by Katie Cherry
“Perfect,” Vlad sighs, slumping back down into his chair, surrounded by silence as they race from his home. Reaching for the forgotten drink, he finds it cold.
Sighing, he stands and delves back into his kitchen to prepare a new cup and try again to have a good start to his day.
<<
Savitri knows he shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he also knows that it’s the only way he’d be able to find out more about her… this mysterious girl from another realm. Keeping his breathing quiet, he hovers by the door, glad it’s cracked just enough for him to hear the conversation unfolding in the room.
“What was that about?” he hears Crystal ask.
“Apparently Angela and Chet were begging to come join us on Quagon to help search for Rex,” Nathan chuckles in response.
“Well that’s funny timing.” Savitri swears he can hear the smile in her voice. “He’s good to get a portal ready for us, right?”
“Yeah, he just said he’ll need some time to build up strength for it, thanks to the link between the realms weakening.”
“How long?” Crystal asks, worry entering her tone.
“Ten hours- which is perfect. We can get some sleep before going back to the craziness that is Zilferia.”
“Says the one who was anxious to get out of here the second we could,” she teases. He hears the bed creak as she finishes and pictures her sitting, clothed in the pajamas he’d gifted her, with her face freshly washed of the cake she had smeared on it almost an hour before.
He can’t help the smile that grows on his face as he recalls her carefree nature. She had had fun with her plan to dump Noran, and he loved her all the more for it. Love… he had told her that he loved her, hadn’t he? Oh, he was foolish. Although he supposed she probably played it off as him just playing his own part in encouraging Noran to let her go. The thought of her dismissing the statement almost grieved him as much as her having heard it in the first place. It wasn’t supposed to come out.
He wasn’t supposed to feel this way.
His father had made it very clear what his actions were to be if he ever heard of someone from another realm. He was to be swift, decisive… and brutal. He knew he could never do that to Crystal, but now… his feelings were out of control. They could never be together- even before learning of their departure in the morning. Even if he could convince her to stay, there was always a chance that Noran or Thayre would discover her true identity and have her killed.
If she could ever even return his feelings.
“He seriously wanted us to recruit Quagon warriors?” Savitri snaps back to attention at the sound of Crystal’s question, stated in disbelief. “When he knows that if anyone knew we were from Zilferia, they’d kill us?”
“He could have forgotten- or not even known,” Nathan muses. The bed creaks again, and Savitri knows that Nathan’s now sitting beside her. “Remember, he’s been pretty out of it the past… well, most of your life.”
“Oh… true.”
“Anyway, you should get some sleep. The portal will be in the garden, by the statue of Noran, in… nine and a half hours, now. And I know how you get without at least nine hours of sleep,” he teases.
“Hey!” Crystal chuckles. There’s a dull thwap that follows her protestation- she likely hit him with a pillow. “I have a right to be grouchy sometimes.”
“Alright, alright,” Nathan laughs, causing the bed to creak again as he stands. “I’ll see you bright and early then, princess.”
“Ugh, stop calling me that!” she responds, the humor in her voice making it clear she wasn’t upset with him at the nickname. Once Savitri hears the soft sound of the door closing that separated their rooms, he finally moves from his position by Crystal’s door, quietly slinking down the hall to his own room. His body begins going through the motions of getting ready for bed as his mind whirs relentlessly, processing everything that had happened that day. Finally, he resigns himself to the fact that Crystal, and only Crystal, had captured his heart.
And he had to follow his heart.
Making his decision in a snap, he spins and begins packing. I’ll go to the barracks and recruit some soldiers. Father need never know. There aren’t any wars happening here anyway. …Hopefully, it can be a show of my trustworthiness, that I’m aiding them in the war it sounds like they’re in. Blowing out a nervous breath, he shakes his head ruefully as he throws clothes into a bag. As dangerous as it was for them to come here, it’s worse for me leaving. Leaving Quagon… I’ll never be able to come back. My father wouldn’t allow it. No one enters or leaves Quagon.
