Chapter Thirty-One
The Caged
The memory barrels through me and I awake with a jolt. The sun is directly overhead and Nithe is leaning back, his eyes closed. I sit up, rubbing my eyes. Exhaustion pulls at me, beckoning to take over, but I force it down with a cough.
Evreux said I was to be his son’s salvation. Did he know of the darkness inside of him? Did he know what he was going to become?
It feels as if no time has passed before we near the edge of Rakushia.
I spent most of the journey looking over my shoulder, convinced that Tobias would be sailing across the waters with an army before I eventually fell asleep.
But we met no resistance as we sailed, and I don’t know why that bothers me. Shouldn’t I be grateful?
A large splash to my right interrupting the silence makes me flinch as Enzo’s head surfaces. His black hair is wet and plastered to his forehead, his smile wide and playful as he looks up at me.
“I’m going to need a very long nap after this.
” He says loudly as he pulls himself into the boat, soaking me again in the process.
He grabs a blanket and wipes his face before wrapping it around himself.
“You can row the rest of the way.” He says as he kicks Nithe’s foot off the bench.
He groans and pulls himself up, snatching the oar into his hands.
“What do you eat?” I ask, mostly wondering if he eats in his animal form.
“Food, usually. A maiden preferably.” My mouth falls open and Nithe barks out a laugh.
“I wouldn’t think Sca—" Enzo’s eyes widen and his arm whips out, hitting Nithe in the stomach and sending him tumbling over the side of the boat and into the water, the oar flying into the air.
“Enzo!” I gasp as I jump off the bench.
“Man, what the hell.” I reach my hand out to assist Nithe, but he slaps it out of the way, pulling himself in. Far off laughing has me spinning around. Soft and feminine.
A sound I know.
I squint my eyes as I look at the shore. The span of white beach belonging to Rakushia. I can just make out a few figures, one of which has long chestnut hair blowing in the wind. My pulse skips.
“Is that…” I ask as I nearly fall to my knees. Tears well up in my eyes and I grip the side of the boat.
“They have probably been waiting for us all night.” Enzo says softly.
“Oh my god.” I clamp my hand over my mouth to suppress the sob making its way up my throat.
Scarlett. Alive . Unharmed and waiting for me.
Twin, golden buns atop a female head, standing next to Scarlett. Emery . Also alive.
Someone with dark hair cropped short, tall and standing a bit farther back. He seems stoic, careful. A smaller figure holding his hand, light hair in a braid over her shoulder. My body is shaking as we grow closer, as I start to see details.
It is then that I notice the man holding the little girl’s hand is Kassius. The prophet who befriended my mother. The one who was beheaded for her murder.
The man who looks nearly identical to Enzo.
My lips part and my hand falls away as I stare at him, his yellow eyes getting clearer as Nithe rows us closer. My gaze stays fixed on his, and his on mine.
We hit the beach, but no one moves. No one says anything, except him.
“Hello, Nora.” He says, a small smile crinkling the corners of his eyes, the eyes that look much older than they did when I saw him last. When I saw him for the last time over ten years ago.
“Kassius.” I whisper. Enzo steps out, holding his hand out for me, but I don’t move. I can barely breathe. “I don’t understand.”
“He’s my father.” Enzo says quietly, and my gaze snaps to his.
“What?” My mouth hangs open in disbelief. “Your father?” Nithe climbs out of the boat and treks up the wet sand to throw his dripping arms around Emery, hugging her tight.
“I told you I wouldn’t get myself killed.” He laughs and she hits his back as she pulls away.
“I’m glad.” She smiles at him, affection brewing deep in her eyes. I glance down at Enzo’s hand still in the air waiting to help me out, but I ignore it. Throwing a leg over the side of the boat, I climb out on my own.
The white sand is cool, soft, as I take a few slow steps. I can see Scarlett practically vibrating in the peripherals of my vision, but I can’t look away from Kassius. The man who used to sit with me when I was a child, who would explore with my mother and I as we ran through the trees.
The man I never thought I’d see again.
“I was told you were murdered for the death of my mother. I cried every night knowing that my mother and the closest thing I have ever had to a real father, was dead.” My voice is weak, strained, as I stare into his yellow eyes. Tears drip down my cheeks. “But here you are.”
