Chapter Twenty-Nine
Pain exploded in my chest as I awoke on the cavern floor. Time passed, although I wasn’t sure how long. I tried to move but found my body unresponsive. I couldn’t even turn my head to look away from the gory scene of the dead bloodthorn smeared over the floor.
Theht hovered over me, her thoughts intruding on mine. I got the feeling she was testing me, learning about me, remembering each cell and brainwave so she could exploit it later. More than anything, I wanted to shut her out, but I had no power whatsoever to do so.
With our minds connected, communicating with her came easily, and although I couldn’t physically speak, I wondered if she could hear my thoughts.
Are you going to kill me? I asked.
No. You are too valuable. Rest now.
Sleepiness numbed my mind, but I fought back, forming a plan even as I lay immobile, no way to fight or use my magic.
I brought my gaze to the portal that stretched across the back wall. The gentle hum of magic vibrated from the wall and through the floor, calming me and giving me peace. Tendrils of light streamed across its surface, like nobbinflies dancing over water. There is always light, I reminded myself. Even in the darkest hour, there is always light.
Theht continued probing my mind. She found locked memories there and tried to access them, but they were hard for her to understand. Most of them were happier memories—my childhood spent in the dragon forest, the few times my father visited and brought me a gift from the elven lands, my time spent with Kull.
Part of the trouble was her own fault. I got the feeling she had difficulty comprehending compassion and love. So, I let her continue to try and grasp the memories while I gazed upon her soul at the same time.
Immediately, my heart seized with pain. Her memories were so horrific I knew I would go insane if I spent any time there. I pulled away, breathless, trying to erase the images from my mind.
Theht, still unable to take a physical form, hovered closer to me.
You have blocked some of your memories from me. Why?
I did not block them. They are simply too intimate for you to understand. Love usually is.
You will release them to me.
I cannot.
Release them to me or you will suffer.
I had already suffered—I’d been suffering for so long—and it was because of the love I had lost. I focused on my heartache—that raw, unrelenting agony—gathered every emotion, every tear, every ounce of pain I’d suffered, and shoved it in her face.
It had no effect on her. Pain was what she was most familiar with. Theht could give me pain a million times over, and I would never come close to what she’d experienced.
She reached for me. Her hands had gained substance and were covered in orange scales and tipped in curved black nails. She rested her hand atop my chest, and my world exploded.
So much pain. Blinding. Can’t breathe. Make it stop!
My hands cramped, forming claws. The searing pain crept up my spine and then out through every nerve ending in my body. When the fire reached my head, I screamed, my back arching.
Make it stop. Please, stop! Please!
Release your memories.
I can’t!
I dug inside my mind, trying to force every memory out as fast as possible, but it was no use. She would never understand.
The world blurred. Tears moistened my eyes and ran down my cheeks. I tasted their saltiness on my tongue.
Please stop, I begged, though my pleading grew quieter as consciousness ebbed. Please…
I was floating again, yet somehow, the pain remained deep in the recesses of my mind. There were no sounds, nothing to see or touch; only the pain remained, digging, burrowing into my brain. What Theht was doing would be irreversible. I was sure of it. She was altering me somehow.
I got the impression it wasn’t easy for her to stay on this side of the portal—even in a spirit form. The pain stayed with me as my thoughts drifted. Somehow, I knew that Theht had gone, but then blackness surrounded me.
Time passed. I must have been unconscious for several hours when I gasped awake suddenly, feeling cold and wet. I coughed and sputtered as water moistened my face and dampened my clothes. Opening my eyes, I focused on my surroundings.
I was no longer in the cave, but outside in the snow.
The pain was gone.
A piercing, brilliant blue sky spanned overhead, and it seemed like the most beautiful sight I’d ever beheld. I stared, mesmerized, thanking the Father above that I was alive.
I am alive.
The Wults and elves were standing around me, but why could I only see their backs? A gentle swaying motion beneath me made me realize they were carrying me on a makeshift gurney. The urge to call out and tell them I was awake came to me, but I found I didn’t have the energy. Instead, I only stared at the sky once again until my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.
“Can you hear me?”
When I opened my eyes, I found a candle burning on a table beside me. It was the only light in the room. As my eyes adjusted, I found Heidel standing over me.
She smiled and patted my arm. “I’ll fetch the others. They’ll want to know you’re awake.”
She left the room, leaving me alone. I straightened, discovering every muscle in my body hurt when I moved. Staring around the room, I had trouble deciding where I was. Was I in the Wult keep? The rough wooden logs with bark still clinging to their surfaces didn’t look like something I would see in the keep.
I got to my feet, and although I wore only a white dressing gown, I refused to stay in bed any longer. How long had I been there? Days? It didn’t matter. I was awake now, and I needed answers. How had the others been able to rescue me with the portal in the way? Had they found the fairies’ stone? Were the fairies restored? Had Officer Gardener made it out alive?
