Journey into the Realm: The Stolen Child (Journey into the Realm Series) (22 page)

***

Eder and I stood in the middle of a circle of centaurs. I recognized Ceito, Idra, and Tivon, but the others were unfamiliar to me. Still, although no formal introductions were made, I felt comfortable with them. They were eager to help me save my friends and get the crown, so trusting them came easy.

“I know you’ve all heard the plan, but I wanted to go over it with Ramsey, and we could all use a little refresher,” Eder explained to the centaur herd, his voice even and influential. He had such a strong presence. No wonder Brielle and Elvina had listened to his every word.

I watched as the centaurs nodded in agreement, content with Eder’s decision. “In order for this plan to work, there needs to be two teams. The first team will consist of the centaurs. They will enter the city first. The idea is to
distract
the fairies, not harm them. So be careful. I know you’re angry with the Queen, but the Woodland fairies don’t understand the truth behind the choice she made. They truly believe the Element fairies are their allies. Remember that.” He paused to make sure the centaurs understood this. After a dozen reluctant nods, he continued. “Once the distraction is initiated, Ramsey and I will locate Queen Ella’s tree castle, where she’s keeping the crown. The entire tree is spelled with protective magic, which neither Ramsey nor I will be able to break.”

I frowned. “So how will we get the crown?”

“I have a friend on the inside.” Eder smiled. “Actually, two friends.”

“Who?” I wondered.

“The plan becomes a tad complex at this point,” Captain Ceito warned.

“We’re going to be overseeing an exchange,” Eder told me.

I blinked. “What kind of exchange?”

“You’re not the only reason I came to the Woodland Fairy Realm,” Eder admitted. “I’m also running an errand for Joseph. One of your mother’s recruits is needed for the rebellion. She’s been guarding something very important, and it’s time for her to bring it safely to the Element Fairy Realm.”

“Who is the recruit? And what’s she guarding?” I asked.

“Her name is Glissarie, and she’s Queen Ella’s eldest daughter,” he explained.

I gaped. “The Princess is one of the six helpers my mother enlisted?”

Eder nodded. “Yes. And I don’t know what it is she’s guarding; I just know it’s very valuable, and Joseph doesn’t want word getting out that the rebellion desires it.”

I sighed. My mother sure knew how to pick them. “So what does Princess Glissarie have to do with an exchange?”

“The valuable item belongs to Queen Ella. If the Queen were to realize Glissarie stole it
and
ran away with enemies of King Vortigern, the Princess would be disowned and stripped of her title, and she could face execution for treason. So she and Elvina are going to trade places so it looks like the Princess isn’t involved.”

“But, Eder,” I interrupted, disappointment weighing on me, “Elvina disappeared before we entered Ellamara. I think the temptation scared her off.”

Eder shook his head. “That’s all part of the plan. She has to stay away from the Woodland fairies so she can be ready for the exchange. She can’t risk being tempted into the dance. She has to meet us at the tree castle when the distraction starts. Then she will Glamour herself as Glissarie, and the Princess will Glamour herself as Elvina.”

“So the Princess will come to the Element Fairy Realm with us while Elvina stays in Ellamara,” I summarized. “That’s what Elvina meant when she told me she would have to stay. I can’t believe she agreed to give up her life in the Elf Realm.”

Eder sighed. “Hopefully, her situation will only be temporary. Once the war ends, Glissarie will return to Ellamara, and Elvina will be free to live where she pleases.”

I nodded. I was still bothered by Elvina’s sacrifice, but I knew there was no point in arguing. I wouldn’t be able to change anyone’s mind, especially not Eder’s. He cared about two things: ending the war and keeping me safe. He wasn’t going to stray from the plan if doing so would threaten the outcome of either of those concerns.

“So when do we leave?” I asked.

“Tonight at dusk. The Woodland fairies have to be away from their trees in order for the plan to work. I’ll make sure all the preparations are made. You should get some rest,” Eder advised. “You’ve been awake for a long time, and the centaurs told me about the magic you accessed in order to evade the Woodland fairies.”

I nodded, having nearly forgotten the earlier explosion of power. Now that I had accessed my Golden fairy magic, would it be harder to keep it under control? Daur had warned that it could potentially destroy me. I felt fine now, but I had no idea how long that would last or when I would be forced to access it again.

“I’ll try to get some sleep.” I turned to leave and then hesitated. “Eder, I know now isn’t the time, but I’d like to talk to you a little more about our…um, past. So maybe once we leave the Woodland Fairy Realm…?”

