Journey into the Realm: The Stolen Child (Journey into the Realm Series) (16 page)

Nathan gaped at me. “Wait, she just left?”

I sighed. “A life for a life. I allowed her to live after she murdered Stellan, so in exchange she deserted her earth fairy companion and provided me with the opportunity to escape.”

“That makes very little sense to me,” Elvina expressed. “Why would Ellie accept defeat and morality over victory?”

I looked down at my hands and noticed they were trembling. “I think killing Stellan did something to her…something that’s changed her. I’m not saying she’s a saint, but she’s different.”

Elvina nodded slowly, considering my words. “We’ll discuss the matter later. Right now, I’m afraid we need to leave.” She moved forward and lightly tapped Aimee’s shoulder. “I know it may seem too soon to leave him, but he would have wanted us to continue safely.”

“I can’t. Not without him,” Aimee said quietly. “You’re all going to have to wait.”

“Aimee, please. I know it is hard to accept, but Tavis has left us,” Elvina said gently.

“No,” Aimee snapped. I had never heard her use such a harsh tone before. “He has
not
left us. Not yet.”

I sighed shakily and looked up at Nathan. His eyes were grave.

“Come on, Aimee, let’s go.” I tugged at her arms. “It will be all right. Just come with us and we will get through this together,” I suggested.

“Get off me, Ramsey!” she cried fiercely, pulling away.

Completely stunned, I took a step back, as if I had just touched fire. Her grief had turned her into an elfen I didn’t recognize. Each of us watched Aimee warily. No one seemed to have any other ideas.

“Aimee –” Nathan finally began.

“Shush, will you?” She took a deep breath, finally collecting herself. “Everyone just
be quiet
,” she commanded.

Since there was no use in trying to change her mind, we obeyed. But we knew that we couldn’t let this go on for too long. Tavis was gone, and it would be unhealthy for her to believe otherwise. Maybe if we gave her a few minutes she would come around.

Then the most surprising thing happened. Aimee smiled, releasing a long, contented sigh. I was sure she had completely lost her mind. “I knew it,” she whispered. “Listen.”

“Listen to what?” Nathan asked. I could tell he was growing increasingly troubled by her display.

“His breathing,” she said.

Stunned into silence, I followed her instructions and tried to listen. After picking apart the breaths emanating from Aimee, Nathan, Elvina, and myself, I finally realized the elfen healer was right. Someone else was breathing. Although it was labored and faint,
Tavis
was breathing.

“How did you…?” I asked.

“Call it a healer’s intuition,” she replied, her eyes darting to and fro, jumping with newly found energy. “Now, all of you stay still and don’t say a word. I’m working.”

We all nodded, shocked by this new development. Tavis, as impossible as it seemed, was still alive. But he wouldn’t last without Aimee’s healing. I only hoped she hadn’t fully exerted herself saving Nathan.

Aimee placed her hands above Tavis’s chest. She closed her eyes and took a deep, long breath. As she exhaled, the green glow returned to her palms and seeped into Tavis’s bloody body, just as it had when she healed Nathan. Aimee’s entire body shook from the intensity of the healing, and soon her own breathing became haggard and weak. I knew if she didn’t stop soon, the effort could possibly kill her. I waited, deciding to give her a chance rather than interrupt the process.

She moved her hands slowly over Tavis’s body, the glow still radiating from her skin. Tavis’s body began to shine from the light, and then suddenly the blood was disappearing. His various wounds began to close, the skin knitting together, and his legs began to crack and straighten as his bones were repaired. Aimee started swaying from the strain, which made her hands unsteady as she frantically tried to complete Tavis’s healing. I held her shoulders tightly to steady her and watched as she regained her focus. However, I could tell that every second of her healing was taking its toll on her. For every bit of life and strength she gave Tavis, it took some away from her.

I had no idea if she would be able to hold out much longer. I certainly didn’t want her dying while trying to save our friend. I knew that if she got any worse, I would have to end this and let Tavis go in peace. I dreaded that moment and hoped it wouldn’t come, that I wouldn’t have to add another painful choice to the long list I had already built up today. For now, I held on to the hope that she could save him.

