Chapter 12 #2
I glanced back at the other guys, then jumped when King Francis’ voice sounded right beside me. Damn graceful elves. Even in their older years it was hard to keep track of them. “Perhaps it will be for the best.” He eyed the symbol, then the waiting guards.
“Um, what?” I asked.
“To carve a pathway now.”
I winced. They really did have insane hearing. Maybe even better than werewolves. Or maybe King Francis was just special.
“With a pathway just to that smaller realm,” he continued, his gaze sweeping across his warriors, “we can stand at the ready. We will not let the shadows escape beyond our gates, and this way none will risk getting trapped like Princess Silvana.”
I actually didn’t hate it. Me being responsible for making sure no one else got trapped was a tall order.
“We could ask Charla to send over some angelics and gargoyles as backup. You’d have to allow them in, but I’m sure she’d be willing.
” Charla was a big picture thinker. She knew the pathways were coming back one way or another, and her aim was to preserve earth and keep everyone safe.
Francis looked at me like I was being childish for even mentioning that he invite angelics and gargoyles into his realm. Maybe it was only Mistral growing more lenient after all.
“Well if it’s what you want to try…” I hesitated. I lifted the Realm Breaker from where I’d rested its tip against the ground.
“Elena,” the king ordered. “Spread the word, and send any ravens you find. We’ll want everyone at the ready.”
I looked over at Elena, who’d hopped down from her buck to approach us.
“I thought you said you couldn’t send messages through ravens!
” I balked at her. The first time I’d come to Emerald Heights, I could have sworn a beady-eyed raven had been keeping an eye on me, and Elena had met with me shortly after.
Elena gave me a playful wink, then hurried off to obey her father’s orders.
I watched as she instructed a few of the other elves, presumably to find ravens in the forest.
Sebastian came to stand at my shoulder as King Francis retreated. “It does mean less risk to us. Not the worst plan.”
“Unless we unintentionally release a bunch of darkness into the city,” Crispin countered.
Mistral nodded in acknowledgment, but said, “That is going to be a risk in this process either way.”
He was right, but it didn’t mean I had to like it.
Once everyone was ready, we gathered back around the tree.
The guys all stood close, offering me their magic.
I didn’t even need to touch them anymore.
As long as they were close, I could pull on those golden cords, and I seemed to be rapidly improving at actually channeling the magic.
Maybe it was the presence of the Realm Breaker, or maybe of the vortex.
I was starting not to care, as long as it worked.
Elena supported Ringo in her palms in front of her chest with a promise to get him to safety if anything came through. She gave me another wink as I lifted the Realm Breaker to cut the pathway to the pocket realm.
I tried to envision that place, hoping I could remember it clearly enough.
I thought of the little settlement Silvana and her people had built—the cottages, the small dining hall, and the strange trees.
I was only there a night though, and it was a tense time.
My thoughts wandered to how Crispin had been so worried about me, and blaming himself for bringing us there.
I started to lose focus and chastised myself, turning my attention to pulling equally from each of the guys.
But I still sensed extra magic coming to me from Crispin, maybe a lingering effect of my focus on him.
Either way, as I released the magic, the cool light of a portal erupted.
I squinted my eyes at its brightness, waiting for it to settle into place like in the goblin realm.
But instead it tugged at me. I wasn’t creating a proper pathway, I was traveling.
Crispin grabbed on to me last minute, making the magic flare brighter. The other guys reached for me too, but their hands seemed to pass right through me.
Then we were gone, in a suspended state for several heartbeats before touching down on lush green grass.
My knees gave out and I slumped to the ground.
I could feel the energy in the place, like Emerald Heights, only more.
So much more. We must have come to a different place than the pocket realm because I didn’t recognize the trees.
My pulse kicked up, but I willed it to slow. We were fine. I had the Realm Breaker in my hand. I hadn’t stabbed myself with it when I fell. We could make it back to Emerald Heights as soon as we recovered.
Crispin stood, then offered me a hand up.
I took it, my vision clouding then returning. Whatever we’d done, it had required a lot of energy. Even with the help of the guys, I felt totally drained, so maybe we wouldn’t be returning right away. “What the hells happened?” I asked.
Crispin’s eyes were narrowed, gazing out toward the horizon.
The sun, just one sun, was at its full height in the sky, but it was a cool day.
Cooler than it had been in Emerald Heights.
A lone bird sang an unusual, melancholy song from one of the nearby trees.
The tree looked like a sycamore, but its bark was a more perfect white, and its large leaves were vibrant yellow.
“I could feel you tugging on my magic,” Crispin said. “I think you placed a little too much intent on me, and not on creating the pathway.”
“Vain much?” I glanced around again, trying to get my bearings.
“Eva, you brought us all the way to my home realm.”
I whipped around, my eyes wide.
He lifted a hand and roots shot out of the ground, then writhed around him like giant worms, dripping clods of dirt.
“You can do that on earth too,” I accused.
“With great effort, and at great cost to myself.” He wiggled his fingers, and the roots danced. “This costs me next to nothing. The magic here is in my blood.”
I studied Crispin, who should be excited, but was frowning. That frown alone let me know this was not the best thing that could have happened.