“Embrys had been so proud of the man our father was and understood what had happened was a horrible mistake. He wanted to protect him. Our father was a ghost of a man for years after my mother died and Embrys stepped up. . . He is the one who hired Nerius so that nothing like that would ever happen again. He cared for me and for the people of the villages and took on all of our father’s work. The Wolf saw Embrys as a young threat but our father snapped out of his grief long enough to step back into his role, committing himself to the servitude of The King to spare Embrys, who would have fought to keep the old ways and surely gotten himself killed for it. I suppose he feels some sort of debt is owed to our father for this.” She finishes and gives my hand a little squeeze.
My view of who I thought Embrys to be is completely wrong. I originally saw him as just the lackey of his evil father but I see now how wrong I was. Memories of our shared visions come to my mind. We often connected when things were tough for me at home. He would show me beautiful images of life in his realm, giving me an escape. A particular favourite was of little winged creatures playing in the rustling heads of the bulrushes on the shore of a small lake. The lake, I realize now, is the one at Pyralis’ estate; the creatures were probably wind sprites. I wonder if Iunknowingly did the same for him when he had it rough. Could we feel each other’s distress?
“Thank you for telling me that. I’m so sorry about your mother,” I say, squeezing her hand back. I have never had a friendship with a woman that was anything other than surface level and it feels very raw to have someone trust me with something so tender.
“So now that he has found you… what will you do?” I ask, becoming very aware of our hands still touching. The heat from the last time we touched doesn’t feel as strong but I feel a different level of ease wash over me. The ease that might be what friendship feels like… I hope.
“Well, leaving him in there overnight won’t harm him, now will it?” She winks at me and removes her hand from mine to push her hair out of her face. She turns to the fire, leaning her elbows on her knees.
“Can you forgive him?” I study her profile for a second before also turning to watch the flames dance and leap towards her outstretched hand.
“I’ve come to learn that forgiveness is the only noble way forward. Resentment is a festering sore that, if left unchecked, will devour the attention of those who pick at it. I know he has been searching for me for years and I have seen from afar the work he does to keep his people safe. I forgave him a long time ago. But my purpose is not to be a brood mare so Iwill notreturn to the estate with him. Our work here is too important. If he chooses to join us I will welcome him. The arrow in his shoulder was just some sibling tension that needed to be released,” she says with a little smirk on her face, closing her fist on a little flickering flame that was dancing in her palm.
She tilts her head to the side to look at me from the corner of her eye. “Willyoujoin us, Nuria?” I meet her eyes for a brief moment before looking away. My usual insecurities bubble up.
“You don’t think I'm a freak… weird, strange… creepy?” I can’t bring myself to look at her.
She grabs my chin, forcing me to. “Who on Earth would think such a thing of one of The Divine Mother’s creations? Nuria, you are magnificent. We want you here. I want you here…” She lets go only when I give a little nod of understanding.
I look around the big cave at all the different creatures gathered in their various conversations. All these creatures that have worked past their differences and banded together to keep everyone of this land free, and now I have been asked to join, to be a part of something greater than myself. Somewhere I am accepted and wanted.
I look at Marissa who is mock-fighting a little boy with wooden swords and can’t help but smile at the woman that is unveiling herself before my eyes. A woman that once seemed to only care about material things now also has a higher purpose. She is brave, funny and caring. I look back to Oleander who is by far the coolest person I have ever met.This badass wants me here? Wants me as an ally? How could I say no?
If this is the only force that is standing between The Wolf and the destruction of my home and my parents… then how could I say no? I give Oleander a big smile, beaming from within at the feeling of purpose and belonging flooding my system but before I can give her a reply a tall, pointy-eared, green fae bursts through the entrance tunnel’s door screaming.
“Fire! The forest is on fire!” The green fae halts at the top of the steps and I can see the bottom of his cloak is smoking. He does a quick scan of the room, Fenrick and another man, who looks like he could be his brother but with black hair and ears instead, race up the steps to meet him. Oleander shoots up from her seat and runs up the steps as well, I follow close behind.
“It’s Pyralis, he is torching the woods!” the messenger says and Oleander looks back at me for a moment with furrowed brows.
“Quick, go find Celeste! She’s our only water wielder,” Oleander directs Fenrick, but before he can depart the green fae man shakes his head in a panic.
“No, it’s too far gone! We have to evacuate. He is searching for her!” He looks at me with a scowl as if Pyralis’ temper is my fault.I mean, he’s not wrong…The fox brothers look to each other with concern then nod before splitting up to gather everyone for an evacuation. Oleander looks at me and puts both of her hands on my shoulders.
“It’s not your fault. His temper is no one’s fault but his own. My mother would be mortified at the destruction. This forest is thousands of years old,” she says with a crack in her voice, hanging her head. I pull her in for a hug and hear her sniffle.
“You are not him. This is not your shame to carry. You heard the guy, we have to get out of here.” I pull back, Oleander steels her expression and gives me a nod. The leader is back.
“You and Marissa gather the children and mothers and head out the northern exit. The tunnels span a ways and hopefully the fires haven’t reached that far. I will get Embrys,” she says, looking to the tunnel where Embrys is being held. I run down the steps to relay the orders to Marissa.
The entire cave is in a frenzy as the fae run around and gather the minimal supplies they can carry. Children cry at left behind toys and mothers with babies are only able to carry their child and nothing more. The kitchen supplies are scooped into sacks and slung over shoulders, and the last of Oleander’s flames sputter out, leaving the once homely cave dark and cold. One last quick glance is all I have time for. My heart sinks at the loss of the Sylvans’ home… Almost my home.Is this all my fault?
We all make our way out of the north tunnel in a slow, bumbling mass. Fenrick and his brother direct us into groups as the tunnels branch off so we don’t all exit the same spot and alert Pyralis and his vargs to our whereabouts. There is minimal conversing as everyone’s fear appears to be trumping all else. The sniffling noses of children and the cries of babies is all the sound that fills the dark tunnels as we make our escape. I’ve already lost sight of Marissa. I pray she will meet me when we exit into the forest, I refuse to have lost her so quickly after reuniting.
When the group I am with finally emerges through a stone door, similar to the one we had entered through, I am met with the chaos of hot flames turning the forest into a bright orange inferno. Fae and forest animals are running in all different directions. Clearly the fire has spread, my heartbreak at the pure destruction of such a beautiful haven momentarily stuns me.
How could anyone intentionally destroy this place? Thisisall my fault!
I snap back into focus, watching Marissa run ahead holding the hand of two small boys. I take a step to run after her, when out of nowhere, a buck jumps in front of me and I am knocked on the head with its large antlers. I hit the ground hard and everything goes hazy before my vision starts to darken. I feel something warm and wet slide down my temple before losing consciousness completely.
Chapter Fifteen
The flames scorch my back as I run through the forest, increasing in heat with every step I take. I leap over logs and fly around trees with an ease I have never felt before and when I look down I see that I have the legs of a deer.
Have I transformed?My confusion is causing me to slow my pace but, as I slow, I can hear the deep laughter of a man coming up behind me. I whirl around to see Pyralis standing there, his head crowned in fire and each hand encompassed in flame. Beside him is a man with dark brown hair, green eyes and an eerily familiar, toothy smile holding his hand out towards me.
“Nuria, come to me…” They call out simultaneously, their voices melding together into one deep, sinister growl as they slowly walk towards me.
My feet won’t let me run and I look down to see flames licking up my legs. I can hear myself scream, as if I am removed from my body and I can feel the heat increasing with every second that passes. My name is being called out again but this time from somewhere far away.
