Drenched in sweat, I woke up, my heart pounding wildly. Cold, sore, and terrified, I squinted up at the unfocused face of an angel peering back at me, in a room that wasn’t mine. I blinked up at him — was I dead? — Sandpaper scratched the inside of my throat.
“Good Morning, Lorelei.”
I would recognize that velvety tone anywhere.
“How are you feeling?” concern brimmed his beautiful eyes.
“I’m fine,” I managed, with a cough.
He scrutinized the nurse for confirmation and she nodded.
Then she bowed and left us alone.
When his worry lines lingered, I repeated. “See. Fine.” Drawing in my knees, I clutched the silky pillow. “So what happened… where are we?”
“You were struck by a poisoned ice shard. It worked its way through your system, spreading cold like a virus through your veins.”
Adrius paused and shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. It was strange to see him squirm.
“The potions and elixirs proved useless. We had to keep you from freezing before your natural ability to heal could set in. I used the only thing I could… what I had to do… to save you. Body heat. Mine.
I stared a second longer, feeling my skin flush with embarrassment.
“Oh.”
“For a while I worried you might not come back to us. But Hawthrin assured me sleep was what you needed to heal.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“By human time, six days, seventeen hours, thirty-seven minutes and forty-two seconds.” He smiled. “Give or take.”
For a moment I remained speechless, then swung out of bed as Adrius helped me into a plush floor-length bathrobe that spilled onto the floor as I moved. I wandered to the balcony, breathing in the view. The trees and flowers flourished as through never encased in an icy tomb. Not a trace of snow remained.
In one swift moment, memories washed over me with dizzying speed, flooding me with images both disturbing and surreal. I shot Adrius a look. It really was over. But what I saw on his face wasn’t relief.
“What’s wrong?” I traced the side of his face, marveling again at how soft it was in comparison to its chiseled appearance. Warmth seeped into my fingertips.
“I’m so sorry, Lorelei. If I had never come to Drearyton Cove, you would never have left. And all of this would be no more than a passing nightmare. You would awaken from it and be safe… Living a normal, human life.”
“But I’m not a normal human, Adrius, am I?”
“You could have been.” He was pensive, distant. It always made me uncomfortable.
“Maybe… but with your belief in destiny and prophecies, how can you be sure? How do you know that one day, when I turned forty or something, some weird transformation wouldn’t happen and I’d be led here anyway? — With or without you.”
“I have no way of knowing.” He shrugged and I stepped into the circle of his arms, nestling closer.
“This way is much better. This way, I get to be with you. At least for a while,” I added in a whisper.
“I’ve never wanted you to give up anything for me, Lorelei.”
“Why is it so hard for you to see I have nothing to give up? …only to gain.”
A cool night breeze brushed against my shoulders. Silhouetted against the moon, the pale light couldn’t hide the fact his face was lined with pain. I hated for him to torture himself this way.
“Being here makes sense to me. This…” My hands swept the air. “…All of this would have been too much for most people, for normal people. But for me, it all… makes sense… somehow.”
“You didn’t believe at first either,” he reminded me. “For a while, I had to convince you it wasn’t a dream.”
“Yes, but when you touched me…” I placed my hand on his. “And that electric current coursed through me, I knew you were real. This was real. And for some crazy reason, I was meant to be a part of your world. It was the reason I didn’t fit in mine.”
He shook his head imperceivably staring at an invisible spot in the sky. I twisted my fingers in his silky hair.
“I’ve never been normal. It’s a relief to finally know why.”
“You are too amazing to settle for normal,” he purred, catching my hand and pulling it to his lips. He brushed my knuckles with a lingering kiss, before releasing me and leading me back to my room. There he tucked me into bed, swaddling me in layers of feathery blankets.
I sighed, avoiding the subject we both knew was coming. I’d be leaving soon, and all of this might be nothing more than a distant memory. The thought of being apart from him was almost unbearable… and if it wasn’t for my mother… I bit back a pang of guilt. I had no idea what I’d find when I returned, but the longer I stayed, the worse my chances for a happy ending became.
Reading my thoughts, Adrius said quietly, “You will heal her. You know you can.”
“You’re wrong.” I rocked my head back and forth on the pillow. “I don’t know that. I wasn’t able to save her the last time. Only lessen her pain. She has no idea what I can do, because I’ve never used my gifts around her.”
His gazed turned incredulous. “Why?”
“My grandmother warned me not to. She said Mom wouldn’t be able to handle it. When Gran was alive, I didn’t question it. And after she died, I figured it would freak Mom out too much to find out.” I stared into the distance. A current of regret tugged at my stomach like a powerful undertow. “I wish more than anything I could free her of this illness for good.”
“Look at me, Lorelei .You can.” His lovely face became pensive. “It’s what I promised you. That once you uncovered the prahna of your Faerie magic, your gifts will amplify and you’ll be able to cure her… permanently.
I didn’t feel the same confidence. “I hope you’re right,” I said leaning back into the warmth of his chest. His fingers toyed with my hair, until my eyelids grew heavy.
“You’re tired, I should let you sleep.”
“No,” I protested, forcing them open. I wove my fingers between his. “Don’t go.”
“Shhhhh,” he whispered. “It’s okay.”
Warm lips pressed against my forehead, and my anxiety melted.
“You can sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”
When I opened my eyes some time later, Adrius was gone.
****
By morning it felt like my ordeal had been no more than a bad dream. I felt more alive than I ever remembered. With a deep breath of the warm fragrant air, I walked to the veranda to step out into the sunlight, one last time before returning home.
"Good morning."
I looked up startled to see Taryn greeting me with her usual elegance, a parchment scroll held tight in her hand.
“I’m sorry to come by so early, but when I didn’t find you in the infirmary — I had to talk with you.”
I raised my eyebrows. “It’s fine, come in. I was about to get stuff organized for the trip home. What’s going on?”
Her eyes blinked rapidly and she hesitated for a moment, jittery like someone on their tenth espresso.
“I know you and Adrius have grown close, but you should know… there is more to the prophecy than he’s told you.” Her luminous emerald eyes narrowed with suspicion, darting quickly about the room. “Are you… alone? I thought I heard voices.”
“Just me,” I said as I sat on the closest chair while she paced. Her nervousness was contagious and my stomach dipped a little.
She paused to stare at my face. “Are you alright?” she asked, concern creasing her eyes.
“I’m fine,” I said, doing my best to ignore the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Not a big fan of surprises. Just tell me what you’re talking about.”
Taryn took a deep breath, letting her words gush as if released from a dam. “This—” she waved the scroll in the air. “—It’s an ancient text, stolen from the original prophecy. I remember my parents speaking of it since I was a small child. And now I see it here in writing. It’s all true, isn’t it? I know you know, Lorelei. Please, you have to tell me.”
“Okay. Taryn? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“He didn’t tell you, did he?” she gasped.
“Tell me what?”
Finally, she stopped and spun in my direction.
“Adrius has no intention of allowing you to leave the Nevermore,” she said, her eyes wide with concern. “You can never go home.”