That hope grew stronger as his breathing became stronger. His chest rose and fell with new health. Slowly, Tavis was coming back to us.

As soon as Aimee removed her hands from his body and slumped over onto the ground, Tavis’s eyes fluttered open.

“Thank God,” Nathan said with relief in his voice.

“For a minute, I thought it wouldn’t work,” I admitted. “I can’t believe she had the strength after healing you.”

I knelt down and checked Aimee’s pulse. She was alive, but had fainted from the strain of the healing. I pressed my own fingertips to her forehead. “Heal,” I said. The spell wasn’t powerful, and nowhere near as strong as Aimee’s healing, but it was enough to wake her.

Her eyes flickered open and she breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up at me and gave me a small smile. “Thanks, Ramsey,” she said quietly.

“Thank
you
, Aimee. You saved his life. You believed when none of us could,” I told her.

Tears descended upon her cheeks. “I thought that one of us would die. Either him or I. One of us should have. I shouldn’t have that kind of strength.”

“But you do. And I’m so glad that you do,” I said. “Do you need help getting up?”

“I’ve got her, Ramsey,” Elvina offered. She lifted Aimee off the ground and hovered a moment in the air before setting her on her feet. The healer wobbled for a bit and then found her balance.

“About what I said earlier,” I began, biting my lip as I tried to find the right words to apologize.

Aimee smiled, shaking her head slowly. “Don’t apologize for wanting to save Nathan. You did what you had to do, and if you hadn’t said those things…I know that I wouldn’t have listened.”

I nodded, glad that Aimee now understood the situation and how I’d had no choice but to force her into healing Nathan. Still kneeling on the ground, I turned to Tavis, who was watching us all but hadn’t uttered a sound. He was probably as stunned as we were that he was alive.

I took his hand. “I will never forget what you endured for me, Tavis. I won’t allow myself to get distracted like that again,” I said, tears blurring my vision. “I promise. You can even make fun of my being a fairy if you want. I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re alive.”

Tavis smiled and squeezed my hand. “Next time I won’t be so weak,” he assured me. “I will never stop blowing up Element fairies for you, Ramsey. And thanks for the permission. Expect a whole new line of fairy jokes first thing tomorrow morning.”

I laughed, giddy and grateful. Nathan and Tavis were safe. We all were safe. And we had the crown. I was slowly recovering from the events that had occurred here today, as if Tavis’s return had brought me back from my own kind of death.

Nathan kneeled next to me. I felt his shoulder bump mine as he reached to pat his friend on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back. It would have been absolutely terrible for me to be the only elf on this journey,” Nathan said.

“Ha. Well, I’m glad I’m here to help your manhood,” Tavis replied.

“Because of you, Ramsey, and Nathan, we were able to retrieve the crown. You were right. We never would have succeeded without the help of an all-out attack,” Elvina admitted.

“Thanks, fairy. That means a lot,” Tavis said.

Finally, it was Aimee’s turn to be at his side. She hadn’t spoken much since healing him, and she was still a little shaky after exerting so much energy. But her eyes were bright, and she was smiling like her old self, only better, because of what she had just accomplished.

“For a moment I believed you had left me...I never realized…how much it would hurt to lose you. It was too much,” she said, her voice quaking.

“But I didn’t leave you, because you brought me back,” he replied. “Thank you for saving me, Aimee. I can see how difficult it was for you. I have never been so proud of someone other than myself in my whole life.” He winked, which made Aimee giggle.

“Please remind me why I saved you,” she said jokingly.

He showed her by pulling her close and giving her an unexpected, yet still magical, kiss – leaving the rest of us watching with unmasked amazement.

Sure, magic could be terrible and cruel, like the way the Element fairies used theirs.

But it also could be remarkably wonderful, like it was today.

Once their display of affection was over, as well as the slightly awkward silence that followed, we were ready to make our next move.

“All right, now we should really get going,” Nathan suggested.

