Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
The guys had gathered up the vortex in Crispin’s shirt by the time I returned. I raised my eyebrows at the sight of him standing there, nude from the waist up, the vortex glowing from within the fabric he held away from his body.
At my look, he shrugged. “We decided we might want to hold off on touching it, just until we can test for any possible reactions.”
After his explanation, everyone was silent. It was my turn.
I looked at Mistral. “If you had a partner bound to the Bogs with you, would you be able to leave? At least for a little while?”
He lowered his eyes. “Your mother told you.”
“She hinted.”
He glanced at Gabriel then back at me. “I believe the land would become stable enough for short excursions to be possible.” He stepped toward me, holding out one hand half-heartedly.
“But Eva, such a binding would be permanent. There would be no going back. Once the wild magic is part of you,” he let his hand fall without touching me, “you are forever changed.”
I crossed my arms, trying to remain strong, though inside I was trembling.
“Forever changed is better than all of us dead. My mom is going to distract our grandfather as long as she can, but ultimately, he will come for us. Even if he kills her, he’s not going to just leave us alone to plot against him.
There are people who will help us in the Silver Quarter, but we need to go there together.
As long as I’ll still be able to leave, I’m willing to help you leave too. ”
Lucas ruffled his wings at the mention of the Silver Quarter, but I ignored him.
I had to make Mistral understand that I had made my choice.
And maybe it wasn’t really a choice at all since the other option was death, but it seemed a small price to pay.
I was already bound to Mistral, which felt pretty permanent, and he was bound to the land.
It didn’t seem like such a massive change when I thought of it that way.
“We have the vortex now,” Sebastian interrupted. “Luring him here may be enough.”
I shook my head. “Him coming here was just a message. He won’t face us directly, and instead will destroy what we care about. He could raze every village in the Bogs before we could reach them. Hiding isn’t an option.”
Sebastian bowed his head, and I turned once more to Mistral. “Now if you don’t mind, a proper proposal would be nice.”
With that he finally came to me, finally touched me, though he held me like I might break. His gray eyes held centuries of burden. Burden I was about to share, for better or worse. “I will not ask it of you.”
“Fine,” I huffed, dropping from his loose grasp to get down on one knee. Where my bare leg touched the earth I felt a trickle of warmth that almost felt like encouragement. It was disconcerting how badly the land wanted me bound to it, but maybe it wanted the best for us too.
Since I didn’t have a ring to offer, I took Mistral’s hand instead. Brave, Eva. Be Brave. “Mistral,” I began, my voice steady. “Will you marry me?”
When he just stared at me, stunned, I squeezed his hand. “Remember, only truth between us.” I had the feeling of everyone around us holding their breath.
Using his grip on my hand, he brought me to my feet, then pulled me against him. “Yes,” he muttered against my hair. “Yes, I will.”
The ground rumbled at our feet again.
“Uh oh,” Crispin had time to say, then we were rising and falling at the same time. Sky and greenery passed by in a dizzying display. Then we landed with me still in Mistral’s arms.
Water was running nearby, and the air was rich with the smell of wildflowers. I pulled away just enough to look around.
We were in a meadow, and I thought I recognized the layout, but it wasn’t gray anymore. Where once was dead grass, bloomed countless wildflowers in strange, pastel colors. I’d seen some interesting foliage beyond the boundaries, but I’d never seen anything like them.
“It seems Lucas was left behind.” I turned at the sound of Sebastian’s voice, watching him spin a slow circle, taking in the wildflowers and vibrant green trees.
I saw Crispin next, glowing green vortex still held away from his body in his shirt, and Ringo on his shoulder. I watched as he moved aside the fabric to peek down at the vortex, assuring himself that it was unharmed.
Gabriel let his presence be known next, coming up behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder. Everything seemed to be moving a bit slowly, surreal, like I was in a dream. Only, Mistral’s arms around me felt very real.
“The gray is gone,” Gabriel said. “I don’t understand why the Bogs held on to the vortex for so long when it was hurting it.”
“I believe it was simply waiting to give the vortex to Eva.” Mistral leaned forward, his lips grazing my cheek.
The ground rumbled again, and something started emerging amidst the flowers. Dirt tumbled from white marble, and within seconds, a carved ceremonial altar stood before us.
