JOURNEY INTO THE REALM: The Spell Master (Journey into the Realm Series) (40 page)

A couple of hallways later, we heard a noise, the sound of beating wings. A change in the air nearly made me gasp. A fairy was coming our way. I acted on instinct and grabbed Em’s hand. Then I closed my eyes, waved my hands over my face and muttered, “Invisibility.”

“Whoa, Ramsey, where did you go?” Em whispered.

“Hush now, and wait until the fairy passes us,” I instructed.

We were completely invisible, hidden from the fairy’s view. I held my breath as the fluttering wings grew closer. We were invisible, but it didn’t mean that others couldn’t hear our voices, or even our breathing.

Then I saw him, the fairy. It was like a blow to my stomach as he came into view. I opened my mouth to scream but held back because I remembered that he couldn’t see me.

Finn flew past us quickly, then I allowed myself to breathe. I was already growing weak from the spell. “Stop,” I commanded.

Em and I were visible again.

“That was him…the general,” Em whispered.

I nodded. I could hardly speak after seeing Finn. The last time we had been face to face, he had almost killed me. My body quivered as I remembered last June. I pushed the thoughts away and continued walking through the prison. I knew there was a chance that Finn would return this way. We had to keep moving.

It seemed that we would walk forever. I saw no light. No sign of freedom. Nothing to tell me that our path would end. Hallway after hallway stretched out before us. Many times, I felt like giving up and going back. I couldn’t take the eerie silence and the thought of being lost in the prison forever. But thoughts of everyone I loved and cared about made me continue. I would not give up. And I couldn’t let Em down. She had to get out of here just as much as I did.

Trying to get through the prison was more a test of mental strength than physical. I struggled to remain quiet and evenly paced. I wanted so badly to run through the halls to the nearest exit. I was scared someone would spot us. I didn’t want to make it this far just to be captured again.

Finally, I saw a faint light. My pace quickened slightly, as did Em’s. The light looked to be about one hundred feet in front of us at the end of the hall.

Our hopes were crushed when we saw that the light was only a window, too small for us to use as an escape route.

“No,” Em groaned, feeling just as defeated as I was. “What will we do now?”

“We’ll have to find another way,” I told her, knowing we had no choice.

“I can’t do this anymore, Ramsey. It’s too hard,” Em complained, her voice small and weak.

I moaned softly and massaged my temples, trying to come up with a way to get out of the prison. Then I noticed another hallway to our right. “Come on. Let’s try this way,” I said, tugging on the elfen’s hand.

I saw Em smile before we joined the darkness once more.

***

Time passed slowly as we made our way through the prison. We hadn’t come across any light, but our path hadn’t ended yet. We could only move forward.

“Do you see that light up ahead?” Em asked suddenly.

I squinted my eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I see it. Hopefully it’s not just another window,” I whispered.

We hurried our pace, our hearts full of hope and anticipation. If it was another window, I knew we wouldn’t have the strength or will to keep going, and I didn’t know if we would even be able to find another hallway. We had run out of options.

It took only a few minutes to reach the light, and what we saw made us gasp. The light was a window, but the window was a part of a large door. We had reached one of the exits. All we had to do was step out.

I looked at Em. “We’ve found it. Are you ready? We’ll have to fly once we get out and search for a body of water.”

“Ready,” she confirmed.

I nodded once then pushed open the door. Bright sunlight blinded us as we stepped through. We had been immersed in darkness for so long that the light burned our eyes. We could barely see past the glare.

A loud alarm sounded, jolting us further. The blaring noise rang throughout the prison and into our ears, disabling yet another one of our senses.

“We have to go
now
. Finn is in there, and we can’t let him catch us,” I warned, blinking and covering my ears.

Em unfurled her wings, remaining in her elfen form. She was lucky they had grown since their last clipping. She flew effortlessly into the air. Now it was my turn.

Hovering just above me, Em’s voice rang out over the alarm. “It’s time to bring your wings back. Take a deep breath, curl in, roll your shoulders forward, and exhale – just like bringing your wings in, only opposite motions. You can do it,” she assured me.

This time, I didn’t have time for second guesses. The alarm still sounded around us. We had to hurry before the fairies found us.

I went through each motion, my body crippling in pain as I finally exhaled. But the feelings weren’t as unbearable as before, probably because I knew what to expect and my mind was focused on our escape. I was also pumped with adrenaline.

