A Usurper's Cause (Book #4)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Henry gasped as he saw his surroundings blur with a golden light, covering the sights of the throne room and everyone within it. He heard Ivy's enraged shriek before everything abruptly went silent and he began to float. And though he couldn't see much, he could still feel Elouise holding onto him, reminding him that, despite his skin tingling and his face becoming numb, his body remained physical.

Then visions of green burst into view.

And the sky.

Clouds.

Dirt.

A ship.

Then he grunted as he was dropped onto tall grass. He heard Elouise land beside him and groan, but he stayed like that until he could convince himself this was real.

"Henry," Elouise breathed, shaking him. "Henry!"

He slowly lifted his head off the ground and faced her. She exhaled in relief and threw her arms around him again, pulling him closer.

"I can't believe it," she said. "It worked! Henry, I did it!"

His head felt cloudy and enormous, yet he managed a faint smile for her. "You teleported us both." Then his eyes widened. "Oh, Godwin... won't he come after us?"

"It is likely," Ashton said.

Henry and Elouise glanced up to find him standing nearby.

"However, he would have to know where you went," Ashton told him. "I don't think he could ever guess you came here." He raised his arm and pointed toward the ship currently docked.

"The docks." Henry furrowed his eyebrows. "Why are we here?"

"We are leaving," Elouise firmly stated.

"We are?"

Elouise got herself up from the grass and brushed down the front of her now dirt-stained gown. Henry quickly stood as well and watched her take a few steps toward the dock.

"It's not safe for us here right now," she said.

"El, what about... what about Fayre, Eldon, Ivy?" Henry slowly moved closer to her. "We cannot just leave them here."

"Fayre was let go. She will be just fine." Elouise turned to him and sighed. "Ivy... Ivy is not on our side anymore. Until we can figure out how to help her, she will only harm us."

"Elouise, I can't. She's my cousin—my family. I can't walk away from her."

"But Elouise is right, Henry," Ashton chimed in, sliding more into his view. "Ivy is not in her right mind right now."

"And... Eldon." Elouise looked down at her hands. And though she tried to disguise, Henry could practically hear the shattering of her heart. Nonetheless, she shook her head and faced him again with a hardened expression. "If I am going to save Aristol, I must prepare somewhere Godwin can't find me."

Henry eyed the direction of the capital and sharply inhaled. He couldn't quit imagining Ivy awakening to her normal self and realizing he'd left her there. What would she do, then? Would she fight back?

Soft fingers crept into his palm, and he flinched. Elouise gripped his hand, eagerly gazing up at him. And his heart thudded painfully.

"I would do anything to bring them with us, Henry," she said. "But Godwin is going to hold them against us. I would not risk their lives."

Henry blinked hard a few times and nodded. "I know... I know. I... Well, I always promised myself I would take care of Ivy and never let anything like this happen to her. And I failed."