She entwined her fingers with his. “Let’s get this over with. Maybe then we can sleep.”
As they trudged toward the front door, a wave of energy swept through her, a gift from the sacred tree. Selia sent a quick thanks to Eradisel. She wasn’t restored to full power, of course, but she no longer felt like she would drop over from exhaustion.
A welcome gift, indeed.
After becoming a living part of the new portal, traversing the Veil was practically tame. For once, Aris was content to shirk further adventure. The trip was short, smoother than the last, and once they emerged, he let himself pause to take in a deep breath of the Earth air. This time, the sky had gone dim with the dusk, and the shadow of the ridge behind them stretched across the small clearing.
“That’s the easiest the strands have been to follow in quite a long time,” Inona said. “Maybe ever.”
Selia glanced at the scout. “Kai was in charge of aligning the strands when the new portal was set. He knows this route better than anyone, so I suspect it’s his doing.”
“Probably.”
Delbin shifted from Inona’s side, striding a few paces away before holding up a glowing rectangle. The young elf frowned up at the thing and turned it in all different directions. What was he doing? Finally, he gave up and rejoined the group.
“No phone signal,” Delbin said, glaring down at the device.
That didn’t clarify things. “Is that a problem?” Aris asked.
“It is if you want to call someone to come pick you up so you don’t have to trek across town.” Delbin flipped the rectangle so that Aris could see the face. Beneath a series of colored squares, an image of Delbin and Inona smiled out at him. “See? Nothing.”
Aris grimaced. “You’re showing me that as though I have a clue what it is.”
“Ah, right. You don’t know much about this world.” Delbin chuckled and tucked the device in his pocket. “It’s a cell phone. Imagine a communication mirror that can capture images of the world and connect to libraries full of information. Of course, there are also cat memes, but that won’t mean anything to you.”
Aris shook his head. Selia had told him that the younger elf had spent much of his life with humans, and it showed. It would be a good thing, too. Aris had a feeling that Delbin would become a powerful liaison between their worlds, a link they might desperately need.
“With your communication…phone inoperable, I suppose we should get moving,” Aris said.
“Great,” Selia muttered. “More running.”
Delbin shoved his hands into his back pockets. “Gotta agree with you on that. Hey, could you teleport us near that gas station we visited earlier? It’s closer to Vek’s house.”
Aris wasn’t certain what a gas station was, but Selia appeared to understand. Her tense expression lightened as she nodded. She gestured for them to gather closer to the ridge wall, out of sight of any humans who might get near. It seemed unlikely, since the only houses he could see were a fair distance away, but no need to take a risk.
After a quick step through Selia’s temporary gate, they slipped into another forest. Aris jogged behind Delbin and Inona as they rushed between trees, a smooth stone road visible to their left. Earth was a fascinating place, full of unusual buildings and strange technology. Selia pointed out the things she’d already learned about and explained their purpose as they passed.
Power lines. Cars. Fascinating, indeed.
Night had long fallen by the time they approached a house situated on the side of a mountain. Dim light shone through the windows, and a vehicle sat unoccupied in the…driveway, he thought it was called. A few of those cars had passed by during their race here, but Delbin had been concerned by how few. The human world was busy, he’d said. The lack of life was unusual.
They rested for a moment before knocking on the door. Aris wasn’t too winded, but Selia panted for air, and Delbin’s face was pale and drawn. As they waited, Inona stared into the valley below with a frown on her face. Aris followed her line of sight but wasn’t certain what bothered her. Moonlight gleamed on water and hinted at buildings below.
“There’s no power,” she said.
Delbin stepped to her side. “Damn. I was worried about that when I couldn’t get a signal. The energy surge must have fried the cell towers, too, along with the entire power grid. I really, really hope that didn’t spread too far.”
“Why?” Aris asked. “Is this vital to humans?”
