Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Harper
I t took most of the day to walk to a place that feels relatively safe, a hillside where a cluster of trees blocks us from sight of the volcano. Jax claims Venora can’t come this far, but I think he’s hoping more than knowing. What good will it do to be terrified or scare the children? Better to watch for trouble and believe none will come.
Aaran has not regained consciousness. We made a pallet from parts of the ship to carry him.
Through Dorian, Cara says that he broke several ribs, and one punctured his lung. She healed him, but the injury is serious enough that he may need several days to recover. The seawater he inhaled could add to the problem.
I get the impression it would be better for him if we remained in one place, but it’s not safe to stay. Venora seems to grow stronger by the day.
The setting sun shines with myriad aqua and pink hues that look as if they were painted there. It’s hard to believe a place so beautiful can contain so much horror. However, human history and current events show that any place can be ruined by bad people.
Fancor builds a small fire, sits down hard, and grunts. He must have a few aches and pains of his own. Leaning low, he blows the flames higher, making sure the wood catches.
I was too busy being dragged away to see much of the battle. I saw those slime-covered tentacles bleeding in the water. I shake the image away and let the heat of the fire comfort me. “He hasn’t woken.”
Patting my hand, Fancor sighs. “He will, lass.”
“I can’t even hear his mind now.” I’ve tried to communicate with Aaran’s mind directly, but he’s silent there too.
“He needs time to heal. He nearly died to save you and Jax. Most men would have dropped when the beast broke his ribs.” He nods toward Aaran’s prone body. “He kept on until he knew you were safe.”
I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t wake up. I can’t even bear the thought. “We can’t stay here long.”
“Just the night. We’ve agreed that we have to get past the Dá Lock River as soon as possible. After that, we can rest a day or so if needed.” He picks up a stick and digs a little hole in the dirt. His focus on what he’s doing, he asks, “Just before the beasts came, you felt something?”
Even the memory of the chill that comes with Venora’s magic makes me shiver. “I sensed her magic, the witch queen. It was just a nasty twinge, but I knew she was close, or her magic at least.”
“That might be useful. We didn’t listen. You were too concerned with the others when you should have protected yourself.” Before I can correct him, he holds up his hands, palm out. The stick falls to the ground. “I know, Harper. It’s your instinct to protect. I also know you don’t want anyone to die to keep you safe. However, the entire world will perish without you. You have to remember that. Don’t stand and fight, back away and let me or Aaran defend you.”
“I don’t think I can do that.” In a backward way, my earlier argument seems selfish. “It was only a second or two in advance, Fancor. I barely had time to react, and I don’t seem to be a run-and-hide kind of girl anymore.”
He laughs. “Were you ever?”
His laugh is full of joy, and I find myself thinking of the dwarf as a beloved uncle. “The day Aaran jumped through a portal into my world and demanded I come here, I ran away. If time had been on my side, I would have driven as fast and far from him as I could.”
“What changed?” He recovers the stick and draws something in the dark soil.
Trying to remember the moment when I knew I would help Aaran brings my mother’s illness to mind. She’s well now, and probably living a good life with her friends beside her. Maybe she’ll meet a nice man and find love again. I’ve always wondered why she never dated. It’s possible she thought I would disapprove. Maybe she was right. Now, I just want her to be happy.
Still, Aaran saving my mother wasn’t the moment. Before that, I saw him sleeping on my couch that morning. He looked troubled even at rest. His pointed ears were peeking through his tousled hair. My heart contracted at the sight of him, as if I’d known him all my life. My gut told me to help him even when my head said no way. When he was healing my mother, I knew he wouldn’t hurt her, just as I knew he might harm himself.
Fancor has scribbled three symbols in the dirt. One looks like a diamond with a star inside it. The next is like an open safety pin with the sharp end facing down. The last is a capital L shape, but the bottom part is tipped up at an angle.
“He changed me. Some things are hard to explain with words.”
Fancor nods.
“What does that mean?” I point to his drawing.
“It’s the protecting runes of my people.” He stands. “Get some sleep, Harper. I’ll watch over you both.” He moves a few feet away and leans against a rock.
There’s no telling him that he too needs rest, so I snuggle along Aaran’s good side and close my eyes. I’m here. I wish you would let me know that you’re still with me.
“There is no place far enough that I can’t reach you, human. I will destroy everything you love while you watch. Once that is done, I will come for you.” The witch queen’s voice sounds loud and painful in my skull.
Wake yourself. It’s only a dream. I know she’s not really here, but she has entered my mind just the same.
“That elf spawn of Elspeth’s will be the first. I’m almost glad he survived the Cuanuilebheist. Now I can kill him slowly. Now I can make you watch while he suffers. I will find those you left in the human world and destroy them.”
