I couldn’t stop fidgeting with my bouquet, and Kate finally reached over and just took it from me. “Thanks.”
“Welcome. It might be a thrown together ceremony, but you’re not going to walk downstairs with nothing, but thorny stems in your hands,” she remarked with a warm smile. “You can’t tell me you’re actually nervous.”
“I am,” I said, my laughter shaky.
Finally, Forrest had given into reason, and we were binding ourselves to one another. The small army we gathered was as prepared as they could be and though we had a theory on how to destroy Baladon, we wouldn’t know if it was viable until we actually faced him down. We would wed today. Tomorrow we would work on repairing the orb with renewed hope and cross our fingers it would work well enough to get us all back home.
I should’ve been thrilled, but my gut had been in knots since I woke up this morning. I half-expected to be attacked during the night if word got out what we were doing, for Baladon to send another of his personal guard after me, but nothing. The house had been silent. I’d wanted to stay with Forrest last night, but our friends had kept us apart in true mortal tradition. Or so they told me.
The house was already filled with our small army, but the atmosphere was so different now. There was a cheer going up every now and then as music was played and food and drinks were passed around. Everything about this day should have made me excited beyond reason.
So why did my knees feel locked in place at the notion of going downstairs?
“Nothing’s going to happen today,” Sabella promised.
“You don’t know that. None of us do,” I admitted quietly. “Baladon, he knows everything we know.”
“But he’s not here yet, remember? Just his arm which we’ve already burned,” she added as an afterthought. “We have time. This, what you and Forrest are doing right now? This is the last piece to the puzzle.” She hugged me close as she whispered, “That asshole would be a fool to think he could stop this ceremony from happening.”
I didn’t agree. Baladon was stronger now that he had the realms to himself, leeching all the power he could from them. Even more, since he attacked the witches and sorcerers. It was luck Abby managed to close off the portal before the last of what she had was stolen away. There’d been no one in his way. We’d all been walking on pins and needles, waiting for when he finally made his move since we tried to spy on the realms.
It was coming, I felt it like a nightmare creeping in, and the tiny pep talk did nothing to console me now. The final battle would be here before we knew it, and though I did my best to stay positive, my heart told me we were far from ready. Our army was not ready.
The orb, the orb wasn’t even fixed yet.
We could put on brave faces all day long and give speeches, but the truth was, if Baladon attacked us now, I feared we were dead. All of us dead, and Sabella’s vision would come true.
The voices on the first floor quieted, allowing soft string music to flow upstairs and reach us.
“I think that’s our cue.” Kate handed back the small bouquet of roses she’d cut for me that morning. “Don’t fall down the stairs.”
“Thanks, really helpful,” I replied and watched as she and Sabella proceeded down the steps.
As Sabella’s red hair disappeared around the corner, I started down myself.
The ceremony was taking place outside in the garden, but there were so many people here, they’d started lining up inside. I was greeted with happy smiles and several hugs on my way down the makeshift aisle through Lucy’s home. Briefly, I wondered if she ever expected to have a wedding here and whether or not she’d be disappointed it was mine and not Kate’s.
Then, I was at the doorway leading into the garden, and my feet came to a sudden halt.
Forrest stood near the greenhouse, and the moment our eyes locked, his shoulders stiffened, and he lowered his head, wiping at his eyes quickly.
Craig patted him on the shoulder.
Tears burned in my own eyes. We’d waited far too many lifetimes for this moment to finally happen. I started moving again, and before I knew it, I stood across from him, with Harold between us, beaming with happiness.
“Breathe,” Forrest whispered as he took my hand.
“Working on it,” I replied.
“You’re trembling.”
“It’s good trembling, promise.” I wanted to hurry up and get it over with, as much as I wished the moment would never end.
Harold held up his right hand and the crowd that gathered outside silenced. “Today, we are here bind together two souls whose love has brought them far in this life. And will yet take them further. Mori and Forrest, with this cord, you will become one, now and until the end of time.” He wrapped a silver cord around our hands and tied a simple knot at the top. He held our hands in his. “I ask for the blessings of the gods and all the realms and races, and those gathered here today, to sanctify this union and make it whole.”
The cord warmed against my skin as it gave off a faint glow, surprising me. It appeared there was a little magic left in us after all.
“Now then, Mori, if you would speak your intentions?” Harold asked.
“Right.” I smiled as Forrest nodded at me with a grin of his own. “Well, what more is there to say aside from, you saved my life more than once. You are my strength where I am weak. My compass when I’m going off course, and I have loved you for more years than I can count. You and I, we’re meant to be together, and I will forever stay by your side, from now, until the end of our days.”
I didn’t say anything about how limited those days might be, but I knew he sensed the unspoken words from the way his smile faltered just a hint.
