Page 124 of Mirror of Malice
Driscoll gave me an odd look. “How much do you remember about what happened with your stepmother?”
“I remember lunging at her with that sword. The apple, taking a bite, and then...”
And then his voice. I remembered his voice, so strong and sure and comforting. I remembered him drawing me back from the darkness.
I shook my head. “That’s it,” I said, sure I would sound crazy if I revealed the rest. “What happened? How did I save you all? I was unconscious.”
My stomach gurgled, and I placed a hand to it.
“Maybe we should wait until you’re feeling a little better to dive into all that.” Driscoll waved his hand in the air. “You should rest now.”
My entire body ached, muscles fatigued like I’d spent the last three weeks running nonstop instead of here, in bed. “I can’t rest. My people need me. There’s so much to do, so much to figure out. I have ideas,” I said weakly.
Jillian once again pushed me back down, this time with a little more force. “And you can implement all those wonderful ideas when you’re better. Your people will wait for you. You saved them. You saved us all, Lil. There’s no rush, I promise. The earth court is in good hands right now.”
I grumbled but, despite my protests, felt my eyes growing heavy with sleep. Jillian started humming a familiar song, one that my mother used to hum to me, and I fell into a restful sleep.
It was his voice again.It was always his voice these days.
Come back.
Don’t leave me.
Fight.
I love you.
I jolted awake, and both Driscoll and Jillian straightened. Jillian still sat in her chair beside me, this time with some knitting, and Driscoll sat on the couch by the window, writing something in a journal.
“Hey.” Jillian grabbed my hand. “Are you hungry?”
I clutched my stomach, which still roiled, and shook my head. The apple had done a number on me.
“Well, you need to drink something.”
Driscoll lifted his head. “We’ve been forcing water down your throat, but it’ll be much easier now that you’re awake and can do it yourself.”
I rubbed my eyes. “How long was I asleep this time?”
“Just a day,” Jillian said. “The healer came by to check on you and said everything is looking good. You can be back on your feet soon, when you’re ready.”
“Good.” I swept the covers aside and stood on shaky legs. “I’m ready now.”
Jillian’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but I held up my hand.
“We can either do this the easy way or the hard way. If you want to fight me and further weaken me and possibly injure your queen, then that’s what we’ll do. Or you can help me get dressed and finally tell me what in the bloody earth happened.”
“She’s definitely back,” Driscoll muttered, swinging his legs over the side of the couch and closing his journal.
Jillian looked at me with a knowing smile. “She’s back, and she’s ready to be queen.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
We met with the council first, and I thanked them all for their service and also told them I hoped they planned on keeping their positions, because I was in need of a council. They’d stood in stunned silence as I dismissed them.
Now we rode to the border. I breathed in the fresh air, marveling at the little sprouts of green grass poking up through the dark soil. We’d have to come up with a plan for rebuilding, but I could just imagine the flowers, the trees, the plants that would once again fill the earth court.
The people of Mosswood Forest would be free to come and go as they pleased, no longer trapped inside, and in turn, my people would be able to use the forest and its resources. I’d have to talk to Penn about it, of course. He might have different feelings on the matter, but despite our past dealings, I was sure we could come to an understanding.
