Gripping my neck, she held close. “What do you think it means? Are we in danger? Are the dryads?”
Soaring through the Dryad Realm, I thought about what the presence of the storm could mean. What was the Lich King doing in the southern lands? “I’m not sure, but it’s not a good sign.”
The lilac tree came into view, and I flew through, twirling to a stop inside the courtyard.
Overhead, stars filled the night sky. We had left in the early afternoon. Even with the few hours’ time difference, it would not be night.
Placing Deirdre down, I spun in a circle, running my hands across my scalp, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.
No. This can't be happening. Not again.
My pulse hammered in my ears. The last time I was in the Dryad Realm, forty years had passed, and I’d returned to a world changed, my father dead, and my mother the cause of it.
Taking Deirdre’s hand, I pulled her through the courtyard.
“Kane! Why are we running?”
Nobody could hear us here. We had to get out. I had to know how much time passed.
We ran up the stairs, Deirdre keeping pace.
I pressed my hand against the entryway, and the door opened. “Guards!” I yelled, noticing that none were in sight.
“Kane… why is it nighttime?” The fear in Deirdre’s voice mirrored my own. I dragged her down the corridor, desperate for someone to show.
“Anna!” I yelled, searching for my pixies. “Olivia! Ella!”
How much time had passed? Was it hours, months, years? It should not be night, unless something is wrong with time again.
What if years had passed like the last time?
“Anyone?” I screamed, the panic that everything was happening over again rushing through me.
“Wait, Kane, stop!” Deirdre tugged on my hand, forcing me to halt. “What's wrong?”
I shook my head. “Time is different in the Dryad Realm. When I was there, I was gone for forty years, and it was only a week here.”
Her eyes widened. “Why would you take me there, then?”
“Because once the Rift closed, time returned to normal. It’s only a few hours’ difference, at most. But the storm,” I said. “What if they're all gone? What if years have passed? What if—”
“Hey.” She reached up and placed her cool hands on my cheeks. Besides the hug she had given me the previous night, this was the first time she had touched me of her own will. “We’ll figure this out. We don’t know anything yet.”
I placed my hand against hers, drawing what little strength I could. “I can’t go through this again… I can’t… I just…”
“We don't know how much time has passed, right? It's possible that it’s still today,” she said. “Take a breath. In and out.”
Gripping her hand that still held me, I took a deep breath,trying to calm the storm brewing in my thoughts. “Yes, you're right. I'm probably overreacting.”
Footsteps ran down the corridor.
“The king and queen have returned!” a guard yelled as at least six of my men ran to us.
I shared a glance with Deirdre as she released me.
“Your Majesty! We've been searching everywhere for the two of you.”
“What day is it?” I asked.
