Chapter 51 Elariya #2
When the blood pebbled, I turned my hand over and allowed it to drop onto the parchment.
As soon as there was enough, I grabbed some tissue and held it at my palm until the bleeding slowed. Then I retrieved the vial.
“Syrith velor aethernal, thraven korum mal,” I chanted, remembering the incantation from last night. “Syren vael orum thar, thalorien en drakthal, Amuun dai del nenira. Amuun dai del nenira.”
The howling shadows came first, then followed the eerie sounds of things trying to break through the shield.
I didn’t pay attention to them.
I watched my blood clump together and jump into action, producing the map.
It breathed, forming the path to places. It sped fast leaping and leaping until it reached the place it had last night when we got stuck.
The pulse within the space glowed and I felt the ring. It called to me and the moment it did I stepped toward the center of the floor and uncorked the vial.
The dust spilled outward in a stream of light and I guided it toward the map’s path.
Lifting my hands, I summoned the time threads but this time I anchored myself to the magic from the dragon’s essence and allowed it to guide me. Just like a compass.
The air twitched, then sparked.
My heart and everything inside me leaped when the map moved again, fast, and faster.
Then it stopped and instead of nothingness one word appeared.
Ozaileith.
The single name etched itself in blazing silver.
And the ring sang, the sound piercing straight through my chest.
I found it. I knew where it—
A red spark tore free from my mind. It burst outward like a dying ember, then dissolved into ash.
I cried out and stumbled backwards from the impact. Then something gripped my mind and… memory crashed into me.
Waves and waves and waves of images flooded me all at once.
Mother, Emabelle, Grandmother.
Laughter in corridors.
Hands intertwined.
Wolfe Nightblade.
A kiss in the dark.
A journey on a ship.
The magical realm…
All of it, and everything. It all came back to me.
I fell to the floor.
The map shattered into nothing then voices called my name.
Hands caught me.
I didn’t even realize my eyes were closed until I opened them.
When I did the world felt sharper. Clearer. Whole.
I felt whole.
Arielle’s face hovered above mine. Garrick was at her shoulder.
“Are you okay?” Arielle gasped.
“I’m… fine.”
“Is that fine as in not hurt?” Garrick raised a brow. “Or the other kind of fine we were hoping for where you have all your memories?
I stared at their faces and all the great memories I’d had of Garrick and Arielle flowed back to me, along with the deepest joy.
I remembered them.
I remembered them.
It felt like a block had been removed from my mind and everything connected.
I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around them both.
“It’s both. I remember you,” I said, laughing and crying at once. “I remember you.”
They both gasped and held me tighter.
When we pulled apart, Arielle took hold of my shoulders.
“I’m checking. I just can’t believe it.” She looked me over. “Last month when I took you to the capital what did we bring home with us.”
I laughed out loud. “Candles. Candles of every color. And when we got home Garrick offered to take me to the festival, but Wolfe stepped in.” I looked at Garrick and chuckled. “The night before that I drank too much and lost to you in a drinking game. I fell asleep in Wolfe’s chamber.”
They laughed again.
I did too, but suddenly everything that had happened overwhelmed me, and tears broke free, streaming down my cheeks.
“Five years,” I stuttered. “Five years of my life.”
Arielle slipped her arm around me and pulled me in for a hug. “I know. I’m so sorry. You are free now, my friend. You can have a normal life now.”
Garrick stroked the top of my head. “And you just found the location of the ring.”
I lifted my head and looked back to where the map had been.
The word was gone but it still burned in my mind.
Ozaileith.
“I have to find Wolfe,” I said. “I have to find him.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Arielle grinned.
“I’ll try and sense him,” Garrick offered. After a moment he frowned. “That’s odd. I can’t sense him through the Veythral.”
Arielle tried and shook her head. “Me neither.”
“Bastian should be here. He’ll know where Wolfe is.”
We left the room and headed deeper into the house looking for Bastian.
I couldn’t wait to see Wolfe to tell him the news.
I could hardly believe it.
My life was mine again and I remembered everything. The good and the bad. And everything in between with Thaden.
Gods, I’d been through so much.
We rounded the corner and heard voices in the living room. It was Bastian and Alaric.
When we went inside, we were met with the grim expressions on their faces.
A weight dropped inside me, and I knew at once that something was wrong.
“What happened?” I asked, the words tumbling out.
Alaric glanced at Bastian and stepped forward.
“It’s Wolfe,” he said hoarsely.
“What’s happened to him?” Panic gripped my insides.
“He’s been taken prisoner at the palace.” He sighed. “For Dreynthor’s murder.”
The world tilted.
“And…” Alaric balled his hand into a fist. “He transformed into a wraith. We cannot get him back from the palace.”
The words settled between us, crushing the fragile hope I’d just gathered in my hands.
Ice flooded my veins, locking my lungs, my limbs, my thoughts. And all I could do was stand there as the ground beneath me fractured, and the world I’d just reclaimed shattered again.
To be continued …