“And Forrest? Your turn.”
He cleared his throat roughly. “I dreamt of you for many nights before I met you. A star shining in the heavens. You called to me. I cannot imagine my life without you in it now. You are my light, even in the darkest of times. I love you more than words could ever describe, and I will be your rock, your protection, and by your side through whatever life throws our way. I will be here, Mori, for you, forever. I swear it upon my life.”
I sniffed hard, wiping more tears. Even Harold had to take a moment to use his handkerchief before he was able to continue.
“Now then, on this day you are made one being, one soul. May your souls be bound together forever by your love and give you the strength you need to carry on.” He closed his hands around ours again, and this time, the cord glowed brighter, then it turned into tattoos, marking our skin for all time.
Unlike Tristan and Sabella’s, though, our tattoos shifted and rolled over our skin, glowing still.
“Mori?” Forrest asked curiously as we both tilted our arms to watch as the tattoos continued to move up our forearms.
“I don’t know,” I replied. I’d never seen two gods wed, or a god to a dragon.
But we were far from just a goddess, a star and a dragon. We were the final piece of the prophecy, and the tattoos continued on their journey until they slipped beneath the strap at my shoulder and up the sleeve of Forrest’s shirt. He gasped the same time I did, and with our hands still clasped together, we reached up, and each pulled aside our clothing enough to find the markings there on our chests, below our collarbones. The tattoos matched, forming a star with a dragon curled around it protectively, wings splayed and fire dripping from its mouth. I touched mine gently, amazed to find it warm. I reached out to touch his.
“Well, that was certainly a new ending to this ceremony,” Harold mused. “I’d say it’s a good sign, yes?”
“Yes,” Forrest and I agreed at the same time, then laughed.
“Now then, may I suggest you kiss your new wife, King Forrest?”
He had me in his arms a second later, and I wrapped mine around his neck. He lifted me off my feet as the guests, our friends and family, erupted in cheers and hollers, whistling as the music started again and the witches announced food and drink were served.
There was no way to predict the future, not anymore, but I no longer gave a damn. This night was for us, and I was going to enjoy every last second I had as Forrest’s wife. Holding hands, we headed for the kitchen, ready to eat and drink the night away.
Ale and wine flowed as music played on loud and boisterous. Forrest and I danced, holding tightly to each other and laughing as if the weight of the world was not pressing on our shoulders. I could see our future in these happy few hours. Could see us being together in Gregornath or back in my realm. See us being together with no other worries to bring us down, other than what we might decide to eat for dinner every night. Or where we would spend the seasons, his castle or my temple with its stone maze. I wanted to hear his laughter every day for the rest of my life no matter how long that might be.
“Are you happy?” he whispered in my ear as he drew me in close.
“More than you know,” I replied, standing on my toes to kiss him. “This night couldn’t be more perfect.”
He lifted me off my feet, spinning around as he kissed me again, not letting my feet touch the ground for a second. Not until he asked if I needed more to drink and we danced our way inside to the kitchen. The house was filled with laughter and talking, and there wasn’t a dour face to be seen.
I spied Kate and Sabella across the living room. I turned to tell Forrest that I’d be back in a moment—
Suddenly, Sabella let out a scream, clutching at her head as she fell to her knees. Tristan’s growl sounded behind me, and suddenly he was at her side, asking her what was wrong as she shrieked again. He held her tightly in his arms, trying to calm her, but then the air dropped to an icy chill.
Craig sought out Kate, holding her to him as Forrest did the same to me, looking around confused. Silence fell within the house and outside it as we all held our breaths, waiting.
Even Sabella’s screaming finally cut off, but the words that fell from her lips sent an even deeper chill into my bones.
“He’s coming.”
Forrest growled, and a moment later, the ground gave a mighty tremble. It started, then stopped abruptly, then it started up again. It was like an earthquake was trying to tear apart the house. But it wasn’t an earthquake. No, it was Baladon. He’d come at last, and he was tearing a hole into this realm right in front of our eyes. The floor cracked and split down the center of the house from the front porch to the back door. Many rushed to get out of the way as the crack split wider and wider, and the shaking become one continuous rolling motion. It was like the ground itself had come alive and was ready to try and swallow us whole.
There was one more rumble, and when the split opened wider, Tristan and Craig, Abby, Harold, Keanu, Phoebe, and Bear jumped into action. Weapons were collected, and clothes were stripped , revealing the armor everyone had been wearing underneath.
This morning before we all got ready for the wedding, we’d discussed the chances of Baladon attacking during the ceremony. It was agreed we would have everything ready when it was needed, and those who could, would be dressed and ready for a fight. I had expected more of his minions to come for us, not Baladon himself to split open the ground. Black smoke flowed up and out of the crack steadily growing wider and wider as our small army made ready to face whatever was about to come through.
