In the Shadows (21 page)

In my foolish attempt to be the hero, I’ve made the biggest mistake of my entire life. I did exactly what I swore I’d never do. I broke the curse and released the Dark Elves from their underground prison.

“What am I going to do? How can I fix this?”

“It’s done. There’s no going back.”

“But there has to be! Can’t Sól just re-curse them or something?”

“Well, there is something.” Herdis approaches me slowly with her hands raised straight in front of her at shoulder level. “May I?” she asks, I nod and she lifts up the silver chain from around my neck revealing the pale blue stone of my amulet. “Do you know what the blue lace agate provides for you aside from the aid in transporting between realms?”

“It’s supposed to help me strengthen my healing ability.”

“Yes, the blue lace agate emits positive energy.”

“Okay. So what does that have to do with anything?” I’m beginning to get annoyed.

“The
Noctis vigeo
might look beautiful, but beauty can be deceiving. In order to heal someone poisoned by its petals, you need more than just positive energy. When you tried to heal Isobel, what did it feel like?”

“It felt like I was suffocating,” I admit. I  shudder involuntarily with the memory of what felt like burning poison seeping into my veins every time I touched her.

“You need a way to repel the negative energy from yourself.”

“How can I do that?” 

“Finnegan wasn’t completely dishonest.”

The shiny black stone in the palm of my hand still feels cool. How could something so small, be so powerful?

“This?” I ask.

“Yes. I can add it to your amulet and you will be able to heal Isobel without harming yourself.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” she states simply. “You must go quickly and heal the Duchess. The Ljósálfar will need all of their strongest elves in order to defeat Dugan and his army.”

With that, she takes my amulet in one hand and the black stone in the other then presses her hands together as if in prayer. And maybe she is. I can’t be sure. She closes her eyes and tilts her face toward the violet moon. A blue glow begins to emanate from her clasped hands. It starts small, barely peeking out through the gaps in her fingers then gradually grows into a blinding light. It lasts for only a second but it’s long enough to make me shield my eyes with my arm.  

When she is apparently finished, she refastens the now altered amulet around my neck. The oval of blue agate is now encased in the middle of the diamond shaped crystal. I rub my fingers across it gingerly, expecting to feel different somehow, but I don't.

“Go, child. Go heal Isobel and prepare the Ljósálfar.”

“Will you help us?”

“I’m afraid not. We do not interfere in the matters of Light and Dark. But I wish you luck, Mia, daughter of Alberico, King of the Ljósálfar.”

She and the other Shadow Elves fade back into the shadows and I delay transporting back to Álfheimr for just a moment, unsure of just how I’m supposed to admit to everyone what I just did. What am I going to say to them? What will they think of me, the so-called Chosen One? I was supposed to save them all, not ruin them.

“You are my Chosen One, Mia.” I hear her lyrical voice before Sól appears in front of me.

“Look what I just did. How can I be?”

“You are more than just the mistakes you make. You are comprised of so many things that make you who you are. You don’t even realize how special you are yet.”

“I’m not special.”

“But you are,” Sól assures me. “I know that you are wondering how you can make this right and I have an offer for you. A gift, if you will.”

“But why would you want to give me anything?”

“This gift isn’t
for
you, it will only allow you to make everything right.”

“How?”

“I am offering you a means to an end. You will never be able to get close enough to Dugan to end his tyranny as you are. But to become something more also comes at a great price and you have to be sure you are willing to sacrifice everything to save everything.”

“Whatever it is that I can do to make this right, I want to do it.”

“I can offer you immortality.”

“What?” I gasp.

“However, you must realize that to become immortal would mean giving up your mortal family.”

“Give them up? Like I can never see them again?”

“I will allow you to return home once, to say goodbye if you wish but yes, if you choose to become immortal, you will not see them again.”

“But why? Grey and Adele and even my father have all been in the mortal world before. Why couldn't I return?”

“It is the way it must be. The others were never mortal, and it was never their intention to remain in the mortal world for very long.”

“Is there any way I can defeat Dugan without becoming immortal?”

“No. I am afraid there is not. He is much too powerful now to be defeated by a Half-blood.”

“Do I need to decide now?”

