Page 77 of Shattered Crown

“Silas has an army,” Kai argued. “The forest has you and a handful of weakened guardians. Besides, someone needs to keep Briar out of trouble.”

“Hey!” the sprite protested.

Silas looked at his friend with concern. “Are you sure about this, Kai? It's going to be dangerous. The Eldergrove is in worse shape than when we left.”

Kai's usual smirk softened into something more genuine. “I need to do something concrete, Silas. Politics and palace intrigue were always more your specialty than mine.” A slight flush colored his cheeks. “And if I'm being honest, Eliar is there. After everything that's happened... I need to see him.”

“Ah,” Silas nodded, understanding dawning. “Say no more.”

Thorne considered refusing again, but recognized the wisdom in Kai's words. Additional help would be welcome, especially from those who understood both worlds. And he couldn't deny the strength that came from the bond between Kai and Eliar—he'd seen it firsthand.

“Very well,” he conceded. “But we leave immediately.”

Final preparations took little time. Palace mages offered transportation spells, normally anathema to guardian sensibilities. Thorne accepted, recognizing urgency outweighed tradition.

As mystical energies gathered, Thorne looked back one last time. Silas stood framed in morning light, beautiful and strong despite everything. Kai remained at his side, a steady presence offering support. Their bond pulsed with shared emotion: love, fear, determination.

Then magic swept Thorne away, racing toward a forest that might already be dying.

The spell deposited him at the Eldergrove's edge, where corruption's touch was immediately apparent. Trees that should have been vibrant with spring growth stood twisted and gray. Shadow creatures skittered through undergrowth, fleeing Thorne's presence but not far enough.

Briar found him moments later, having traveled through their own forest paths. “Hurts,” they whispered, pressing close to Thorne's neck. “Everything hurts.”

Thorne reached out with his senses, feeling the forest's pain like physical wounds. Sebastian's power had grown exponentially, feeding on fear and division. What had been subtle corruption now spread like aggressive cancer.

“We need to reach the Heart Grove,” Thorne decided. “Elder Willow first, then assess the full damage.”

They moved quickly through familiar paths made strange by shadow's touch. Creatures that once greeted Thorne with joy now watched with hollow eyes or fled entirely. The very air felt thick, resistant to their passage.

A corrupted dryad attacked near the Crystal Springs. Once beautiful, now she was all thorns and rage, screaming wordlessly as she lunged. Thorne caught her gently, pouring cleansing energy through their connection. She collapsed weeping, free but broken by what she'd become.

“There will be more,” Thorne warned. “Sebastian turns our own against us.”

They encountered proof repeatedly. Corrupted spirits, twisted animals, even the land itself sometimes rose in opposition. Each confrontation drained Thorne's reserves, but stopping to rest meant abandoning others to shadow's embrace.

Kai proved invaluable, his unique magic cutting through corruption like a blade. Briar coordinated with uncorrupted spirits, gathering intelligence and warning of ambushes. Together they carved a path toward the grove's heart.

Night fell before they reached their destination. In darkness, corruption grew bolder. Shadow creatures massed for coordinated assault, testing their defenses with increasing sophistication.

“They learn,” Briar observed, darting between attacks. “Adapting to our tactics.”

“Sebastian guides them,” Thorne replied. “His consciousness spreads through the corruption network.”

The final approach required fighting through densest shadow yet. Thorne drew deeply on his bond with Silas, feeling his mate's strength across the distance. Power blazed from his hands, burning away darkness to reveal the heart grove.

Elder Willow stood at center, her ancient form diminished but still powerful. Once radiant with inner light, now she flickered like a guttering candle. Other guardians surrounded her, channeling what energy remained to sustain her failing essence.

“Thorne,” her voice resonated with fading strength. “You return.”

“I'm sorry I left,” he knelt before her. “I thought... I thought I had more time.”

“Time flows strangely now,” she replied. “Sebastian's power disrupts natural order. Past and future blur.”

Thorne placed his hands on her shoulders, assessing the damage. Corruption had worked deep into her being, poisoning the very essence that made her a nexus of forest power. Healing would require more strength than he possessed alone.

“We need help,” he admitted. “The fey courts, other magical races. This threatens everyone.”

“Messages have been sent,” Elder Willow assured him. “Some answer. Others... others embrace the coming darkness.”

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