“I’m sorry,” Forrest whispered to me.
“For what?” I replied, tearing my gaze away from the crack to study his face. “Forrest?”
“I don’t know if we’re going to make it out of this alive. And I… I’m just sorry we didn’t have more of a life together.” He leaned in and kissed me fiercely, crushing me to him. “It’s been one hell of a ride, love.”
I kissed him as passionately as I could, needing him to feel all the love I had for him. But then the moment was over, and we made ourselves ready for the fight. I tore my dress right down the middle to reveal breeches and leather armor. Forrest didn’t even have to change, but he did grab a sword offered to him by Craig, who was already bearing the Executioner blade.
Kate kept looking at her left arm, waiting for the shield to appear but it wasn’t there. I guessed it was too much to hope all our abilities would come roaring back the moment Forrest and I solidified our bond.
I took another sword and gripped it tightly, waiting as the crack split the walls of the house and it started to collapse out into the front and back yards. I waited anxiously for Baladon to show his leering face, but something tugged at my center, forcing me to walk away from Forrest and through what was left of the kitchen.
“Mori,” Forrest called to me, but I kept going.
A roar issued out of the crevice, making my skin crawl and memories flash through my mind. Memories of Baladon throwing me in that cage. Of him hurting me over and over again. But still, I walked on, needed to get to what called to me. The ground rolled beneath my feet, and I fell forward, nearly tumbling into the crack that had opened up. I would have, if Forrest hadn’t grabbed hold of my arm and stopped me just in time.
“What are you doing? We need to get out of here.”
“No, we don’t. The orb—I can hear it.”
“What do you mean? Mori, damn it.”
I’d tugged free of his arm, sprinting now toward the front sitting room where we’d been working on the orb for the past few days. Even with all the shaking and quaking going on, it managed to keep itself firmly planted on the coffee table. As I neared, it sputtered with life, sparks shooting out of the crack that had broken in in the first place. I stepped even closer, and it happened again.
“Get everyone together, as close as they can. Hold hands and get me, Sabella, and Kate. We need them all. Hurry.”
Over the roaring coming from the crack, Forrest bellowed out my orders. I was just a foot away from the orb when Sabella, Tristan, Kate, and Craig all came to join us.
Everyone else pushed in as close as they could, asking what was going on. Forrest relayed the instruction again, for them to hold onto each other.
“What are we doing?” Kate asked. “The orb’s broken.”
“No, it’s not,” I murmured and started to reach for it. “Forrest, touch my shoulder. Everyone, hold onto each other,” I yelled. I turned to Kate and Sabella. “Grab the orb with me, at the exact same moment.”
“I don’t understand,” Sabella said, but did as I asked.
Tristan held fast to her shoulder as another reached out and held onto his.
Craig and Kate stood the same way, all staring at me, waiting.
I took a deep breath, knowing we were running out of time, and counted down from three. Kate, Sabella, and I gripped the orb at the exact same moment, and we all three gasped at the shock of power that burst forth. It shot up my arm.
A collective gasp echoed down the line and all around us as it passed through every single soul gathered. The orb sparked and glowed so bright it was blinding. I tried to keep my eyes open the best I could, as the orb pulsed with power and repaired itself.
“I’ve come for you all,” Baladon’s roar exploded through the house, taking out the remaining walls and the roof. The force of it nearly tore us all apart, but I screamed to hang on. Forrest’s hand gripped my shoulder harder as—with Sabella and Kate—I clung to the orb.
A whirlwind of shadow swarmed around us, and at its center stood Baladon, red eyes flashing as he hefted his staff, making ready for the attack that would solidify his place in the mortal world. But we couldn’t let that happen. We had to shut it down, close it, before it was too late.
We had to return him—and all of us—to the realms.
I attempted to speak, but the wind whipped the words away from me, so instead I focused on the realms, on the last place we’d all been in Torolf. I imagined it, even as I visualized the portal closing behind us, cutting off Baladon’s access to this world. I willed the image to spread from my mind to Sabella’s and Kate’s, then to Forrest’s, wondering if our connection was as strong as I hoped.
The orb was hot against my hand, and I winced, but didn’t dare let go.
Baladon’s eyes narrowed, and when he spied the orb, he bellowed in rage and came straight toward us. I waited for the blow that would send us flying and shatter the orb, but it never came.
Instead, the white light crushed the swirling darkness around us,.
I felt my feet leave the ground.
Baladon roared furiously, but then we were soaring through the portal created by the orb. I heard panicked screams and more yells as we spun, end over end. I wanted to reach out for Forrest, but my hand was trapped against the orb. When my feet hit solid ground, I grunted and rolled through grass and mud, the orb falling from my grasp. My body finally came to a stop, and I shook out my hair, glancing wildly around the field we landed in, tall grasses as far as the eye could see.
