Chapter 35 #2
“You have a bargain, Altanfall,” Eldrene said. I began to braid the frayed edges of my apron, the sweat gathering in my palms making the task difficult. My nerves stood on end, every part of me keening to the side, ready to fall or to soar. “It cannot be broken.”
And so, I fell. My soul wilted, my newfound magic screamed in my chest. It could not end with Hesper leaving. Even if she did, though, I would go with her. I would follow her if the Forest Train would have me. If not, well, I’d just have to make another plan.
Eldrene stood, extending her hand to Hesper. Hesper warily took the offer, and Eldrene led them both outside into the setting sun.
They spoke for hours—the golden sun fading into swathes of purple and blue before the stars began to sparkle.
Agnus and I both decided to make everyone dinner as the fae warrior and the Goddess chatted into the night.
I busied myself with cobbling together a hearty stew.
But Agnus stopped me when she saw that I’d peeled an entire potato into the rubbish bin, only a sliver of it left for dinner.
“Knead the dough, girl. It’ll smooth out your edges.”
I listened, pounding the dough so hard, a plume of flour rose into the air and settled atop Agnus and me.
Soon, the entire Forest Train was in the kitchen, along with Angus and Rosie.
Usually, this would send me into a frenzy of feeling crowded and unable to breathe.
But my hands were in the dough, squishing away all my thoughts of Hesper having to leave on another quest and never coming back.
Ridiculous, my heart chided.
You don’t get to say that today, I argued back. You almost left me alone with a force of darkness the likes of which the realm has never seen.
Too soon, my heart said, offended.
Well!
After the bowls were licked clean, Angus took Rosie and Ludwig back into town to settle in for the evening.
It took much convincing to get Rosie to leave, but she eventually listened.
I told her I’d come straight to her room tomorrow morn, and she gave me a drowsy hug goodnight.
Falling into her embrace was a fire on a winter’s solstice—a comforting balm to the day, a good ending to a book.
It was just me, wide awake and staring at the wall, and Eldrene’s Train—most of whom looked to be sound asleep.
The cottage door opened once more. Eldrene’s Train rose immediately, crowding into position around her. She was leaving. Was Hesper leaving, too? I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have my monologue written down yet to plead for Eldrene’s patience. Or mercy. Or whatever I needed to say to a Goddess.
“It is quite late, and I tire,” Eldrene mused. Hesper’s looks betrayed nothing of what was to come. “Goodnight, Clara. Goodnight, Hesper,” and with that, she disappeared once more. A few petals and a light dusting of flour were all that was left of Eldrene and her Train in the cottage.
And Hesper was still here.
I ran into her arms, my eyes filling with tears as she pulled me close.
“Are you free of the bargain?” I asked, pulling away to try to read her eyes.
“No,” she said simply. “But”—she spun me around, dipping me low—“Eldrene has no need for me at this moment. Without the Prince, there is no immediate danger. That, of course, could change. Who knows what will arise?” She kissed me gently. “For now, I will be here with you.”
“What aren’t you telling me, Hesper?” I asked, slyly getting out of another kiss. She was distracting me from something. “Why did it take you so long to come to that conclusion?”
She pursed her lips and fiddled with her leathers again.
Oh, dear.
“I will have to go on a quest soon,” she said.
“I see,” I replied solemnly.
“To find my dragon.” She couldn’t help but smile.
“Your dragon is alive?” I asked, shocked, excited, and terrified for her all at once.
“That’s what we spoke of for so long. It seems that several dragons still live—but they are…
unruly now. The Dragon Keeps in the far north are now reachable since the Witherings are no longer ruled by the Prince.
At some point, I will travel there to find Circe and do what I can to eradicate withering magic.
But that,” she said, draping her arm across my shoulder, the weight on me a welcome comfort after today, “is for another day.”
Hesper tenderly brushed her knuckles along my cheek, and my body shuddered at the gesture. “I love you, princess,” she said in a low whisper.
“Don’t call me that,” I said, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her close. “And I love you.”
We kissed. And it was like we were kissing for the first time. A gentle, intentional exploration of all we were and would be together. Love will do that, after all. That’s the only true way to rewrite a soul.
“We’d better get you to bed,” Hesper said, brushing sweaty hairs off my face. “You’re going to be too tired to write in the morning if you stay up much later.”
“I already know what I’ll write tomorrow.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, indeed.” I kissed Hesper’s neck, distracting her from putting me to bed at a reasonable time.
“She thought she had been living her happily ever after all along, but what she didn’t know was that it was only just beginning.”
Hesper grinned.
“I think I’d like to read that story one day.” She swept me off of my feet and into her arms.
“Me too,” I said. “Me too.”