Chapter 28

28

K ade touched down, his scales glowing a shiny copper with hints of green on his tail and the tips of his wings.

"You're so beautiful." I said, ignoring Jabril for my mate.

His large reptilian eyes blinked once and I swear he smiled. His lid slid closed and he shifted back to his human form. He didn't get up.

"Kade!" I rushed to him, sliding onto my knees and rolling him to his back. I placed my hand to his mouth. Still breathing. He groaned. I exhaled and did my best not to burst into tears. We'd done it. Felt like I had the worst hangover of my life, but considering the two realms had overlapped and then snapped back like two rubber bands in opposite directions, I guess a hangover wasn't the worst outcome. We were alive. We'd made it.

Kade opened his eyes, squinted. The deep gold I loved so much was muted, but his expression was filled with love and our bond hummed between us, stronger than ever.

"So you really are an elf," he said at last. "Figures."

"Yeah, I really am." I ran my hand through his hair. "And you seem to be both a dragon and a wolf. I can still sense the two creatures inside you."

"Mmm. Don't think I'll be shifting to either for a while. Help me sit up. I feel like I was beaten with a rolling pin and left for roadkill."

"That's an oddly specific image."

He chuckled. "I suppose."

I helped him up and he held out his arms to me. I clambered onto his lap and wrapped him in my arms. "I thought I was going to lose you. Lose us."

His arms came around me. "No way. I'll always be there when you need me."

We held each other tightly until he pointed behind me. I turned to see Ali walking toward us with Rory in his arms. My stomach sank and went to rise, but in a blink Ali was next to us and lowering Rory to the ground.

"Is he . . . "

"No, sugar plum. He's sleeping. All the humans are fine. Even Matt. It's the weirdest thing. Almost like a mass fever dream."

"And Poppy?" I asked.

"She's quite handy with a dagger. I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley. And she's convinced her theory about mushroom spoors is the best one. She's—" he gone to point and froze.

"Ali?" I tapped him, but he didn't move. "Kade, what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. But do you hear that?"

"What?" And then I did. Stillness. Utter and complete. Except he and I.

And then the sound of hooves. Jabril stepped close. Only he wasn't human. His top half was, except for tiny nubs on top of his head, but his bottom half was that of a goat, stubby tail and all. He held a bottle of wine and his panpipes.

"Excellent work you two. This will be my finest film. The coup de grace."

"Film?" I asked.

"Absolutely. Is this the part where I add that no mortals were injured in the making of this film?" He sniggered. "But seriously, you did it. The end of a prophesy, and a new beginning for my world." He held up the wine bottle and took a big swig. "Or technically ‘our' world. Not that either of us is in a hurry to go back. I rather like this one. The mortals here know how to have fun."

"This is my world. And Kade's."

Jabril shrugged. "It's up to you, of course. In this one, you'll be movie stars, but in the other a prince and his dragon. Both have their appeal, I suppose."

The closest bushes rustled and both Kade and I tensed.

Jabril rolled his eyes. "Oh, come out, Georgie. You're putting them on edge."

Old George stepped from the foliage. One second he was a deer and the next something from a legend. Or nightmare. I gaped. He had a long face that resembled a deer skull and antlers, but he balanced on two legs though his arms were elongated and reminded me of giraffe. His trunk was almost emaciated, and his skin was a muddy brown. But his eyes were the same as Old George's had been in deer form.

"Are you a Wendigo?" It was the only creature even slightly like him I could imagine.

"Hardly, young princeling." He stepped forward and bowed. "Wendigos eat people. I find human meat—or meat of any kind—unpalatable. I am a Vendigo, a much more refined creature than my carnivorous cousin."

"I've never heard of a Vendigo." Kade's eyes narrowed.

"Of course not, dragon. Humans only pay attention to the dangerous or the pretty. I am neither, so I warrant no mention in any tomes."

He sounded put out about this.

"You could always eat a mortal or two." Jabril grinned.

"Oh, Jisi'abril, you're so trying. Of all the creatures who I had to be partnered with, why did it have to be a satyr?"

"Because you needed to lighten up."

