Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“ I t’s not too late for you to change your mind,” Fallon said as he tossed Dillon his warmest cloak and pulled on his second best. The group had reassembled in his and Novi’s private apartment, doing everything in their power to keep from waking up Lucia.
So far, it was working.
Novi was leaning over the bassinet, watching her daughter sleep.
“No, I’m coming with you,” she murmured. She straightened her body and let Callie help her put on her long winter coat, then looked over at Tamira. “I’m not sure how long we’ll be. Are you alright staying a bit longer? Callie said she’s happy to keep you company.”
Tamira smiled brightly, knowing better than to pry for details of what was so urgent.
“I’ll stay with Lucia until you get back, however long that takes.”
In a whirlwind of long black wool, Fallon, Novi, and Dillon left the room and met up with Talvi and Annika, who had just finished packing their belongings.
The group crammed into one of the elevators and took it all the way to the main floor, then followed Fallon to an unmarked door. He pushed it open, revealing the back gardens of the castle. Mauricio was already there, waiting impatiently with three grooms and six horses.
“Where are we going?” Novi asked, her breath visible in the cold night air.
“The Temple of the Chimera,” Fallon answered. He lifted her into the saddle before mounting his own horse. “Keep your eyes sharp and your head down. The streets will be full of people still celebrating Dillon’s return. If we’re spotted, it will only slow us down.”
Flashbacks of countless hands grasping for Fallon to bless them replayed in Novi’s mind. Everyone wanted their moment with the divine, the Sacred One, and the Sacred Sons of Sinaryos. Novi shuddered as she imagined getting mobbed in a narrow street. It would take forever to get out of a situation like that. And as much as she appreciated the public support, she didn’t want to spend any more time away from Lucia than necessary.
The route to the temple wasn’t that far, but the anticipation of getting there made it feel like it took three times longer than it should have. The horses’ hooves fell with lazy clops on the cobblestones, falling into a simple rhythm. A few drunken citizens stumbled through the streets around them, but Novi did as she was told. She kept her head down and avoided making eye contact, secretly relieved that the horses were kept to a slow, steady walk. Even though her demonborn body was healing quickly from the ordeal of giving birth, any more jostling would’ve been unbearable.
"Almost there," Fallon murmured from nearby. He must’ve heard her thoughts. He’d ridden beside her the whole way, his protective watch over her never faltering.
Slowly, the ancient structure loomed in front of them, its crumbled walls reduced to piles of rock. The Temple of the Chimera stood as a relic of darker times, its aura of foreboding palpable. The razor-wire-topped fence that surrounded it only added to the sense that access to this place was restricted for a good reason.
Fallon swung down from his horse and spoke with the guards at the gate while Dillon helped Novi out of the saddle, setting her gently on the ground.
“Do you know what this is all about?”
Novi shrugged. “Not a clue. I’m just as confused as you are.”
Fallon returned to the group, ushering them through the gate. His hand found the small of Novi’s back, guiding her forward.
"Watch your step," he murmured, his voice low and tense with excitement as they walked through the makeshift path that led into the temple.
“It’s towards the back,” Fallon said, leading Annika and Talvi along a path that had been recently made through the wreckage. Novi, Mauricio, and Dillon followed behind, holding up fire sprite lanterns to light the way.
After spending so many months living in the temple, Novi easily recognized the floorpan of what used to be the kitchen, the dining hall, and the libraries. They entered another blocked off area that used to be the chimera enclosure. A dark weather shield had been placed over it, making the lanterns cast long shadows against the piles of broken rock.
Novi walked past dozens of massive stone carvings that were once on the ceiling. Now they were scattered all over the floor. But the seal of the chimera had landed on its side, propped up against the base of the mountain.
What Fallon did next left her speechless.
He walked right through it.
“Where did he go ?” Novi gasped. Mauricio sighed and took her hand before glancing at Dillon. “Come with me. I’ll show you.”
Novi closed her eyes and let Mauricio lead the way. She fully expected to smack her face against hard stone, but as she stepped forward, the scent of ancient rock dust gave way to fresh, cool alpine air. Then they were stepping along stones that once upon a time were staircases and arches. A dense forest of tall black pine trees touched the night sky, blocking out whatever moonlight there was.
“Where are we?” Annika asked as she and Talvi joined the rest of them.