Even in the dream state, my fury rises. I’m in darkness. There’s no body to go with her voice as there was when Elspeth came to my sleep. It’s only me in the dark. “If you could make good on any of these threats, you would be standing before me in the real world instead of disturbing my sleep, Venora Braddish—idle threats to frighten me and make me run. Maybe you think you can convince me to come to you as you did when I first arrived in this world. You make threats in the darkness, but you haven’t the power to follow through.”
“You dare call me by my familiar name? I’m your queen. You are nothing but a tiny human who will die easily enough.” Her rage manifests as a shadow demon that sweeps past me but doesn’t hurt or drain my power. It’s not real.
Rather than give her the satisfaction of seeing my fear, I laugh. “More smoke and shadows from a pretender to a crown. You are no queen, and I am going to wake myself up.”
As I pull myself out of the dream, her rage-filled scream follows me. I sit up. My heart races, and my chest feels like an anvil is pressing down on it.
Fancor jumps to his feet and draws his sword. “What in the name of the old gods was that?”
“You heard that?” I look around at the rest of the party. No one else rises or stirs in their sleep. Even the soldier standing guard is unfazed.
Fancor tilts his head as if he’s listening for more. “I heard something, but your lips didn’t move, lass.”
“Venora was in my dream.” Sitting up, I cross my legs and shake off the remains of the dream.
“Are you saying I heard her through your dream?” He takes a similar position facing me, and adds a log to our dwindling fire.
Watching the wood catch, I shrug. “I guess you must have.”
“What did she say?” His dark-brown eyes are full of worry.
Like I might have any favorite uncle, I tell him the whole story of my dream. It helps relieve some of the pressure in my chest.
His left brow lifts, and he stares into the fire. “I think you had the right of it. She’s making empty threats. She wants to frighten you.”
My laugh matches the sarcasm and strain within me. “She needn’t have bothered. I’m plenty scared enough. Her invasion only made me angry.”
“That’s better than scared. She’d have been wise to learn more about you when she had you in her grasp.” He shakes his head.
Giving that some thought, I consider the time I spent under her control. I’ve been pushing those memories away. The terror of the dungeon, the cold, the pain, and the helplessness were all too much, and I wanted them gone. But now, I let those days back into my mind, looking for clues. “She’s self-absorbed, Fancor. She thinks of nothing but herself and how one person might benefit her or another might do her harm. She never considers the true value of a person. Of course, this is just my opinion based on observation.” I’m no psychiatrist. Still, I’ve always understood people and their motives, even when I don’t like the outcome.
“You have seen her at her worst. Who better to judge?” He pokes the fire with a stick.
“Even Ciaran means little to her. She’ll use him up and find another. Though, for him, she plays the part of a lover. He must have been very strong and not very smart. Maybe he thought he could manipulate her and seize her power. He’s fading now. She’ll start looking for someone new to help her.” I touch the runes still showing in the dark. “Could this be why she couldn’t show herself in my dream?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe. They’re meant to protect you from evil.”
“Well, she couldn’t touch me. Even the shadow demon was not real, only an illusion.” I like the idea that his magic protected me. Maybe I’m kidding myself, but I like it just the same.
A s the sun hits the hills, I feel Aaran’s mind awaken, as if a shroud has been lifted.
I revel for a moment in the feel of his love within me. It’s warm, and I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it. Sitting up, I roll toward him.
No longer ashen, his cheeks are pink. His eyes blink open, and he winces before smiling at me. “Hello.”
“Hello, yourself. You almost died, and you promised me you would keep me safe.” My scolding is soft, and there’s no way to hide my relief. I feel as if I can finally release the breath I’ve been holding.
Wincing again, he attempts to sit, but gives up a moment later. “Sorry about that. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. In my defense, a monster was dragging you out to sea.”
My heart leaps in my chest. I had no idea love could be like this. Any brush with romance I had in my past life was mere fondness compared to the all-consuming adoration I feel for this elf. “I will forgive you if you stay still and heal properly.”
“Where are we?” He helps me lift his head to put a blanket behind him. His lips thin from the strain.
“We carried you all day yesterday. We’re in the hills between the sea and some river.” I’m sure someone told me the names of these places, but I can’t remember.
“The Bog Hills and the river is Dá Lock Abhainn. We’ll be safe across the river.” He closes his eyes.
“We were supposed to be safe on this continent, but she has attacked by land and by sea.” I shouldn’t add to his worries, but it’s best to be realistic. I do keep my dream to myself for now.
“Not land. She used demons from what you would call hell to attack.”
I don’t get a chance to tell him what I think of the distinction.
“You’re awake.” Nainsi rushes to Aaran’s side. “Cara is well enough to add some healing magic. I’m going to help her. You’ll be better in no time.”
Bert grins down at him. “You gave us quite a scare. Especially when Harper couldn’t reach your mind.”
Aaran’s eyes grow distant. “I was…elsewhere. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Nainsi frowns. “We are all much relieved you found your way back to us.”