On bare feet, I exited through the room’s only door. As I pushed it open, the outside view caught me by surprise. Dragon Spine Mountain loomed in the distance, which must have meant I was in the Wult village. Although I’d experienced unspeakable terror at the top of the mountain, the peak did look beautiful with the first rays of pink-tinted morning light shining on it.
The ground felt cold under my bare feet, but I ignored my discomfort to make my way around the building. I found that I had been recovering in a small cabin sitting atop a hillside away from the village. Below me, the Wult outpost still slept, with only the smoke from chimneys giving any indication of life.
A roaring wind came from behind me, and I spun around to see Fan’twar land not far from where I stood. Heidel also rushed up beside him.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “You should be resting.”
“I’m fine. I’ve rested enough.”
“You’re not even wearing shoes.”
I wiggled my toes, feeling the dewy grass beneath my feet. Though cold, it felt heavenly. “I don’t need them.”
Fan’twar chuckled. “You are back to yourself again, I see.”
I nodded, trying to agree with him but knowing I would never be the same after what Theht had done to me.
Heidel crossed her arms. “You are lucky that my sister is not your nurse. You’d get a tongue-lashing for sure.”
I inhaled a lungful of fresh air, feeling more grateful than ever before that I was alive. Fan’twar studied me, and I knew he wanted answers. I was sure I’d had him worried when the Wults and elves had carried me unconscious down the mountain.
“I saw Theht,” I told him.
His eyes widened. “Saw her?”
“Yes. Sort of. She wasn’t able to take her true form.”
“What did she say?”
I sighed, knowing I couldn’t tell him everything. He was like a father to me. I knew he would worry if I told him about my magic acting on its own to destroy the bloodthorn—or about the vision Theht had shown me—so I stuck to the basics.
“She told me that since the bloodthorn wasn’t able to complete the spell, she could no longer use the stone to cross worlds. It was odd… she didn’t seem angry that I’d killed him. It was almost as if she’d expected it to happen. So that’s how I was able to retrieve the starstone. I don’t completely understand everything that happened. And I don’t understand who she is or where she comes from, although I have my suspicions.
“Fan’twar, do you know what’s on the other side of that portal?”
He shook his head. “I only know that whatever lies beyond the portal is a danger to us.”
“But is it more than that?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s where Theht comes from, isn’t it?”
“Do you believe so?”
I nodded. “Yes. And she’s trying to enter our world. Although for now, she can’t.” My stomach clenched as my thoughts turned to the prophecy. “If she ever returns, she will use me to destroy our world.”
“I agree. She is waiting to be summoned, just as the Regaymor tried to do. And if she is ever summoned, then the Deathbringer prophecy will be fulfilled.”
A fragile stillness clung to the air as Fan’twar spoke of the Deathbringer—a name I never cared to hear again.
“Fan’twar, isn’t there some way to undo a prophecy?”
“I have never heard of it being done before.”
I sighed, feeling trapped, yet determined at the same time. “I will find a way,” I said. “There must be a way to stop it from happening.”
In the distance, the gentle fluttering of fairy wings broke the silence. A host of flower-clad fairies appeared in the air around us, and at the lead, I saw tiny Princess Esmelda. I held out my hand, and she daintily landed atop my palm.
I’d never once seen her so genuinely happy. Her rosy cheeks matched the pink tulip dress she wore, and her once wild, uncombed hair was now braided and studded with delicate white flowers. Most impressive of all was her pair of glittering fairy wings.
“Olive,” she said, “our world is restored thanks to you. Fairies and fair creatures alike are in your debt. Now, with the stone recovered, we are hopeful that the portals shall function properly again. We have aided the human whose body was stolen to return to his rightful world. We will do our best to make our world a bright place once again. Call upon us, and we will aid you in a moment’s notice.”
“Thank you,” I answered, hoping she realized what she was asking for. Did she have any idea how much trouble I got myself into? “Your kind offer will not be forgotten.”
“My brother has been detained,” she said. “He will live a life of imprisonment for the time being. His lies will no longer cloud our judgment.”
“Will you be okay, Esmelda? Aren’t you upset about his betrayal?” I asked.
“Not anymore, although I had suspected his treachery for quite some time, even before we made our quest to Earth Kingdom. I must confess, I did not want to believe that he was a traitor. Any time I questioned him, he found a way to mislead me. I believed his lies, even though deep inside, I knew the truth. Terminus is crafty with words and can spin great lies that sound of the truth. Now that he has been found out, I feel freer than I ever have before. His deceptions will no longer confuse me.”
“That is good. You were very brave to confront him. And you are wise beyond your years. If not for your intuitive nature, we would have never discovered his treachery.”
