Page 84 of Fallen Stars
He went to Elara, and to her utter surprise, he wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug.
“You did it,” he whispered to her, his cool charm washing over her like rain. “Thank gods you made it out alive.”
“Eli,” Elara trembled. “We need to talk. Something happened in there. My…”
“Powers?” Eli spoke into her mind. She pulled away from him. “Show me what happened,” he said, still in her mind as Merissa and Isra waited.
“Inside first,” Isra said coldly.
Eli looked at her reproachfully before producing a key with an inlaid snake. He waved his hand, likely undoing various protection charms upon the place before the slate grey door swung open, and they were all ushered inside.
“Ladies,” Eli said, “make yourselves at home. I need to speak with Elara before she dreamwalks again. Make sure Ariete hasn’t done anything to her mind.”
“We’re not leaving her,” Merissa said quietly.
Eli rolled his eyes. “If I wanted Elara dead, I would not have trained her. I’d have allowed her to walk through Ariete’s dreams blindly and remain trapped there. I…” he glanced at Elara before sighing, “I would never harm her.”
Merissa raised a brow. Isra’s eyes narrowed. “Fine,” she said, “but be quick. We’re running out of time.”
Eli pushed Elara into a room adjacent to the living room, a small library. The scent of books filled the air, and she instantly calmed as she stepped further into the cosy, candlelit space.
“Show me what happened, Elara, and what Ariete said to you. How did you get out with the tether and where are your shadows?”
Elara shook her head. She couldn’t talk about it right now, couldn’t utter words, so fearful that it might make it a reality.
“We don’t have time, Eli. Enzo first, then we can take care of me.”
Eli looked at her for a long time. “Fine. And you know how to wake Enzo?”
Elara nodded. “It’s simple. I need to dreamwalk to his soul and give him his tether back. He’ll be able to find the way back to his body then.”
Eli stood in front of her, raising his fingers to her temple as his eyes fluttered shut.
“What are you doing?”
“Like I told the others, I’m making sure you’re of sound mind before you give Enzo his tether.”
Eli’s cool magick enveloped her, but the mist from it seemed to curl around something in her mind—something blood-soaked and promise-filled. It snagged, and Elara opened her eyes.
“What did you do, Elara?” he growled. “What did you give him?”
Elara tensed. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You think me a fool?”
“You think me a failure?” Elara snapped back. “I overcame his obstacles the same way I did yours and snatched it from his hands.”
The lie tasted bitter on her tongue, but she couldn’t yet admit what she’d sacrificed.
“I’m in your damn head,” Eli hissed. “You don’t think I can recognise a blood oath? You don’t think you reek of his magick?”
“Eli—”
“You stupid girl,” he said, pushing away from her. “Of all the Stars in all of Celestia, you gave your blood tohim?”
“I had no choice,” Elara finally snarled. “You think I would do it willingly? That if there had been any other way, I would have chosen this?”
Eli made a disgusted sound, and Elara’s temper flared. “Don’t you dare judge me,” she spat. “Your quarrel with me can wait until later. Because I have a tether and a soulmate trapped in the dream realm on the brink of death. I need to dreamwalk to himnow.”