Once my wings were firmly situated on my back, I realized this would be my first time using them. I wished I’d had the time for more instructions from Em, but there was no time for a lesson now.

I was petrified. What if I couldn’t do it? But there was no time for doubts. We had to get away. I couldn’t allow my worries to consume me.

I closed my eyes, and without thinking any further, jumped into the air.

I experienced a momentary sense of falling before my wings caught the wind, carrying me higher as they beat in tune to the rhythm of my heart. I didn’t know how I was making them work, but I didn’t think about it long enough to figure it out. I felt a sense of relief and incredible joy, floating up to meet Em more gracefully than I could ever have imagined. Flying gave me the most blissful feeling. I wouldn’t have traded it for anything else.

The loud, ongoing alarm reminded me of our situation; I snapped out of my trance and beat my wings as fast as I could. We shot away from the prison in search of a lake, stream, or pond. It didn’t matter. We just needed water.

It only took a few minutes of flying before we spotted a small pond shaded by tall trees, sparkling in the sunlight.

As we flew down toward the water, I took a closer look at the Element Fairy Realm. Unlike the meadow from my dreams, this Realm possessed an exotic, jungle-like sense of beauty, wild and savage. The environment seemed dangerous, yet fresh and beautiful all the same.

We landed near the water’s edge.

“I’ll make the circle; you keep watch,” I instructed Em.

Em left to claim her guarding post among the trees, and I was left alone to make the elf circle. I found a flat surface by the water and began to dance in graceful and fluid motions. When the circle was complete, I set off in search of Emera. I hoped the circle would work; I hadn’t made one since my fairy side became apparent.

A sudden rustle paralyzed me with fear. My first thought was that the fairies had found me already. I tried coming up with a way to escape, or some way to hide, but I was too frightened to focus. I couldn’t move or scream. I hoped Em would be all right. If I had to die here by the hands of fairies, I wanted her to be safe.

“Ramsey!” a voice cried, stepping out from the foliage.

I still couldn’t speak as the voice called to me. But I wasn’t afraid. Instead, I was shocked, completely blown away by the sheer irony of my life. The fates were in my favor today.

“I can’t believe I found you,” the voice continued.

I smiled widely, feeling more alive than I had since…well, since I last gazed upon his eyes, which seemed like a lifetime ago.

I ran with everything I had. Tears clouded my eyes as I reached him. He placed his hands tentatively on my sides, and it was then that I realized this was our first embrace with my new gossamer appendages. He eyed them with a mixture of wonder and curiosity.

“So right now I’m trying to think of ways to avoid crushing your lovely new accessories when I hug you,” he remarked sarcastically.

I laughed. It felt
so
good to actually laugh about something again. “That’s why you should kiss me instead. No harm involved.”

He smirked and ran a hand down my cheek, trailing his fingers through my hair, brushing his fingers against the tendrils of gold that framed my face. A rush of ecstasy ran through me, an obvious reminder of how much I had missed his touch over these past days.

And then Nathan kissed me, sending sizzling flames flowing through me, the sweet taste of his lips pressed against mine curing me of the loneliness I had felt without him by my side.

“They are beautiful,” he murmured against my mouth.

“Thanks,” I said, overjoyed by the fact that he continued to embrace a part of me that so many elves would despise. “I think I’ll keep them.” I smiled.

He laughed and pressed his forehead against mine. “Well, they
do
look good on you.”

I blushed and sighed deeply, so content that I almost forgot our current situation. Then I remembered where we were and the danger nearby, and my happy reunion time vanished. “How did you know where I was?” I asked.

“Mac told us about everything that happened,” he explained.

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Mac is okay?”

“Yes, he’s fine. He was just a little burned up, that’s all.” He smiled at his joke.

It was just like Nathan to make a joke at a time like this. I couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m sorry it took us so long to find you. It’s hard to move around in the Element Fairy Realm with the war and all,” Nathan said apologetically, holding my hands tightly in his. I didn’t have to focus on keeping my wall up. Thinking of Nathan always gave me control over my power, and at this very moment, I could barely keep my thoughts on anything but him.

But something about his last phrase made me think twice. “What do you mean
us
? Is someone with you?” I asked.

“I almost forgot to mention it to you,” he said, blushing a little. “I guess I was too distracted by seeing you…Oh, here they come now.”

