A Healer's Destiny

by Katherine J. Sinclair

  Chapter 26

  It was late afternoon by the time Elah was able to pull Leif outside for a walk in Violets garden. They walked silently until they came across an old looking bench. As they sat side by side, Elah could tell something was on Leif’s mind and she gently nudged him, pulling him out of thought.

  “What are you thinking about?” Elah asked, as he looked at her.

  “Elah, how do you feel about me?” Leif asked, swallowing hard.

  She looked him, studying his face for an answer as to why he asked that question, when it occurred to her she asked, “Are you trying to ask if I love you?”

  His eyes widened and he turned his head. “I guess I am” he answered. “So do you?”

  “Yes, I'm pretty sure I do” Elah answered, with her heart racing, not sure where he was going with this. “What about you, how do you feel about me?”

  Leif breathed a sigh of relief and looked into her eyes. “I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you” he announced, taking her hand in his and gently kissing it.

  “Why do you ask?” Elah asked softly, relieved that he felt the same but still not sure where he was taking their conversation.

  “I have something important to tell you” he said, watching her nod. “We have to go back tomorrow.”

  “Oh, good we can go to Treriton” Elah said, wondering why Leif was not smiling.

  “Elah we can’t go to Treriton, we have to go back to where we left from” he said.

  “But we can go home from there can’t we?”

  “I don’t know but Violet told me…” was all Leif got out before Adam ran up to them, looking stressed.

  “Leif can I borrow you for a moment” Adam said puffing.

  “I’ll be back” Leif said and raced off with Adam.

  Elah relaxed and watched the birds fly around the yard, happy to finally hear Leif say how he felt about her. It was a beautiful afternoon and she knew the stars would shine brightly in the sky once the sun went down.

  “Well, I didn’t think he would ever leave” Elah heard a voice coming from the rustling bushes.

  Elah jumped up and looked defensively at the bushes and prayed that it wasn't someone there to take her to a lab for experimenting. Elah’s heart dropped when she saw Asriel step out of the bushes casually brushing himself off. She gasped as he calmly walked over and stood in front of her.

  “I remember when you looked at me the way you look at him” Asriel said, casually sitting down.

  Elah stepped away, confused as to why he was being so casual. “That was a very long time ago” Elah said, trying to be brave. “What do you want?”

  “Well, I think the question you should be asking is what does he want?” Asriel said, making himself more comfortable.

  “I think you should leave”

  “I will once I get what I came for”

  “And what might that be?” Elah asked, knowing the answer.

  “Has he told you about your ancestors yet?”

  “Stop trying to cause trouble and just leave”

  “Do you want to know a secret?” Asriel asked, leaning closer to her.

  “No but I’m guessing your going to tell me anyway”

  “You and River neither belong to the light or dark fae kings but both have the right to you” he said, watching her reaction. She screwed her face up and frowned at him but her heart still raced and fear still pumped through her veins.

  “I don’t want to hear your lies, River has final say who I marry” Elah retorted.

  “That’s where you are wrong. River is the same as you and since your father has passed, your situation is now quite complex” he said, with a smirk on his face. “River doesn’t belong to either king, so can’t speak for you.”

  "Great then, I speak for myself. Now go away" she hissed at him. 

  "No that's not true either, that's why this matter is so complex" he said, raising his eyebrows at her. 

  Elah looked at him hard, she didn't understand what he was getting at. "I wouldn't choose you anyway" she said, folding her arms. 

  He studied her for a minute then explained to her, her family history. Telling her how her family was a pure line and how she didn't belong to neither dark nor light fae but belonged to both as well. 

  She stood by and listened to him out of curiosity. "That's a nice story, now go tell your children's story to someone who believes you" Elah said bitterly. 

  "Well all I know is that if he wants to keep you he has to claim you. Isn't that right Leif" Asriel said, as he glared at Leif. 

  Elah spun around to see Leif standing by a tree. "Is all this true?" Elah asked Leif. 

  "According to Violet, yes" he said, staring down Asriel. "Come here please, Elah."

