Forrest rested in his room, his hip stitched and bandaged by Lucy and Magnus. The wounds across his chest were covered in salves, and the one at his shoulder also had stitches. His face was a mess, but he managed a few smiles once they were finished and Lucy gave him a draught to help him sleep and quicken the healing.
Lucy and Magnus said he would wake in a few hours, and until then all I could do was keep him company. I stayed by his side for the first day, but on the second, he woke up long enough to kiss my hand, and sit up to eat and drink something before he passed out again. I worried the wounds were infected, but Magnus assured me he simply pushed himself too hard, too fast.
On the third day of waiting for him to recover, Sabella and Kate had a bath drawn for me and found some clothes that would fit since my once pristine glowing dress was ruined, covered in dirt and blood. Forrest’s blood.
As Forrest’s wounds were tended to, I explained to everyone what happened and apologized for running off and risking Forrest’s life. I also told them about my past with Malcolm; Kate had wiped away tears in her eyes, mumbling something about her being so damned happy and not even sure why she was crying. None of them seemed angry with me. It was quite the opposite actually. Kate and Sabella kept hugging me and saying they were glad Forrest would no longer be alone. They were equally happy and astonished to have the orb back in our possession, even though it was damaged, and I feared it wouldn’t be much use to us. As long as Baladon didn’t have it, though, we had a chance to keep whatever gods remained alive and out of his reach.
Once I was cleaned up, I dried off and picked up the black breeches and blouse Kate had given me. There were boots too, but I’d never worn shoes in my life. I tugged on the new clothes and admired myself in the mirror. My hair was too long and loose for the fight to come. After having Agaris use it against me, I found a dagger in the wardrobe and hacked it off, so it only hung at my waist. The long locks fell to the floor in a heap, and the stars twinkled out with them. But I was quite alright with that. I braided what remained as tightly as I could to keep it out of the way.
“If only Agaris could see me now,” I mused sadly, taking in my reflection.
This was the new Mori. The old Mori was gone. She served her purpose, but this was who I was meant to be. Me and my dragon. I smoothed my hands down my new clothes and smiled. I’d found my true path, and nothing was going to knock me from it now. Agaris’ death weighed on my mind for the first couple of days back, but I knew if she were here now, she’d tell me how proud she was of me for standing my ground. For fighting back and doing what was right, instead of what was easy. I would miss her, and the others, but I no longer felt their absence. Instead, I felt their souls joined with mine. They would always be a part of me, whether I saw them again or not.
I left my room and found Kate and Sabella in the council chamber talking quietly.
“Any news?” I asked as I entered.
Kate and Sabella nodded in approval at my new outfit and hair, but from the worry on their faces, it was too soon to hear back from the messengers yet. “It could be days still before we have word, at least from Silver Valley or Boshen, but we sent one of Forrest’s guards to Gregornath. He should return any time now.”
“And I’m assuming Craig would not let you go yourself?” I asked with a grin.
“Course not, the ruddy bastard. He worries far too much, but don’t worry, Forrest is no different.”
“Trust me, I already know.”
Being with them and talking about Tristan, Craig, and Forrest, I felt a sense of companionship, of true belonging. I laughed with them easily and time flew by. I felt better than I had in days, no not days. Decades. The fear of the war raging on outside this castle was pushed aside, and for just a few moments, I felt like a normal person without the weight of the world hanging over my head, wondering what our next would be.
And if it would ever be enough.
As the laughter died away and a comfortable silence fell over the room, I looked to Sabella. “I never heard exactly what you saw in your visions. Forrest only said you saw me in them.”
She tapped her fingers on the table and said nothing.
“How bad are they?” I asked. “Sabella, I believe I have a right to know.”
“You do, and I want to tell you, it’s just—the bells. Something’s wrong!”
Bells rang out through the castle, and we ran after Sabella out the door and into the main hall where other shifters were running, and Boris was shouting out orders. Tristan called to her, and she went to him as Craig sprinted in the doorway, bringing with him a limping and still weak Forrest.
“What are you doing up?” I asked as I took his arm from Craig and helped him to a chair.
His face was mostly healed, but I could tell his wounds bothered him.
“Thought it was time I get up and move around. The bells, are we under attack?”
“I don’t know yet, but… I don’t think so.” I watched the doorway to the hall where Tristan and Sabella had run out. Craig and Kate paced nearby. Lucy, Greyson, Magnus, all the others filing in and waiting for further direction from their alpha. “Wait, there’s Tristan… he’s supporting someone, I think he’s a dragon.”