She nodded. “We must go. We’ve much to attend to in my village and many repairs to make, but we will not forget the sacrifice you and your companions made for us. We will remember you, Olive.”
“I understand. And your wings are quite lovely,” I said with a wink. “I see why it was so hard to do without them.”
She fluttered her wings gently, making sparkles of magic dust the air. With a polite curtsy and another smile, she lifted into the air. I watched as the fairies disappeared over the horizon.
“I’ll miss her,” I said.
“I won’t,” Heidel answered. “She cried too much.”
I tried not to laugh, mainly because it hurt my sore abdomen.
“When you are ready,” Fan’twar said, “I shall fly you back to the dragon caves, if that is what you wish.”
I hesitated. I debated asking Heidel where her brother was but thought better of it. He’d made his decision about me. I was sure he’d gotten back to Danegeld as soon as possible. With Rolf still acting as king, I didn’t blame him.
“Of course,” I told Fan’twar. “I’ll pack my things, and then we can make the trip. After that, I’m going back to Earth. My cat needs to be fed, I’ve got to pay my rent, and I need to make sure my ex-boyfriend is still alive.” I sighed. It all sounded so tedious and boring, even the ex-boyfriend bit. Besides, he was most likely just fine.
“I’m also hopeful I can prove to Doc Hill that I’m still sane. With luck, he’ll have a whole slew of clients to send my way.”
“Very well. I shall wait in the valley until you are ready.” Fan’twar flapped his wings several times, then leapt into the air. With a long roar, he soared into the valley below the village and out of sight.
I started toward the cabin as Heidel followed. “I shall have clothing brought,” she said, “and food and water. Do you require anything else?”
I met her gaze but then shook my head. “No. I don’t need anything else.”
“Very well.” She gave me a curt nod, spun on her heel, and walked away.
I limped to the cabin, my feet now numb from the cold and my last reserves of energy quickly draining. Grabbing the door latch, I heard footsteps behind me and looked up to see that Heidel had returned.
She sighed, seeming to hesitate before she spoke up. “I wanted to wait until you were dressed and well-rested, but I suppose it can’t hurt to tell you now. My brother has been waiting for you. He’s down that hill,” she pointed past me, “sitting under the tree. He’s been waiting rather impatiently, so you might consider making haste.”
I stared, confused. “Waiting for me? Why didn’t he travel back to Danegeld?”
She shook her head. “I try not to understand my brother’s motivations. That is a task I will leave up to you.” She gave me a quick wink, then turned away.
I stared down the hill, wondering what in the world was going through the man’s mind. Why had he waited? It was a foolish thing to do, considering he had a whole kingdom that needed his attention. Without entering the cabin, I turned and started down the hill. The sun was now above the horizon and the dew had turned warm. I found I could feel my toes again.
My heart fluttered with nervousness. Shouldn’t I turn around? What would he say to me? It couldn’t be good. It never was. He was merely waiting on me out of respect, as any good king would do, and then he would be off.
A tree stood at the bottom of the hill on a small precipice overlooking a stream. Water gurgled as it passed over the smooth stones beneath.
Kull stood as soon as I approached, his eyes wide. His white shirt was open at the top, revealing a hint of his chest, and he wore his hair down. His eyes caught me off guard. For once, they weren’t filled with pain.
I stopped, not sure if I should go any further. He is the king.
I’d known it forever, but only now did I understand it. Here stands the king of Wults, ruler and lord of them all.
I needed to go away. I needed to turn around and walk straight back to the cabin right this minute. He’d been trying to tell me for so long, and only now did I understand. He was king. I would never feel worthy of being called his queen.
“Olive?” he said. “Are you well?”
“I, umm… sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I’ll leave.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I turned away. I focused on the hill as I climbed up. His hand gently grabbed mine, and I tried to pull away.
“Can’t you stay for a moment?” he asked.
“No. I’m sorry. I never should have come.”
“But I’ve been waiting to speak with you.”
I turned to face him, not wanting to meet his gaze. Please don’t hurt me again. Don’t you dare do it again.
He released my hand but didn’t speak. Finally, I looked up at him.
“I’m leaving with the dragons soon,” I said. “Whatever you have to say, please do so quickly.”
“I… I’m not sure how to say this.”
He was at a loss for words? This was a first.
Being in his presence was more difficult than I realized. He’d told me we couldn’t be together. Once was enough. I didn’t need to hear it a second time.
“Kull,” I said. “What do you want to tell me?”
“I only meant to tell you good-bye. I realize we may not see each other for a long while, or ever again…” He blew out a breath of air. “I did not wish to leave you the way I left last time. At least, I wanted to make sure we parted on good terms.”