This girl better be worth it. Somehow, he knew that she was. Even if she didn’t accept him or his heart. It was worth it for him to finally pursue something of his own interests rather than what his father always wanted him to do.
Crystal was setting him free.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Stowaway
“Miss, you have some visitors at the gate.” I turn at the gruff voice at the door, startled. I hadn’t heard the guard approaching.
“I do? Who is it?” I wonder, glancing over at Nathan, who shrugs.
“They introduced themselves as Kat and Drake,” the guard replies, clearly irritated that he’s had to come and fetch me at all, let alone answer my questions. “Now please, come. They won’t leave us alone until they talk to you.”
“Alright, I’m coming,” I chuckle, following the grouchy guard down the long hallways and pathways through the grass until I see them, standing at the gate, chatting with the other guard, who looks to be at his wit’s end.
“Finally,” he groans, standing from his seat to address his friend and me. “They won’t shut up.”
“Crystal! Hey!” Drake calls, waving as though I didn’t see him standing there.
“Hey,” I smile in reply, walking up to the gate. The guards stay back enough that they won’t be able to hear us talk, thankfully.
“We were worried we weren’t going to catch you before you left,” Kat begins, lowering her voice once I reach them. “We figured it would be quick after that show with Noran.”
“Yeah, we’ll be leaving in about an hour,” I reply, stifling a yawn. “We’re almost done packing, then we were going to make the rounds and say goodbye to everyone we could. I’m glad you came before we left as well- I wasn’t sure where I’d find you to say goodbye.”
“Yeah,” she murmurs, her gaze flicking toward the ground. “When I saw you here, I wondered if you’d stay long enough for us to be friends. There aren’t a lot of girls our age here.”
“You’re telling me,” Drake chuckles, giving Kat a wink, at which she blushes. “Anyway, we just wanted to make sure you had a proper farewell. I’m betting that those… ah, I forget their name, but that group on Zilferia that was giving you so much trouble, weren’t making your life any kind of party. We also wanted to let you know that it was nice for you to come and visit. Not just because we seriously enjoyed watching that show you put on at the party,” he adds with a wink for me.
This time I blush. “Ah… well, it had to be done. I couldn’t have him getting in the way of us leaving- let alone stopping and killing us.”
“Of course, but it was still awesome,” he laughs, drawing the gaze of the guards and causing them to let out another annoyed grumble.
“Anyway, we know you’re low on time,” Kat cuts in, reaching over and giving me a hug. “Since we’ll likely never see each other again… anyway. Good luck.”
“Thank you,” I reply with a sincere smile, turning and giving Drake a hug as well. “And thank you for all your help.”
“Of course. I’ll also let all the guys know that the Prince exiled you back to Keyon so they don’t go scrambling to find and date you,” he adds with a wink as he pulls out of the embrace.
“Oh, thank you, I didn’t even think about that,” I murmur.
“Of course,” he replies, unexpectedly giving me a kiss on the cheek before turning back to Kat. “Let’s go.�
�
“Bye, Crystal,” she quickly says again as Drake takes her hand and leads her away. Smiling, I watch them go for a moment before turning to head back into the castle.
When I get back, I find Nathan has finished packing up what few things we feel like keeping from the palace. “Hey,” he greets with an easy smile. “Ready to go say goodbye to Hannah and Chester and grab the rest of our stuff?”
“Let’s go,” I reply with a smile, spinning on my heel and leading the way out of the castle once more. Thanks to Savitri, we’ll be able to get back in one last time so we can slip through the portal in the garden and escape to Zilferia… never to return to this watery realm. I feel a strange pang in my chest at the thought as we walk side by side down the streets of Davenport at the thought of never seeing this truly unique place ever again, or the people… the friends that I’ve met here. To my surprise, I find that Savitri has made the list of friends. I was friends with a man who would kill me if he found out my secret.
Shaking my head at myself, I sigh and stop at the door to the house. “Uh… should I knock, or use the key?” I murmur to Nathan, who looks at me with confusion. “I mean, we’ve been gone long enough that it might be weird to just walk in…”
“Crystal,” he chuckles. “It’s only been a few days. Just use the key.”