Forrest stood too fast and cursed, but I helped him stay upright, and together we made it to where Tristan and the dragon collapsed to the floor.
“Magnus!” Tristan yelled. “He’s wounded!”
“What happened?” Forrest asked the dragon, holding a hand to his bleeding shoulder.
“At first, I couldn’t find anyone,” the dragon uttered, eyes wide with fear. “There was no one about. No soldiers, no guards. Not even the villagers. It was quiet, so bloody quiet. I feared the worst, but there was no sign of a fight.”
“What did you see?” Forrest asked urgently. “Tell me.”
The dragon shook his head as if he wasn’t sure he believed what he saw. “I found bodies at Gregornath. Soldiers at their posts, and on the wall… alive. They were alive, but asleep. I couldn’t wake them, none of them, sire. I tried, I screamed and yelled, but none moved.”
“Who attacked you?” Tristan asked gently as Magnus tore away the dragon’s sleeve to see to the gash that was bleeding freely—made worse probably the same way Forrest’s wound was, by flying.
“I was getting ready to take off when four figures appeared out of the fog.”
I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Sabella perked up and Tristan’s eyes locked onto hers.
“They were hooded and cloaked, their feet not even touching the ground, but the sound they made… this horrible hissing like snakes.” He gulped loudly, not even seeming to feel Magnus patching up his shoulder. “They saw me and they… they attacked! No hands, though just these sharp, black talons. I took off and ran and ran until I was far enough away to shift.”
“Silence,” Sabella whispered. “All will be silence. They are coming… they’re coming for us next.”
“We have to leave then,” Craig stated. “Boshen. Or the Darrah lands.”
“It’s too late,” Sabella argued. “They saved us for last because we’re all here, and Baladon, he knew it. He’s putting us all to sleep to stop us from fighting back. He doesn’t want us dead, no idea why, but… he’s taking us out of the game.”
“We can’t let him,” I said firmly. “If we’re asleep, who will stop him?”
Magnus finished bandaging the wound and offered to help the wounded dragon upstairs as Lucy and Greyson stood close by, whispering to each other. Whatever they said, they both seemed to make up their minds, and Lucy stepped closer, planting her hands on her hips. “Then it’s time you go back home, Kate.”
“Home? To the Darrah lands?”
“No, my dear, home, home.”
“To the human realm?” Craig blurted out. “We can’t go there!”
“You don’t have a choice. It’s the only place Baladon can’t reach yet, and you need time, time to figure out how to kill that bastard,” Lucy insisted. “Greyson, I’m going to need your help, and we don’t have much time.”
“Of course, whatever you need,” he said, and they ran out of the hall.
“I won’t just leave my people here,” Tristan growled, but Boris gripped his shoulder.
“The dragon said they’re just asleep. I could use a good long nap. You and Sabella, the others, you are our hope. You must leave, sire, and then come back for us all, eh?”
Tristan clapped the other shifter hard on the back. “This feels wrong.”
“The hard decisions usually do. We’ll keep a lookout, buy you the time you need to leave. Hank, Danielle, with me!”
I watched as they both hugged Sabella then bowed their heads to Tristan as he hugged them both, too. Sabella ran off to grab the orb, Tristan yelling at her to hurry. Forrest stiffened beside me, and I sensed his guilt at not being in Gregornath to reassure his people he was fighting for them still, before this sleeping curse fell over them.
“We’ll awaken them,” I whispered in his ear. “Together.”
He rested his forehead to mine and held me close. “I know we will. Have faith, right?”
Why did he sound so bitter? The visions, it had to do with them, but then the bells rang even louder, and shouts came from the courtyard. The four beasts of Baladon’s, they were here, and we were out of time.
Lucy and Greyson sprinted back into the hall, shoving tables out of the way as they worked at drawing a circle in chalk on the floor. It was large with symbols I almost didn’t recognize, they were so old.
“This portal, it’s one way,” I pointed out. “And it will only last for a few seconds before it’s destroyed.”
“We can’t have Baladon following you through,” Lucy replied quickly, scattering herbs from a bowl in her hands, following the outer pattern as Greyson whispered words, running a blade across his palm. Blood dripped to the stones, and he worked with Lucy until the circle was completed. When the last drop of blood fell, the lines burst to life with a bright, purple hue.