Delbin nodded. “They use electricity for everything. It’s like magic contained, and all of their devices require it. I have no idea how the surge will have affected technology like phones, either. I had this one with me on Moranaia, so it isn’t a good indication. But if everything is broken, there’s going to be panic once everyone figures it out. Chaos.”
They’d focused so much on saving Earth from the rift’s explosion that they hadn’t considered any other effects of that final energy pulse. “Wonderful.”
“Maybe the others will know more,” Inona said.
The door jerked open before they reached it, and the blood elf stood in the entrance, his eyes a little crazed as he glared at them. “What took you so long?”
“Nice to see you, too, Vek,” Delbin quipped.
“Now is not the time. Get in here and help my nephew.”
So Naomh hadn’t been able to heal Fen. Aris’s brow furrowed as he followed the others into the house. A pair of mage lights hovered above, highlighting the unusual dwelling, but his focus was on the young blood elf stretched out on a long, narrow bed on the other end of the room. A red-haired woman with the look of the Sidhe knelt beside him, but Aris detected no energy flowing from her.
He strode across the room, intent on the task at hand, but Naomh leapt to his feet and blocked his path. “Where is my son?”
It took Aris a moment to figure out what the Sidhe lord was asking. “Kai? Back on Moranaia. The healer seems to believe he suffers from shock after using his abilities too much.”
“I should go,” Naomh said, flicking a glance at Caolte.
His brother nodded. “After you.”
As the pair rushed toward the door, Aris continued toward Fen, Selia falling into step beside him. The Sidhe could take care of themselves. He had more important things to worry about—like how he was going to heal the poison inside Fen without Kezari there to help him.
At that thought, her voice broke into his head. “I have not left you, but I do not have much energy to offer.”
“I’m not certain I can do this,” he confessed.
“Nor am I, but not because of your ability.” Her faint mental voice was tinged with worry. “The rift’s affliction was not quite the same.”
“I suppose we’ll see.”
The Sidhe woman glanced up at his approach, and the freckles on her pale face stood out as she studied him. “I hope you can do more than I can. Not that I dare do much.”
“I hope so, too.”
Aris lowered himself to his knees beside the woman and stretched his hands out over Fen. He closed his eyes, letting himself connect to the ebb and flow of life around them. The blood elf glowed brightly, his power low but impressive, yet the dark blotch hovering near his heart hadn’t waned at all. In fact, it might have increased in size.
“Aris.” Selia’s hand settled on his shoulder. “I have an idea.”
He glanced up at her. “Oh?”
“Since Kien had hoped to return to our world, he made certain his first attempt to poison Earth’s power would not touch Moranaia. So the spell is vulnerable to Moranaian energy. I helped Arlyn construct the counter.” Selia pulled a stone from her pocket. Unlike her typical crystals, this one was round and milky white instead of clear. “I brought this in case it was needed.”
“You know I can’t use that kind of stone.”
She closed her fist around it. “I’ll channel the power to you in a form you can utilize.”
Aris considered the plan. He wouldn’t trust just anyone to
perform such a task, since most mages were inexperienced with his talent, but he’d worked with Selia many times. Not quite in this way but close enough. He nodded. “We’ll try it.”
He let his eyes slip closed as he reached a mental hand for Selia. They joined almost seamlessly, and after he gave his assent, she began to filter energy to him. He grasped it. Tested it. The power had the rich flavor of Moranaia—ancient trees and tall mountains, fertile plains and northern glaciers. He held it close but didn’t absorb it, instead letting it merge slightly with his own gift.
Then he turned it toward the poison in Fen’s heart.
Chapter 31
Maddy nibbled on her fingernail before she jerked it free. Stupid habit. But the tension… As the man named Aris poured energy into Fen, Maddy’s own heart ached as though she bore the poison. She’d even scanned herself to make sure she hadn’t picked it up.
Nope. Just nerves.
Anna scooted closer until she sat a couple of inches from Fen’s feet. Unlike Maddy, she made no attempt to stop biting her nails as she watched his face. Why did Anna care so much? Sure, Fen had saved Maddy’s life, but it wasn’t only that. The urgency riding Maddy lined her girlfriend’s face.
