Page 39 of Crown of Ellova: Vol 1

“Leon! Wait!”

He turns back to me, frustrated. “They forfeited their lives the moment they tried to take you from me. We can’t let them live. Ifanyone else finds them, they will tell Grayden who we are. They know us.”

“I know, but I don’t want their blood on your hands! You’re a healer, not a murderer.”

This only frustrates him more. “You heard them. They would have been all too happy to hand you over to Grayden to live a life worse than death. You don’t know him like I do. When they wake, they will hunt you again.”

It’s too horrible to even imagine, but taking a life stains a soul and I want Leon whole. “There has to be another way.”

His shoulders sink in defeat but he walks over to his medical bag that lies covered in dirt.

“What is it? What will it do?” I ask as he pulls out dark vials and jars and mixes them with a plum-colored liquid, adding a few spoonfuls into an empty vial.

He goes to Grayden’s guards and pours the concoction down each of their throats. “It's a substance made from Vedesdron. In small doses, it can be used as a sleeping aid. With this amount, mixed with other herbs, it will result in a coma-like sleep for a while, but when they awaken, it causes powerful hallucinations and memory loss. If they survive their injuries, they will have nothing to report back, useless to Grayden, but alive, thanks to you.” Leon rises from the men. Their bloody, bruised, and blistered bodies convulse before lying still once more.

He holds out his hand to me. “Lead the way.”

For a moment I do not take it. This is a terrible idea, but that pull inside me demands I keep him near, so I slip my hand into his and gently tug towards Ellova. It’s unfair how many secrets I must keep from him, but if he fails what is to come next, we will be forced to part before the sun has fully risen.

“Are we going somewhere other fae will be?” He asks carefully.

“Yes. Like I said, it’s safe. For now, that is all you need to know.”

“That’s fine. I just wish to know about you. The fae have magic. What do you possess?”

The trees around us get wider, growing closer together. Every few feet a tree has delicate green gems embedded in the thick bark. “I have metal-wielding abilities, or at least I did before the crown. We are called jewelsmiths. My powers are weak as I am part mortal, so I tend to focus on jewelry, but I do enjoy creating daggers and swords.”

“What do you mean, before the crown?” he asked carefully.

“I can’t use my own magic anymore. The crown is blocking it and I cannot seem to control its well of magic. I can feel it trapped in me, waiting to be released. It’s like a door I do not have the key to. Whatever it is, it’s painful.”

“It appeared to me that strong emotions played a part.”

I nod.

“There must be a way to control it.” Leon looks thoughtful. “We can experiment.”

He seems to examine every section of the forest’s many plants and trees when he is not searching for expected danger. He is quiet in his observation of our surroundings, stopping a few times to collect samples of plants with medicinal properties in tiny glass vials.

I had thought most of these plants were only found in this forest. “I’m impressed with your forest knowledge. Most of these do not grow in Adreania.”

“My education was thorough. Some of these grow in many different places, but I have come across the ones that do not in medical or geography books.”

Most of the walk is done in companionable silence; the pounding in my head makes it hard to hold a long conversation. Leon swings from being enthralled with the nature around us to checking on me, offering every medicine he has.

The forest is darker here, the thick leaves blocking out most of the light, but sunbeams break through in the gaps. The trees have large jewels twisted in the trunks.

I turn to Leon, who is assessing the wood, and release his hand. “We have reached the Verge. It’s the outer ring of protection to where we are heading. You are able to stand here because you have proven to the Merawood Forest you mean no harm. The forest is alive in many ways, protecting against anyone with evil in theirheart towards Ellova and those who call her home. These trees that forever stand guard still have the bones of Ellova’s enemies wrapped around their roots.”

I’m not sure how much to tell him. He will see the palace when we arrive. I wish to tell him everything, but how much would Nyvenah want him to know?

I settle on, “Mortals are forbidden. You will likely not be welcomed and I cannot promise what will happen from here. Our ruler will listen to why I’ve made the choice to bring you here, but I cannot guarantee her decision. Whatever she decides, I will stand by. I am loyal to the royal family above all else. Whether she says you are to be a guest or prisoner in her dungeon, that is her right as Realm Keeper. For many fae, the only mortals they know are from a history steeped in conflict and misery.”

His mouth opens slightly and he takes a step forward. “Of course, I understand. Does Ellova still exist? Truly? Is it part of the Merawood Forest?”

“Yes, it exists, but no, Ellova is part of the fae realm. The Merawood Forest is not part of it. The forest protects Ellova. The Verge is Ellova’s greatest protection. You have to make a vow, swear you mean no harm to Ellova and all who call it home. It is the only way it will allow you to pass through. If you are unwilling or the Verge rejects your oath, we part here forever. It will be out of my hands.” That he is here unharmed by the forest around us proves he has no ill intent towards Ellova or myself, but that may not be enough.

Leon does not hesitate. “I will make any vow, any oath, to stay by your side, Izadella.” He stands straighter, pulling down his vest.

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