“Yeah, it’s nearly midday,” I added. “We should cross into the Woodland Fairy Realm and use as much daylight as we can to find the capital. Tavis, Aimee, can you both walk?”

“Or do we have to carry you?” Elvina asked.

Tavis shook his head. “There is
no
way that I’m being carried by fairies.”

I rolled my eyes. He was definitely going to take advantage of the permission I had given him. “Let’s try walking. I’m feeling a little dizzy anyway.”

Nathan looked at me with concern in his emerald gaze. “Are you hurt?” he asked.

“I don’t think so. Just a few scratches. And I’m a little drained from the attack,” I replied. Compared to what Tavis and Nathan had gone through, I wasn’t worth any fuss. “Let’s get back to Honeysuckle. It’s time we left this Realm.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Together, we made our slow return to the city. For Tavis and Nathan, who were newly healed, walking wasn’t much of a problem. But for the rest of us, who were weak from fighting and performing magic, the trek back was grueling.

Upon our return to the Flower fairy city, we were greeted with a chorus of cheers. Apparently, the Flower fae were happy about us killing the Element fairies and coming back safely, which was a surprise considering they were the ones who had put us in the dangerous situation in the first place.

Leis of lilies and daisies were showered over our heads and around our necks. Fairies all around us clapped and cheered as we walked to where Queen Flora hovered at the center of the city.

“Welcome back,” she greeted warmly. “On behalf of the entire community of Honeysuckle, let me apologize for our horrid behavior. You see, the Element fairies threatened to burn our city and take us prisoner for King Vortigern if we did not assist them. We had no choice but to comply. We thank you for ridding us of our burden and we are glad you returned safely.”

I nodded, accepting her apology with no trouble. The Element fairies were powerful foes, and I wasn’t surprised that Queen Flora and her fae had been threatened into submission. I let my bitterness over what had happened slip away and took solace in the fact that we had all made it out alive.

Elvina withdrew the crown from the pocket of her dress. “To make up for your actions, we would truly appreciate your aid in our departure. We require a Flower fairy to make the circle so we may cross into the Woodland Fairy Realm.”

“We also need a few herbs,” I added, discovering how little we still carried as I dug through my bag. “We lost some of our supply during the chaos.”

“Will you help us?” Aimee asked.

Queen Flora nodded. “Of course. It is the least we can do for all the trouble we have caused you. I will have a few fairies fetch the herbs you need, and I personally will create the circle.”

Relieved that we would be leaving soon, I gave Queen Flora my thanks and listed the herbs we needed for the circle. While we waited, countless little Flower fairies flew by, apologizing and thanking us for making their city safe again. I couldn’t help but feel proud. Despite the danger we were forced to endure, we had achieved something of great value. The Flower Fairy Realm was no longer in the clutches of the Element Fairy King. Once we left, the Element fairies should have no reason to return. The butterfly-winged beings could continue to live in peace.

Moments later, Queen Flora had completed the circle. The herbs and the crown were in place. We were finally ready to continue our journey. Standing before the newly made circle of brown mushrooms, I couldn’t help but wonder about Ellie’s sudden departure. Was she still lurking in this Realm? Or had she returned to the King? I couldn’t imagine him being too pleased with her failure, so I assumed she would fabricate a story to explain why she was returning empty-handed…again.

I didn’t know if I would ever see her again. I didn’t know if I wanted to or not. And I didn’t know what had changed within her to make apprehending me such an impossible task. I just knew that if we ever crossed paths again, and it came down to her or me, I wouldn’t let her win. I couldn’t. I had a duty to my Realm, to all of magic. It wasn’t just about revenge for Stellan’s murder. This journey was my destiny. If Ellie interfered, I would have no choice but to stop her.

After a final goodbye to Queen Flora and the Flower fairies of Honeysuckle, my friends and I stepped into the circle and vanished from the Realm of flowers and light. A rushing scent of honeysuckles and bluebells flooded my senses, which I believed was the Realm’s special way of saying farewell.

I knew it was foolish to consider the possibility that we were leaving some of the danger behind with the Flower fairies, but I couldn’t help hoping that the next royal we met would prove more helpful.