“Alright, alright,” I respond, sticking my tongue out at his light teasing. Pulling out the key card, I unlock the door, then cautiously push it open. Stepping inside, I hesitantly call out, “Hannah? Chester? We’re back!”
Moments after my call, I hear hurried steps before they both suddenly come rushing around the corner. “Crystal! Nathan! You’re safe!” They gasp, immediately pulling both of us into hugs. “We figured after that… fiasco at the party that the prince would have killed you.”
“Ironically, the other prince helped to prevent that,” Nathan replies, managing to pull out of their tight, near-desperate grasp.
“The younger prince? Savitri?” Hannah repeats in confusion, looking at me for confirmation.
“Yeah. We got pretty close while I was there,” I manage to say in explanation, leaving out the kiss and his fake declaration of love for me. If it was fake… that kiss had seemed pretty sincere to me…
“Well thank goodness you’re out now. Still, I don’t think it’s safe for you to remain on Quagon much longer,” Chester decides.
“We know. We already contacted Vlad for a portal. We’re leaving in about half an hour, we just wanted to come and let you know.”
“Oh, of course. Good plan,” Hannah breathes, clearly relieved.
“I’ll go grab our stuff, but we’ll have to leave pretty soon,” Nathan informs before rushing off.
I stand in awkward silence as he does so, each of us thinking of things to say, but none of them sounding quite right. I should thank them for everything they’ve done for us while we were here, but just ‘thanks’ falls short. It doesn’t feel right to tell them our plans going into the future- especially because I hardly know them myself. It’s also strange because we actually haven’t been here long, so we haven’t grown that close. I still know almost nothing about them- but asking now feels exceptionally strange.
So, nothing is said until Nathan returns with my waterproofed Bottomless Backpack and hands it to me. Slinging it over my shoulder, I decide to at least give them both one last hug along with a flat-sounding goodbye, handing back the key to their house.
Before I know it, we’re back on the street. And I feel strangely alone and exposed, despite Nathan standing right beside me as we slowly start our trek back to the castle. We don’t say anything either, but as we walk, I grow increasingly thankful for his presence beside me. He left his family and faced the worry of execution after watching me get engaged to the deadliest person on Quagon, and never left my side… except for when I stupidly told him to. I shake my head at myself. Sure, the revelation of his dragon side had torn into my heart in a way nothing else ever could, but I had told him to leave me… and when he’d finally found me again after the ice rain, I was nestled into the home of our greatest enemy.
I had made more than my fair share of stupid decisions while we were here, yet he’s never berated me. He’s been insanely patient with me. This was another thing I had no words for to express my gratitude to him, so I let them sit in my heart, never giving words to the feelings stirring inside. Probably another mistake, but I tell myself even if I had the words to tell him what I felt… it was just too pure of an emotion to sully with words that wouldn’t be able to fully encompass it. No… this would be my little secret.
Just how much Nathan means to me.
Putting on a brave face before he can ask what I’m thinking, I walk half a step ahead, trying to appear eager as I lead us to the portal. Trying not to think about how we’ll have to start all over again with learning a whole new world as well as the accompanying culture, I focus on the fact that we’re going home to Zilferia, where Nathan will get to see Angela again, and I can check on how Chet is doing. …Where my family is. Where I’m supposed to belong.
I try not to think about how I’m now leaving a part of me behind in Quagon, just as I had in Second Earth when I was taken to my birthplace and had to change my entire life and even perspective of myself. I try not to think of all the people I get attached to in each realm, and how I have to leave them all behind as I renew the cycle in yet another realm in the search for a brother that may never be found.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I barely notice when we’ve reached the garden and approach the proud statue of my accidental fiance. Man, my trip to Quagon was probably the weirdest yet. I almost cringe to think of all I have yet to endure as I search the remaining four realms for Rex.
Blowing out a deep breath, I turn to Nathan and force a smile. “Ready?”
