Chapter 4
The scream that ripped out of Ava tore at her lungs as Remy tumbled from Skye’s back, plummeting to the ground.
No no. Not Remy. Please not Remy.
The pain of watching her friend fall into the night sky was unbearable; a knife being run through her soul. Ava was powerless, the shock on Remy’s face full of horror as he continued his free-fall to the earth.
Ava was barely able to hang on as the eagle dove, snatching Remy from mid-air with one of her taloned feet. Ava’s fingers tightened around Skye’s feathers as she banked left, skimming over the tops of the trees.
The book clutched to her chest, Ava scanned the horizon for their group, hopefully far enough away from the daemon camp now. And throughout the flight, she begged and pleaded with the Earth Mother to spare Remy, squinting through her tears.
It didn’t take long to reach them, the group of soldiers appearing terribly small from so high up. The eagle let out a cry as she descended, landing on the grass with a thump and gently releasing Remy.
Ava jumped off her back, Skye taking flight again to give them space. Isolde rushed to evaluate Remy, kneeling beside his prone body.
Raine stormed toward Ava, immediately yelling in her face. “What the fuck were you thinking going after the book alone? You’re just as brash as Cas!”
Raine had never raised his voice at her, had never been so angry. “Well, I got it.” She shoved the tome against his chest. “Here.”
He held the book as he continued his tirade. “You could have gotten yourself captured again or killed! Are you out of your mind?”
Tears leaked from Ava’s eyes as she lost control of her emotions. “It’s over. I got the book and I’m here. I didn’t get captured.” She leaned in further. “Stop yelling at me. Especially since I got the thing we were here to retrieve in the first place.”
Raine ran a hand through his platinum hair and growled. “You didn’t let me help you! And then you pulled that princess bullshit on me. Don’t ever do that—”
“Because I would rather die before I’d let something happen to you!” Her shout cut him off. “You’re my best friend,” she hiccuped. “I’m so tired of losing people.”
He froze, anger dissolving, as his face fell. “Shit, Ava.” He pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I yelled at you. I was scared. I thought…when you went back, I imagined the worst.”
“I know. It’s okay.” She stayed there for a moment, crying into Raine’s chest. “Raine…” she whispered. “They opened a portal.”
“I know.” He rubbed her back. “Luna told us. We’ll discuss it back at the castle. We need to get home.”
She pulled back. “Is Cas okay? What about Remy?”
The healer was still kneeling at his side. “The general is running a high fever. I don’t have any supplies that will help. He needs to get back to the castle as soon as possible.”
“Okay,” said Ava, trembling as she scanned the forest for him.
“He’s over there with Quinn and Pax,” said Raine, gesturing behind him.
Though she wanted to run to him, she needed to ask about Remy. And she was stalling because she could tell by the look on Isolde’s face the news would not be good.
“And Remy?”
Isolde shook her head, her silver eyes—Jorrar’s silver eyes—full of sorrow. “He doesn’t have long. Minutes.”
A knife twisted in Ava’s gut as her fears were confirmed.
As if reading her mind, Isolde added, “Sit with Remy first. Casimir will be okay a little while longer.”
Ava nodded and approached her friend. The first friend she had ever made upon her arrival in this world. Knees buckling, she collapsed beside him. Raine stood behind her, giving her space but providing support with his presence.
She regarded the hobgoblin, his breathing ragged. “Miss Ava. I got…the…book.”
She stroked his face, memorizing the hooked nose, the globe-like eyes always so full of curiosity and wonder, now dull and fading. “You were perfect. You were brave, Remy. So very brave.”
“I wanted…I wanted to help…I helped, right? You will…send her back?”
Ava’s voice broke. “Yes, Remy. You helped. I’m going to send her back…”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“I knew you were special,” he murmured. “When I saw you in…the tent. I knew you came to…to help. To save…us…”
Ava let out a sob.
Remy took a deep raspy breath. “It’s curious…”
“What is?” Ava asked, pulling his little green hand into her lap and stroking the top of it.
“That our first and last meeting…would be…at the…camp.”
Ava’s vision blurred as the wetness of tears washed the dirt and sweat from her face, unable to control her whimper. She tried to give him a smile. “Yes…it is curious.”
“Don’t be sad, Miss Ava. I get to be with my parents now…”
Ava’s lip quivered. “Yes, you do.”
They sat in silence a moment longer when Remy said, “Remember our cave?”
“Of course, I remember.” She squeezed his hand.
She would never forget that cave. How he cleaned the floor with a makeshift broom, how he spoke to her with kindness and love. He’d told her being normal was boring, and she hadn’t forgotten those words. They had meant the world to her when she felt so lost and out of place.
