Chapter thirty-six
ever after
Elwyn
A lavender bud floated from the tree above. It landed on the soil before me, where I sat in front of my father’s tree. My hands in my lap, I fidgeted with my knuckle. I’d refused to heal it, refused to bring my finger back.
No one would own me again.
I pulled the Queen’s crimson ring from my pocket, examining myself in the reflection. The ring sparkled and screams echoed in my skull. “This thing tore you apart,” I whispered. Even now, it pulsed with energy. I wanted to slide it on—what would it look like on my delicate finger?
What would it feel like?
I flipped the ring in my palm. A low, blue flame erupted around it. It burned brighter and hotter until the band bubbled and melted. The liquid metal dripped on the grass, but the stone remained. No matter how hard I tried, it would not burn. I stood and pulled my arm back. I hurled the stone as hard as I could. It arced through the trees and landed in a small pond with a plunk . I withdrew the Queen’s necklace from my pocket. I traced my fingers along the flower petals.
“We’re so proud of you.” I tensed, nearly dropping the necklace. Standing in front of the tree, which now blossomed with life, stood my father, and a young woman I only recognized from memories.
My mother.
She released my father and cupped her hands beneath mine. “My mother gave this to me.” A fond smile tugged her cheek. “I want you to have it.”
“Are you certain?”
My mother nodded vigorously and closed my hands around the pendant. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
I slipped the necklace over my head. It felt warm. Not like the heat from a flame, but of two arms wrapped around me. My mother’s eyes softened, and she turned back to my father.
“Take care of her,” he whispered.
“I’ll return when I’m finished.” My mother and father drew each other close, a long-awaited embrace. Their eyes met, and I saw the love I’d always seen in my father’s memories. My mother broke the embrace. Father held her hand as she slipped away.
As we walked back to the mountain together, there was a lightness to the girl beside me. She grinned and twirled a lock of hair between her fingers, the way a young lover might. It brought me peace to walk beside her, she wore serenity like perfume. She hugged herself, mimicking the way my father held her.
“Do you have someone?” she asked.
I scrunched my face, forbidding myself from crying. “No.”
My mother paused, reading my posture. “Good.” Taken aback, I said nothing. “You’re not going to settle for anything less than you deserve.” A tingle passed through me as she reached out and squeezed my arm. “When you’re ready, someone will set your world on fire.”
I glanced at her.
“I promise.”
A figure approached us along the path. A familiar, gravelled voice said, “I need to show you something.” Disgust and shame quelled the familiar rush of excitement that coursed through me when I heard Darragh’s voice. He wouldn’t look at me, and I knew a similar shame flowed through him.
My mother’s eyes moved between us. She gave me a sympathetic smile. As I followed Darragh, she faded away.
Darragh brought me to a room in the mountain, where he pulled back a deep blue curtain. A foul stench hit my nose. I shoved my sleeve against it.
In the middle of the room, on an iron pike, was Jorgen’s head.
“Keep an eye on this,” Darragh said. Though dead for days, Jorgen’s head remained unchanged. Stepping closer, I examined the hateful scowl.
“Agh!” I leapt away. Darragh’s footsteps echoed on the stone as he left. “I think it moved,” I called after him.
“Like I said, keep an eye on it.”
I followed Darragh and fell in step beside him. With great difficulty, I spoke, “I-I know you cared for that girl.”
“Nell.”
“Nell.” Though I meant to apologize, her name still tasted foul. A thousand words swirled in my mind. Finally, I settled on just two.
“I’m sorry.”
For the first time since we’d fought, Darragh’s eyes met mine. “I’m sorry too.”
We walked in silence until I asked, “What will you do now?”
“I have to find something.”
“What?”
“Forgiveness.”