“You’re lucky that you get to.”
“I’m sorry you can’t stay, Zales. That would’ve made everything perfect. I don’t even think I want to stay if it means I won’t get to see you again. I’ve lost so many people in my lifetime that I’m reluctant to give up anyone. Especially since that person is you. You’ve treated me like a real person since the beginning. Something not many people have done. You saw me—you didn’t look past me, or look away from me in disgust. You looked at me and healed a part of me that I thought would never be repaired. You gave me hope. Hope that I could be loved. And I thank you for that every day.” I sat up and rested my weight on my elbow.
“Well, sheesh. Way to bring a girl to tears,” she gushed, wiping her cheeks.
“I’m serious! You’re the one thing keeping me from fully accepting this place as my home. Because wherever you’re at, that’s a piece of my home, too.” I slanted backward to prop myself onto Lissë’s back who lay next to me. “But enough of the weepy stuff. Tell me about Liam.”
“Liam, Liam, Liam. That’s all you ever mention,” she laughed.
“And there’s a reason for it! I’m just waiting for you to realize the reason, missy.” I crossed my legs at the ankles.
“Well,” she began to say, drawing out the word slowly. “I don’t know, he’s my brother’s best friend. But…”
“But?”
“When we were leaving to come here, there was this…ugh, I don’t know, Nari…this weird part of me that hated to say good-bye to him. I mean, I actually did not want to. It was like…it hurt. It actually hurt thinking I wouldn’t have his totally annoying, goofy face around anymore. Is that weird? Seriously, does that make me a total weirdo?”
I grinned like a fool. “Oh, my god, no. It doesn’t make you weird at all, Zales. I mean, yes, you are weird.” I laughed, and she hit me playfully. “But not because of that! No, Zales, oh my god, you like him. You. Like. Liam. You know that, right?”
She squealed and covered her face, like she was horrified with herself. “I can’t believe this! I actually have feelings for that moronic wombat. What am I going to do?”
“The good news is your sweet farewell will be short lived. It may have taken you losing Liam to realize your feelings, but this means you now get to go home, run into his arms, and plant a big wet kiss on his annoying, goofy face.” I winked at her with a smile stretching from ear to ear. She scowled at me.
“I’m going to be so nervous around him now. Maybe I should hide away here, and you can just throw a few crumbs into my hobbit hole every now and again to keep me sustained. No one would ever have to know!” She sat up like that was the best idea she had ever had.
“I wish. You’d be like my secret pet I’d come visit in between handling kingdom disputes and tea time. Or whatever it is that queens do.”
“Yeah, see? Right? It could totally work. I knew it.”
After a few minutes passed, our laughs died out and Zaylie’s expression changed to more serious.
“Penny for your thoughts?” I used the phrase that Rydan and I would say frequently on her.
“I just wanted to say how truly sorry I am for everything. I can’t believe my dad…it hurts my stomach to think about it. I can’t stand being responsible for all that’s happened to you.” Her soft, golden brown eyes glistened with unshed tears. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
“Zales, don’t blame yourself. It isn’t your fault. I don’t regret any of our time together or my friendship with you. I’m sure the Black Eagles would’ve found their way to me with or without you.”
“Maybe.” She wiped at her cheeks. “And I don’t even want to think about my dad’s part in what happened to me.”
“Yeah, I know. I don’t want to either. Are you okay?”
“I feel betrayed, hurt, and…and…not even mad. I don’t know. I guess I was just so scared of him being killed, and now I’m so happy that he wasn’t. It’s hard to be mad at someone when you believed they were going to die in front of your eyes. Especially when that person is your dad.” She rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m crazy, aren’t I?”
“Nah, I understand, actually.” And I did. I hated Ray, but there was and will always be a part of me who couldn’t blame him for how he treated me. It was my fault the love of his life was dead. I didn’t think I’d want to see him killed, either. That might’ve been weird, or maybe it wasn’t weird at all, but I grew up with that man. “I hate what he did, but he’s still your dad who loves you. And I don’t think he intended for Nikolai to go to the extremes like he did, especially when it came to your harm. Nikolai was a cruel man. That’s all there is to it.”