Maybe it was because of the growing energy. Attempting to heal Fen had been a nightmare, a struggle to balance the power rising within her like the tide. She’d almost hurt him with her capricious healing magic more times than she would ever let Vek know. She flicked a glance at the Unseelie prince and shuddered.
Yep. Better he remained oblivious.
Suddenly, Fen sucked in a sharp breath, and his body jerked. Maddy lifted up on her knees and placed her hand on his forehead, not caringif it interfered with Aris’s work. But it didn’t seem to. As Vek leaned over the other side of the couch, a thunderous expression on his face, Fen’s eyes popped open.
“What the hell?” he asked, his gaze darting wildly around the room.
“It’s okay,” Maddy said.
Vek bent closer. “Calm yourself, Fen.”
Fen’s breathing slowed, and sense returned to his eyes as he focused on their faces. He blinked up at them in confusion. “How did I end up here?”
“You collapsed in the cave,” Vek explained. “Don’t you remember? We carried you back.”
Sucking in a breath, Fen shoved himself upright, almost butting heads with Maddy and forcing Aris back. Fen ran his hand through his hair and swung his legs over the side of the couch. “The rift. We need to go.”
“It’s over,” Aris said, catching Fen’s attention. “We fixed it. Sort of. And best I can tell, the poison is gone from you, too.”
Maddy scanned Fen for herself. The dark stain over his heart was gone. His energy levels were low but otherwise normal. But… Her brows lowered as she studied him. She didn’t detect anything wrong, but she wasn’t sure he was quite okay, either. Maybe it was her own faulty healing gift.
More likely it was his lack of energy.
Without thinking, she lifted her wrist. “You need blood.”
Fen’s eyes widened. He stared at her wrist with an intense, hungry look that made her squirm. And not just because she was afraid of being bitten. “I can’t believe you offered,” he said roughly.
She wrinkled her nose. “I can’t either. You need healing, though.”
“I think I’ll make it,” he said, but a slow smile stretched his mouth.
“He’ll take from me,” Vek interrupted. His cold gaze caught at her until she jerked her arm away. “Fen needs powerful royal blood.”
Heat rushed into her cheeks at the implication, but she lifted her chin. “Fine.”
Fen scowled. “Dammit, Vek—”
“I believe it is time for our guests to depart,” the Unseelie prince announced. “You have my thanks for your assistance, but my nephew needs quiet to recover.”
Brows lowering, Fen straightened. “You are not locking me in here again.”
“Not for long,” Vek conceded. “But I will see you healed.”
Despite Fen’s protests, Maddy was ushered outside with the others in a shorter amount of time than she would have expected. That was…abrupt. What had bothered Vek so much about Maddy offering blood? He’d been fine, if a bit peeved at having guests, before that. Perhaps he’d been offended by her inferior half-Sidhe genes, but that didn’t seem right.
“Not even the Unseelie are usually that inhospitable,” Inona mumbled as they approached Maddy’s car.
“At least I can give you a lift back to the portal,” Maddy offered. Then she counted the number of people and sighed. “In two trips, unless we want to break the law.”
Delbin settled his hand on the roof of the car. “Think it’ll start? We did see a few vehicles, but there are no guarantees.”
“Guess we’ll find out.”
As Anna slid into the passenger seat, Maddy settled behind the steering wheel. Bracing herself for problems, she slid her key into the ignition and turned. Then she let out a long, relieved breath when it sputtered to life. She lowered the window and stuck her head outside.
“Who wants to ride first?” she asked.
Aris and Selia exchanged glances before the woman spoke. “You needn’t do that. I can transport us by magic since I know my destination.”
Maddy’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
“The Sidhe can do such feats, as well,” the woman said, a hint of confusion lining her face.
