Authors: Erica Cope
I nod, then grab Jacoby's hand and transport us back to Álfheimr where I know we are safe. We appear in my room a second later and I’m pleased to realize that transporting doesn't even faze me anymore. I guess practice makes perfect.
Hannah is no longer lying in my bed, so I assume that Isobel kept her word before joining the battle in the Underworld. It doesn't matter anyway since I can’t lift Jacoby into the bed by myself, so I just lay him gently on the floor. Nobody else transports back into my room, so we are alone for the time being.
I check his pulse and find it very weak. His breathing is shallow, but at least he is breathing on his own. I take a deep breath and try to heal him again. This time the magic is stronger, and I can feel it pulsing into his limp body. I close my eyes as I focus all of my energy into healing his wounds.
“Lark?” he weakly croaks.
“Oh, thank Sόl!” I cry, choking back tears of relief.
“You saved me,” he says, lifting his hand up to brush the wetness from my cheeks.
“Yes, I did.”
“Are you okay?” He rises slowly, pulling me up with him and looking me over. “You didn't get hurt, did you?”
“No, I'm fine actually, I feel great.” I’m so happy that he is going to be okay.
“Why would you risk your life for me?” He seems oddly curious.
“You know why.”
“You’re amazing. Do you know that?”
“Eh, it was nothing. Just a normal Saturday for me, you know. Kick some Dark Elf butt. Heal a hot boy. All in a day’s work,” I joke.
His usual playful expression is replaced by a more serious one and he places his hands gently on my cheeks, holding my face at arm’s length. The look in his eyes grows more intense and it makes my knees weak.
“I'm serious. I know it's a rare moment but I am trying here. So listen, okay?”
“Okay,” I nod nervously.
“You saved me. Not just tonight. Before I met you, my life was one long night. I was trapped in the darkness. Dugan never forced me to stay, you know that. But it didn't matter. I had no will to escape. I was so used to the darkness that had become my life, that my eyes had grown accustomed to the shadows. From the moment I first saw you,” he pauses, “God, your aura was so bright, I felt myself drawn to you. Like gravity. You are the Lark that promises the coming of day. You are the brightness of the sun, happiness, and everything good. I was, and I still am, completely and ardently enchanted.”
He leans in slowly and pauses, waiting to see how I will react. Without hesitation, I meet him the rest of the way and my breath catches as his lips barely brush my own. The warmth in my core branches out and explodes, spreading throughout my entire body. My heart pounds fiercely in my chest as the kiss deepens. His full lips mold perfectly against mine. One hand tightens around my waist, pulling me closer, while the other one makes its way up my back, tangling into my hair.
I think I could spend the rest of my life kissing Jacoby and it would never be enough.
He pulls back and rests his forehead against my own.
“You don't know how long I have been waiting to do that.”
“It couldn't have been that long,” I giggle. “We’ve known each other for what? A couple of months?”
My heart is beating erratically.
“Perhaps. But it feels like much longer than that,” he says as he kisses me again.
Chapter 22
Once I was satisfied that Jacoby was going to be fine, I returned to go heal the humans that were being held captive and tortured by Dugan. There were less than a dozen victims (thank Sόl), but by the time I finished it was nearly dawn and I was exhausted. I contemplated going to Hannah’s house since my Mom thought I was spending the night there, but I couldn't bring myself to leave Jacoby after coming so close to losing him so we crashed in my room. I’ll deal with trying to figure out an explanation for spending the night with a boy later. Nothing happened between us except a lot of sleeping and maybe a kiss or two. Or three or four. Who am I kidding? There was a lot of kissing. And even though it was all very innocent, it was still a little shocking to wake up with him lying beside me.
“Good morning,” he greets me. “Or I guess I should say, afternoon.”
“How are you feeling today?” I ask.
“I've been better.”
“What's wrong?” I suddenly worry that maybe I didn't completely heal him.
“Don't worry, I'm perfect. Just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night. You didn't warn me that you snore,” he teases.
“I do not snore,” I say, smacking him lightly. “I gotta get ready for breakfast with my dad.”
Alberico has invited me into his sitting room for a private breakfast this morning before I head back home. Normally, I adore breakfast in Álfheimr, even more than my chocolate-dipped chocolate chip granola bars, but I’m worried that I have disappointed my father, so I'm dreading the inevitable confrontation.
“I suppose it would be too presumptuous to ask if I could join you in that magnificent shower? Or perhaps that massive hot tub of yours, huh?”
“That would be a correct assumption.”
“Eh, it was worth a shot,” he remarks flippantly.
“Not happening.”
“Is that so?” His face brightens with his signature smirk and he pulls me closer to him.
“Are you trying to persuade me?”
“That depends, are you persuadable?” He nuzzles his nose against my cheek.
