Chapter 37 #2
I took a deep breath, swallowing down my fear.
“I’ve never intended to hurt any creature.
In fact, I’ve tried to find a way to protect them every chance I got.
I restored the home of a grove of pixies.
I transplanted a herd of fire salamanders for their own safety.
And I rescued the Golden Dragon from being hunted by a pack of bloodthirsty questers. I can do this.”
The Elder Beast stared at me for so long, I began to worry it was getting ready to pounce. But then it sat on its haunches and tilted its head. “That,” it said, “is an interesting proposition.”
I let out a shaky breath and pressed forward. “If you give me your horn, I promise to devote my life to this.”
Aven’s grip on my arm was crushing at this point. They stepped forward and interjected. “Before you decide, oh wondrous Elder Beast, may we have a moment to talk?”
The Elder Beast narrowed its eyes. “Certainly. But not for long.”
“Thank you. This will take just a moment,” Aven said, dragging me toward the way we’d come.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, though the Elder Beast could probably hear everything in this silent and frankly weird realm. “It was about to give me its horn. I was about to save Zig’s life.”
“In exchange for basically your own, Ellinore.”
“I know!”
“You wanted to retire. Taking this bargain would be the extreme opposite of that. What happened to ‘last quest ever’?”
I squirmed. “I could still have days off,” I said weakly.
“Ellinore!”
“Fine! Yes, it would be the opposite. But come on! Zig said he wanted to join if he lived beyond tomorrow. And I’d… I’d have you. Right?”
Aven blinked. “Of course you’d have me,” they said, sounding offended that I would question their participation.
“Well then, it wouldn’t be so bad. No titles. No pretense. No competition. It could even maybe become best-quest-ever good.” I pushed Aven’s shoulder. “I sucked at retirement anyway. You were right about that.”
“Fine. How will everyone make money? There’s no prize at the end here. If there is an end at all.”
“The Crown has gold. You have gold.”
They stared at me, eyebrows drawn together, mouth flat. “Let me get this straight. You want to spend the rest of your life protecting the ancients and the folklores of our world—which stretches beyond our kingdom’s shores, by the way—and you expect me not only to join you but to fund it all?”
“Yes?”
“Okay. Just checking. Sounds great. I’m in.”
They yanked me back to where the Elder Beast stood, not even giving me a moment to process what they’d said and what it all meant. But standing next to them, their hand in mine, our fingers interlaced, I couldn’t help but beam.
“Does this mean we have an agreement?” the Elder Beast asked. “My horn for your devotion to protecting the ancients and folklores of your world?”
I swallowed down my apprehension and nodded. “Yes.”
The Elder Beast shook its head, and its horn fell to the ground at my feet.
“Goodbye, Ellinore the Brave and Princet Aven of the kingdom of Avoury. I will see you again at some later time.”
The Elder Beast pranced across the river, stretched its wings, then flew over the meadow and disappeared into the trees.
I dropped to my knees, the curved horn in front of me. It was as long as a deer antler, with velvet along the base, and ridges of growth that followed from the root to the tip.
“Here,” Aven said, handing me a cloth.
I nodded, too overcome to speak, and wrapped the horn in the cloth, holding it reverently in both my hands.
“Ellinore,” Aven said, hand on my shoulder, when I made no attempt to move. “We need to leave. There’s no telling how much time has passed in our realm.” They peered at the sky. “I can’t even tell how much time has passed in here.”
“Are we doing the right thing?”
“It’s a little late to think about that now! We already pledged ourselves.”
I shook my head, my hair falling in my face.
“No. I mean”—I stood, my legs unsteady—“can I really hand this much power over to those jerks of mages? What if Dave and Rylan are right? What if it’s irresponsible of me to do so?
Now that I’m holding this horn, I can feel the raw magic in it. It scares me.”
Aven regarded it, brow furrowed. “It might be irresponsible, but this quest was for Zig. Whatever comes from giving this to those mages, we’ll handle it. You and me.”
My eyes brimmed with tears. I clutched the horn to my chest. “When we get out of here, I’m going to kiss you on the mouth so hard.”
They smirked. “We should go, then.”
We followed the indents we’d left in the blue grass back to the eye. Dave awaited us on the other side—I could see him keeping watch through the shimmering silver.
I paused and handed Aven the horn. I reached into the slim pouch under my tunic and removed the scrap of cloth. I studied the glittering gold letters one last time, then dropped it.
Aven gave me a small smile.
Together we stepped through the eye.
On the other side, without preamble, I kissed Aven firmly on the mouth, just like I’d promised.