Behind My Shadow - Book Three

70. Dreaming Dreams With Happy Endings

Vyndren summons his Talent and puts his hands against the chamber surrounding Mom. Much to my relief and amazement, the crystal-like bubble around her slowly begins to recede. We keep inching closer to her as Vyndren manages to contain the Mind Chamber till now the purple light melts back into Mom's chest.

She suddenly stops levitating and slumps forward.

Vyndren catches her before she can fall and gently lifts her, carrying her over to one of the hospital beds. "Take it easy, Mira," he carefully lays her down.

"Mom?" I anxiously clutch her hand; the feeling of her soft hand instantly brings tears to my eyes. "Mom?" She's still asleep, still trapped in a coma. I desperately look to Vyndren.

"I'll try," he says softly and now takes Mom's other hand, summoning his Healing Talent again.

Mom's brow furrows and her grip on my hand tightens to a squeeze.

"Mom? Mom, can you hear me?" I anxiously call, clutching her hand with both of mine. "Mom?"

"She can't hear you...but she can hear me," Vyndren briefly glances at me. "She won't wake up for me though. Tell me somethin' only the two of you would know, that way she'll be convinced you're really right here with me."

"Oh, umm...?" I frantically try to think of something. "Oh! Tell her that when I was five and was really self-conscious about wearing glasses she drew a pair of glasses on her face with paint and it lasted for days and made me laugh every time I looked at her! Tell her that!"

Vyndren smiles with amusement and shakes his head. "That's pretty adorable." I blush with pleasure and wait eagerly as he relays the message. Mom's grip tightens on my hand and now her eyelashes start to flutter. "She's wakin' up," Vyndren sounds as surprised and relieved as I feel. He releases her hand and takes a step back as she groggily comes to.

"Adara...?"

"Mom!" I burst into tears as I fling myself at her. "Mama! You're alright!" I sob as I hug her fiercely.

"Honey!" She laughs with relief and shakily strokes my hair. "Oh, honey, you're alright!" She pulls away to desperately look me over with tears of relief sparkling in her pale wisteria-colored eyes. "Adara, you're not wearing your glasses!" She wobblily laughs and shakes her head as she caresses my face with both hands.

"I know!" I laugh too, tears still run down my face. "Mom, I missed you!" I crash into her again. "I love you so much!"

"Aw, honey, I love you! God, I'm so relieved you're alright!" She squeezes me tighter.

"I...I have so much to tell you," I shakily pull away a bit. "First, I-I wanna introduce you to who saved you," I gesture at Vyndren.

Mom's eyes widen as she looks at him "I know you... You look remarkably well for someone who's supposed to be cursed." She holds me a little tighter.

"Ain't cursed no more," he absently runs a hand through his hair.

"Huh..." Mom looks him over again, now glances at me before staring at Vyndren again. "Thanks, Healer," she finally says.

"Anythin' for Adara," he replies softly.

A moment later the card soldiers file back into the Infirmary to check on me. Mom and I both cringe as they slap a new pair of cuffs on Vyndren and tether more chains to his irons to lead him away.

"Wait!" I hop off the bed before they can escort him out. "Vyndren..." I hesitate as I glance at all the soldiers in the room. I swallow hard before I softly say, "Your Highness," it feels wrong to call him the Blood Prince anymore but I'd rather no one speculate about us anymore than they already do. "Thank you," I whisper heartfeltly.

Vyndren hesitates as he looks around, picking up on my nervousness. Now he bows his head. "My Alice."

My heart breaks as I watch the soldiers lead my Dark Rider away in chains. I won't let them hurt you again, Chief, I silent vow. I won't let the Court hurt you ever again...

"Honey?" Mom stands beside me. I smile with amazement as I hug her again, but inside my heart is still breaking. I just lost my dad, and in some truly haunting way, it feels like I've lost Vyndren somehow. But I have my mom back, I keep telling myself. Mom's back. "Are you alright, hun?"

I smile shakily but nevertheless I shake my head. "Oh, Mom..." I fiercely embrace her and hide my face in her shoulder.

"It's gonna be alright, honey, you'll see," she promises, gently stroking my hair. "It's all gonna be alright. You've done amazing things already, Adara. Or should I say My Alice?" She grins as she pulls away slightly to meet my gaze. "Huh? You're Alice now!" She looks me over proudly.

"I still can't believe it," I wobblily brush my tears away.

"You're Bloodmarked now, hun!" She laughs with awe as she spins me around to look at my back tat. "That's...terrifying." She says after a beat.

"I said I have so much to tell you!" I laugh as I face her again. "Mom, I can't believe we're really here," I say as we face the windows. The sun is rising now and washes all of Pleasance Island in an aureate glaze. "We're in Raetri."

"Yeah..." Mom breathes with disbelief. "I can't believe it either." She looks me over with amazement again. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you, Adara. You've...you've really opened up and have become the truest version of yourself."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course I really do!" She hugs me tighter. "I love you. I loved you when you were just a little kid with glasses making villages out of popsicle sticks and I love you just as much now that you're a Jabberwocky slaying Alice on top of the world. You've always been historical in my book, honey."

"Thank you," I close my eyes to keep my tears at bay as I hold onto Mom tighter. I've truly missed her unwavering confidence and faith in me. She's right, I've finally found the truest version of myself here in Raetri. I've fought monsters and won battles I thought were impossible, I've avenged Adarina at long last, I've met my wonderful father, I've made incredibly loyal friends, I've fallen in love...

I'm more myself now than I've ever been. I'm whole, I'm complete, I'm still as imperfect as hell but I'm finally comfortable in my own skin and am surrounded by the people I love the most.

I realize that once I've stopped searching for everything, I found myself, and a whole world of wonderland. And it was all right here all along, waiting for me to find just behind my shadow...

♣ ♦ ♥ ♠...THE JOURNEY CONTINUES...♣ ♦ ♥ ♠