Page 38 of Journey to the Elderoak (Daughter of the Earth #2)

C asimir paced on the shore. It was taking far too long.

It had been hours. What if she was stuck in there forever?

He ran a hand over his face as he glanced at the forest every few seconds, willing her to appear.

He would wait a bit longer before going in after her.

It didn’t matter if he died. All that mattered was her.

He had to get her to safety, away from this horrible journey.

His life had been turned upside down the day they found her in the woods.

This terrified, sassy, irritating woman had changed him.

The woman who yelled at him within days of meeting.

Who was full of anxieties and fear, yet capable of tenacity and strength when she let go.

He never would have imagined the woman who had glared at him the moment he stepped out of his tent was his soulbond.

The one he was meant to be with for eternity.

And now she was alone, facing who knows what kind of horrors, and he wanted to tear the whole forest down to get to her.

After another half hour, he readied himself. He couldn’t wait another minute and raised his arms, preparing to cross the lake. But he paused as something moved on the opposite shore. Flowers. Tiny pink and purple blossoms burst open and spread across the soil.

Then…her. A hint of strawberry blonde hair as she emerged from the shadows.

“Ava,” he whispered.

He collapsed to his knees with relief as he watched her across the lake. She was slightly taller and obviously stronger, more powerful, with the pointed fae ears. As she walked, a path of flowers bloomed in front of her, as if the earth was worshiping her very feet.

But she wasn’t walking. She was limping, as if she barely had any strength. Cloth was wrapped around her thigh, hand, and shoulder and her clothing was torn and bloody. So much blood.

Panicking, he prepared to make a bridge for her to cross, but he didn’t have to. Her own formed without her even trying. Bright green vines bursting with colorful flowers wove across each other in front of her as she continued limping toward him.

The flowers she created. He’d never seen anything like it. A delicate rainbow of colors. Bright yellows and purples and blues. Verdant green vines covered with leaves. Powerful and beautiful, like his princess.

His Miraêl Li’ra.

The warmth of tears streamed down his face as she approached ever so slowly.

“Cas,” she breathed, then collapsed.

He caught her and looked her over, checking her injuries. “What happened? Where are you hurt?”

“I’m okay,” she said. “It’s already starting to heal.”

He unwrapped the cloth on her leg, revealing punctures pink with fresh skin. He peeled off the fabric on her shoulder and hand to find the same thing and sighed with relief .

“I’m sore,” she said. “But I’m okay. I think the tree healed me.” She cupped his face, and he pulled her into an embrace.

“You did it.” He smiled through his tears.

“I think I almost died.”

“What?” A flare of alarm washed over him as he pulled back, searching her face.

“Creatures. I had to fight them,” she rambled. “They had poison and there was so much blood. I lost so much blood.” She was fighting tears. “When I reached the tree, I collapsed, and everything went dark.”

His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. “You died ?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “Maybe…or I almost did. The monsters…they were the same ones that attacked the ship.”

“What?” He gasped.

She nodded. “But they were an illusion. Kind of. I mean, obviously they were real enough to hurt me but when I killed them, they vanished.”

“What happened after you collapsed?” He tried to hide the panic he was feeling. She wasn’t dead now. She was here, in front of him. Alive.

“Pain. So much pain. And there was light everywhere. Then suddenly I woke up. And I felt different. I feel different.” She looked at him and touched his face. “I’m not dead. I’m here,” she said, trying to comfort him.

“Okay. How do you feel different?”

They continued to kneel before each other.

He refused to remove his hands from her as he stroked her hair.

He couldn’t stop touching her and though she was safe, he wanted to get her back to the castle as soon as possible.

Needed to. Needed to take care of her. To get her assessed by Kai and clean off the blood and hold her .

“It’s overwhelming. I can hear everything. And smell everything.”

“You’ll take time to adjust,” he said. “Can you stand?”

“Yes.”

He stood, helping her rise with him. He wrapped her in his arms, holding her as he kissed her forehead, and she laid her head upon his chest. They stayed there for a moment, and he peppered the top of her head with kisses, murmuring he would always protect her.

He pulled back, and Ava kissed the tears upon his cheeks.

“Do I look different?” she added.

“Not much. A little taller and your ears are different.”

She reached up and touched them. “That’s so strange.”

He chuckled. “That’s all you have to say? That’s strange?”

“It is strange.”

He let go and took her hand. “Let’s get back to the castle. The others are waiting.”

As they walked through the woods, over roots and under branches, Casimir felt lighter, hopeful. He could breathe easy knowing she had survived the journey. There would be more danger to come, but he put that out of his mind. For now, they would enjoy the peace, the upcoming ball and celebration.

“Do you feel your magic?” he asked as they continued to walk. He had let go of her hand for them to climb through denser brush and felt its absence, needing to touch her every moment.

“I think so,” she said.

“What does it feel like?”

“It’s hard to describe. I feel like something is living in the pit of my stomach. It’s warm and writhing. Wants to get out.”

“That’s it.”

“Does it always feel this way?”

“Yes, but you’ll get used to it. And you will learn how to wield and control it. You can’t let it overtake you or it can become dangerous.”

Ava climbed over a root, and he followed. As his feet hit the ground, he ran into her back. She had stopped, her body tense, and was staring ahead.

Sensing her fear, he whispered into her ear, “What is it?”

She pointed ahead of them, hand trembling. “What is that?”

At first, he didn’t see it, scanning the trees. But out of nowhere, it appeared. It was one of Deidamia’s insect creatures he had fought with Raine, Quinn and Jorrar in the small village of Oakshire months ago.