I followed Nathan’s gaze to see two elves step into the clearing by the water. I recognized them at once. Both were elfens with shining pale hair. Both were beautiful and tall. And both were best friends.

Zora and Addison.

Before I could exchange a greeting, a huge beast crashed through the foliage, tail lashing as she examined her surroundings. Her majestic wings fanned out and smoke poured from her nostrils. My dragon appeared ready for battle.

“Kalani,” I exclaimed, gazing at her purple scales in wonder. “This is very unexpected.”

How else could Nathan reach Tarlore so quickly?
she asked in Dragon Tongue.

I ran forward and wrapped my arms around her strong neck, relieved by her comforting presence. “Thank you,” I breathed. “I’m so glad you’re all here.”

I stepped away to survey my rescuers. I watched as Addison’s gaze rested on my golden-streaked hair, shining brightly, where no traces of Nathan’s spell remained. Then her eyes traveled to my wings, and surprisingly, she smiled.

“I always knew there was something special hidden inside of you,” she said.

Her reaction to my secret was astonishing. I had assumed she would respond to my Golden fairy blood the same way Stellan had, with total disgust. After all, she worked alongside Queen Taryn. I knew there was much hostility toward fairies in the palace. But here she stood, telling me I was
special
, not horrible.

“Thanks…for coming to rescue me…again,” I said, the words catching in my throat so many times that I was relieved when I finally got them all out.

“I’ve grown used to doing so. It’s part of my routine nowadays.” She giggled. I found myself laughing along as well. “Queen Taryn was supposed to send some high guards in after us…but I guess that fell through.” She shrugged.

I didn’t pay attention to that minor detail. Even though we were in the middle of a dangerous Fairy Realm, I no longer felt despair. The ones I loved had come to my rescue. Optimism surged through me, spreading like wildfire.

Then I turned my attention to Zora, who was beginning to walk toward me. We hadn’t spoken since she left Birchwood City. Even then, our relationship had suffered under the weight of my secret.

“Zora,” I regarded, not sure of my feelings yet.

“Ramsey,” she replied, her eyes misty.

I released Nathan’s hands. I wiped away tears and just looked at her. She did the same. Neither of us spoke.

Then she smiled, and we were closing the distance between us. My arms wrapped around her, and hers fit carefully around my wings.

“I’m sorry for everything, Ramsey. I should have told you sooner. I was just so afraid…Your mother made me promise….”

“It’s okay,” I told her. I didn’t know if that was the truth, but at this moment, after everything I had gone through to gain my freedom – my resentment didn’t matter. I was just glad to be alive.

Zora was still apologizing. “I had reasons for not telling you before, but I know I sort of got carried away toward the end….”

“Nathan and I used to rate your craziness,” I admitted. “You were rated fairly high.”

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, but then her expression softened. She shrugged. “I guess I deserved that.”

“Zora, I honestly don’t know what kind of relationship we’ll have in the future, but I’m willing to work on moving past all this, if you are,” I suggested.

My sister broke off the embrace suddenly, taking a step backward.

“Zora, what’s wrong? What did I say?” I asked.

“Ramsey, there’s something I have to tell you,” she said quietly.

“What? What is it? Can it wait until we get out of here?”

Zora ignored my questions. “The Queen offered me a place to stay in the palace.”

“What are you saying?” I said, taken a back.

“I’m not coming home, Ramsey. I’m staying in Tarlore,” she said carefully.

“Forever?”

Zora nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?” I cried.

“Because I can’t return to Birchwood. I thought I would be happy there, but I’m surrounded by too many memories…memories that cause me pain. All I can think about is our father, your mother, and the mother I never knew. I was so lonely, and it was difficult to keep so many secrets. I remember the Element fairies. And…”

“Stellan.” I started shaking my head out of sheer disbelief.

With a pained expression, she nodded. “Yes.”

“I can’t believe you, Zora,” I said, frustration overtaking me. “You are so selfish. I know you have painful memories. So do I. We’re supposed to work through them together. How can you just leave me?”

“I know,” she expressed. “When you rescued me, my intent was to know you and form a bond with you, just like I had dreamt for so long. But after everything…we’re never going to have a perfect relationship.”

I bit my lip. “I don’t need perfect.”

