Chapter 57
Ava stood in the meadow where it all began.
Where she was dropped into the realm of Eorhan after being thrown through the portal on her farm.
The white-barked trees stood tall, their rounded golden leaves rustling in the breeze.
Flowers glimmered among the emerald grass, while a tawny rabbit hopped by, disappearing into the forest.
The cleanup after the final battle took weeks. Disposing of their enemies’ corpses and burying their own people had been a physically and emotionally exhausting endeavor.
The other fae had at last left for their respective kingdoms and Ava already missed them.
Fortunately, they’d been invited to an upcoming celebration hosted by Astrid and Soren and she was already looking forward to spending time with the queens and seeing Imsel again.
She’d grown to like the quiet captain who had been such a help in the desert and a reckoning force in battle.
Thalia was back in Igneothenia, learning to rule through her grief without her husband by her side. She had clutched Ava and cried when she told her about seeing Aelerion in the afterlife, reassured he hadn’t lost his exuberant disposition.
Maeryn had also left. And though she and Raine agreed to visit each other, Ava could see the heartbreak in his eyes at her being so far away.
He hadn’t told her they were soulbonds, stating he was waiting for the right moment.
But Ava knew he was still scared and struggling with his guilt.
It would take time to move forward and she promised to be a listening ear for him… just like he always was for her.
Frosthaven was still in upheaval after Valeria’s secret had been revealed and their general killed her.
With no heirs to speak of, their council was scrambling to appoint a new ruler.
Thorne was still nervous about that kingdom; it would take many years to mend what had been broken among the ice fae.
Jareth returned to Caelestia and they hadn’t heard a word from him. Not that Ava expected to. It’s not like they were suddenly friends after he saved her life. Twice. But she was still curious about his plans for Orion and how that might affect the rest of Eorhan in the future.
Mosshaven was still recovering from the attack on the town and the farms, but Raine’s father had taken charge over the farmers, helping them till the available fields and increase production as they waited for the burned soil to recover.
And now there was one last thing Ava had to do.
Casimir stood beside her, his hand clutching hers tightly. The others were present. Raine, Quinn, Thorne, Jorrar and Luna. All there to support the final closure she knew she needed.
Ava stood before the archway lined in symbols, assaulted by memories. Memories of shadows and purple fire and daemon soldiers. Memories of prison wagons and shackles and the smell of blood.
She shivered. Casimir squeezed her hand before releasing it.
Cutting her palm, she pressed it against the stone archway, calling her magic forth. The symbols glowed blue, lining the swirling black center.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Ready,” they responded.
Ava stepped through, clenching her jaw through the terrible sensations of moving between realms. Her skin prickled, her body tingled. She fell into an abyss, floating endlessly through time and space and utter darkness.
Moments later they landed, stepping into the forest.
It was dark, the bright moon illuminating the night sky. The forest was quiet, still. No breeze. No wildlife.
“I can’t believe we’re in the human realm,” Raine whispered reverently.
“I can’t believe I’m back,” Ava said.
“Now what?” Quinn asked.
“We must be quiet as we approach the property,” Ava said. “It’s possible my home has been sold. We don’t want to wake anyone.” She looked down at her feline companion. “Luna…lead the way.”
The cat trotted ahead, the group following. Something crunched beneath Ava’s boots, sparkling in the moonlight. “Snow…is it winter here?” She glanced at Casimir. “How long has it been since I came to Eorhan?”
“Just under a year.”
That meant only about four months had passed in the human world. “Wow,” she said, unable to comprehend it. If that was true, then it was probably early March.
“All of you look utterly absurd with rounded ears,” Raine said, touching his own. “Mother’s tits, that’s unbelievable.”
Quinn snorted.
“So magic doesn’t work here?” Casimir asked, still holding Ava’s hand as they stepped over a snow-covered log.
“Only a little. Try something.”
Casimir held out his hand. A small flower formed and grew a few inches before wilting and falling to the ground. “Interesting,” he said.
They reached the edge of the forest, the flower fields coming into view. Ava’s heart pounded in her chest as they left the woods and ventured into the open. She paused, scanning the property.
“It’s…abandoned…”
The fields were overgrown, dead weeds and flowers covered in a thin layer of snow. Free from the cover of trees, a light flurry fell upon them, adding a magical touch to the yard. The house sat on the other side, dark and forgotten. Even Ava’s car was still there, covered in dirt and snow.
If it had been around four months since she disappeared, she had no idea how the police would have handled that.
If Eleanor’s body had been found on her property, then she was likely considered a fugitive and her house would have been a crime scene at one point.
But what if Eleanor hadn’t been found? What if Deidamia…
did something with her? She shuddered at the thought.
“This…this is where Grandfather lived?” Thorne asked, pulling her back to the present.
“Yes.” Ava squeezed his shoulder.
“Show us,” he said.
She led them through the barren fields, beneath the arched opening of the picket fence framing the flower gardens, and stopped before the wraparound porch.
“What is that?” Raine asked, pointing at Ava’s beat-up SUV.
“It’s a mode of transportation. Remember what I told you in the desert?”
“Those things you can drive? That’s one of them?”
“Yes.”
Raine clapped his hands together. “Excellent. May I try it?”
“No,” everyone said in unison.
Ava walked up the stairs, jiggling the door handle. “It’s locked.”
As abandoned property, it would eventually be sold at auction, but these things took months so it wasn’t surprising it hadn’t happened yet.
“Do you want to go in?” Thorne asked. “To say goodbye?”
Ava bit her lip, pondering. They’d come here so she could see the farm one last time. So she could share it with her loved ones and truly close this chapter of her life.
“Yes…I do.”