“It’s close.”
Ava looked around. He was right. They were right next to the place where they’d spent their first night of freedom together. “I see it.”
“Bury me there,” he whispered. “P-please.”
“I will,” Ava said, hardly able to speak through the nausea and tears.
“Can you…” he said in between short slow breaths, “make me…a pretty flower?”
“Yes, Remy.” She stroked his face. “I’ll make you a hundred pretty flowers.”
His breathing slowed, chest rising and falling. Ava kissed his forehead. “It’s okay, Remy. You can go now.”
Seconds later, Remy breathed his last breath. Ava scooped his limp body into her chest and sobbed.
“I—don’t—I can’t…someone. Help…someone say the prayer,” Ava got out between her cries. She was crying so hard she could barely concentrate. “I don’t—I don’t remember it. Say it. Someone say the prayer…”
Like when Zeph died, Pax knelt across from them, placed his hand on Remy’s head, and recited their kingdom’s prayer. “May the Earth Mother hold you and keep you. May you never know pain and sorrow. And may you bask in the sunlight of the afterlife for eternity.”
Ava couldn’t move, squeezing Remy’s body into her chest as she wept. Deep sobs and guttural noises escaped her lips. Sounds that didn’t seem as if they could have come from her.
“Ava,” Isolde whispered as she approached. “You need to let go now…We must get Casimir back.”
“I’ll carry him,” Pax offered.
Ava stood, handing Remy to Pax. He was so small in the orc’s giant hands. Head bowed, she followed Pax to the entrance of the cave, Raine at her side. With his magic, Raine parted the dirt as Pax laid Remy’s body in the makeshift grave, then used roots to push the soil back over the resting place.
Ava took a deep breath, her previous sobs now silent as the trickle of tears continued their path down her cheeks.
Forcing herself to pull more magic from deep within, a rainbow of blooms covered Remy’s grave.
Ethereal and glowing, they brightened the night—a light in a dark, dark world—exactly like her hobgoblin friend.
And in the center, she grew a large yellow flower, the bright color reminding her of his joyful disposition.
She wanted to stay there for hours. Didn’t want to leave him. But there was a sudden ache in her chest she knew was Casimir’s pain. Kneeling, she kissed her hand and placed it on the grave.
“Goodbye, Remy.”
Ava rose and numbly made her way to Casimir, unconscious on the ground with Isolde and Quinn hovering over him. “What’s the fastest way back to the castle?” Isolde asked. “He must get there as soon as possible. I’m not sure he can handle the several days it will take us to return.”
A new fear clawed up her spine. They’d taken too long and in Ava’s grief over Remy, she hadn’t hurried; hadn’t been swift enough. She knelt, cupping Casimir’s face. His skin was an inferno, forehead clammy with a fever. His breathing was shallow…slow.
“Cas…can you hear me?”
Nothing.
No, no, no…
He couldn’t die. She would never be able to survive that pain. “What do we do?”
“Have Skye take you two,” Quinn suggested. “The rest of us will catch up later. I’ll have Bastien get her.” Quinn’s black panther paced nearby.
Ava kissed Casimir’s forehead. “We’re going home. Hang on a little longer.”
Skye landed moments later.
Skye suggested you make vines to wrap around you and Casimir to keep you from falling. That way she can fly faster, Luna said, approaching and rubbing against Casimir’s leg.
“Okay. Stay with this group and watch over Aro.”
He said to hurry up and save Casimir or he’s going to be angry with you.
Aro watched Ava closely, a low growl in his throat. She rose and walked up to him, scratching his head. “I’ll get him there as fast as I can. You watch over Luna.”
He chuffed and lumbered to Casimir, giving him a gentle nudge, then licked his face. A low whine sounded in the back of Aro’s throat at the state of his bonded fae. Ava had never heard him make that noise before and could feel his distress thick in the air.
She gave him another ear scratch. “It’s okay. I’ll take care of him.”
Pax and Raine lifted Casimir, putting his arms around their shoulders as they carried him to Skye.
Ava climbed on first, gesturing for them to bring Casimir closer as she grew vines around Skye’s torso, creating a makeshift harness.
Willing the vines to wrap around Casimir, a bead of sweat made its way down her neck as she concentrated on pulling him the rest of the way.
Now settled in front of her, head lolling back onto her shoulder, she guided the vines around both of them, ensuring they were secure.
“We’ll see you in a few days,” Raine said, trying to hide the worry on his face.
“Let’s go,” Ava said.
Skye spread her wings and took off into the night.