I felt awkward bringing up the subject, but I suspected that Eder and I would be working pretty closely from now on, and I wanted everything settled between us. I didn’t want our shared history to interfere with future goals. We needed to be on proper terms, with no confusion over feelings or ideas. Eder had said he wanted nothing from me, but the look in his eyes had implied differently. And although I wasn’t even tempted to stray from Nathan, my own feelings were a little muddled as well. I didn’t know how to consider Eder: a comrade, a friend, an ex-boyfriend? I needed some kind of concrete label for our relationship, and I wouldn’t be able to determine that on my own.

Eder appeared wary, his eyes narrowing in doubt. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t disappoint by shutting me out completely. Today marked the first time he had ever been completely open with me since that night on the bridge. I would hate it if he chose to revert back to that state.

“All right,” he consented. I released an audible breath in relief. “I suppose we can’t tuck the subject away just yet. But try not to think about it now. Focus on tonight.”

I smiled. “Thanks – and I will.”

At this point, it seemed as though working with Eder wouldn’t be difficult. But right now it was just the two of us. I had no idea how the rest of my group would react to him. And I had no idea how I would tell Nathan that another elf other than Stellan had once claimed my heart.

***

Dusk arrived too quickly. I woke to a centaur nudging me with his hoof. When I opened my eyes, he grunted and trotted away. I rolled my eyes at his dubious sense of hospitality.

I stood from the pile of grass I had used as a bed and brushed the stray tendrils off my clothes. Everyone was awake, the chatter of centaurs drifting to my ears as I blinked sleep from my eyes. Shivering from the early evening chill, I wrapped my arms around myself and looked up at the sky. The sun was still pink, but soon it would begin its transition to a blue moon as night approached.

“Ready?” Captain Ceito asked, trotting up behind me.

I nodded. “Yes,” I said quietly.

A horn sounded in the clearing, a signal that it was time to leave.

Yawning, I went to find Eder. He was discussing something with Idra and Tivon apart from the other centaurs. I caught a piece of their conversation as I approached.

“Make sure Ramsey’s friends know exactly where to meet us. We must move quickly and can’t afford to wait long after the exchange takes place.”

“Tivon and I will personally explain the situation to them to make sure everything goes as planned,” Idra promised.

“And we will do our best to prevent any Woodland fairies from following their escape,” Tivon added.

Eder nodded. “Thank you.” Noticing my presence, he turned to me and smiled. “Good evening. Ready?”

“I think so,” I replied. “Is there any food?” After such a satisfying meal this morning, my stomach yearned to remain on the same schedule. I felt the ache of hunger stir within me.

“I have some left over from earlier. We can share it while the centaurs finish their preparations to leave.”

I nodded my thanks, suddenly too nervous about tonight to speak. Eder seemed to understand; he chose to remain silent while we ate our meal. In between bites of food I wondered about how my friends were faring. I prayed that they hadn’t given in to further temptation and eaten any fairy food. Hopefully, their wills were stronger than the allure of the Woodland fairies. I hoped it wasn’t too late to save them.

Eating quickly left little time for stalling. It was time to leave. I couldn’t skirt my responsibilities, nor did I want to. Lives were at stake, the lives of more than just my friends.

The centaurs carried wooden spears – meant for intimidation, not violence – but I made sure to keep away from the sharp ends as we began our steady procession toward Ellamara. Out of fourteen centaurs, eleven traveled with us. The two foals who were too young to join today’s proceedings remained in the camp with one mature centaur to watch over them.

I walked with Eder at the front. We were flanked by Captain Ceito and Idra. Tivon took up the rear. We spent most of the trip in silence; the centaurs were a serious bunch, determined to keep their focus. Occasionally, I asked how they were doing and whether or not they had any concerns about the plan. Each response was short and tight-lipped. No centaur was interested in meaningless chatter. As one fond of talking in any situation, I felt my anxiety rise as we walked. Talking things out always reassured me, but no one seemed keen on soothing my nerves.

“What do you think will happen tonight?” Eder asked as we walked, finally breaking the silence.

I sighed. “I’d like to think everything will go as planned, but since I started this journey that hasn’t occurred a single time.”

“But now you have me,” Eder retorted. “So maybe events will turn out differently.”

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Even the simplest of words from Eder had a strong effect on me, which I found both curious and bothersome. “Maybe.”

“The Woodland fairies aren’t hostile. The only one we need to worry about is Queen Ella. As Queen, she’s powerful and strong-willed. And her behavior can be quite…erratic when she doesn’t get what she wants. If she discovers our plan, we may face some trouble,” Eder explained.

“What about the Element fairies? I know they are somewhere in the area. My friends and I ran into them when we first entered the Realm. They were determined to take us to their leader, but then a group of elves came along and chased them off. Who knows if they were defeated? They could still be lurking.” I rubbed my arms to ward off a sudden chill. I was more nervous than I admitted.

Eder’s expression hardened, his dark green eyes narrowing into slits. “Are you sure they said leader?” he asked seriously.

