Page 21 of Troll Charming

“We have decided,” Dartor finally says. “You speak reason. Both of you. Perhaps it is time for us to reconsider some of our old ways.” Hope rises in my chest. “You say she is your mate?”

“Yes. I know it! I feel it!”

“Very well, then you must find her and claim her as such according to the old ways. If you do this, you will both be free to live as all the magical and mythical of our village, given all rights and freedoms.”

I wait to hear the rest.

“And considering the information provided by Tabitha, we have decided that in this case, and in this case alone, a deep memory wipe may be sufficient for this human should she choosenotto be your mate. This is only because of the circumstances with the spellwork and your testimony in this matter, Tabitha.”

Thank the Gods. At least she won’t have to die. But still, if I lose her,I fearImay die.

“Go,” Tabitha says. “Find your mate, before she is gone forever.”

After a quick bow and thank you, I am speeding toward the exit.

I must find her.

I thank the Gods we were given this chance.

CHAPTER 11

The tears streaming down my face blur my vision as I attempt to put one foot in front of the other.I can barely walk straight anymore. I don’t know where I am going. This forest is so big, but I’ve seen the same tree five times. I will never get home at this rate—I will die here. But probably better I die out here than at the hands of an executioner. An image of the minotaur I saw flashes through my mind.

A twig snaps behind me. I turn too quickly, and before I know it, I fall on the ground, and my ankle is killing me. I think I twisted it. Giving up, I sink into the bed of leaves covering the ground underneath me. I cannot go on right now—this is too much. I’ve lost the love of my life. No, I’ve lost everything. Even if I somehow find my way out of these woods, what do I have to go back to? My five so called friends who ditched me? My annoying ex who can’t seem to get it through his head that I am moving on?

“Alex!” I faintly hear my name off in the distance.I must be delirious. I need water, and my stomach growls.

God, I am tired of being tired and delirious.

“Alex!” The voice comes closer.

“Red?” I call out weakly to my dream. “Red?” But what is he doing here? I want to call out to him louder, but is he here to kill me now? Like he told Tabitha? Or maybe it’s a wild animal, and it wants to kill me. Whatever it is, I hear it running towards me.

“Whatever you are, just kill me quickly!” I blurt out.

“Alex! Thank God I found you. What are you talking about? No one is going to kill you!” I blink my eyes, looking up at my green-skinned lover. He lifts me into his arms. “Alex, I thought I lost you forever!”

“But what you were saying to Tabitha… the elders of the council…”

“Don’t worry about that anymore. Let’s just take any killing off the table, shall we?”

“That would probably help me to relax a little, yes.”

Red laughs his big troll laugh, and I feel that familiar calm warmth roll over me again.

“You came for me?” I bury my head in his chest, overwhelmed with his spicy scent filling my nostrils.

“Of course I came for you.” He holds me closer to him. “I want you to know I just want to be with you. I understand, perhaps, why you wanted to leave. I can’t ask you to give up your whole life and everything you have known for me. That is too selfish of me.”

I feel disappointment in my throat. Does he not want me to live in our little mini-Disney village? I am confused.

“But you want me, right? You want to be with me?”

“Of course I do! I just don’t want you to feel you are a prisoner in my town. Look, if we are clever, I think I could come live in your world. I don’t fully know why you wanted to leave, but I don’t want you to ever feel you need to run from me again!”

“But I thought the elders were going to make you kill me!”

“Oh, forget about that. Didn’t I say that’s off the table?”

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