“Perhaps, but not today,” I smile. “Now get out so I can get ready.”
I kick him out with a quick kiss. “I'll see you after breakfast.”
“Promise?” He steals another kiss.
“Of course,” I smile at him before standing on my tippy toes and kissing his cheek.
He leaves and I make my way to the bathroom for a quick shower. The water pulsating on my back is relaxing, like my own personal water massage, so I decide to prolong it a little while. By the time I get out, my fingers are pruney from the water, but I feel noticeably calmer. I dress casually in jeans and a black cardigan. While I do apply a little bit of makeup, I don't even bother attempting to do anything fancy with my hair, opting to just leave it long and straight down my back. Before I know it, there is nothing left to do but to face my father.
As I turn the corner to take the stairs leading up to where he is waiting for me, I spy Grey entering Jacoby's room. Intrigued, I decide to take a little detour, postponing my meeting with Alberico for a little longer. I stop outside the door, holding my breath, in hopes that no one hears me.
“I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry for doubting you,” I hear Grey proclaim. “You obviously care deeply for her, and I let my own feelings cloud my judgment. For that I apologize.”
“I do care about her. More than even she knows. So thanks, I guess, for acknowledging that.” Jacoby pauses thoughtfully for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”
“I suppose.”
“You said you let your own feelings cloud your judgment?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly are your feelings towards her?”
Well, this could get very interesting. I am tempted to continue to eavesdrop.
Do I want to know? Would it change anything? I decide to walk away before he has a chance to answer. I don't need to hear it. I know he cares about me. But I also know that it's not enough. There are too many complications when it comes to Grey. And my life is already way too complicated without adding anything else to the mix.
Besides, nothing he could say at this point would change my feelings for Jacoby. Of that much I am sure.
I make my way towards Alberico's sitting room, very proud of my newfound self-control. Normally, my nosy nature would have demanded that I stay and eavesdrop until I had all the answers I wanted. But I realize now that sometimes you don't have to know everything. Sometimes, it's better to just learn as you go.
I knock twice before slowly opening the door and peeking my head inside Alberico's sitting room.
“Dad?” I hesitate.
“Ah, good morning, Mia. I was afraid you would, how do you say it? Skip out on me?”
Ha. How very close to the truth that was. I definitely considered it. I've been more than a little worried about the inevitable conversation with Alberico since my impromptu decision to follow Jacoby into the Underworld last night. After all, I placed many lives at risk by prompting our attack on the Dark Elves a week earlier than planned.
“Of course not. I could never pass up an elfin breakfast,” I cheerfully reply.
“Good, because there are a few things I would like to discuss with you.”
Oh boy.
“First, how are you recovering after using so much magic this weekend?”
“Physically I feel fine. But mentally,” I pause as I remember what I am guilty of. “I killed someone. Someone I knew. I don’t know how to feel about that. I mean, I know I wasn’t trying to kill him, Brian just got in the way, but I
was
trying to kill Dugan. Brian did awful things to me and part of me feels guilty, but the other part of me, well, I don’t know. I feel like I’m no less evil than Dugan if I say that I think he deserved it but….I don’t know if I really feel that way, if I really wanted him dead. At the same time…I’m not making any sense. I guess it’s just hard to explain.”
“What’ve you been through, well, no 17-year-old should ever have to experience what you’ve been through. But Mia, you aren’t evil. You did what you had to do then and you will do what you have to do next time.”
“This is only the beginning, isn’t it?”
“I think we have some time before we have to worry about the Dökkálfar again, but yes, this is only the beginning. But you have been blessed by Sόl and that has to mean something good for our side.”
A warm burst of pride emanates through me as I remember my blessing from the Sun goddess. For some reason, she chose me. I’m the only one who is able to control the power of the sun. I'll take that over Earth, Fire, Water, or Wind magic any day. And maybe healing isn't as cool as some of the elemental magic, but I was able to save Jacoby and that was pretty freaking amazing in my book.
“That reminds me. How did you get to the Underworld that night? Grey said I was the only one who could get there since I was the only one who had actually been there before.”
“Let's just say your amulet has a little something extra.” He points to the pendant around my neck, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “Sort of like elfish GPS”
“You've gotta be kidding me. I'm being tracked?”
“Only in case of emergencies, I promise,” he smiles. “Next, I would like to discuss what you are going to tell Hannah.”
Oh crap.
“Well, I was thinking that I could just play up the whole crazy dream scenario and that would be enough to take care of it,” I tell him uncertainly.
“I agree, that would probably be best,” Alberico nods in agreement as he takes a bite of a scone.
“Dad, what happens now? The prophecy didn’t come true, so what does that mean? Does that mean it’s not really over?”
After a thoughtful pause Alberico recites the prophecy,
“A Half-blood child of a Sovereign One