Ignoring her snarky tone—everyone was tired and hungry and done with this quest—I dropped my pack on the ground before placing my hands on the wall.
“Can I please have some light, Kysha?”
The halfling worked fast, and soon, the tunnel was lit in a pale purple light. Reaching within myself, I pulled on my magic. Even though I had used a significant amount with the three-headed beast, my well was still full. Wondering how much I would have to use in order for my well to run completely dry, I reached into the mountain and sought the earth’s presence. Its call was quiet in this dark place of old, but it was still there, running through my veins.
Sending magic into the land, I conveyed my plan.
Will it work?I asked the earth.
The mountain rumbled, as though it was thinking.It should.
Another trio of roars came from the beast, and I shivered as a vision flashed before my eyes. The land showed me the weakest spots in the rocky wall.
Thank you,I murmured, sending it magic as a gift.
A gentle breeze brushed up against my cheek like a lover’s parting embrace.Move with care, High Lady of Life. We cannot afford to lose you, too.
Always. Pushing a reassuring wave of magic into the mountain, I pulled my hands away from the wall. Five pairs of eyes watched me intently as I turned.
“Do you want to share your plan with everyone else, Sunshine, or shall we just wait for you to fill us in?” Xander cast a worried glance down the direction we had come from as another roar shook the tunnel. “It sounds like our friend is getting closer to breaking free.”
“How are you feeling, Ryllae?” I asked, glancing at the Death Elf.
Red ribbons danced around her fingers, but her blue eyes were wide and she seemed a little… off.
My suspicions were confirmed when she responded. “As fine as I can be, given the circumstances.” A nervous laugh escaped her, reminding me of the time we first met in Nightstone Prison. “I don’t exactly love being in tight spaces like this.”
“Neither do I.” Opening my palm, I drew on a thread of magic. The green ribbon wove around my hand, waiting to do my bidding. “I think that if the two of us work together, we can get out of here.”
“Oh?” Ryllae sounded intrigued, a little more like herself and a little less like she was about to have a breakdown. “Tell me more.”
As I pulled on my magic, gathering it in a ball in my palm, I explained my plan. When I had laid it all out, silence filled the air.
Are you certain about this, Aileana?Xander asked through the bond.I trust you, but this is dangerous.
Everything is dangerous,was my reply.
My life did not exist without danger. There hadn’t been a single day of my existence where I lived in peace. Danger was my companion—I didn’t know what a quiet, simple existence would even look like.
Out loud, I said, “We can do it. The land has shown me the safest way.” Looking around, I met each of my companion’s eyes. “The question is, do you trust us? Death Elf and Earth Elf, working together?”
One by one, my companions nodded. Their trust warmed me, giving me strength for the task ahead.
I turned back to Ryllae. “Well?”
She ran her tongue over her lips, seeming unsure. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” she admitted.
“You are.” Daegal’s voice was strong as he reached over, taking his mate’s hand in his. “I know you can do it, Princess. I believe in you.”
His words had an incredible effect on Ryllae. Her entire demeanor changed. Her back straightened, her shoulders went into a firm line, and she nodded. “You’re right. I can do this.”
“We can do this,” I added.
Ryllae stepped forward, running her hands over the stone as her face tightened. She frowned in concentration, touching the wall in several places before turning to me.
“It’s probably best if we work slowly and chip away at it. That way we have time to react if something changes.” She looked over her shoulder, raising a brow, as she drew crimson ribbons from herself. “If that’s alright with you, Aileana?”
My lips tilted up. We were really doing this. Working together. If someone had told me a year ago that I would have been working with a Death Elf—trusting them with my life—I would have called them crazy.