Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
The foliage crunches underneath my feet as I carefully pick my way between the trees. I have to make a quick stop to collect Erin before I deal with the mercenaries.
I am glad it’s only my coven, Atticus, and the dryads staying.
If I had more guests, the reputation of the realm as a safe place would be ruined after today.
The dryads have made zero sign they even heard the warnings, as they didn’t stir from their trees.
They must be in some kind of deep, regenerative sleep.
I will have to check on them in person. My anger over Erin’s situation has made me negligent and I let Larry deal with them…
Shit, what was I thinking? Yeah. I shake my head. I wasn’t thinking.
Yep, good call there, Tuesday. I give myself a hearty mental thump on my back. Great job.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
At least the realm’s magic tells me they are safe.
Otherwise… I puff out my cheeks as something inside me cracks.
This entire situation with the rogue host will have me waking in the middle of the night for years with thoughts on what could have gone wrong and what I could have done better.
I can’t believe it has worked out so well, unless he has more surprises waiting for me.
I glance at my right hand. As soon as I think about it, the ring on my hand weighs a tonne.
I squeeze between some branches, and shuffle around a thorny bush.
The realm was a bloody prison, so it is only up from here, right?
Ah bitterness, my old friend. A prison. Then there was me, all lah-di-dah and butterflies.
I thought the realm would be a fabulous safe space while knowing nothing about it.
Like I invented the wheel and a brand new six-star resort.
Crikey, I allowed my coven to come. I put them in danger.
Right, shut up with the self-flagellation. Now isn’t the time.
I mentally duct tape my insides and tuck away the horror and panic I feel until I am ready to deal with it later.
“Erin.” I reach out a finger and brush the rough bark of her tree. I then instantly feel weird. Is touching a dryad’s tree like touching them? I don’t know the protocol, so I drop my hand and scoot a little further away to what I hope is a more appropriate social distance.
Erin’s tree looks amazing. It is even healthier than when I first healed it, and the entire forest appears to be better. Yesterday, the forest was more open. Now it has grown thicker, like a protective barrier has grown up around Erin’s tree.
“Erin?” I try again. “I know you want to be left alone, but something has happened. I need your help. I haven’t spoken to him yet, but from what I have been led to believe, a man you know, a man who claims to be in love with you, has infiltrated the realm with mercenaries looking for justice as he believes you are dead.
He thinks I killed you. Erin? Please, I need your help. ”
I feel stupid talking to a tree, and when nothing happens, I doubt she has even heard me. Then the tree shimmers, and Erin’s pretty face appears. Her long eyelashes flutter and pieces of bark attached to them drift into the air with each blink.
She yawns. “Pardon? Did I hear you correctly? A man claims to love me and has tried to kill you?” Erin pulls away from the tree with a pained gasp.
First, she wiggles her arm free and then her left leg.
She has to forcibly yank herself from the tree’s clutches as if it does not want to let her go.
“Mercenaries?” She stares back at me with frightened, horrified eyes. “Jeff came to find me?”
Jeff. I file his name away. “It is more like he came to kill me. I have not had the pleasure of his company yet. Fortunately for him, he hasn’t hurt anybody, and I have him detained.” I add on quickly, “He is safe,” in case she is worried about him.
“He came to avenge me? He thinks I’m dead?
Oh, no.” Erin rubs her forehead. “What was he thinking? We split up over a month ago. We are not together. He… he told me he couldn’t deal with the whole tree thing, and he wouldn’t let me explain that without my tree, I am dead.
” She presses one hand to her heart and the other behind her on the tree.
“He said I was overreacting and that my dramatics were interfering with his game time. He was more interested in his game console than my life. Can you believe that? Overreacting to my pending death. I’m so dramatic.
“We had a huge fight, and I left him. Then everything happened.
My tree got knocked down, and that was that.
As my tree slowly rotted on the ground in our decimated forest, I slowly rotted alongside it.
The other dryads panicked. They had no choice but to ask for help as they could see what was happening to me and they knew they were next.
“An elf pointed us in the hotel’s direction and said it was a safe place for our trees.
As we are earthborn, we are not allowed in any of the fae realms.” Erin frowns and rubs her head.
“I don’t know why I didn’t tell you any of this before.
It’s… it is like my tongue was tied and it didn’t seem important.
All I wanted to do was sleep.” She drops her hand and shakes her head.
“The elf told us we would have to make a sacrifice.
I was told I would be that sacrifice, as I was already dying.
Friends, creatures that I had loved and known my entire life, turned on me. I was told my death would have meaning.
“But when we got here, you healed me and saved my tree. I didn’t have time to let Jeff know what was going on.
Not that he would have cared.” Erin laughs bitterly.
“So, now he loves me? What is that all about?” She gazes down at the ground and toes a few rotten leaves.
“I didn’t think he cared. I am so sorry; I can’t believe he came here.
After everything that you have done for me, I pay you back by bringing trouble to your door.
I’m so very sorry, Tuesday. Geez. Did he think playing combat computer games made him a mercenary?
” Erin pulls away from the tree. “Love?” she huffs. “I didn’t think he even liked me.”
“It is clear the elf set you all up. That is why your friends acted out of character and why you did not tell me what had happened. Until now. The horrible guy is dead, so he can’t manipulate anyone anymore.” I hope.
This is why asking questions is important. If I had not been so shocked when the dryads arrived, I might have saved myself some heartache. If I had asked them simple questions, I might have realised things didn’t add up.
“Will you come with me to speak to him?” I ask, holding out my hand.
“Of course, I will come.”
I drop my offered hand as a thought enters my head.
I need to tell her now before she sees him and perhaps changes her mind.
“I must warn you, even if I think Jeff was manipulated, I have to treat him like a threat. He came here intending to hurt people, so he won’t be able to stay with you in the realm. ”
“I completely understand. Believe me, I don’t want him to stay either.
I don’t know why he thought coming here with a group of hired thugs would be a good idea.
Avenging my death… when he left me to rot.
” Erin looks up from the ground, her eyes pleading.
“Y-you won’t kill him, will you? Please don’t—”
“No, I won’t kill him,” I say, horrified.
I feel a little disappointed at her insinuation.
Although I can see why she would be concerned, she can probably see the anger radiating from me.
I’m pissed. But that anger is aimed at me.
I am so disappointed in myself. “I also don’t blame you for his actions.
” And in all honesty, I don’t blame Jeff either.
That host was a master manipulator.
“Come on, let’s get this mess sorted out.” I hold my hand out again and Erin takes it.