Chapter 63
Tiny Hands
“Gah,” I gritted out as I fell to the ground for thousandth time trying to drag Endymion across the layers of leaves, which were suboptimal for footing, at best. Still on my ass, I kicked a heel out in frustration at him, which did nothing more than cover his boots in the damn foliage that was slick from the downpour earlier.
Luckily, time had stayed still. Unluckily, the sun wasn’t doing shit to dry the ground.
Standing, I flung the mud off my hands and grabbed Endymion by the feet again.
I stood between his legs with him at my back, and placed one calf under each of my arms like I was a damn mule and he was the cart.
At least carts had wheels, I thought bitterly.
I’d learned quickly back the Great Hall that this was the easiest method to move him—or, I suppose, drag him.
It wasn’t an elegant solution, but at least I’d been able to steal a hooded cloak from one of the guards and practically swaddle Endymion, ensuring his upper body stayed safe as his limp form trailed behind me.
“My, what sexy, broad shoulders you have,” I grumbled under my breath, resentful at how much he weighed as I trudged on.
Endymion was muscular, tall, and had a decently wide frame, which meant he was heavy on a good day.
Right now, he was like a statue, reminding me of how babies suddenly doubled in weight when they played in the Dream Realm.
Even without soldiers to contend with, it’d been no small feat getting clear of the palace grounds. The locked double gates were particularly fun to get past. Silver lining, I had full access to my powers, which—other than being a convenient source of water—were completely fucken useless.
Once I’d finally got us past the wards, it’d felt like the world was mocking me. Congratulations, you made it to where you can valen. What? You don’t know how? Oh well, too bad for you.
Had anyone been there to witness the maniacal laughter that tore from me, they would’ve had me committed, and honestly, I couldn’t blame them.
My tether had snapped. I was a pendulum of emotion from laughter to hysteria to screaming obscenities.
Even now, I was pretty sure my sanity held on by a thread.
Or maybe it had abandoned me entirely. Surely that’s what possessed me to continue walking for hours as if there was any hope we’d make it to the Summer border.
Doubtless, we looked like a pair of idiots—no one would notice, right?
With my luck, we’d end up in the Winter Court. Because, why not? I hadn’t needed more proof that I was losing it, but the fits of laughter that consumed me after that thought were the nail in the coffin.
Without the sun moving across the horizon, there was no way to truly tell how much time had passed.
If my exhaustion was any indication, it had been a while.
I needed to stop. To rest. To eat; even though it was the last thing on my mind.
But I couldn’t stop. No. Stopping meant thinking, and nothing good would come of that.
The left-right cadence of my sodden steps was a metronome that kept me in the comfortable trance I’d slipped into, allowing me to evade the memories that were itching to haunt me as they followed in our wake through the eerie silence of the forest frozen in time.
I couldn’t think about what had happened. I just… couldn’t.
Eventually, we’d made it past where Wymond’s deluge of grief and anger had soaked the land. I was grateful for the reprieve—Endymion slid across the dried leaves much easier, even if his upper body was completely buried by them at times.
Too tired, I’d long since given up on lifting my feet above the leaf line, opting to drag them through instead.
I’d also stopped dodging the fallen leaves that littered the air as they for Lady Time to release so gravity could take them to their final resting place.
Closing my eyes as a particularly large ruby-red leaf brushed against the soft skin of my face, my foot caught on a root, forcing me to abandon Endymion’s legs in favor of catching myself before I hit the ground.
“Fuck,” I muttered, then rolled over.
Breaths heavy, I laid my hands on my chest and took a moment. Looking up, small patches of pale-blue sky showed through the thick canopy of crimson leaves.
Thaddeus. The blood. His lifeless blue-gray eyes staring back at me.
I shuddered, forcing myself to look away—to sit up. Unfortunately, the blanket of discarded leaves was just as much of a reminder.
Steeling myself, I shifted my weight to sit on my heels. Conjuring water, I took a small sip before pressing the sphere of water against my face, sighing in relief as the cool liquid splashed against me.
I’m okay. We are okay. I just have to get us back to the Summer Court. Artton, Sidrick, and Tarrin are there—safe.
I can do this.