“Will something happen to us if we break in?” Quinn asked. “Cas is strong enough to break down the door.”
Ava shook her head. “It doesn’t seem like there’s anyone around, so I doubt it. Go ahead, Cas.”
Casimir squared up, leaned back, and kicked the front door right next to the handle. It flew open with a bang, the deadbolt ripping from the frame, and splinters scattering.
“That was quite sexy, Cas,” Raine said. “You should do that more often.”
“Break into homes?” Casimir raised a brow at his friend.
“No…kick down doors. Perhaps that’s how you enter rooms from now on.”
“I’ll take that into consideration.”
Ava laughed and shook her head, walking inside and reaching for the light switch. Her grandfather had left her quite a bit of money, and all the bills were set on autopay…so maybe…
The foyer brightened. “Aha! The electricity is still on.”
“Elec…what?” Raine said.
“The human way of lighting our homes. I promise I’ll do my best to explain as much as I can when we get back. But if I have to explain every little thing now, we’ll be here forever.”
“I’ll save my questions then,” Raine said.
They walked down the hall, stopping when they reached the kitchen and living room. Everything looked the same. The tall picture windows framed by ivory floral curtains. The couches. The reading chair by the window.
“This is a beautiful home, Ava,” Jorrar said, speaking for the first time.
“Thank you.”
Luna jumped on the dining table, chirping happily, a sudden reminder of the night Ava and Eleanor found the book and stood over this table, trying to make sense of it. Ava gave Luna a scratch on the head.
Quinn strode around the kitchen, hands brushing the marble countertop of the large island. “This is amazing.”
Ava smiled.
“Well…” Thorne said. “Is there anything you need while we’re here? Anything you wish to bring back?”
Ava thought for a moment. There was nothing she truly needed. Except…
“Photos,” she said. “Pictures of mom.”
“Like paintings?” Raine asked.
“Not quite,” Ava said. “I’ll explain later. When we get home I can show them to all of you.”
Ava explained where the box was in the hall closet and Jorrar returned with it in hand. “Anything else?” he asked.
“One more thing.”
She made her way to the kitchen, rummaging around in the cabinets until she found what she was looking for—an unopened bag of coffee beans, still vacuum sealed. She pulled out the coffee grinder and opened the bag.
“What is that?” Casimir stepped up beside her.
“Remember when I told you about coffee?” She held up the newly opened bag and inhaled deep before tilting it to Casimir.
He breathed in, following her lead. “I like the way it smells.”
“Me too. I’m going to bring this back so you can all try it. But I need to grind it first.” She poured the beans into the top and closed the lid. “Ummm…don’t freak out. I promise this isn’t dangerous but it’s very loud. No need for swords or any of that.”
Ava pressed the button and the kitchen erupted with the sound of the grinder.
“That’s fucking awful,” Raine called over the noise.
It wasn’t long before she’d finished, pouring the coffee grounds into a storage bag. Casimir stood beside her, tense as he stared at the grinder, his hand on the pommel of his sword.
Ava couldn’t help her giggle. “It’s not going to attack you, Cas.”
He straightened. “I know. I was just…keeping an eye on things…”
“Exactly what I thought. If we spend too much time in the human world, you’ll probably destroy anything that makes a weird noise with your sword.”
Casimir rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry.”
After grabbing her french press, they spent the next half hour exploring the home. Ava gave them a brief tour, showing them her bedroom, the attic where she had found the book on portals and then the yard.
It was strange for her worlds to combine, albeit momentarily. To have her friends and family here among her old life and former belongings. Though they appeared human, they all looked ridiculous with their fae clothing and weapons, as if they were headed to a renaissance fair.
Now standing near the greenhouse, Ava took a deep breath. “Do you have it?”
Casimir reached into his pocket and handed her a small carving of an open book with flowers sitting atop the pages.
Ava had asked him to carve it weeks ago, something to represent her memories with Eleanor.
Her career as a librarian, the stories her grandfather had told them, and flowers to represent their time as children on the farm.
Ava knelt, digging into the dirt with her fingers and ignoring the cold ground until she had a large enough hole for the trinket. She laid the carving down, covered it back up and tenderly placed her palm on the earth.
“Thank you, Eleanor. For being my friend when I was alone.”
Taking a moment, she let the memories of their friendship play in her head.
Making ‘witches brew’ as children on the farm.
Playing hide and seek among the stacks of books in the library.
Baking cookies in the kitchen with Ava’s mother.
The numerous dinners they shared on the back porch.
Getting stoned and making horrible jokes in the greenhouse.
With one last deep breath, she stood and rejoined her friends. Her family. They made their way back up the porch to the front of the house and stopped, allowing Ava a few more moments of closure.
Looking over the fields, she released a sigh. She remembered the day she stood in this very spot, longing for her grieving soul to be healed through this land and hoping her spirit would be comforted.
She had been so lost and broken, unsure what to do with her life as she attempted to navigate her role as the new proprietor of her grandfather’s farm.
Little had she known that the farm wasn’t the place she would be nourished. It wasn’t the place where she’d be picking up those broken pieces and remaking herself. Nor was it the place she truly belonged.
“You’re our missing piece,” Raine had told her months ago.
And it was true. The farm had only been the beginning of that long and arduous journey. The journey that brought her to the people she loved. That brought her to the place where she finally fit in, a lost puzzle piece clicking into place.
“Do you miss your home?” Casimir asked, slipping an arm around her waist.
She looked up at him. “This isn’t my home. You are.” She turned to the rest of them. “All of you are. Eorhan is my home. Mosshaven…is my home. It always has been. I just never knew it.” She gave them a teary-eyed smile.
Thorne put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “Then let’s go home, little sister.”