And it shouldn’t be this close to Mosshaven.

“Get behind me,” he said as he inched forward, stepping in front of her.

“What do we do?”

“We kill it. I’ve fought them before.”

“So, it’s easy to kill?” she asked, voice hopeful.

He tensed. “No.”

She grabbed her bow off her back and retrieved an arrow from the quiver, nocking it in preparation.

“Stay here and keep that arrow pointed at it. I’ll try to sneak around. I don’t think it’s spotted us yet. When I give you the signal, release the arrow into its eye.”

She nodded as he crept through the trees. He made his way around, behind the black flying insect, its six legs dangling as it hovered thirty feet in the air.

He whistled, and the moment it focused on him, he yelled, “Now!”

The arrow hit it in the eye and it fell to the ground, twitching. Casimir unsheathed his sword and finished it off.

She joined him, standing over the creature. “What is that thing?”

“I’m not completely sure. But it’s one of Deidamia’s abominations and it shouldn’t be this close. We must hurry and return to the castle.”

They made their way further into the woods, when a buzzing sounded through the trees. There were more.

“Run!” he ordered.

Ava sprinted, her limp almost gone, and he took off after her.

Three more insects chased them through the woods, closing in. How were they going to fight them off? It took all four of the warriors to kill three back in the village, and they almost didn’t succeed. The creatures were smart and quick, and Ava didn’t have the ability to control her magic.

“Get your sword!” he yelled.

She unsheathed it and they both stopped, standing back-to-back with their weapons drawn.

“They’re too fast. We can’t outrun them,” he said. “Go for their face or their bellies, those are the softest parts. And don’t let one grab hold of you or it will carry you off.”

The three monsters buzzed around them, out of reach of their swords. He called for Aro, hoping he was close enough to arrive in time to help, when one of the creatures darted forward.

He rolled out of the way, but Ava wasn’t quick enough. She turned around just in time and swung her blade, slicing off a leg. It flew out of reach and hovered above them, pincers clicking together with ire.

“What do we do?” she asked, voice panicked.

“I’m thinking,” he growled, standing next to her again. Remembering the technique he and Quinn had used at the village, he whispered, “I’m going to be the bait. When one flies at me, I’ll roll out of the way and entrap it in roots. As soon as it’s trapped, stab it through the head.”

“Okay.”

He sheathed his sword and retrieved a dagger, walking away from Ava, and cut open his hand. She held her weapon in preparation. Casimir reached out and squeezed his hand to increase the blood flow, willing one of the creatures to take the bait as a ball of roots formed behind him.

Unable to control its blood lust any longer, one dove for him. He rolled out of the way and turned, raising his hands and encasing it in the trap.

“Now!” he yelled, but Ava was already there, faster in her new body. A crunch sounded as her sword impaled it, the creature now twitching. Dead.

Two more left.

“Are we doing that again?” she asked, breathless.

“No. They learn. They won’t fall for it a second time.”

One of them dove for her, the one whose leg she had dismembered, and hauled her into the air.

“Shit,” he said as he ran after it, the other insect chasing him.

She screamed in anger and determination as he rushed to help.

But she didn’t need him. She pulled out her dagger and shoved it into the belly above her, slicing it open and spilling its guts. The creature let go and Casimir ran, catching her before she hit the ground.

“Gross,” she said, picking innards out of her hair.

He set her on her feet. One insect left.

Casimir scanned the forest, when out of nowhere it appeared behind him and bit into his shoulder. Ava screamed and he bellowed as its pincers pierced his flesh, a searing sensation tearing through his muscle.

Ava tried stabbing it with her dagger, but it let go and flew out of reach.

“Are you okay?” she asked, eyes filled with terror.

“Fine,” he grumbled.

Reaching for his magic, he turned to the creature and tried to grow vines to entangle it midair. Nothing. He felt nothing. He tried reaching for his astral magic, but he was empty. As if his magic didn’t even exist.

He cursed under his breath as he pulled out his sword with his uninjured arm.

“What?” Ava said, voice panicked. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t access my magic. Their poison must nullify it.”

“Shit.”

The creature dove for them again, but they dodged it. Pride flared through him at the ease which Ava rolled away like he’d taught her.

His shoulder throbbed in time with his heartbeat. An incessant thumping spread down his arm. Lightheaded, he wondered how they would kill the creature, when Aro emerged from the woods beside him.

You got yourself bitten, Aro said.

“Thank you for pointing out the obvious.”

You’re lucky I’m here since you obviously couldn’t handle this yourself.

Casimir glowered at his companion.

Aro huffed and stood on his hind legs, swiping at the insect. But it was too high, staying out of the bear’s reach. Ava faced the insect with determination on her face, retrieved her dagger, and held out her palm.

“Ava…what are you doing?”

Stop your worrying. The princess and I will take care of this abomination, Aro said.

Ava cut her hand, holding it out to taunt the creature. “Don’t you want me?” she said to the monster. “Don’t you want to take me back to your queen?”

“Ava,” Casimir pleaded, dizziness overwhelming him as he swayed on his feet, poison coursing through his shoulder and spreading .

The insect dove but she didn’t move. Didn’t even try to dodge its attack.

“No!” he yelled as he stumbled toward her.

It was almost upon her, but Aro jumped and took the creature in his mouth, a crunch sounding as he bit it in two.

“There,” she said. “All dead.”

Don’t pass out , Aro urged.

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” Casimir said as his vision went dark and the world slipped away.