“I’m sure you’re right. It sucks that I can’t tell my mum about this. She'd be devastated. What’s even worse is I still hate the thought of losing him. My poor mum is going to be heartbroken and my family completely lost without him. He’s a great father and husband, despite his shortcomings that I’ve only learnt about recently.” She lifted her head up and started playing with her shoelaces.
I didn’t understand. “You’re not going to lose him, though. It’s okay now.”
“No, you don’t get it. He’s going to die. He’s not going to last much longer with his disease.” She slowly looked up at me and made a guilty face. “Nari, I hate to ask this, but I’ve been thinking. Ever since you told me you revived me from death, I couldn’t stop chewing over this one thought. Is there any way you might be able to cure my dad? Like, willingly and not from us stealing your blood.”
My heart plummeted to my stomach. “I wish I could, Zales. I really do. But I lost my ability to heal. That’s actually why my eyes are black and all that. It’s this whole thing, I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. I’m truly sorry.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders dropped and tears formed in her eyes once again. “It’s alright. No worries. I had to ask, ya know?”
I nodded absentmindedly as I continued to think about her request. I couldn’t say I liked Mr. Ryan anymore, but he was still Zaylie’s father. Someone she loved and cared about. I couldn’t stand by knowing there might be something I could do about it, and it finally sunk in. “Zales, I have an idea. Let’s go.”
After finding Mycah, I launched into my plan. “Hey, can you please come here for a second?”
“I’m a bit occupied at the moment.” He gestured to the line of men he had waiting for him to examine their brains and intentions. “There isn’t a queue because they fancy my autograph.”
“Please? It’s urgent.” I took a hold of his forearm. His gaze drifted to my fingers around his skin before ascending to my eyes. My heart slammed to my throat, remembering how I told him I didn’t want him to love me anymore.
“Be quick about it,” he conceded. I dropped my gaze to the ground, feeling awkward from the palpable strain between us.
“Thank you,” I choked, and tried to pull myself together. I needed to be normal, for Zaylie’s sake. I led him away from any prying ears, and Zaylie followed like a puppy dog. “Okay, so, would you please consider healing Zaylie’s father? He has a chronic illness called SCD and is where all his motivation behind this ordeal comes from.”
Mycah narrowed his eyes at me. And blinked. “Are you serious?”
“Look, I know he isn’t the model citizen in your book, but there is good in him. I know there is. I’ve seen the kindness in his eyes and felt it from within his heart. If he didn’t have such sucky circumstances ruling his life, I just know he’d be a better person for it. You can see it in him, can’t you? Please, Mycah? For me?” I batted my eyelashes at him for good measure.
I knew I’d be going to hell for that one.
“I don’t care what his condition is. A father does not use his daughter no matter the circumstances.” He started walking away. I caught his arm to make him wait a few more minutes, and electricity jolted through my fingertips straight to my heart. I swallowed, recovering my senses for Zaylie.
“Mycah! Please, I know it’s craz
y, but his family needs him. They’d be heartbroken without him. Just heal him and erase his memories where the Black Eagles are concerned. That should work, right?”
“Nariella, I’m not God. I don’t even believe I have the ability to heal a disease such as SCD. I can mend cuts, gashes, and bruises. But an entire blood disease? I don’t even know.”
“Just try. In secret so that no one else can see.” I blinked up at him. He blinked down at me.
“Bloody hell.” He shoved a hand through his midnight hair. “As you wish.”
In the end, Mycah had repaired Mr. Ryan’s damaged heart and kidneys. He still had SCD, but Mycah was able to fix a lot of things that had been causing him pain, and his life was definitely extended. No dying in the near future like they had originally been in fear of.