“Forrest,” I yelled, trying and failing to get to my feet. “Forrest.”
“Here.”
I took off in his direction. His tall form appeared in the grass, and I leapt into his arms, tackling him right back to the ground, kissing him.
“What happened? Are you hurt?” He ran his hands over my arms and back, checking my face.
“No, I’m fine. Did everyone make it? Kate! Sabella,” I called out as the two of us got back to our feet.
“Over here.” Kate waved her arm over her head, and I saw Craig not too far from her, helping others up and out of the grass.
Forrest and I did the same on our way toward them. I was surprised to see no one injured. Every last person who’d been at the house made it. I spied a swath of red hair through the crowd and rushed forward to Tristan and Sabella. Sabella had something clutched in her hands. When she moved, I saw the orb, and sighed with relief.
“It’s whole again.” held it out to me, then gasped. “Mori. Your hair, your eyes. Your power’s back.”
“What?”
I held up a lock of hair and watched as stars winked into existence. I shook my hair out, and more stars flowed down and landed at my feet, only to be replaced by new ones immediately.
Kate reached us, and when she saw me in all my starlit glory again, she lifted her left arm, and the Vindicar shield appeared while her eyes flared with her inner power. Sabella held out her right hand, and when she spread her fingers, white light flowed along her fingertips and palm.
“We’re back… we’re all back. Can you shift?”
Forrest, Tristan, and Craig all stepped back from us.
I watched in awe as his dragon form released once again. Tristan turned into the great wolf he was next, and Craig’s face shifted with a snarl, revealing his true demon nature.
I sighed in relief at the sight as they all shifted back again.
So Baladon had not taken all the magic from the land just yet. Good, that was so very good.
That meant we still had a fighting chance.
We were definitely in Torolf, and far off in the distance the castle appeared to still be standing, but that wasn’t what had me frowning or giving the sudden urge to get out of the open spaces.
Baladon. He’d been at the house when we came back through.
So where the hell was he?
“Baladon,” I whispered to Forrest.
He growled in reply, but there was no sign of the beast anywhere.
“Do you think he didn’t come back through with us?”
“No. He had to, right?” he said.
I wanted to believe him, but he should’ve been here then. I paused as I glanced around the field. I blinked, not even realizing none of us noticed it. “The darkness… it’s lifting. We can see,” I pointed out.
Those of us who had only seen this realm in darkness for so many months looked around in awe at the sight. There wasn’t sunshine, no, but the darkness had indeed lessened. Thunder boomed, then lightning lit the sky overhead.
I was more than ready to enjoy a nice thunderstorm and dance in the rain as we celebrated the fact that something had changed with Baladon’s hold over the realms, but this lightning wasn’t normal. It cracked and turned shades of violet and red, splitting open the sky overhead.
I cursed and reached for Forrest’s hand.
“We have to get out of here,” I whispered. “We have to run.”
“What, why? It’s just a storm.”
“No. It’s him. Run! Head to the trees.”
We waved everyone else on, making sure we six were the last to take off for the shelter of the trees. Instinct told me to head for the castle in the distance, but there wasn’t enough time to get there and hide. The forest here stretched on for miles and led into Boshen territory. The darkness might not be as bad as it was before, but Baladon’s creatures could still be lurking about. We might have made it back to the realms, but we were coming home blind and unaware of what we’d face.
Another sharp crack of lightning made me jump, and Baladon’s roar followed it, but none of us stopped running. We didn’t stop until his yells finally died away and all we heard was thunder as a storm moved in over the land.
The line ahead came to a sudden stop, and we tripped over our feet trying not to take anyone down with us. “What’s going on? We need to keep going,” I insisted.
Ahead, Abby was yelling our names and waving her arms over her head.
I took off after Forrest, the other four right behind us, moving our way swiftly through the small army. When we reached the front, my feet dug in, and my jaw dropped.
“Mori? What’s going on?” Sabella asked as she caught up with us.
But then there was nothing left to say. She stared for another few beats then launched herself forward into the two shifters standing in front of us.
Alive.
Tristan growled and was right there with her, hugging the members of his pack he thought dead.
Hank and Danielle. They’d survived after all.
“How?” Tristan asked. “I don’t understand. What we saw… you should be dead.”
“Should be,” Hank agreed. “You’ve missed a lot, and we’d love to tell you, but we need to get out of sight. Follow us and stay quiet.”
“Giving me orders now?” Tristan clapped Hank on the back.
Hank grinned right back at him. “Hey, if you’re back now, I will gladly hand back over the reins of leadership. They’re a bit heavy for me.”
He led the way deeper into the woods with the rest of us following behind, wondering what happened in our time away from the realms.