Chapter 34
They would be leaving tomorrow—heading to the perilous wastelands that everyone seemed to be terrified of.
Though it was something that had to be done, Ava’s nerves were frayed at the enormity of the task ahead.
She’d finally begun to wrap her head around having to defeat Deidamia, but now… everything was different.
Because now she had to face some ancient god who had been freed from his prison and was capable of who knows what kind of magic.
She had a feeling they hadn’t even seen a sliver of his power.
The one thing they took comfort in was that it seemed as though Andras still didn’t know they had figured out who he was.
So they would continue to play their part, acting as if they believed him to be a daemon, and hoped it would give him a false sense of security.
Luna trotted alongside her, Titus riding on her shoulder as she headed to Thorne’s office. After a knock on the door, she entered, pausing at the state of her brother. Bags under his eyes suggested little sleep, his hair disheveled, and his forest green tunic unbuttoned at the top.
Leaning over his desk covered in letters, he looked up, giving her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Are you alright?” she asked, approaching and touching his shoulder.
“I’m fine,” he said unconvincingly.
“We may not have grown up together, but I can tell when you’re lying.”
He stood to his full height, not nearly as tall as Casimir and Raine, but she still had to look up to meet his gaze. Running a hand through his hair, he groaned.
“I’m still processing all of this new information. It’s been…a month, perhaps a little longer, since we set out to take back Igneothenia? And now everything has changed. I must admit I don’t really know what to do.”
Gone was the confident, poised king. The man who always seemed to know how to handle every situation. And in his place was someone who appeared defeated, beat down. Who looked so…lost.
Ava put her hands on his shoulders. “You’re doing exactly what you should be doing. Protecting our home.”
“But I didn’t protect it. They got in. People died. More than half of our crops were destroyed.” He strode to a nearby couch, plopping down with his head in his hands.
Luna jumped onto a chair, curling up for a nap. Titus screeched, launching himself from Ava’s shoulder and out a nearby window the moment he spotted an insect he wanted for lunch.
Ava sat beside Thorne, silent.
“Sometimes I wonder if I’m cut out for this,” he murmured.
“Whoa,” Ava said, grasping his hand. “Thorne…Don’t say that. You are a fantastic leader.”
Fear shone in his green eyes. “It’s times like these I wish Mother was here. She always knew what to do.”
Ava swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know. Every time I feel lost…I wish the same. I wish she was here almost every day. But I know she would be proud of you. Look at what you’ve accomplished in all these years.
I saw how terrible Father was in Orion’s memories.
He was even worse than you had described.
You’ve turned this whole kingdom around and people love it here.
They feel safe. They feel welcomed. And you made it that way.
“This is our home. We aren’t going to let Andras destroy it. You and I will ensure the safety of our people. I will send him back to his realm. I promise.” Ava sighed. “You know…I’ve realized you and I do the same thing…You just hide it better than I do.”
“And what is that?”
“We question ourselves. And not necessarily because we think we aren’t capable…but because we’re afraid of letting everyone else down. Did I tell you I almost gave up on the Elderoak journey?”
“No.” His eyes went wide.
“I did. I was so terrified of Andras and Deidamia winning. Afraid I would fail and let everyone down. So I almost let the forest take me because…because I thought if I gave up, I wouldn’t have to face my fears.
That it would be easier. But I remembered what you told me.
You told me to take my rightful place as fae.
You told me we are in this together; that I would never be alone.
So I pushed through my fears and made it through.
Because of what you and everyone else had said to me. ”
Thorne squeezed her hand.
“Now I’m the one reminding you that we are in this together. I’ll do this with you, alright? As your sister, I’ll walk next to you every step of the way.” Ava faced him. “When the world’s burdens feel too heavy and you think you can’t do it anymore, lean on me. I’ll carry it with you.”
Thorne pulled her into a hug. “Thank you,” he said. “Love you, sister.”
“Love you too.”
They sat in a silent embrace, steadying each other as they mentally prepared for the next daunting task. Two siblings raised in a different world, in a different life…but similar nonetheless.
Thorne pulled away and stood. “Come. I want to show you something. I think it would be good for both of us to see it before you leave.”
They entered a clearing among a grove of trees in town. Thorne led her along a brick path and under an archway made of willow branches smothered in brilliant blue flowers.
Ava gasped as it came into view.
The glade was surrounded by a wall of white-barked trees.
Their bright green leaves formed a canopy, providing a sense of privacy.
Dappled sunlight peppered the walkways made of heart-shaped stones.
Names had been carved into each one, with plenty of empty spots for more.
Ava knelt, running her fingers along the letters beneath where she stood.
“What is this place?” she whispered.
“A war memorial. A group of citizens decided to build it to give them something to focus on. A beacon of hope during our time of turmoil.”
Ava couldn’t help the tears spilling down her cheeks. “How did they do it so quickly?”
“Why magic, of course. They set up a system for survivors to come and etch their loved ones’ names into a stone whenever they feel ready.”
She sniffled, unable to speak.
“And there’s room to expand if necessary…though hopefully it won’t be.”
Ava stood, scanning the space once more. Benches sat amongst rose bushes for silent meditation, flowers and shrubs arranged tastefully along the paths. And in the center of the space was a small pond covered in lilies.
A whimper left her throat and she placed a hand on her heart when her eyes landed on what was displayed in the center of the water. A statue.
Of Remy.
She rushed over and stood before the rendition of her small friend. He’d been carved with a joyful smile and someone had placed a crown of flowers upon his head. Thorne stood beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders.
“They thought he deserved his own special memorial. Because of his sacrifice in retrieving what we needed to defeat our enemies.”
Ava let out a sob. Thorne pulled her tighter as she let out her grief, crying in the tranquil glenn. The sound of water trickling from a little waterfall at the edge of the pond washed over her. A peaceful comfort.
“Did I ever tell you exactly how we met?” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Only that he was imprisoned with you.”
“He threw rocks at me,” she said with a laugh.
“Really?”
She nodded. “When I arrived at their camp…they chained me up and”—she shivered at the memory—“hit me.” Thorne tensed.
“I fell asleep soon after and the next thing I knew, someone was throwing rocks at me to wake me up. It was Remy.” Her voice quieted.
“He was my lifeline during those weeks I was there. The person I leaned on every time I was tortured. He saved my sanity, Thorne. Helped me from completely breaking down.”
Thorne gave her a long, searching look, his expression full of warmth, relief and sorrow. “Then it is right we honor him. Not only as the one who gave his life in our quest to defeat our enemies, but as the one who helped our princess.”