“Schwarzwald,” Fallon said, beaming with pride. “The Black Forest of Germany. It’s the lost portal that Loric was telling us about. If you look around, you’ll see the remains of an ancient temple that once corresponded with our own. We didn’t know what we had until you showed us, Annika.”
He lifted his lantern, revealing more of the snowy, moss-covered, weatherbeaten stone architecture. “This temple has been here since ancient times. Loric believes it might be a shrine from when Daiyana gave birth to the first demonborn…the first of my ancestors.”
Fallon’s gaze shifted from Annika to Novi, then to Talvi. “Since her lover was descended from the Kallo elves, it’s very possible that they came here to escape any ridicule.”
“They came to the Black Forest?” Annika mused while glancing around at the eerily dark trees. “That’s probably why your name is Blackwood.”
“You’re very clever, Annika,” he said with a smile. “I do hope you’ll consider furthering your education. Whenever you’re ready, you’ll know how to find us.”
Annika stepped over to Novi. “I guess this is goodbye, then. At least, for now.”
Novi felt a lump form in her throat, leaving her too overwhelmed for words. She simply hugged Annika as tight as she could and promised to keep in touch via crystix. Fallon gave a polite nod, then let Mauricio give their guests further instructions.
“If you travel northeast, it’ll take you to Stuttgart,” he said, pointing in one direction. “If you head to the northwest, you’ll end up in Strasbourg, France. Both cities have train stations and airports that can take you wherever you wish to go.”
While Fallon bid their guests a final farewell, Novi couldn’t stop staring at her snowy surroundings. Her heart hammered against her ribs, barely able to take in the significance of this discovery. She stood with Fallon, Dillon, and Mauricio, the four of them watching as Annika and Talvi ventured into the snowy woods. Their bodies grew smaller and smaller. Finally, they turned around and waved one last time. Novi waved back, then watched as they disappeared into the dark forest.
“I still can’t believe that the missing portal was right here all along,” Dillon said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Novi's mind raced as it began connecting the dots. "The dome... when it collapsed..."
“Yes,” Fallon nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "Annika's magic didn't just destroy the temple. It revealed something far more potent."
The optimism in his voice cut through Novi's revelations, his tone filled with hope. "This portal is more than just a passage to Earth. It's a lifeline to our people. Not only that, but this discovery could shift the balance of power so dramatically, it might render war obsolete.”
Dillon scoffed, his voice bitter. "Or spark one so devastating it consumes us all. Who else knows about this?”
“Aside from us, only a few soldiers, and they’ve all been sworn to secrecy. There’s no reason to fear the worst, brother,” Fallon rested a reassuring hand on Dillon’s shoulder. “Our advances in magic and military strength have made Sinaryos an unstoppable force. Our enemies stand no chance against us. No one has threatened our kingdom since your last battle.”
Dillon cast his brother a skeptical look.
Fallon merely nodded.
“It’s true. Now that you’re here, I will do my best to get you caught up on all that you’ve missed.”
“As will I,” Mauricio added. “But we can discuss these things back at the castle. There’s no reason to stay here, standing in the cold. This lost portal isn’t going anywhere. Not with the amount of soldiers guarding it.”
As Fallon led Novi and the others back through the portal, she could hardly contain her excitement. The ruins of the ancient temple were barely more than a blur as she walked past them. She hardly remembered the lazy ride home through the streets of Sinarya.
Every heavy clip-clop of her horse’s hooves coaxed another possibility from her imagination. As the spires of Blackwood Castle rose higher and higher in front of her, she couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of what the future held for her, for Fallon, and for their family.
And if the perfectly composed Lady Jennae had been moved to tears when thanking Annika for Dillon’s return, there was no question that they were truly destined for one another.
Everything was falling perfectly into place, just like she and Fallon had dreamed.
Even after she’d returned her horse to the grooms and stepped onto the main level of the castle, her feet barely touched the floor. She was in such a state of wonder that she didn’t give much thought to the half-dozen guards rushing past them and bolting up the stairs.
Given that Tristan—a Sacred Son of Sinaryos—had just had his arm cut off by an Estellian, there was bound to be some serious fallout. Queen Laena was probably raging at this very moment about the injustice of it all, demanding retribution from anyone with ears.
But when a second group of guards rushed up the stairs, Fallon and Dillon turned to each other and shared a deeply troubled look.
In that moment, Novi realized that whatever they’d just come home to was so much worse than she could’ve ever imagined.