Zora smiled sadly. “You need more than I can offer you. I can’t be strong, Ramsey. Not anymore. I need to rest. I need to breathe again.” She paused, closing her eyes tightly. “Nathan can be strong for you. He can offer you what I can’t. I should have realized that instead of trying to keep you two apart. I was just so angry…angry about Stellan leaving me for you, angry that you were able to find true love with Nathan when I had no one, angry that you had a choice. I didn’t have a choice. Stellan left me without thinking twice about it. I was rejected instantly. But you – I watched you choose Nathan over and over. And he chose you. And I hated the knowledge that even before you could admit it to yourself, you had a choice, and you chose right.”

Zora was finally opening up to me. After months of waiting, I was receiving the honest truth from my sister. Even though some of what she said was painful to hear, I was too grateful to care. I was actually getting to know my sister.

“Now I finally have a choice of my own. And I’m choosing to separate myself from the limitations of my past – all the decisions that were decided for me, not by me. I’m sure you can understand that, Ramsey.”

Unfortunately, I did. I understood how it felt to have your life laid out by someone else. I couldn’t beg my sister to return to Birchwood. No matter how much I wanted to know her better, to have more than the tiny bits and pieces she was sharing now, I wasn’t going to ask her to change her mind.

Understanding my lack of response, Zora knew the silent message I was conveying: my blessing.

I felt Nathan’s hand on my shoulder. “We really should be going,” he suggested.

Zora and Addison both nodded. Kalani thrashed her tail.

“Not without Emera,” I blurted suddenly.

“Who?” all four of them asked.

“It’s a long story, but to make it short, she is Queen Taryn’s niece, the daughter of King Lore’s younger sister. She has been in Fire Prison, where we were both held, for seventeen years. She’s coming with us.”

“Where is she?” Addison asked.

“Keeping watch while I made the elf circle,” I informed her.

“Wait, did you say
Emera
?” Zora asked. “Lady Luisia’s daughter?”

“Yeah, why?” I asked, already a little more than confused by her strong reaction.

“Oh my God,” Zora said, completely awestruck. “I can’t believe you found her before I did….”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“Ramsey, your secret hasn’t been the only one I’ve kept all these years,” Zora explained. “There was another, one that dealt with our father.”

“What are you trying to say, Zora?” I asked.

“I didn’t go to Tarlore just to get away from Stellan – even though I admit that was the prominent reason.” She grinned sheepishly. “I also went to do some research. After the many terrible months as a captive, I realized that I had obligations to address that I could no longer ignore. Telling you your secret was out of the question for me at the time, but I had one duty that didn’t involve danger or risk.”

I swallowed and stared at my sister with an unwavering gaze, willing her to continue.

“Our father Carlow was actually Lord Dolan,” she revealed. “After escaping the Element fairies, he hid in the Elf Realm and changed both his appearance and his name. It was easy for him because he was a Spell Master. Then he met my mother, and I was born; later, he met Rosina, and they had you. While trying to escape with her, he was killed by the fairies. Your mother left out one important fact in her letter to you. He didn’t die just because of you, but also because of his title as brother to the Queen of the Elf Realm. Before he left with your mother, he asked me to search for Emera. They weren’t related by blood, but he cared for her and her mother. If there was a chance they were still alive, he didn’t want to waste it. He couldn’t search for them himself because of you. I was left with the task. I guess I failed, though, like I have in so many ways.” She sighed and looked away from me, her eyes cloudy and wet.

“So we’re related to the Elfin Royal Family as well?” I asked, making sure I had the facts straight.

“Yes,” Zora replied.

I felt weak at the knees. How could my life be so ironic? How could I have just happened to be housed in the jail cell containing an elfen who once knew my father?
Unbelievable
.

“Are you telling the truth?” Em asked as she stepped into the clearing. Her expression was a mask of skepticism and curiosity.

Zora nodded. I saw Em shake her head in disbelief, tears stinging her eyes as she fought reality. “I can’t believe…all this time…I thought everyone had abandoned me.”

Carefully, I walked toward Emera. My hand reached for hers, and I gripped it tightly to show my unconditional support. Emera, not blood related but family all the same. We had bonded quickly during my time with her in prison, and our newly found connection to Queen Taryn strengthened that bond even further.

