Deadlands (The Healer Series, #2) (27 page)

“Let her Chase,” Willow said nodding. “She was of great help to us in the Deadlands, I can’t imagine what more she has to offer.”

Elirana smiled and then narrowed her eyes on Chase. “See? The Healer approves. I’m coming.”

Chase threw his hands in the air. “FINE! You know what, Eli baby? You’re on your own from now on! Don’t expect me to be there to protect you twenty-four seven!” He picked up and sword and stormed off to the other side of room, heading towards the bathroom.

“My safety is not up to you!” Elirana shouted back when Chase slammed the door
, shutting everyone out.

Willow turned to Elirana and raised her eyebrows. “I don’t get you two.”

“Nobody does,” Elirana shrugged, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

“So…you’re going to lead us out of your realm?” Declan asked.

“Yes, we must hurry. Everyone thinks I’m here to say goodbye. They’re in the ballroom having a party and if I don’t show up within the hour, they will be coming to check on me. I have my sources, though, so I know the correct portal to choose. Come on.”

Eliran
a hustled to the door and poked her head out, checking the hallway to see if it was safe to proceed. Willow quickly went to the bathroom door to get Chase, and soon, they were all walking quickly down the long corridor, following Elirana through the halls of the Red Flame. They stayed in the shadowy parts and hid behind pillars when she thought she heard someone approaching. Willow could hear the distant sounds of music playing through the walls. It was a beautiful, happy melody, and she supposed the Elves enjoyed their long, wonderful life of parties and magnificence. But they were completely oblivious to the fact that their world could change if she failed. The weight of the world was on her shoulders.

“This way,” Elirana hissed. She ducked inside a large room. It was a large arena, almost like a training ground. There were weapons everywhere, mats, targets, and dummies. “This is where the Elven knights of the Court train. We have a bigger area outside of the castle where the army goes, but these are for the elite few,” she explained.

Willow looked ahead and gasped. She grabbed Declan’s arms when she saw a guard standing at the very end of the room. Elirana didn’t seem to be bothered by his presence as she approached. “Na-amin su, brother,” Elirana said and hugged him tightly. Turning around, she introduced him. “This is my brother Etienne Carpathiamin. He will be joining us.”

“What!” Chase hissed pushing Declan and Willow apart. He didn’t want to shout to give away their position, but he was fuming mad.

“I spoke to him earlier, told him the whole story, and he has decided to join our cause,” Elirana said excitedly.

Etienne turned to look at Willow and Declan and nodded at them. He was young, abo
ut as tall as Chase, and had long blonde hair and the same teal colored eyes as Elirana. It was obvious they were related. He was attractive (of course).

“I would like to come along…if the Healer is okay with it.”

“No, she’s not okay with it,” Chase growled low. He had his hand on his sword. Etienne turned to Chase and smirked.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize your opinion mattered.”

Declan and Willow both laughed at his jab. Yes, he was definitely going with them!

“My brother has an affinity for fire,
as I have with wind. It is easier for him to manipulate that element, as wind is to me,” Elirana said.

“Chase, I’m sorry, but I cannot deny an Elf who wants to fight for our cause,” Willow said and turned to Etienne
smiling. “He’s coming.”

Chase groaned miserably. “The
whole damn world’s against me!”

“
Not the world, Wolf-Boy. Just embrace the change and go with it.”

“Well, then, let’s get out of this realm before more Elves come.”

Elirana rolled her eyes. Etienne walked away searching for something. Crouching down, he lifted a hidden door in the floor and quickly disappeared down the stairs. “Hurry,” Elirana said and Willow and Declan quickly followed after Etienne with Chase grumbling and uttering curses under his tongue. Elirana was last and sealed the hidden passageway.

The stairs led to a dark hallway stretching far under
the ground. Etienne led them further into the hallway.

“This isn’t a trap, right?” Chase asked.

“What’s wrong, Werewolf? You don’t trust us?” Elirana’s voice said teasingly.

“What
gave it away?” he grumbled.

They traveled for several minutes until they reached another set of stairs leading upward. When they emerged, Willow glanced around in wonder. They had come up right into a forest.
Even in the dark, the forest felt so alive. There were lanterns hanging on the tree with sparkling light. The grass was soft and the fresh air smelled like sage and thyme. Flowers bloomed everywhere.

“The portal is this way,” Etienne motioned and they followed him several feet before they came to two large sycamore trees. Between the trees was a
silken veil. Like the silvery sheen to spider’s silk, the veil connected the trees together.

“Where does this portal lead?” Willow wondered.

Etienne turned to her and smiled. Even his smile was rather breathtaking. She felt Declan’s hand on her hip, needing to feel her close. Was he really jealous? Now? And why would he be? She was his to the very end.

“
To the human realm,” he said and then looked directly at Chase saying, “On the outskirts of the Everwild.” He turned back around to begin working on starting the portal.

“What? The Everwild?” Willow asked
panicking. “No. Freaking. Way.”

“How dare you!” Chase said and turned to Elirana. “You said you shut
those portals after the sieges! You lied to me?”

“Well…technically, any portal can be reopened after closing them forever.
I said that for dramatic effect. Etienne’s an expert at port travel. He helped seal the important ones and knows how to reopen this one.”

“
Yeah, sure, Eli,” Chase said disbelievingly. “Well…since we’ll be so close to my territory, you wouldn’t mind if I checked in with my pack, would you?”

Elirana pur
sed her lips and replied smugly, “Not at all.”

“I don’t want to go to the Everwild again,” Willow shook her head.
“Nope. I’m not going.”

“Trust me, Healer,” Chase reassured her. “If this portal leads where I think it does, you’ll have nothing to fear. My pack has sustained a large part of the Everwild and
has kept it safe from all threats. We’ll be okay.”

“Um…okay,” Willow said. “I trust you.”

The portal was open. A slight popping noise drew Willow’s attention to the now slow churning portal. It was gaining speed the longer she looked at it, fueling up for teleportation.

“
Another portal. Awesome! Just what I always wanted to do, free fall into nothingness!”

Declan grabbed her hand. “I still got you, baby.”

The portal opened and a forest lay beyond. Willow could instantly tell it was the forest of the Everwild, because of the twisted, twining, malicious looking trees. These trees would definitely not be found in the Elven realm.

“I’ll bring up the rear,”
Etienne instructed. “How about the Werewolf goes first?”

“How about you shut your mouth, Etienne?” Chase said, but walked up to the portal
anyway. Etienne smirked at him but said nothing in reply. Once Chase jumped through, Elirana followed right on his heels.

“Okay, here we go,” Declan said to Willow
as they walked up to the portal. He squeezed her hand in support. “We made it through the Deadlands together. We found the key to Pandora’s Box. Together we are strong! Together we will find the dagger and together we will defeat the darkness.”

Willow nodded. “Together,” she said
boldly, with her head held high and her love by her side.

Willow
and Declan jumped into the portal together, free falling into nothingness, ready to face the evil closing in around them, and ready to change her destiny forever.

Willow’s Story Continues in Book 3:

Pandora’s Box

Coming Soon