I was amazed by the work that had been done in a short period of time. Mycah was able to separate the humans that would go on living in the Earthly realm free of risk to ever returning. Those that had potential of disobeying had their memories wiped. Those that were cold-blooded murderers and could be used again and again by the organization to harm others or in any violent way, regardless of Mycah wiping their memories, were executed. I didn’t like that part, but I had no say in the matter.
Guards were posted inside and outside the portal, along with orders to not let a single person pass through. They were to be killed if any attempts were made.
“Zales, I’m going to miss you so much.” I hugged the life out of my one and only gal pal. My nose was buried in her golden curls as she squeezed me in return just as hard.
“I know, I’m going to miss you, too,” she sniffed.
“I’d say I’ll write, but, you know…don’t want the mailman to get lost or anything.” We laughed a little together, but it didn’t last. We were too sad. “Thank you for everything. I mean it.”
“Thank you for everything.” She squeezed me again.
“Anytime.” We said our ‘I love yous’ and our good-byes, and I hugged Desmond next. “Take care of your sister for me.”
“No worries, Sheila. You know I will.” I smiled at his incessant need to purposely use Aussie slang as much as he could just to confuse Americans. But I was so used to it now that I liked it.
Lachlan poked my cheek. “Laters, Your Highness.”
I shooed his hand away and scowled. “You’re lucky you were found innocent,” I lied. I knew no matter what that he was going to be spared because he was part of Zaylie’s family. And a promise was a promise, despite how much he got on my nerves. He rolled his eyes and cracked a small smile.
After hugging Zaylie one last time, I watched them depart through the tree one after the other. Good-bye, my sweet friend.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
~Naminé~
After altering numerous minds and healing what he could of the land, which was only a very small portion, Remycah had collapsed onto the luscious grass and immediately fallen asleep. It had briefly frightened those of us near him, but Nariella had explained that it was normal for him to do this after expelling large quantities of energy as he had. She had said he only needed rest and would recover when his mind and body were restored.
And so we waited.
“Can you please just admit it was incredibly stupid?” Rydan growled at Nariella, as they were currently in an argument. He paced in front of her, berating her for leaving our company alone, which had allowed her capture.
“No, I’m not going to admit that, Ry. Because it wasn’t stupid! It was smart. I was doing the smart thing by leaving My—uh, by leaving.” She pointed to Ender. “He told me to!”
“Nariella, I told you to leave with your guards. Not to depart unprotected by yourself. I agree with Rydan on this,” Ender defended himself.
She dropped her shoulders with a defeated sigh. “Okay, okay, I will admit I shouldn’t have been alone, but I had no other choice. I needed to leave right then and there. You…you just wouldn’t be able to understand unless you had been in my shoes.”
“Why? What happened?” Rydan asked in a softer tone, discerning her distress.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I had to say some harsh things to Mycah…and…yeah, I just don’t want to talk about.” She stared up into the clouds and exhaled before closing her eyes. Rydan and I tried to comfort her, but I knew there was nothing that could be done to mend her broken heart so soon.
After quite a while and the sun had dropped low in the sky, Remycah was at last up and about like nothing had happened at all. He stood stoically by himself away from the group with his arms crossed and shoulder resting against a tree.
“Since you’re awake,” Nariella started, knowing Remycah could still hear her from afar. “There’s something I have to tell you guys about. Something happened when I was out in the woods alone, before Nikolai found me.”
“We’re listening,” Ender encouraged her to continue.
“Well, I was just lying on the ground when suddenly these, these, things…creature-type-things appeared.” Her eyes grew wide as she formed shapes with her hands.
“What kind of creature-type-things?” Rydan cocked his eyebrow at her.
“Like, I don’t know, see-through-creature-things. They were kinda hazy and glowing. Like ghosts. But they definitely weren’t ghosts…at least, I don’t think they were.” She chewed on her lip pensively.
“Forest Sprites,” Remycah muttered from his place over there. “They’re called Forest Sprites.”