“Emera, blood related or no, you have family now,” Zora said, stepping forward to grasp Em’s free hand. I was reluctant at first, because I still had mixed feelings about Zora’s permanent move, but then I put love ahead of pride and grasped Zora’s hand as well. Together we stood, three elfens who had gone through much heartache, all because we had royal blood.

Nathan slung his arm around my shoulder – careful not to bother my wings – and Addison stood near Zora, beaming at our happy little reunion. Kalani growled approvingly from a distance. I wanted to take this moment and place it inside a big, magical bubble, sealing it away from all the terrors of the Realms for eternity.

Our enemies, however, intended otherwise.

“Greetings, Ramsey. It has been quite a while. You brought company, I see,” Finn said, bitter humor filling his tone. “How unfortunate for them that associating with you will lead to their untimely deaths.”

I didn’t speak as I turned to face him; no one did. We had spent so much time celebrating our reunion that we had forgotten a critical detail of our situation: we were still in the Element Fairy Realm. The alarm at Fire Prison, less than a mile away, was still ringing.

Finn stood with Ellie at his heels, both exuding the frightening radiance only fire fairies could muster. My lips curled in defiance at Finn’s malicious grin, but I didn’t react harshly. I had to think carefully before responding with any kind of physical retaliation.

“Well, say something! A nice greeting in return would suffice.”

Still, no one spoke.

Finn crossed his arms against his broad chest. “Ellie, these are the rude manners I mentioned to you. Elves cannot seem to control their discourteous behavior. Except we can’t really classify Ramsey as an elfen with her new wings now, can we?”

“No. We can’t,” Ellie replied somberly, head bowed to avoid my judging gaze. Her voice held a hint of sorrow as she spoke. I wondered why she was so glum. After all, she was doing what she wanted. She was helping her wicked father.

Zora looked at Ellie and scowled. “You have no right to show your face anywhere near us, you fairy traitor!”

“Zora, please leave the term
fairy
out of your insults,” I requested politely.

“Sorry, Ramsey,” she said, covering her mouth swiftly out of shame.

“Thank you,” I replied.

“I am not a traitor,” Ellie insisted. “I only did what was…
necessary
for my kind.” Her voice was monotone. Stiff. Guarded.

“You said you were our friend. You lied,” Nathan told her.

I remained silent. I didn’t know how to speak to Ellie. I didn’t even know where to begin.

“I didn’t lie. No one ever asked me outright if I was an elfen or not,” she said honestly.

“It was implied,” Nathan continued.

The fire fairy blinked hard, and if I weren’t so sure that she was incapable of genuine emotion, I would have thought there were tears in her eyes. “I did what I had to do.”

“Enough badgering! It is high time that you and your avian friend return to Fire Prison. The rest…well, they will have to bid you farewell. Their journeys end here.” His expression brightened. “Except for the dragon. She’s a glorious creature. I would like to keep her.”

Kalani growled furiously and curled her claws into the dirt.

“No,” I said crossly. “You cannot threaten any of us.”

Finn ignored my statement. “You will come with me freely, or I will force you. It’s your choice,” he said.

“I will never go back to that horrid place!” Em cried.

“I guess not,” Finn agreed. “I’ve had to put up with you for much too long. No, Ramsey will return to her cell, but you will not live to watch her leave you behind.”

His words were so contorted with hatred that I shivered despite the heat of the Realm. I looked at Em, who was trembling excessively.

“You can’t take all of us. We outnumber you,” Nathan pointed out.

“And I won’t be taken so easily this time,” Zora vowed.

“None of us will,” Addison added.

“None of that matters. I, my dears, have reinforcements,” Finn said darkly, snapping his fingers once. The sound echoed in the stillness of the air.

And Finn’s mighty black dragon broke through the trees to stand beside him. The dragon’s eyes were malevolent, his claws sharp and threatening. As the beast opened its mouth to let loose a stream of fire, its wicked, gleaming teeth sent my pulse racing.

We all stepped backward, even Kalani.

“We can still defeat you,” I said, although I was unconvinced by my words.

“Let’s give it a try, then, shall we?” Finn beckoned.

“Make your move,” I retorted.

Neither Finn nor I noticed the others. All that mattered was me versus him, as it had been from the beginning.

Finn opened his palms and fire sprang from his fingertips. His dangerous grin had me seething.

I pushed my hands out toward him, closed my eyes, and shouted, “Mimic!”