“I was so afraidIcouldn’t stop her–thatIcouldn’t bring you back,” she whispers.“Ireally don’t think she thoughtI’deven try.Shetold meIshould go back to the time before she cursed me and the rest of the girls at the temple.Back…back to when my eyes were still blue.”
I feel my heart twist.Elowenisn’t the only one with something to be ashamed of.
“Baby–”Ibegin, my voice coming out hoarse.
She shakes her head.
“I didn’t want to give up–Iwas hoping yourDrakecould help stop her.”
Inside,Ifeel myDrakeroar in agreement.
“She was right,”he tells me.“Ifelt her talking to me–Iknew what she needed.AndIfelt the witch’s evil–Iknew what she was the minute she appeared.IknewIhad to flame her.”
He’s different now–more articulate than ever before.It’slike he was never anAshDrakeat all.Ithink maybe the curse that was hanging over my head all my life affected him more than it affected me.Nowthat the curse is gone and the one who cast it is dead, he’s coming into his true form–his true self.
“He’s glad you asked for his help,”Isay, translating between them.
“I know,” she says quietly.“Ican feel it.”Shesighs and runs a hand through her hair.“Ijust want to sayI’msorryIdidn’t tell you about the witch right away.AndI’mgladIcould turn her curse back on her.ButnowIthink it’s time for me to go.”
“What?Why?”Iask, feeling my heart twist in my chest.Idon’t want her to go–Idon’t want to lose her.
ThenIremember myDrakeand what she’d have to do to stay–toBondwith me.Withboth of us.
“Don’t go, my dear,” theOldKing, who has been mostly silent up until now, says.“I’llhave a room prepared for you here in the palace.”
“Thank you.”Elowenlooks down at her hands.“Ican stay for the night but after that,Ineed to move on.”
The words,“Don’tgo–stay with me!Marryme!”tremble on my lips.ButIbite them back.TheDrake–she won’t be able to handle him.
“I’ll have the maid take you to your room,” theKing–my grandfather–says.“Butyou won’t go empty-handed.Youbrought my grandson back to me–and you saved his life.Youshall have anything your heart desires, my dear.”
“Thank you,Elowensays quietly.“ButIdon’t really want anything but…”
“But what?”Iurge her.
She shakes her head.
“Nothing.Idon’t need anything.Thankyou anyway,YourMajesty,” she says to theOldKing.
TheKingrings a small silver bell, and a maid appears in the doorway.
“Yes,YourMajesty?”she asks, dropping a respectful curtsey.
“Elowen would like to sleep now,” theKingtells her, nodding at my curvy little priestess.“Pleasetake her to our finest guest bedroom and see that she has anything she needs.”
“Thank you,YourMajesty.”Elowenrises and nods respectfully.Shefollows the maid out of the room, leaving me alone with theKing.
“That’s a fine woman—courageous and beautiful.Youshouldn’t let her go, my boy,” he says, breaking the silence after she leaves.“Ican see that you love her.Don’tlet her leave you.”
No one has spoken so plainly to me since my mentor,Kline, died.AndIfeel myDrakereacting to his–bowing to the older male’s wisdom.
“I don’t want to let her go,”Iadmit.“But…I’mafraid of what she’ll think ifIask her toBondwith me…and myDrake.”
“Ah…”Henods, his long white beard whispering over his chest.“Iunderstand.Myown wife–your grandmother–was reluctant at first.Itwasn’t until she felt a real fondness for myDrakethat she agreed.”
His words give me a tiny surge of hope.Elowenhas a fondness for myDrake–I’vefelt it before.Andit was him she appealed to when the witch threatened her and promised to kill me.Shedidn’t askmetoShift—she askedhimto come out.Andhe listened to her.
MaybeIshouldn’t let her go, after all.
