The Promise
No more rush, no more worry. We had all the time in the world.
Chapter 49
(Gemma)
She was a mean little thing,
I pulled a face.
And I didn t expect her to be so & so &
Short?
Laylen finished for me and then laughed.
What did you think? That faeries had to be tall or something?
He nudged my shoulder.
I stuck out my tongue.
No, but I expected the Empress of the Faerie realm to be tall.
I ducked underneath a branch as we made our way back.
And what were those little creatures? One of them tried to bite me.
Those were sprites.
Aislin shoved through a screen of vines.
They re mean!
Did you know you ll turn into one if they bite you,
he said and I couldn t tell if he was joking.
I still can t believe Aleesa didn t want to come back.
I hopped over a tree trunk that extended across the path.
I m not,
Laylen said.
She was always a little off. She ll fit right in.
I heard the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps and glanced back just in time to see a sprite, with its wings out, running at an impressive speed for such tiny legs. It leapt for my ankle and I drop kicked it like a soccer ball. It flew through the air and landed far back in the trees with a thud.
Wow, she s mean,
Aislin kidded.
Well, I don t want to turn into one of them,
I said.
Laylen laughed, shaking his head.
You do realize I was kidding about that.
I pulled a face and sped up, leaving the two of them behind, anxious to get back to the castle. As I broke through the faerie realm and stepped out onto the land that fronted the Keeper s castle, my heart leapt with excitement.
When I d decided to go with them, I didn t realize what I was getting myself into. And it turned out to be a waste of a trip anyway.
I headed inside, glad to be back to the normal world. Even though we weren t connected by the electricity anymore, I still could sense where he was and I walked straight to the back room.
He was with Sophia, who wasn t all that bad, once the evil had left her. Still, though, I struggled sometimes to be around her because it reminded me of the past.
The two of them were huddled over a book, in front of the fireplace, talking about something.
His eyes found mine and he smiled in a way that made my skin warm with my own heat.
I ll be right back,
Sophia said and then she saw me she smiled.
You guys made it back okay?
Yeah, Aislin and Laylen are coming.
I nodded at the window.
Good. I m glad you re okay.
She stood in front of me awkwardly. She acted like she wanted to say more, but smiled instead and walked out the door.
She did that a lot. Perhaps one day she d finally be able say what was on her mind.
Did you two find out anything about how to free a Foreseer from the Room of Forbidden?
I asked.
Maybe,
he said.
We have to do a little bit more research, but there might be a way to free your dad & although, it ll be kind of difficult.
We saved the world.
I said.
So I m sure we can do it, whatever it is.
I m sure we can.
He laughed and then paused.
So did you guys get everything taken care of?
I shook my head.
Nope. Not even close.
He laughed softly, putting his hand on my hip.
Isn t that always the case?
I let out a sigh.
Aleesa didn t want to come back. I guess she liked it there. But the Empress I mean Luna, still thinks Aislin owes her the spell.
He slid his hand up my back and hooked something around my neck.
I stared down at my violet-stoned locket.
Where did you get this?
He winked at me.
Where you lost it.
I clasped the heart-shaped pendant in my hand, forcing the tears back as I thought of my mother.
But how did you get it back from them?
He arched an eyebrow.
You think two witches scare me?
I shook my head, wondering what had really happened.
So what s Aislin going to do?
He asked.
With the spell? She s not going to do it is she?
I shrugged.
She told the Empress she d work on it.
Work on it.
He sketched his finger down my cheek.
She s powerful enough to do the spell on her own.
Yeah, but Luna doesn t know that.
I frowned, remembering the faerie realm. I d always thought Nicholas was bad, but he definitely was the more tolerable of the faerie breed. I’d seen him once since it all happened and wasn t surprised he d returned to being his trickster self.
And I still don t get why Aleesa wanted to stay there. I mean, I know she thinks she likes it, but that place was just weird.
Aleesa s weird.
He smiled, moving his lips for mine.
And what does it matter if she s happy.
You re right,
I said and met him the rest of the way, pressing my lips to his.
We kissed, our souls beating as one. Always and forever.