Gabrielle stepped forward. “Before you go, I have something you might want to see.”
She started walking out of the circle, Leoni following her. I trailed after them, over the rocky terrain and down some stone stairs that went underneath the castle to their prison cells. Cells faced each other, iron bars keeping various prisoners locked away.
“Liliath!”
I stiffened at the voice.
That couldn’t be right. I was hearing things, hallucinating, maybe? Dreaming all of this up? But I walked a few feet further, and I saw their faces behind bars: Jillian, Driscoll, and Shadow.
Gabrielle turned to me. “They showed up at our border, said they were your friends. I didn’t believe them, especially since you’d just left. So I had them thrown in prison, but because you’re here now, I figured I’d give you a chance to tell me if they’re speaking the truth.”
I let out a sob and reached out a shaky hand, grasping Jillian’s through the bars. “You’re here. You’re actually here.” Jillian, with her wild red hair, and Driscoll with his tall, lanky form and those tight black curls. And Shadow, so lithe, standing in the corner like at any moment she might melt into the darkness and disappear.
I had so many questions.
Gabrielle nodded to Leoni, who unlocked the cell.
Driscoll gave the guard a smug smile. “Told you.”
Jillian flicked him. “Maybe now isn’t the right time to goad the guard.”
I barreled into them. “I missed you two so much. How are you here?” I looked at Shadow. “What happened?”
Jillian grabbed my hands. “They rescued us. From the castle.”
“They?”
Driscoll waved his hand in the air. “The thieves. You know, Sleepy and Goofy and Happy and all those other weird nicknames they have.”
Jillian rolled her eyes, and despite everything that had happened, I let out a laugh. It felt so good. I hugged them again.
“Why would you come here? Why not go into hiding in Mosswood Forest?”
Shadow stepped forward. “We tried, and they insisted on coming to see you.”
“I think my exact words were ‘Go fuck yourself’ when Shadow told us we had to stay in Mosswood Forest,” Driscoll said.
“Of course we were going to come wherever you were,” Jillian said.
I stared at them in disbelief. “Well, now we have to leave.”
Driscoll and Jillian looked at each other.
“Do we want to know?” Driscoll asked.
“Probably not, but I’m going to tell you anyway, and we’ll have time.” I nodded my head toward the exit. “On our journey back to the earth court.”
Driscoll groaned. “I knew it. I knew she was going to want to go back there.”
Jillian smiled, pride shining in her eyes. “Of course she does. She’s going to save us.”
Gabrielle cleared her throat. “We can lend you horses.”
I nodded. “Thank you.” I turned to my friends again. “We must leave immediately.”
Jillian roped an arm around my shoulder. “We’re with you ’til the end.”
Driscoll made a face. “Well, ‘end’ is a little dramatic, don’t you think? We’re with you on the journey. I don’t want there to be an end.”