“Where are Jax and the others?” Aaran’s jaw ticks.
“Relax,” I press his shoulder back before he decides to leap up and damage himself again.
Bert waves at Cara so she’ll come, then turns back. “They’ve gone to scout ahead and check that we’re not followed. Fancor and Beran are guarding the camp, and we’ll take shifts until we can safely move. Everyone is tired. Another day here would be a blessing.”
“Not if Venora knows where we are,” Nainsi mutters, her hands balled at her sides.
Cara shoos Bert and me away and kneels beside Aaran with Nainsi. She places Nainsi’s hands on his ribs and hers on top.
The tingle of magic flashes through me even from ten feet away. I feel the moment Aaran loses consciousness. I wonder if we had other choices. Should I have let him portal us away and left these people to their fate? Would Aaran be safe and whole if I had?
A flush of love flows over me from his mind.
He may be sleeping off the injury and the healing magic, but his mind is still with me. You were right, mo chroi.
It felt right at the time, but seeing him weak and pale, I wonder. Have his brothers already found the human women they were sent for? They may be with their mother, waiting and wondering if we’re alive. I am the reason more people are dying in this land. How many have been turned to shadow demons since I arrived, and how many more before we get to the gate?
Even then, will the answers be simple? I doubt it. Nothing ever is, and this battle with the witch queen has been going on since before I was born. War, death, and loss are all Aaran has ever known. It’s ridiculous to believe that I’m the solution.
My hand slides to the hilt of the sword strapped to my hip. My mother wouldn’t recognize me with a weapon. Nor would she believe I have a dagger tucked in my boot. I barely recognize myself.
Jax jogs toward me. I have no idea how far he ran, but he’s not out of breath. When he stops, he stares at my face for a long moment. “Are you well?”
I pull my shoulders back and lift my chin. “I’m fine. Aaran woke up. They’re healing him now.”
His gaze flits over the camp where elves rest or keep fires burning. Several cook on a main fire at the center of the group. “The path ahead appears clear. I saw no signs of Venora or her creatures. The others should return soon. Hopefully, they’ll have similar reports.”
A bright red head crests the hill northwest. “There is Breck now.”
Jax turns and walks a few steps toward his soldier. He stops and looks over his shoulder at me. “Are you certain you’re well?”
“I have no idea, to be honest.” The moment I say so, I wish I’d kept my mouth closed.
Jax gives Breck a nod, then turns to face me. “Tell me.” He gestures that I should walk with him at the edge of the camp.
We’re not friends. He barely tolerates me. But I respect him. The others will soothe me by telling me everything is going to be alright. At least from Jax, I’ll get the brutal truth. We walk for more than a minute before I say, “I’m not suited to this kind of life. I have almost no training, and the magic I have is erratic and new. The most magical thing I did in my world was touch someone’s hand and know that someone was going to die young or lose a baby. And here, I am some savior who’s supposed to save a world and all its people. I don’t even like camping.”
“I prefer my own bed with my wife in it as well.” He chuckles.
The sound is so strange I stop and make sure it was really from him. “Are you making fun of me?” I can’t decide if I’m shocked or annoyed.
He shakes his head. “No. I can see how all of this is overwhelming and exhausting.”
When he doesn’t say more, I say, “I know that it sounds like I’m whining. You and your people have been dealing with this for thirty years. Your entire species is in jeopardy. I shouldn’t complain. It’s only…what if I fail?”
“You may fail.” He crosses his thick arms. “We may all perish at Venora’s hand or be turned into soulless shadow.”
“Great. That’s reassuring.”
He smiles.
I take a step back. “I had no idea you were this handsome.”
Grinning wider, he nods. “I am a fine specimen. That’s what Selina told me when first we met.” His smile dims. “I cannot predict the future, Harper. I don’t know what will happen to my people or if you and two more are the answer we’ve been praying for.”
“Honesty.” I sigh.
“Despite your lack of magical training and offensive skills, you have improved with a sword, killed a deer, and defended this party of strangers with your magic valiantly. If you had asked me when first we met if I thought you could save Domhan, I would have told you no. I would have said we’d be better off throwing ourselves on our swords now if this small woman from the human world was our only hope.”
I hold up my hands to stop him. My gut is in knots, and I’m barely holding back a torrent of tears. “Alright. That’s enough.” I turn to walk away.
He stops me with a hand on my shoulder. “Let me finish. Today, I see a woman who has overcome an entire belief system to help a people not her own, and she has won battles that might have been lost without her help. I see strength in you, Harper Craig. Far more than I, and maybe you, gave you credit for.”
I brush away a tear.
“Now, I think this is a woman who the oracle has predicted will help rescue us. I see the possibility of a life where my sons grow up, and perhaps my precious wife gives birth to a girl. You give me hope that there will be a future. I don’t know if you will succeed, but I will follow you to whatever end is waiting. I believe you are one of three in the prophecy.”