“I will give you one day. Return to Álfheimr. Heal Isobel. Inform the Ljósálfar that the curse has been broken. I will come to you tomorrow at dusk to hear your decision. I hope you choose well, Mia.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

I
transport directly to Isobel’s chambers. She’s still lying in the same position on her bed, her hands folded peacefully in her lap. It’s quiet in here and I suspect that Adele is somewhere in the castle with Grey trying desperately to finish the antidote.  What am I going to say to them?

What am I going to say to Isobel when she wakes up and I have to tell her what Finnegan did? What am I going to tell my father? The Dark Elves are probably already invading the earth, wreaking havoc on innocent lives of humans all in the name of revenge for something that happened centuries ago, before any of the people who now walk the earth were born, before they were even thought of.  It’s not their fault that their ancestors didn’t understand the elves and that they found their elemental magic frightening so therefore fought to purge the elves from the world. But none of that even matters to Dugan, he’s just so focused on his own revenge, that he doesn’t care about anything else. What’s Finnegan’s role in all of this?

I sit down beside her and nervously place my hands on her chest, just like I did before.  Only this time the magic is stronger, I can feel the difference immediately. It’s almost too strong, like the warmth is going to burst out of me, like my skin isn’t strong enough to contain it. The magic pulsates from my fingertips, forcing its way into Isobel and with one final jolt of energy her eyes fly open and she gasps for air.

I slide down to the floor in exhaustion from the pure power that just imploded inside me.

“Mia?” Isobel croaks. Her cool hand reaches down and touches my cheek. “What happened?”

“Oh, Isobel,” I choke out the words before the tears begin to pour down my face. I wipe them away quickly, refusing to allow myself to cry like this. I don’t deserve her sympathy. Not after what I did. She slowly pulls herself out of the bed and gingerly sits down beside me, cradling me in her arms. I muster up what little composure I can manage and say, “I’ve done something terrible.”

“What is it sweetie?”

I reach down and pull out the amulet from underneath my shirt showing it to her. Her kind face appears first confused as to why I’m showing her my amulet, but then shifts to shock as she realizes what she’s looking at.

“How? Why?” Her eyebrows knit together as she stumbles over her words. “Is that what I think it—?”

I nod, unable to speak just yet.

“But why? How did you find it? What happened?”

“You were poisoned with
Noctis viego
. I couldn’t heal you myself for some reason. Adele said if she had the flowers, she could break down the components and create an antidote to heal you. And I was so stupid, Isobel. I felt guilty for not being able to heal you myself and so I wanted to at least get the stupid flower without anyone’s help but everyone told me I couldn't go. They wanted to send someone else to get the flowers. But then Finnegan told me about the Black Crystal and ––”

She furrows her eyebrows even more. “Finnegan? But why?”

“He said it was the only way I’d be strong enough to heal you. He gave me a map and told me I’d be able to touch it because of my human blood. He said that I shouldn’t tell anyone what I was looking for because they all would try to stop me because they would all try to stop me because they think I’m weak. I just wanted to prove them all wrong. I’m so sorry.”

Her face blanches. “How could he be so foolish? Doesn’t he realize what he’s done?” 

“I do believe it is what
she’s
done. And what she’s done is what she was destined to do all along.” Finnegan appears out of nowhere, sneering down at us. “Well done, Mia. I must admit, I had my doubts about you, but you certainly proved me wrong.”

“Why? Why would you do something like this, Finnegan?” Isobel asks desperately.

“I’m sorry, my dear. I never meant to cause you real harm. I just knew that in order to get Mia to go after the Black Crystal, I’d have to go after someone near and dear to her heart,” he explains. “I couldn’t very well poison Jacoby, because who would be left to blame for the most unfortunate event? I needed a scapegoat and he was the perfect candidate. So when I heard that you two would be having tea, I knew it was time.”

“How could you? How could you betray me like that? How could you betray Alberico? He trusted you!” Isobel flies at Finnegan but he grabs her by the wrist and holds her hands away from his face. I take advantage of his distraction and concentrate on harnessing light into the palm of my hand behind my back. I swore I’d never do this again. Not after Brian. But I didn’t regret killing him and I have a good hunch that I won’t regret killing Finnegan either.

I take aim but before I can hurl it toward him, he pulls Isobel in front of him knowing that I won’t risk hurting her.

