Page 72 of Lost Heir
“You have nowhere to run!” Caelan said. “Do you think Keldara will welcome you with open arms? It’s a death sentence, Lyanna. Come with me. We can fix this.”
I reached for Ronan’s hand and gripped it tightly. “I know what you did!” I shouted angrily. “You killed Tessa!” I cried. “I can’t forgive you for that!”
Caelan scoffed. “You hardly knew her. AndIdidn’t kill her …hedid!” he yelled, pointing in Ronan’s direction. “If he hadn’t gotten in our way, no one would have gotten hurt!”
I felt as if he’d slapped me. It wasn’t only because of his words, which were unhinged, but because I finally realizedsomething was seriously wrong with Caelan. He was delusional. Morally deficient. A menace.
“Leila!” a male voice called out from behind us. Ronan and I looked over to see Mykal standing on the other side of Keldara’s border … with an army at his back. “Cross the border, Leila,” he said calmly as he narrowed his gaze on Caelan.
“Will Ronan be safe if we do?” I called out.
Mykal slowly nodded. “You have my word; I won’t let anything happen to either of you. Now cross the border.”
With Mykal's assurance echoing in my ears, I took a deep breath and felt the weight of the moment settle upon my shoulders.
“You can’t believe him!” Caelan shouted, dumbstruck. “It’s a trick! You’ll be his hostage the instant your feet touch their soil! Lyanna, please, come to me,” Caelan pleaded, reaching a leather-gloved hand to me from across the clearing.
This was it – the point of no return. I glanced at Ronan and saw the same resolve reflected in his eyes that had settled in my heart.
“There’s no turning back after this,” he said. “I’m ready to dive into the depths of the ocean with you. Are you?”
I nodded and we stepped forward together, crossing the invisible line that separated Valoria from Keldara.
The moment our feet touched Keldaran soil, the atmosphere shifted. It felt as if we had entered a different world, one where the possibilities were both terrifying and exhilarating. Behind us, Caelan stood frozen, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief.
Ronan's grip on my hand tightened as we approached Mykal and his army. Their presence was intimidating, yet there was a sense of order and discipline that reassured me.Mykal stepped forward, his gaze softening slightly as he regarded me.
“Welcome to Keldara, Princess Lyanna,” Mykal said, his voice carrying a hint of respect. “And you, Ronan of the Crimson Clan, are under my protection as well.”
I nodded, unable to find the words to express my gratitude. The tension that had built within me started to ease, replaced by cautious hope. Here in Keldara, with Mykal's word as our shield, Ronan might be able to get home safely, after all.
Caelan's voice, now distant and powerless, drifted to us on the wind. “You'll regret this, Lyanna!”
But his threats seemed empty now, overshadowed by the safety Keldara promised, or so we thought. Until the moment my childhood best friend reached over a fallen tree and dragged a small body across it roughly, throwing it out into the clearing. The frail boy was gagged, his wrists and ankles bound.
“Henry!” I shouted and started to run across the border, but Ronan stopped me.
Caelan smirked. “You see? I have something you both treasure. Now, unless you want to see this young boy killed, come to me, Lyanna.’’ He stalked over to Henry and removed the gag from his mouth. “Now tell her, Henry,” he goaded. “Tell her to come save you.”
My body trembled with unrestrained hatred. Never in my life had I ever wanted to kill someone until this moment.
Henry spit in Caelan’s face. “Never!” he shouted hoarsely, then turned to me and Ronan. “She’s safe, Miss Leila! I made sure no harm came to Miss Tessa’s body!”
I couldn’t stop the tears that streamed down my face. Even in the midst of his personal anguish, Henry didn’t care about his wellbeing; he was only concerned with makingsure I knew he’d done what I asked. I hated myself for putting that on him and not taking him with us. Now, my biggest fear had come to life. He was in danger …because of me.
Caelan reared back and kicked him in his stomach, which shut him up quickly.
“Caelan!” I roared across the clearing. “I swear if you or anybody hurts that little boy, I will rain hellfire upon all of Eldwain! To every single person here, I will bleed you dry until there’s nothing left but a dry carcass!” I memorized each mage’s face, trembling in fury with impotent rage at the knowledge that I’d already exhausted my powers to reach the border.
Caelan’s grin dimmed just a bit as he watched me stand rigidly, my hands fisted at my sides waiting, justwaitingfor one of them to move a single inch.
Ronan pulled me back against his chest. “Leila,” he whispered in my ear. “He won’t hurt him. Caelan is many things, but he wouldn’t hurt an innocent boy.”
“I don’t believe that,” I said raggedly. “Not anymore.”
Caelan grabbed the collar of Henry’s shirt and dragged him back to the tree line, tossing him to the mages who cowered in the forest.
“You think I fear you?” he called out, his voice full of derision. “Lyanna, I fearno one! Mark my words: If you do not return to Valoria, I will kill him.”