I nodded, wondering why the clarification was so important to him. “Yes, I’m quite sure. It happened only a short time ago.”

Eder blew a steady stream of air past his lips. “I was afraid that might happen.”

“What do you mean?”

Eder sighed. “I’m not entirely sure, but I am almost positive that those weren’t the kind of Element fairies you thought they were. They were probably from the rebellion,” he said.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Because no follower of King Vortigern would call him their leader. They would call him their king,” Eder explained.

“Then they were trying to help us,” I realized.

“Yes. They were,” Eder replied solemnly. “Joseph was probably afraid that I wouldn’t be able to handle the situation on my own. He never trusts me….”

I placed my hand on his shoulder, which was probably a bad idea considering the history between us. I didn’t want to ignite any
feelings
. But I couldn’t let Eder feel inadequate. Despite his vagueness leading up to our reunion yesterday, he had helped me a great deal. I wouldn’t let him forget that.

“Well, Joseph should trust you,” I insisted. “You’re capable enough to bring me to him yourself. Besides, you’re the one I trust, not those Element fairies.”

He frowned at this, but didn’t explain why, so I didn’t question his expression. Determined to put our focus back on Ellamara, I added, “Let’s just concentrate on tonight, okay? We can’t change the past.”

He regarded me sadly. “You don’t have to remind me of that, Ramsey.”

Realizing my mistake, I swallowed dryly and decided silence would be the most appropriate response. Irritated with myself for yet again bringing up the subject of our relationship, I crossed my arms against my chest and vowed to think a lot harder before I opened my mouth again. I could be so oblivious sometimes.

Our unpleasant conversation having cured my need for talking, I trudged silently onward, my earlier nerves replaced with bitterness.

We reached Ellamara a short time after the sun turned blue.

I couldn’t see any Woodland fairies because of the mushroom barrier, but I knew they were dancing. And I knew my friends were with them. Anxious and bouncing with energy, I struggled to hang back with Eder as the centaurs entered the city.

“We’re going to enter nearer to Queen Ella’s tree,” Eder explained. “Follow me.”

I nodded despite the yearning inside me to charge the capital with the centaurs. I desperately wanted to make sure my friends were all right. I didn’t like leaving them in the hands of the centaurs, no matter how trustworthy they were. What if my friends didn’t believe in their help? What if they were too lost in the dance?

In the end, I realized sticking with the plan was in everyone’s best interest and followed Eder around the city. I would have to trust him.

After running for a short time, Eder stopped abruptly and pointed to a tree past the mushroom barrier. “That’s it,” he breathed.

As if on cue, Elvina stepped out from where she must have been hiding behind a willow tree. “We must hurry. Queen Ella doesn’t stray far from her tree.”

“Nice to see you again,” I muttered.

The Woodland fairy grinned. “I suppose Eder told you everything, then?”

I nodded. “That was real clever of you, slipping away like that.”

Elvina shrugged. “It was the only way.”

“I’ve heard that phrase far too many times,” I said. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Eder nodded. “Good idea. We don’t have time to waste.”

Staying true to his words, he hurried past the mushroom barrier. Elvina and I followed without hesitation. On the other side, two Woodland fairies stood waiting for us. They were both female and stunningly gorgeous. One had lustrous, long black hair and the other a fiery red. They both wore elegant dresses made of brown silk that reached their knees and hung loosely around their delicate fairy figures. Their translucent gossamer wings shone with every movement, and they wore floral crowns accented with berries and twigs.

“You must be Eder,” the dark-haired fairy said.

“And who might you be?” Eder asked, his gaze wary. He hadn’t said anything about fairies other than Princess Glissarie meeting us. And since neither of the fairies resembled Elvina in the slightest, I assumed neither of them were her.

“Lady Ramira, the Queen’s second daughter. With me is Lady Sabina, my younger sister. Because she is the eldest, only Glissarie holds the title of Princess. She told us to wait for you here while she retrieves the item you desire. My youngest sister, Lady Hattina, is busy distracting Queen Ella for you.”

“I had no idea the Princess had allies in her sisters,” Eder remarked. “Thank you for your assistance.”

Lady Ramira nodded. “My mother may be misguided, but we believe in your cause.”

“We would join you, but we must remain here to help Elvina in her new role,” Lady Sabina explained in a small voice. Although she sounded younger than I, there was wisdom in her eyes that spoke differently.

“I’ll need every bit of your help,” Elvina confided. “I know little of your ways.”

“
Our
ways,” Lady Ramira corrected. “You may have grown up in the Elf Realm, but you belong here.”

Elvina made no comment, but I knew she didn’t agree. She considered Tarlore her home. Whether or not her time here would change her mind was a completely different story, one I couldn’t afford to dwell on now.