“Fine,” I said curtly. “Then good-bye and good luck with being king. If our paths ever cross again, I hope we shall maintain peaceful interactions with one another. I shall make sure the dragons respectfully maintain their boundaries with the Wults. Should you ever need their help, you have but to ask.”
I turned away, but again, he tugged on my hand. I rounded on him, ready to give him a piece of my mind, when I stopped.
Tears shone in his eyes.
Tears.
Wasn’t it rumored that no being could make him cry? If the queen of fairies had known about this, would she have been healed? If one of the tears landed on the ground, would another dragons’ forest sprout in this very spot?
He pulled me to his chest.
“I will not let you go,” he said. “I cannot do it. You were meant for me, Olive. We were never meant to be apart. I would have traveled through both our worlds and eons of time to bring you back to me, and I will no longer let my duties as king stand between us. I know I have wronged you. I gave you my oath and then broke it. I understand if you will not have me, but I swear to you, on this day, as the All-Father is my witness, I will never again let you go.”
I stopped breathing. I blinked to keep the tears away, but it only made a huge knot form in my throat. He expected some sort of answer, but I was too shocked to form words. He gently took my face between his hands.
“Olive?” he asked. “Will you forgive me?”
“I… I don’t know.” This was all happening so suddenly. I’d already resigned myself to spending the rest of my life without him. What if I took him back and he broke my heart again?
“Please?” he whispered. I heard the pleading in his voice, and it was then that I understood how much I meant to him.
“Yes,” I finally whispered. “I forgive you.”
I took his hands in mine, and only then did I notice the deep cuts and bruises on his fingers and palms.
“What happened?”
He paused before answering. “Tearing through the side of the mountain was the only way past the shield. I no longer had Bloodbane to aid me, so I was forced to improvise.”
“You tore down a mountain with your bare hands? For me?”
He nodded. “I would have done it a hundred times over if it meant I got you back.”
“And what if I’d rejected you? What then?”
He smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t.”
I reached up and wiped a tear from his eyes. “No, you didn’t.”
“Fine,” he said, no longer smiling. “I may have doubted somewhat that you would ever again take me back, but it didn’t matter. Knowing that you were safe and unharmed was all that mattered.”
Safe and unharmed? I didn’t want to admit to him what Theht had done to me. I felt her presence in the back of mind, lingering like a dark specter waiting to take shape. I also didn’t want to admit what had happened with my magic. It scared me worse than Theht, if that were even possible.
Shaking off my unease, I instead walked up the steep hill with Kull at my side, slipping on the wet grass until Kull gently picked me up and held me in his arms.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Don’t argue,” he said. “You killed the bloodthorn, then faced Theht and survived, which, as far as I know, no one in the history of either of our planets has done. You endured more injuries than any human could possibly withstand, yet now you are out wandering the meadow in your dressing gown and bare feet. It’s my duty to carry you.”
“Fine. If it’s your duty, then I won’t complain.”
“Also,” he said, “it gives me an excuse to keep you close. I’ve missed you, Olive.”
I ran my finger along his jaw, still in the habit of memorizing the details—the pronounced cheekbones, the rough feel of the stubble—although now that he was mine again, I supposed I didn’t need to remember every detail. Yet, it was all too surreal.
“Did you really miss me?” I asked.
“More than you realize.”
His eyes shone with an intensity that I’d only seen a few times before. In that one look, it was as if I experienced all the pain he’d felt in the past year—the pain of losing me, the emptiness and heartache. Had his pain been worse than mine? It was a difficult emotion to comprehend, something I would never fully realize. How could anyone feel pain at losing me?
“You don’t believe me?” he asked.
“No, I do believe you. I just find it hard to understand. Why me, Kull? When you could have anyone else, why me?”
He didn’t answer immediately. We crested the hill with a warm breeze gusting around us, bringing with it the woodsy scent of his hair and skin. Far below us, the small stream flowed over worn stones. A few fairies and nobbinflies danced over the water, their glow reflecting in the glassy surface.
He looked out over the mountains, his voice distant. “I do not have an answer. I cannot fully comprehend love. It is an emotion that breathes life. It gives joy and happiness beyond description. You are life to me, Olive. You are wholeness and beauty. I do not know how to live my life without you.”
“Really?” I whispered.
“Yes.” He smiled. “Really.”
He held me tight against his chest, his chin resting on my forehead, his heart so close to mine that I felt it beating against my breast. Here was happiness. Here was joy. Here was an emotion I’d never fully experienced until now, because he loved me for who I was—flaws and all—because he’d seen me at my absolute lowest point and still he wanted me.
No.
He loved me.
After he carried me back to the cabin, he placed me in the bed, and then tucked a warm blanket around me. Even with Theht’s specter looming in the back of my mind, I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt so peaceful.
I once again believed in true love, because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have the power to defeat Theht, and it was the only advantage I had over her.
THE END