. I live in my home state of Arizona with my husband and three kids, and only sometimes wish we were back in Hawai’i.
My dream job, (besides writing novels from a hammock in the forest) would be movie score composing. I’m a total fan girl for Hans Zimmer and Martin Phipps.
I’m also a sucker for watermelon, chips & salsa, and sunglasses.
Don’t forget to hunt me down for Candeon Heirs extras on my website (tmholladay.com). You can also find me on Instagram (@tmholladay) and TikTok (@tm.holladay).
T.M. Holladay, Haelo Rising