  Elah started edging her way toward Leif but as she was just about to reach out to grab Leif's hand, she looked around to find herself standing back where she had been. Shocked, Elah narrowed her eyes at Asriel. She was mad that he had probably just used his gift. 

  She watched him for a couple of seconds before blasting him with air, as she raced toward Leif. She was just about to reach out to him, when again she found herself standing in the same place she started but this time Leif looked at her shocked.

  “Oh dear, she didn't tell you, did she" Asriel said slyly. 

  "Stop doing that and leave" Elah yelled. 

  "Oh and miss all this fun, I think not" Asriel said, sitting up straighter. 

  "What's going on?" Violet asked puffing. 

  "I thought you had to remain indifferent?" Asriel questioned, looking at Violet. 

  "I haven't done anything to say otherwise" Violet said’ shocked to see Asriel. 

  "You helped the light fae, not the dark fae, that's naughty" Asriel said, wagging his finger at her. 

  "I was helping someone in need. Now you need to answer for your crime, coming through the portal without permission is against the law for a reason" Violet retorted. 

  "I wouldn't have had to if you were not helping the light fae, who attacked Izarra. Where were you when my people needed your help" Asriel said bitterly, moving Elah back as she again tried to move toward Leif. 

  "I removed the cause of that attack, I believe that helped your people" Violet shouted, angrily. 

  "My family can defend our people and I'm happy to report that there were no deaths thanks to Elah" Asriel said, smiling at her. 

  "They needed me because of your self obsessed stupidity" Elah barked at him. 

  "Isn't she sexy when she's mad" Asriel said, watching Leif try to lung at him but kept finding himself back at square one. 

  "Stop it, leave us alone" Elah screamed, in frustration. 

  "Okay, that's enough. If you want indifferent then you got it" Violet growled, waving her hands in the air. Suddenly Asriel and Leif were in something that looked like bubbles. "I'm sending you both home. And since Elah is neither dark nor light fae, she's staying with me until you two can sort your mess out."

  With that she moved her hand and they were both gone. Elah looked up to where they had disappeared, she didn't know what to think and just stood there stunned. 

  As the realisation if what just happened started to sink in, Elah fell to her knees and appeared to be trying to make sense of it all. Violet quickly went to her side and wrapped her arms around her friend.

  "Elah, it's okay" Violet whispered, trying to console her. 

  "No it's not. I just found out that I don't belong anywhere, yet everywhere, Leif is gone and I'm pretty sure River is in danger" Elah summed up. "I need to go back and help River."

  "I can't send you to Treriton but I can send you back where you came in from. You could head up to River via the boarder that goes from the Elvish lands to the light fae lands but it's quite a distance and I cannot help you" Violet explained, looking at Elah worried. 

  "I know and I'm truly thankful for the help you have provided" Elah said, weakly smiling at Violet. "I think it's best not to involve
you any further anyway."

  "I know this is hard for you but you really are welcome to stay" Violet said, knowing Elah wouldn't change her mind and knowing that she wasn't allowed to persuade her to stay. "Just so you know, Leif really does have the best intentions and really didn’t know about your family history."

  "I know"

  "Well you should go and get changed and I'll send you back, when you are ready"

  "Thank you. You know I'm really very happy for you and Adam, I wish I could stay and help you get ready for your wedding but I really must get back and sort this mess out"

  Elah then got up and walked back to the house. She changed into the outfit she had arrived in and tried her best to mentally prepare herself for her journey but couldn't calm her nerves.

  She walked out to see Violet with Adam. They had prepared a small pack with some food and the necessary provisions and gave it to her. 

  Violet went over the route she would need to take back to the light fae lands and also included the route to the dark fae lands just in case she thought she could make it back that way or came across information that River was there. Elah really appreciated everything Violet had done but declined Violets offer for her to stay again. 

  As they stood outside under the crystal clear night sky, Elah said her final good byes but before being sent her off she gave Violet a note for Leif. Violet placed it in a bubble and sent it to Leif before she sent Elah back to the Elvish lands.