Lucy nodded, content with their work. “All of you, get in quickly!”
“How are going to get back?” Kate asked, hugging Lucy, even as the cries from the battle outside grew closer.
“The orb, you have it?” she asked, and Sabella lifted up the satchel. “You have to find a way to repair it and use it. It’s the only way, but not until you’re ready. No, not until you know you can defeat him.”
“Come with us, please,” Kate pleaded with her.
“I can’t, child, and you have to leave. Remember the key to all of this is already with you. Use it!” She hugged Kate one more time then moved her into the circle.
Craig followed, kissing Lucy on the cheek.
Tristan and Sabella went next, and I helped Forrest limp his way over to them.
“Take care of each other,” Lucy said to us, cupping a hand on both of our cheeks.
“We will,” Forrest swore to her. “And thank you.”
Hank yelled out a warning that they were coming in, and we stepped inside the circle. A well of magic reached up to surround the six of us as Lucy and Greyson started the chant that would send us from the realms and into the human world.
The purple light flared brighter with each word spoken, and I felt myself becoming lighter, making ready to travel, when a commotion drew my gaze to the hall.
Hank was thrown backward, and Danielle reached down to drag him back with her. His face was bloodied, and he was gagging as if choking. His shirtfront was drenched, and Boris was yelling a retreat. More men yelled until the sounds were suddenly cut off.
Boris and Danielle shut the doors to the hall, screaming at us to go, but magic like this couldn’t be rushed.
The rest of the shifters there pressed themselves to the door. I nearly ran to help them, but Forrest gripped my arm, holding me back. “We can’t,” he whispered painfully, and I saw the strain it was taking for him not to do the exact same thing.
I watched, willing them to hold out, but then the doors split and exploded inward.
Four figures stood on the threshold and reached out to those near them. Instantly, they collapsed to the floor, I prayed asleep. But then they turned as one toward the circle and lifted their hooded heads.
I could see nothing beneath the hoods, and a shiver raced down my spine as they came closer and closer. Danielle screamed, throwing herself at one. Tristan snarled furiously when she was struck down by the hooded monstrosity. Sabella barely managed to snag his arm before he broke the circle. Danielle clutched at her wounded chest, but I couldn’t see what happened next. The other three were closing in. Lucy and Greyson couldn’t do anything to defend themselves, and from the way the figures raised their hands, flashing black talons, they weren’t going to just put them to sleep.
“No… no!” Kate yelled, and Craig had to wrap his arms around her to stop her from rushing out of the circle. “Mama!”
“Go, child,” Lucy replied, her voice hoarse from the magic.
Just as I felt the final rush and my feet left the floor, one of the figures slashed its talons across Lucy’s back. Her scream echoed around us as we shot through space and time before landing in a pile of limbs on a wooden floor.
“Let me go!” Kate cried, struggling to get up, but Craig wound his arms around her tighter as tears streamed down her cheeks. “No! I have to go back, I have to save her!”
“You can’t! Kate, I’m sorry, but you can’t. She’s… she’s gone.”
“No!” Kate screamed and yelled, hitting Craig in the chest and shoulders until her arms gave out and she sagged against him. He held her close, whispering to her softly as she cried.
Sabella sniffed hard and wiped at her eyes as Tristan pulled her into his arms, both of them looked shocked. Danielle and Hank, we had no way to know if they lived or not. Even Forrest had tears shimmering in his eyes as I helped him get to his feet a bit unsteadily.
Lucy’s death, and the deaths of who knew how many others, hung over us, making it impossible for me to speak or move for a long while. Kate’s crying finally slowed, and Craig picked her up in his arms.
“I’m taking her to her room then I’ll be back down,” he told us and headed for a doorway.
“Where are we exactly?” I asked Forrest.
“This was where Kate grew up,” he told me. “Lucy… Mama Lucy raised her here. This was her home.”
The four of us stood in what appeared to be a sitting room of some kind, too wrapped up in our fears and grief to talk anymore. We were on our own now, completely cut off from the realms. I felt the loss of power, the stars in my hair dimmed and my skin was still pale, but not luminescent. If we stayed here too long, I wondered if I would lose my magic forever.
We were all that could save the realms now. Our mission was simple: find a way to kill Baladon.
But how were we going to do that when we were now trapped in a realm with no real magic and no army? How were we going to do anything?