“Go have the life that you deserve,”she said to me–Icould say the same to her.Havethe fate that you deserve.
She killedThoren’sparents in cold blood–now she can die by the same evil magic she turned on them.Andher passing is purified by the clean, bright dragon fire which is hotter than the surface of the sun.
In less than an instant, she is gone.Nothingremains but a scattering of ash and the faint, bitter scent of burned magic hanging in the air.
TheCourtis silent.Luckily, everyone scattered whenGrizalynappeared, so no one was hurt but her.I’mgrateful for that…grateful but also incredibly weary.Allthat magic…Ifeel like a lightning bolt has just passed through me somehow without burning me.
My knees give out andIsink to the ground, my hands trembling, my breath coming in ragged gasps as the world slowly, slowly begins to settle around me.TheDrakestands over me, vast and terrible, his wings half-spread, his chest heaving as the last curls of smoke drift from his jaws.
His scales are no longer tarnished,Inotice.Theyshine brightly in the sunlight coming through the high windows of theCourt–so brightly it hurts my eyes to look at him.
Then, suddenly, heShifts.Thetransformation ripples back, scales retreating, wings folding away, untilTheronstands before me once more—bare-chested, breathing hard, his silver eyes fixed on mine.
They shine as brightly as the dragon’s scales, butIdon’t care about that–he’s alive!That’sall that matters to me.He’snot dead.Iwas able to save him.
He takes a step toward me, frowning in confusion.
“Elowen,” he says hoarsely.“Whatthe fuck just happened?”
I don’t answer him becauseIcan’t—Ihave no words right now.Asob breaks free of my chest asIlunge forward, throwing my arms around him, pressing myself against his solid, living warmth.Hecatches me instantly, holding me just as tightly, his arms wrapping around me as though he never intends to let me go.
“You’re alive,”Iwhisper against his skin, my voice shaking.“You’realive…”
His grip tightens.
“Of courseIam,” he says, sounding bewildered.“Whywouldn’tIbe?”
“Because she killed you!”Isay, finding my words at last.“Grizalyn–the witch–she’s the oldCourtSorcerer.Shekilled your parents but the curse she used couldn’t kill you because you were innocent and you’d never stolen anyone’s innocence.That’swhy she sent me to you–so you’d deflower me!Andthen the curse could take hold and kill you too.Andshe did—it worked—butIused theTimeWeavingandIwent back.I…I…”
ButIcan’t talk anymore–my words dissolve into sobs, andIhold him tight, desperately happy just to feel his broad chest moving against my own as he breathes because he’s alive–alive!
“Grandson,” theOldKingsays gravely.“IfearIdo not understand much of what just happened, butIthink it’s better if we close theCourtfor today and talk about it.”
“I think you’re right.”Theronholds me close, rubbing my back soothingly.“Comeon, baby,” he murmurs into my hair.“Let’sgo someplace private.”
75
THERON
“I don’t understand exactly what happened back there, butIhave a feeling a great tragedy was averted,” theOldKingwho’s also somehow my grandfather says.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around that because how theHellis theKingmy grandfather?Butwe seem to have moved on to other topics—like the fact that the witch,Grizalyn, apparently killed me andElowenbrought me back with theTimeWeavingspell.
“A tragedy was averted,”Elowenanswers him.
She’s had a bath–we both have–and we’re wearing new, clean clothes and sitting at a small table in theKing’sprivate chambers.Thetable is heaped high with the most delicious smelling delicacies the kingdom can produce, but somehowIfindI’mnot hungry.I’monly interested in what my curvy little priestess has to say.
“Tell us again what happened,”Isay, leaning towards her.IwishIcould take her hands in mine, but she’s got her arms crossed and she’s keeping to herself.Afterclutching me so tight she nearly squeezed me in two earlier, she’s now staying firmly in her own space.IwishIknew why.
Elowen starts talking and what she says makes me lean forward, my eyes going wide.
“So…the witch sent you to me specifically?”Iask.“Ithought you said she just cursed you to go to the roughest male you could find.”
“She did…but whenIprotested, she cursed me to go findyou,”Elowenadmits.Herfingers are twisting together nervously.“IknowIshould have told you before, but it didn’t seem important.Imean,Ihad no idea what she wanted with you or that you were theLostPrinceor any of that.”Shetakes a deep breath.“I’mso sorry.Ishould have told you right from the start.Ijust got so…so wrapped up in our quests…in collecting the elements for theTimeWeavingspell.”
“So…what actually happened just now.Imean, back in theCourt?”Iask, wanting to be sureIget it straight.
Elowen explains, her voice trembling when she gets to the part whereGrizalynkilled me and then dared her to go back in time to save me using theTimeWeavingspell.It’sfucking weird to hear her talking about my death butIdon’t doubt her for a minute–tears are glimmering in her eyes as she speaks.