“Right, that makes sense. How do you recommend we get there?” We were in a circular room, likely at the base of one of the castle towers. Windows led out to an elaborate arboretum with trees in their fall foliage. Between the trees was a stone walkway with various benches and hammocks designed to make the place appear ethereal and inviting, and standing at the edge of the tree line was a beautiful stag with the largestantlers I’d ever seen. I breathed a sigh of relief that Underhill’s physical manifestation was watching over one of its favored.
We were not out of the woods. I shifted Adaela in my arms as gently as I could, and she stirred a little bit.
“We’re going to make it out of here. Don’t you worry. I need you to rest for now and save your strength, if you can hear me,” I breathed, pulling her body up a little so I could nuzzle my face with hers. She stirred again, whimpering in pain, and I found the seat nearest to me, sitting down to stop jostling so that she could rest. Keeping my voice quiet, I asked Ceridwyn, “How do we make it out of this room?”
“There’s a passageway out for emergencies to the crown. Underhill has summoned the young portal weaver to come and take you to Alfhame. Baba Yaga has been made aware that Cernunnos is dead. The portal weaver has taken her to thePaxand is making his way back here to get you and Adaela to Alfhame.”
“When Adaela is well enough, we will come back here and make everything right. I’m not sure what that timeline will be like yet,” I said, bending over to place a soft kiss against Adaela’s clammy forehead. I placed my forehead against hers for a few seconds, breathing in her scent, but all I could smell was the coppery scent of her blood.
She will make it out of this.
“For what it’s worth, our queen is the strongest being I’ve ever met. She’s been through so much in her lifetime already. I don’t think it’s her time yet,” Ceridwyn said quietly.
“I hope you’re right, Ceridwyn. I hope for all our sakes that you’re right. I failed her.” A silent tear streaked down my cheek. I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to hold it together.
Ceridwyn’s unyielding sprite side made itself known, hands on her hips. “None of this is your fault, Vada. If it were, Underhillwould have done everything in its powers to remove you from this land.”
“If I hadn’t jumped through this portal, Adaela—” I choked back a sob.
“Adaela would have wound up here again eventually, Vada, and the outcome would have been the same. We must trust that the Fates know what they’re doing,” she replied sternly. “Your focus right now should be on getting Adaela to safety. Ah, yes, I think help has arrived.”
A portal opened, and Galdrane stepped through it. He rubbed his hands together, eyes frantically searching for us. Just as we were walking toward the meeting point, the door we came through blasted open, and I sprinted toward the exit that Ceridwyn was pointing toward, trying not to jostle Adaela too much.
“Open the fucking portal!” I screamed at Galdrane as we ran through the door. I shut the door, hoping it gave us a few more seconds. Galdrane ripped open the portal and I hopped through it without a second thought, balling myself around Adaela in case the landing was as rough as it was entering this one.
I stumbled a few steps, but was able to correct myself while keeping Adaela tucked safe against me. She cried out in pain, awake again, and her tri-green eyes shot open with a gasp. “Shh, sweet girl, we’re almost to safety. Just hang on a little longer for me. I know you can do this,” I said.
Sweat and goose bumps broke out across her skin, and without even checking my surroundings, I yelled as loudly as I could, “We need a healer, please! This is an emergency.” Galdrane walked up to stand next to me.
We stepped out into a breathtaking mountainous region. There were stairs leading up steep mountainside cliffs with what appeared to be wooden terraces every so often. The terraces had pergolas above them with wisteria woventhroughout the latticework. It smelled fresh and clean, as if this realm had never experienced pollution. Toward the far side of the village lay a giant lake with snowcapped mountains out in the distance. The weather was balmy but not freezing. It was the first peace I’d known since this whole ordeal started, but we weren’t safe yet, and there wasn’t room to relax just yet. It was a false assumption until we could get Adaela healed.
She will make it out of this.
She will make it out of this.
I was desperate to find help, and the fatigue from carrying Adaela for as long as I had was starting to push at me, but I’d hold her until we found safety. She wouldn’t leave my sight until she was back on her feet. Up ahead, someone walked out of a cottage, and I moved in that direction. Adaela weakly wrapped her arms around my neck. Her eyes were open and scanning, and I closed my eyes in relief, though I saw the pain etched across her face, at the fine lines around her eyes and mouth. I checked her wound. Her body was starting to try healing itself over the cloth I used to staunch her bleeding.Not good.
“Excuse me, can you please tell me how to get to a healer?” I shouted, not quite close enough to catch up with the Elf ahead of us. She turned, startled, then went wide-eyed to see Adaela in my arms, the both of us covered in blood. She pointed a shaky arm behind me, in the direction of a large stone structure built into the side of the mountain. I nodded at the Elf in thanksand made my way over there. Galdrane was quiet behind me, following me like a lost puppy.
“I know you’re feeling weak, sweet girl, but I’m going to need you to hold onto me just a little longer. Can you do that for me?” I asked her.
I nodded to the door. “Could you please knock for me? My hands are a little tied here.”
“R-r-r-right. S-s-sorry, ma’am.” I excused thema’amfor now.
The door to the structure opened, and an Elf I recognized, but not by name, opened the door. He ushered us into the building, shouting for the emergency healers. It opened into a small alcove, a waiting room that resembled a hospital from Earth with its bare and sterile walls. The orderlies were rushing around us, directing me to set Adaela on a cot. I held onto her a little tighter, unable to let her go.
“What happened?” asked one of the orderlies while another gently pried my life out of my hands, smiling at me. I reluctantly let her go because it was for the best, though everything in me told me to hold on.
“We were in Underhill. This is Adaela ÓDubhlaoich. She got into a confrontation with her father and was stabbed in the stomach with an iron blade.” They took her back, and I followed. I was stopped by a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see the guy holding me back. I threw a punch at him, but he quickly blocked and subdued me. My arms were like jelly from holding Adaela for the last however long it took to get her here, and I didn’t have it in me to fight back. He was just doing his job.
“I understand what you’re going through right now, and I know that you want to go back with her, but they need all the space they can get to perform a miracle. That woman is on herdeathbed. You did well bringing her here, but now you must let them do their job,” he said.
“And who the fuck are you to tell me to stay away from my fucking mate?” I snarled, ready to lunge again. This time, Galdrane stopped me, bowing his front legs in deference.
The man chuckled. “I am Boromir. I’m the king of Alfhame.”
Oh shit.I dropped down and bowed low at his feet. “Forgive me, King Boromir. I recognized your face but didn’t know who you were.”