"And you need to sober up. I thought you were bad in our world. Here you're insufferable."

"Well, Georgie, you won't have to worry about me any longer. I'm staying put. I've got a movie to finish and adventures to be had."

"This poor world. They don't know what they're in for."

These two bickered like an old married couple.

I cleared my throat. "Sorry to interrupt—"

"Oh, no, Your Highness, you could never interrupt." Georgie grinned and not gonna lie, it was a little creepy.

"Right. So, can you explain why we seem to be the only ones moving?" I pointed to Alistair. "Everyone else seems to be frozen."

"Yes, indeed. Frozen in time." Georgie nodded like this should be obvious. Only it wasn't.

"I think what Teremie's trying to ask is why is everyone frozen?" Kade said.

"Oh! That. Yes. Pardon me, Your Highness. I misunderstood. I stopped time, of course."

"You stopped it?" I rubbed my forehead. "Can you unstop it?"

"I believe you mean ‘restart' it. Correct?"

I took a deep breath. I think I preferred Old George as a deer.

Jabril cackled. "Yeah, he can start it again. Now you see what I had to put up with for three hundred years. And humans wonder why I drink."

I was about to take a drink if they didn't get to the point. "Is there a specific reason you stopped time, and if so, what is it?"

"Oh! Yes, I see." Georgie waved his hand and a tiny glowing tear appeared, then grew and grew, until it was big enough for Kade to go through. "I didn't want the mortals to see the juncture and as it's almost closed I wasn't sure whether you'd be ready to return home or needed a few minutes to gather your things."

"We are home," Kade crossed his arms. "We're not going anywhere."

"Mmm, technically, no. Well, I mean, I suppose you were, but when you accepted the prince's call you became a creature of both worlds. But he," Georgie pointed at me, "is definitely not of this world."

"We may have to agree to disagree on that one." Kade wrapped and arm around me like they might try to steal me away.

"Told you they wouldn't want to go," Jabril said. "Just because they saved the world, doesn't mean they want to live in it. Teremie and Kade have lived here all their lives."

"But in our world he's a prince, and would soon be made a king. What would he find so interesting about this one that he'd care to stay?"

"You're beginning to sound an awful lot like my ex-boyfriend. Your dreams are not mine. I don't want to rule or be a king."

"Told ya." Jabril put his panpipe to his mouth and played a ditty.

"Fine. You were correct. For once." Georgie sniffed.

"Ha! I can already smell all the drink your gold will buy me." Jabril held his bottle aloft. "To Hollywood!"

"He can't go to Hollywood." Georgie sounded scandalized. "He shed blood here. The Earth knows him now. He'll have to stay and look after all the fae who have chosen to stay. As the highest ranking creature, he'll be required to protect the juncture between worlds."

"Wait, what does that mean?" I asked.

"I think it obvious, young prince. Either you come home or you stay and protect the place between our worlds. Your choice."

"And if I decide to go to Hollywood, anyway?" Not that I had any love of Hollywood.

"'Give it a try." He shrugged like he didn't care much one way or the other.

That's how I knew I'd never be able to leave. And oddly enough, I wasn't angry. I was . . . relieved.

"Can Kade leave?" He was the one who wanted to be the A-lister. I'd feel awful if I crushed his dream.

"Of course. But you have to know he'll have to come back. A dragon doesn't leave their mate for very long." Georgie waved at the orb. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me? There's a whole world you haven't yet explored—"

"Thanks, but no." I looked to Kade for confirmation. He nodded.

"Very well. But understand that one day you will be called on again. Our world needs you."

"Yeah? Well, maybe this one does, too."

Kade grinned. "We have plans to take it over. In our own way."

Georgie sent out a high pitched cry and several forest creatures rushed toward the opening and darted through.

"Until we meet again, Your Highness." Georgie put one foot through.

"Hey, what about me?" Jabril said. "Don't you have anything to say?"

"Good riddance."

And with that Georgie was gone. The hole between worlds closed and time resumed.

Ali looked totally confused to see Kade and I standing in a different location than he remembered.

I threw myself into my mate's arms. I was home.