“I came back a few years ago. I came to see you, but you were asleep in the infirmary. Scarlett was there.” My eyes flash to hers quickly before going back to him. “I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
“I wasn’t.” I snap.
“I know.” He says softly.
“You knew what he was doing to me, my father. You knew what Tobias was doing. All of you did. None of you did anything. None of you.” My voice cracks and my hand flies to my mouth.
“Nora,” he steps forward, his hand gripping onto the little girl who is staring at me with wide, yellow eyes.
“Don’t. I don’t want anything from you. I don’t want anything from any of you.
I wanted to be left alone, to be done. I was ready for it to be over.
You never protected me, you never came for me, and when I finally accepted my fate, you took that away too.
” I take a step to my left, my hand reaching for Scarlett’s.
I hear her exhale in relief as she takes it and pulls me into her side.
“I don’t care what you want from me, you can’t have it.
There is only one thing I want in this world, and it’s to rip Tobias’s heart from his chest. I won’t let you take that away from me too.
” I start walking, pulling Scarlett with me, as we trek up the beach to the path between the hills.
I don’t know where we are going, but I have to get away from all of them.
She doesn’t speak, but I can tell she wants to. She keeps my hand in hers as we silently walk. My tears dry on my cheeks, the air warm and suffocatingly sweet. She guides us through the hills and within minutes they open up to a huge stone and wood palace.
It’s not grand like Noterra, but it’s still large.
A half wall encircles the entire building.
I can see guards with bright gold cloaks and silver armor lining the top of it.
Horses are tied to stalls outside the palace.
Small windows line the outside of the building, reflecting the bright sunlight.
There are trees everywhere, but not as dense as home.
Purple flowers hang from branches like vines, their scent almost too much.
I hear someone sneeze behind me, and I flinch.
“ Damnit .” Nithe mutters and I hear Emery laugh.
Anger is all I can feel right now. Anger and betrayal. It’s not their fault, but I can’t help but blame them, hate them, for not doing anything. For not stepping in.
But why would they?
They don’t owe me anything.
“It’s been over seven months since you were supposed to be here.” Scar’s voice is soft, hesitant.
“Seven months?” I whisper. “What day is it?” I ask, although I don’t know if I really want to know.
She doesn’t respond for a second, so I turn to face her.
Her skin is tan, tanner than I have ever seen it.
Her hair is long and loose, silky and shiny like always.
Her brown eyes are ringed in gold, sparkling in the sun.
She’s wearing a gray dress that hangs off her in billowy folds.
She looks healthy, happy even. I smile slightly at her appearance.
“It’s a few days past your birthday, Elaenor.
It’s the end of July.” She says quietly.
My smile falls as a choked sob escapes my lips and I clamp my hand over my mouth, my gaze holding hers in disbelief.
The tears come and they don’t stop. I start to shake, guttural sobs breaking up the silence.
My legs give out and I land on my knees.
Dirt and grass press into my skin, aggravating the cuts marring my knees.
It has been one year since I left home.
One whole year and yet nothing has gotten better.
Everything has gotten worse.
She drops down to the ground with me, her arms wrapping around my shoulders, pulling me into her chest. She squeezes me tight, and then I feel her shaking. She’s crying too.
Another set of thin arms wrap around me as I cry harder than I ever have. As I cry for the person I never had the chance to become. The version of myself I will never know. I open my eyes to a set of light brown lined with silver and thick lashes.
Laenie .
We cry, together. All three of us. Cry for the year that has changed everything. Cry for the deaths that have occurred. Cry for the children we once were. I don’t know how long we stay here, crumpled on the dirt hugging each other. I pull back first, my arms going around Laenie as I hold her close.
When I let go, I look around and see that everyone has left us. Everyone but one person.
Ginger hair sparkles in the sun, resembling flames. Pale skin and broad shoulders. A forest green hilt attached to a silver sword hanging off his belt. Another sob works its way out of my throat. A sob coated in disbelief.
In confusion.
Erik .
I push off the ground and run, barreling into his chest and nearly taking him out. His arms wrap around me, and his head buries in my hair. I can feel his body shaking as he holds on tight. He’s warm, and whole, and alive .
“I am so sorry, Elaenor.” He cries as he squeezes me tighter. I shake my head, emotions flooding through me like a tidal wave.
Everything has changed. Everything.