Crispin cautiously approached it, leaning in one direction then the other to take in the carvings without touching them. “It seems the Bogs feels there is not a moment to waste.” He looked back at us expectantly.
“You mean it wants us to get married right now?” I gasped.
While we watched, wildflower vines snaked around the altar. Once they were in place, more flowers bloomed.
I tilted my head, perplexed. “Is it… decorating?”
“How charming,” Crispin said. “Creepy, but charming.”
“Are you sure about this?” Mistral asked.
It was a big decision to make so abruptly, but we couldn’t leave the Bogs until things were stabilized. “Yes, as long as I’ll still be able to leave.”
“You will. My blood is that of the land, and my connection will remain the stronger of the two.”
Gabriel gave my shoulder a squeeze, having no need for words. I knew how much what I was doing meant to him. He and Mistral met each other’s eyes over my head.
While no words were muttered, Mistral nodded at some unspoken exchange.
“I told you they were telepathic,” Crispin whispered conspiratorially behind us.
“Shut up,” Sebastian sighed.
I felt lightheaded with nerves, or maybe it was just the remnants of hundred year old carrots in my stomach. “Okay,” I said, my mind whirring. I was willing to do this, but maybe I should have at least spoken to the other guys first. Since we were all connected, what I did involved them too.
I looked back at Sebastian to find him already watching me. Our eyes met for a long moment, then he nodded.
With Ringo on his shoulder, Crispin had opened his shirt turned tote bag again and was looking curiously down at the vortex.
Yeah, I didn’t think he minded.
With his arm still wrapped around me, Mistral whispered in my ear, “I love you, Eva Nix.”
Mistral and I knelt before the altar, a gentle breeze carrying flowery scents to sweep back through our loose hair. Gabriel, Crispin, and Sebastian stood at our backs. Apparently we didn’t need an officiant. The Bogs would take care of that.
I startled as two silver chalices appeared on the altar, a distinct blue glow emanating from their rims. Apparently it wasn’t enough that I had almost drowned in the glow stick juice. Now I was going to have to drink it.
My eyes widened further as an ornate silver dagger appeared, the gems on the hilt glowing that same blue. Delicate vine patterns surrounded the gems.
Kneeling at my side, Mistral took my hand in his. “I’m sorry, but the ritual does require a bit of blood.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “What good ritual doesn’t?”
Mistral smirked, then took up the dagger. A small dish appeared upon the altar.
Oh joy, now not only did the Bogs want me to drink glow stick juice, but it wanted my blood.
Mistral examined the dagger, its sharp blade glinting in the setting sun.
“Our hand-fasting ritual has little to do with human customs,” he explained, “and everything to do with our connection to the magic of the land. The land blesses us, and binds us.” He hesitated with the dagger over my palm. “You’re truly sure?”
I didn’t like getting my hand sliced, but as for the rest of it, I knew that I was. I looked at each of the guys again, then turned toward Mistral. “I’m sure.”
Mistral lifted my palm to his lips, his light kiss pulling forth my magic.
Before I knew what happened, he’d moved his lips and sliced my palm, the cool tingling of my magic numbing the pain.
I felt the land beneath our feet like a second heartbeat as my blood welled, Mistral slicing his opposite palm to match mine.
With his uninjured hand, Mistral held the dish below our bleeding palms. He lightly took my hand, sealing our wounds together, our blood indistinguishable as it all dripped down into the dish.
I tensed for a moment at movement around us, then realized it was squirrels, birds, and all the little creatures of the forest moving in to watch us.
They were all entirely silent. A captive audience.
Mistral placed the filled dish on the earth, and it disappeared. “With blood, we are bound.”
Gabriel walked around the altar, handing us each one of the chalices. I took mine with trembling fingers. I had the sense of the land holding its breath, waiting anxiously to see if I would actually go through with it.
“With the land’s blessing, we are bound.” Mistral lifted his chalice to his lips, waiting for me to do the same.
Together, we drank, the liquid sweet and warm, and not tasting like the magical pool at all. This was something different. This was pure power.
As it slid down my throat, I thought I could sense my blood seeping into the earth, creating small tendrils downward like roots.
Just as the roots burrowed all the way down, magic erupted within me.
A fresh weave surrounded the golden cord between us.
At some point clouds had moved in to darken the sun, making the magical stars now twinkling around us all the brighter.