“Now, now, Mia. We’ll have none of your little parlor tricks,” the coward says from behind Isobel’s back. “I’ll be going now, I’m sure that the true king is dying to reward me for my efforts. But have no fear, we will be meeting again soon. Very soon indeed.” He laughs as he transports away from Álfheimr.

Isobel lets out an agonizing wail and falls to her knees. I rush to her side, thinking that she has been hurt, but physically she’s fine and I realize that the pain she feels is caused by the guilt of trusting, and loving, the wrong person. 

“Come on,” I say, lifting her up by her delicate hands. “We’ve got to go tell everyone.”

“How could he, Mia? How could I not know that all of these years the one I’ve loved—” she sobs. “All of these years, I’ve loved a traitor?”

“He played his part well. Remember, Alberico didn’t realize it either,” I remind her in effort to offer some consolation.

“Oh Mia, I’m so sorry that he tricked you. You have to know this isn’t your fault—”

“I didn’t have to keep it a secret from Grey and Adele. I could’ve told them and maybe they would’ve known better. But I wanted so desperately to make up for not being able to heal you in the first place that I was stubborn. I have to take responsibility for my actions—for my mistake. I have to go tell my father what I did.”

Adele and Grey barge into the room, with a glass vile, only to stop abruptly when they see Isobel and me. Adele eyes me warily, and I know that they are both probably very confused and maybe even feeling a little betrayed.

“I can explain everything,” I start. “But first we need to speak with Alberico if possible. Is he here?”

“Yes, I’ll go get him,” Adele offers. She spares Grey a look I don’t quite understand before leaving the room.

“What happened?” Grey asks. “You were holding my hand and then you were gone. I went back for you--”

“I’m sorry,” I interrupt him. “I swear, I’ll explain everything but it’s going to be hard enough to do once so please, just wait until Alberico is here.”

“I was so worried about you. Mia, how could you do that to me?”

I'm so overwhelmed I don't even know what to say. I have no explanation for him. “Grey, I---”

“Mia?” Alberico bursts through the door and pulls me in a giant hug. “What’s been going on? I returned to the castle two days ago to find that Isobel had been poisoned, no one has seen or heard from my daughter, and two of her guards and her third guard is imprisoned. It’s like the whole world came crashing down in my absence.”

“I can explain.”

“Please do.”

“But first we have to release Jacoby. He’s innocent. Isobel can tell you that.”

“Yes, of course, at once.” Alberico sends someone down to release Jacoby. “Now tell me what happened.”

“Can we wait please? I don't know if I can say this more than once.”

“Mia,” he starts to argue.

“Please,” I beg.

“Very well,” he concedes. We all sit in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts while we wait.

As soon as Jacoby enters the room, the heaviness in my heart lightens if only slightly. He rushes toward me and I meet him halfway, burying my head into his chest. He holds me, stroking my hair, my cheeks, my arms, squeezing me into him like he hasn’t been able to breathe without me and I understand exactly what that feels like.

“What happened, Lark?” he asks, kissing the top of my head, and I know that I can’t put this off any longer.

I tell them almost everything, even the parts I’m embarrassed to admit how selfish and stubborn and jealous I had been and how those insecurities resulted in me making the biggest mistake of my entire life and now the world is going to pay the price at the hands of Dugan and the Dökkálfar.

The only part I left out was the conversation with Sól and the offer of immortality. I’m not quite ready to talk about that yet. I need to accept my choice myself before sharing it with anyone else.

I expect retaliation. Yelling. Crying. Screaming. Stone throwing—the works. But that’s not what I get. What I get instead is sympathy and I think that makes me feel even worse.

Alberico places his hand on my shoulder and says, “Don’t despair, Mia. We knew that this day would come eventually. The responsibility is not all yours. It is also mine for trusting the wrong person. I can’t allow you to take all the blame when I am the one who gave Finnegan the information he used to trick you. And if I hadn’t insisted that you needed around the clock protection, maybe you wouldn't have felt like I considered you weak and you wouldn’t have believed Finnegan when he placed those seeds of doubt in your mind. Trust me, my dear. No one here believes you are helpless and unable to protect yourself. We want to protect you because you are precious to us all.”