Burning Key

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Her body landed with a low thud on the soft, green grass. Breath knocked from her lungs, Adeena stared up at the bright blue sky, knowing she was no longer in the Arloerin palace. Yet somehow, she could still feel Cleo's hand tight around hers, even though her fingers were gripping the ground below her.

Finally, Adeena was able to suck in a shaky breath and blink at the bright sunlight before closing her eyes. She knew she was in the in-between...but the laughter and music from the land of light and shadows was much closer than it had ever been before. Maybe being so close to taking that final step for a second time was what did it.

Forcing herself to focus and calm, she placed both hands on her chest and stomach to feel the rise and fall of each steady breath.

Until her name being called from a distance had her eyes opening in a flash before she bolted up in an upright position.

"Adeena!"

Ugh, not good. The quick motion had her head spinning.

"Adeena, what...how...?"

That voice. Gods above, she missed that voice...and her longing to hear it again had a sob breaking free from her chest.

"Shh, it's all right. I'm right here. You're all right."

And he was right there with her. She was all right.

Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her off the ground and up against his chest. Her own gripped him firmly as another sob broke free, her heart racing. She didn't want to let go of him, her hold tightening around his shoulders, but all she wanted to do then was look at his face. Look at it in semi-real life and not just in a history text or through the eyes of the few others she'd met and had known him.

Russet eyes blazed into hers as they pulled apart, that signature cocky smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"I never thought I'd see you again," Adeena whispered, hands reaching up to cradle his face between them.

Destan's smile stretched into one that nearly blinded her. "I promised I'd find my way back to you, didn't I? And I never break my promises...especially ones that I make to you."

"That's the only one you've made, you know."

"So far."

Adeena pulled back to give him a once over, trying her best to look everywhere but his face. He was still in the same clothes, except this time they were free of blood stains and gash from where the knife had pierced his chest. Dropping one hand from his face, her fingers danced along where the wound had been, feeling the unmarred skin beneath the fabric, the steady rhythm of his heart.

Destan reached up and took her hand, squeezing it gently.

"Your wound..." she began, looking back up at his face.

"It's gone," he nodded. "I guess that's what happens when you finally find yourself in the land of light and shadow. All the hurt you endured completely washes away and you become whole again. Well, almost whole. There was one thing I was missing...and I only just figured it out when I first stepped into the next world."

Adeena stared, knowing exactly what he was hinting at...and feeling the glittering threads reaching out between them, seeking one another before the first of them finally touched. The breath she let out then was one of comfort, the feeling drawing her closer to him as he leaned down to press his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry I was the reason you were trapped in the in-between."

Destan reached up, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "Adeena..."