“Surprisingly, I’ll miss Quagon,” he slowly replies, his gaze focused on the base of the statue, where the portal should be. “But I know we can’t stay here. …I’m ready,” he finally breathes, checking his watch. “And it’s time. Let’s go.” Before he could talk himself out of leaving, he walks jerkily forward, disappearing before the touches the statue. Clenching my teeth in determination, I follow him and am immediately sucked into the swirling white vortex, surrounded by the sound of the musical trees that hardly ever sing anymore.
The portal does its usual gut-punch at the end of my journey, and I land in the long grass on my knees. A hand appears before my eyes to help me up. Taking it, I look up into Nathan’s face, haloed by Zilferia’s setting sun. My gut clenches in a way entirely different from the way caused by the portal, and I swallow hard as he pulls me to my feet with a kind smile. Pointedly looking away from him, I smile at Vlad and give him a hug.
“Hey there, Princess,” he greets kindly, returning the hug. “You weren’t gone that long.”
“That doesn’t make it any less of an experience,” I reply, finally letting him go.
“That rough, huh?”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Nathan laughs, walking over to us. As he does, I notice a glimmering behind him.
“Uh… Vlad? Did you close the portal behind us?” His eyes widen as he also notices the portal preparing to open, and quickly murmurs under his breath, gesturing toward the glimmering.
“It’s closed now… but I’m afraid whoever followed you through will still reach Zilferia. Ready yourselves,” he finishes, pulling out a couple of knives. Gulping, I’m slow to find a weapon as a man materializes before us, dressed impractically in a suit. Wait, I recognize that suit… The man stands from the ground, wheezing, a hand on his chest, as more figures appear behind him. But my wide eyes are fixated on the first arrival.
“Savitri?” I gasp in surprise. “W-what… wait… what? How… Do you…?”
“Just a moment,” he gasps as he finally looks up at me. “I need… a moment to recover.”
Vlad, still tense at my side with a knife in each hand, glances at me uncertainly. “Crystal? Wh
o is this?” He wavers, torn between attacking and waiting for my explanation, which I’m grateful for- I need an explanation as well.
“Savitri… what are you doing?” I ask, my pulse quickening as I notice the group of soldiers behind him. “Y… you found out, didn’t you? …Are you here to kill me?” I squeak, tears welling up in my eyes.
Vlad immediately begins to move toward Savitri as he scrambles backwards, eyes wide as he splutters, “No! No. I would never. I’m here to do the opposite.”
“What are you talking about?” Vlad demands, still poised to attack at the slightest provocation.
“I… overheard that you’re not from Quagon,” Savitri hesitantly begins, his eyes darting between the three of us. “And before you left, I heard that you needed soldiers so… I brought some… hoping it would be a show of good faith,” he gets out, lip trembling.
“You were eavesdropping on us the entire time?!” Nathan exclaims, enraged. “Are you freaking kidding me?”
“N-no, not… not the whole time,” Savitri murmurs, seeming to fold in on himself. My heart suddenly goes out to the poor guy. Here he was, trying to help, leaving behind everything he knew and had, and Nathan and Vlad were threatening and scaring him.
“Hey, cut it out,” I growl to both of them, walking over to stand by Savitri. “If he knew we weren’t from Quagon the entire time, then he clearly isn’t going to kill us. So you can put your weapons down,” I demand, narrowing my eyes at them. They slowly do as I say, though they look uncertain about it. “If he was going to kill us, he didn’t have to leave his entire realm and life behind, alright? He could have easily done it there if that’s what he wanted to do.”
“So why didn’t you?” Vlad asks, catching on. “I gather that you’re one of the princes, which means your father has instructed you from the time you could walk to kill anyone from another realm.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Savitri admits, straightening as they sheathe their weapons. “But my father hasn’t exactly done me any favors. Besides, I figured he was a raving lunatic most of the time. I never took him seriously. And when I discovered Crystal would make his list, I knew he was in the wrong. Crystal is one of the most amazing, selfless people I’ve ever known. And I would never hurt her,” he finishes, his voice strong, yet pleading for them to understand.