“In the underhill, maybe. There’s not enough energy on…” Maddy’s words trailed off as her magic stirred inside her. She stifled it again, just as she’d done while attempting to heal Fen, and chuckled uneasily. “There wasn’t enough energy on Earth. I guess there is now.”
Delbin stepped closer to the window. “You have the mirror, right? Call us if there’s a problem. No telling what’s going on with the electricity out.”
“Yes, I do.” Maddy smiled at her friend. “And I will.”
The four Moranaian elves slipped away with a wave, and Maddy sat in the driveway long enough to watch the woman build a portal beside the house, out of sight of the road. Beside her, Anna gasped. “That’s…”
“I know,” Maddy said in awe. “I wonder if either of us could learn to do it.”
Anna snorted. “You maybe. I don’t even know what I am.”
“We’ll figure it out.” As the elves disappeared, the portal winking out behind them, Maddy backed the car out of the driveway and started toward home. She reached across the console and gathered Anna’s hand in hers. “I promise.”
Though Lyr had sworn that Iren was in his room, Selia still peeked inside before going to her own. She relaxed to see him curled up on the bed, asleep without even getting under the covers, but then she recalled his earlier trick. Just in case, she tiptoed across the floor and did her best to remain quiet as she ducked down to look under the bed. Nothing that she could see.
Quickly, she scanned the room with her magic. No sign of the cloaks or of anyone hiding. And not only was Iren’s breathing steady, but his energy was as well. She should’ve known to check that last time—and would have, had she not been so distracted. On the way out, she placed a charm on the door that would warn her if he left, much as she had used when he was a toddler.
Then she headed for her room. Aris had gone with Ralan through the new portal to retrieve Kezari, and then he planned to join her. For sleep—at least for now. That was all either of them would be able to do until they recovered.
Selia closed the door behind her and leaned against it, staring at the room she’d inhabited for a couple of months now. Only a few days had passed since Aris’s return, but it could have been years. Her mind was jumbled from exhaustion, not to mention passing between day and night so often that not even the sun shining through the window entirely convinced her it was still afternoon. Her world had changed until the mundane seemed foreign.
The chime of her mirror distracted her from her wandering thoughts. Selia hurried to her desk and activated the link, ready to speak
with whoever needed her so she could get some sleep. She smiled when Niasen’s face filled the screen.
“Hello, sister,” Selia said.
“Good day.” Niasen returned the smile. “I hope you haven’t gone to too much trouble trying to track down father.”
Selia’s stomach dropped as mortification rushed in. She’d forgotten. How many times had she been to Earth in the span of a day without even a thought for her missing father? Her cheeks heated. “I…no.”
“He finally contacted me not long ago,” Niasen said. If her sister noticed Selia’s embarrassment, she was kind enough not to mention it. “He appeared a bit worn down but urged me not to worry.”
Worn down? Selia’s forehead wrinkled. “Do you think something happened to him?”
Niasen waved her hand. “No, nothing like that. He said there was difficulty with the energy there that caused him problems. He should be fine.”
“Yes, I’ve heard the same.” Experienced it, too, but that was a tale she wasn’t sure she should share. “I am happy to hear that father contacted you.”
Niasen’s eyes narrowed. “Are you unwell, Selia?”
“Only drained,” she answered honestly. “I’ve spent too much of my energy of late.”
“Oh.” Niasen’s frown deepened, but she didn’t push. “I’ll leave you to rest, then.”
Selia smiled. “Thank you. I’ll contact you again soon.”
“Of course.”
Once her sister’s image dropped from the mirror, Selia let her shoulders slump. Then she trudged over to the bed and dropped face-down across the covers. She would rest her eyes for a moment before she changed clothes. Only a moment.
Kezari’s steps were slow, but she walked beside Aris into the gate at Braelyn. The shift to her elven form had been sluggish, and she’d thrown the barest covering over her body before they’d followed the prince through the portal. He’d never seen her look so tired, not even after she’d nursed him back to health after rescuing him.
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