With that thought, I stood and was forced to sidestep as a wave of dizziness washed over me.
“Whoa,” I said as one hand darted out to balance myself against a tree, while the other flew to my forehead.
Taking a few deep breaths, I realized I couldn’t put off hunting any longer—if that’s what one could call it when your prey can’t move.
After the dizziness passed, I’d have to check on Endymion and then find sustenance.
Forced to close my eyes against the spinning sensation threatening to pull me back to the ground, I silently prayed that this wasn’t somehow connected to Lady Time loosening her grip.
I had no idea where we were, but if Wymond was freed from her grasp, not far enough was our current local—and would be until we were out of this gods-forsaken court.
It took longer than I cared to admit to myself before it felt safe enough to open my eyes, sighing in relief to see the world around as still as a painting.
Unsteadily, I made for Endymion, the leaves crunching under my careful steps as I tried to avoid the root that’d tripped me in the first place.
Kneeling beside him, I dusted off the collection of leaves that’d snagged on his wrap, and frowned as I cleared more from his face.
When we’d set off from the Great Hall he’d looked peaceful, younger even, without the pressures of the world resting upon his shoulders.
Now, his mouth was pursed, and deep, double lines puckered his brows, making him look more pained than anything.
Taking a thumb, I rubbed it against those lines as if I could erase them. “Endymion?” I whispered. His features softened a fraction before sliding back. “Endymion, it’s me, Nyleeria.”
Nothing this time.
Wondering if he’d somehow been hurt while we traversed autumn, I decided to check him over.
With a grunt, I rolled him to one side, then the other coming up empty.
Sure, the cloak had seen better days, but it was in remarkable shape considering.
Same with the front. Deciding I’d missed something in my haste to get us clear of Wymond, I unwrapped him.
Torso, fine.
Legs, fine.
Head, fine.
Arms—
“What in the world?” I murmured.
A hint of something peeked out from under his left wrist. Gingerly, I turned it palm up and gasped.
“No…”
His left hand in my right, and I leaned over his broad chest, looking between our wrists in disbelief.
The veins of magic denoting the bargain between Wymond and me were now absent from the tender flesh it’d marked on me, but the same could not be said for Endymion.
I’d thought it strange when I’d been marked, how it appeared to be missing the outline of a leaf—and now I knew why.
Clear as day in his glittering black magic was the unmistakable outline of a maple leaf.
With opposite hand, I went to trace the bold lines that marred his skin, and the second the pad of my finger touched it, I hissed in pain, but before I could react, everything went black.
My pulse raced as my senses returned.
The music. The feel of my clothes. The scent of the air. It was all too familiar; and as my vision cleared, I wasn’t surprised to find myself watching the Summer Solstice reverie from atop the grand staircase.
Descending the opulent stairs, I didn’t dare shift my focus from the middle of the dance floor where Endymion held me close as he led me gracefully across the dancefloor.
Everything was as I remembered it, but I was experiencing it from afar.
The memory of him leaned down to whisper something into my ear; and I knew what his words—my name on his lips—would do to me.
I took in a sharp breath, his words caressing me as though I’d been the one he’d whispered them to, and a strange part of me was irrationally jealous of my mirage.
Realizing there was a very real possibility that both dancers were mere wisps of our past, my eyes darted frantically in hopes I’d find the real Endymion watching from the crowd as I was.
As I scanned the expansive second-floor balcony gracing the perimeter of the hall that afforded onlookers a bird’s-eye view, I idly wondered if there’d truly been that many fae watching with rapt attention that night as we stripped each other down the core in ways I doubted I’d ever experience again.
Shaking away the unsettling thought, I continued to look for his striking features.
Feeling a faint tug softer than a light breeze caressing my skin, my attention snapped to an archway leading out into the moonlit gardens beyond the vibrant hall just in time to see his form turn to shadows as he exited.
“Endymion!” I called after him.
He didn’t turn.
“Endymion!” I called again, descending the stairs as quickly as I dared in my dress.
As if the memory sensed my intrusion, countless fae turned their blank stares toward me as they flocked to the bottom of the staircase.
“Excuse me,” I said, as I tried to pass, but this only made the fae stand closer, forcing me to fight for every inch as I pushed my way through.