“Oh, okay, Forest Sprites. So not ghosts?”
“No, they’re not ghosts, Nariella,” Remycah clarified. “They are spirits of the forest. What did they want?”
“That’s the thing. They showed me where Ohtar’s hiding. I know where to find your psychotic uncle.”
“Where?” Ender asked, tensing his shoulders.
“He took a passageway up to the top of the Nura’ringul Mountains.”
My body reacted instantly to her words, and I shuddered uncontrollably. My mind would forever be tainted by the darkness Dae’Sûl poisoned me with. I turned away, loathing the idea of having to roam near his lair, but not before noticing the subtle reaction of Remycah and Ender, for they, too, were unhappy hearing this news.
Once learning of Ohtar’s whereabouts, we had no other choice but to start our journey to the Nura’ringul Mountain pass in pursuit of him, for we had spent too much time on other things as it was. I prayed that Dae’Sûl would leave me be in the meantime.
I feared the moment we would battle both Ohtar and Dae’Sûl at the same time and did not need him tormenting my mind beforehand. My chest tightened, for I did not wish to lay eyes on that hideous creature ever again after what he had done to me, but alas, I knew it could not be helped. Being twice in his presence had far exceeded what one would want to endure. I knew my mind would never fully recover from his poisoning unless he were to perish, but more than that, I would be horrified if he were to break in once again and haunt me. It could happen at any second…any moment at all as we traveled closer and closer to his cave.
Quiet were our footfalls as we marched into certain battle—we only knew not when we would find it. Rydan remained far from me, as I had asked him to do, and would not force me into what I did not want. I admired him for his strength, for I feared I would be the one to take back what I had originally requested of him, because honestly, it was not actually what I wanted at all. Though I promised not to think of it, my heart unforgivably soared at the thought of Queen Lirima bestowing us with her approval. Only then would I allow our indulgence.
My mother, who was next to me, linked her forearm with my elbow, capturing my attention into my family’s ongoing conversation.
“Do you truly wish to return to the kingdom not of our ancestors?” Cathar asked with disbelief in his tone. “Mother, should we not return to Lassaira, where we truly belong? I do not wish to live in Aselaira. Not after being in our homeland. I believe you would feel the same once you returned to it. Come, let us put the kin
gdom that had brought us so much strife behind us, regardless of the king who rules over it.”
“Is that how you feel, Naminé?” my mother inquired of me.
“I have not spent much time in Lassaira, Mother. Only for a brief moment whilst escaping Ohtar’s hunters have I been there. I…I am not sure.” My mind immediately went to thoughts of Rydan. If he were able to acquire his mother’s approval, and we were to be together, I would not wish to part from him. I would then want to stay in Aselaira to be at his side. But then…Nariella was Queen of Lassaira, was she not? As her Guardian, Rydan would need to remain near her, I would think. Oh, I was utterly undecided where I belonged or at least, where I would end up. Perhaps it all was dependent on where Rydan was to end up. I suspected he and I would be forever linked, even if his mother should not give her approval. Which was how I expected it to be.
My father provided his thoughts on it. “Cathar has a point we cannot deny. Lassaira is where our blood runs. We should return to it. Aselaira is not our home. Not anymore, nor do I believe ever truly was.”
“Then it is settled! To Lassaira we shall return once and for all,” my brother rejoiced. I smiled at his enthusiasm, but I was uncertain how I felt about it. And that most definitely worried me, for I should not remain attached to Rydan. Not until I had assurance that our hazy future together would be solidified.
Mother seemed to have caught Cathar’s joy as she said, “I wonder if we should venture there now. What do you think, Roche? We are not needed for this mission. We would only get in the way.”
Cathar placed a hand on her shoulder as we continued walking and disagreed whole-heartedly. He kept his voice low as he explained, “Mother, we should wait for the army of Lassaira to travel with us. It is much too dangerous to journey through Aselaira alone. I would not have the ability to protect everyone if we should run into enemies.”
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