make sure the trees get back safely.”
“You heard the others,” Bran panted as they sprinted through the valley. “There’s no way to avoid it. You have to come back. The Green Court will disappear without you.”
“Cara will take care of everyone.”
They ran faster, hearing the giant nearby.
“Cara is what the Darksiders need. You are what the Green Court needs. You came back from the Fade twice for a reason. Do you think the gods would allow that if you weren’t supposed to be king?”
Sometimes, he wondered. And he didn’t want to stay. He wanted to get back, to see Cara and Drake and all of the people who had enriched his life since he first returned. He had changed because of them all, become a better man, and he just couldn’t give up now. Not when there was still so much to do. The thought of leaving either Cara or Drake at the hands of some of the remorseless fae back home made up his mind for him. He had to return.
They burst out of the valley and onto sand, immediately slowing down as their feet sank into soft sand. Brendan chanced a glance over his shoulder. The giant was behind them, thankfully. But it could still catch up. As he watched, the creature stopped running to find a rock to throw.
“Careful,” Brendan called out to Bran. “Watch out for the rocks!”
But the first rock was aimed at the ship they were gaining on. As the rock landed in the water with a huge splash, the crew began to pull up the anchor.
“Hurry!” Bran shouted, but Brendan wasn’t sure who he was talking to.
A second rock landed in the sand in front of them. They ducked around a pile of rocks and jumped into the ocean as one. Brendan swam against the current toward the ship. He could hear his soldiers on board urging him on, full of joy to see him. That was what he inspired. They dropped a floating buoy, and let it trail behind the ship as it sailed away.
Bran was slowing down. The next rock landed too close to him, shoving him underwater with the force of the impact. Without hesitation, Brendan dove under after him. Bran struggled to make it back to the surface, trying in vain to swim against the current. Brendan gripped his arm and pulled him up, determined not to leave anyone else behind. They broke through the surface, sucking in ragged breaths.
“I… can’t,” Bran gasped.
“You’re coming home,” Brendan said firmly, urging Bran on toward the buoy.
With Brendan’s help, they both made it, Brendan gripping Bran’s shirt as well as the buoy in case the boy slipped underwater again.
The soldiers above cheered and threw a rope ladder over the rails. Heavy with seawater, Brendan pushed Bran up first. He gripped the ladder himself then and began to rise when the final rock landed, sending a wall of water crashing against them, almost knocking them both back into the sea and causing some damage to the ship.
Brendan ignored it and kept climbing, finally clambering over the rails and landing on the deck. As the crew slapped him on the back, he only had eyes for one thing: a set of two dozen trees gathered neatly in front of him, cared for by the elder, Dafina . They had done it. They had taken the trees. All they had to do now was make it home.
Chapter Eight
Drake
All was lost. The soldiers hunting them would soon reach their floor. Drake steeled himself for the end. He had plenty of regrets.
A horn sounded in the distance. The scout, still by the window, peeked outside then frowned.
“What is it?” Drake asked. “More of them come to support Donella ?”
“I don’t… I don’t think so. I think it might be help for us .”
Drake exchanged a glance with Dymphna then rushed to the window. Two sets of troops were approaching the castle, briskly cantering parallel to each other. The smaller troop, made up of less than one hundred soldiers, carried a black flag at their lead. The second troop was larger, maybe triple the size, and carried a green flag.
“Help from both courts,” Drake
“You heard the others,” Bran panted as they sprinted through the valley. “There’s no way to avoid it. You have to come back. The Green Court will disappear without you.”
“Cara will take care of everyone.”
They ran faster, hearing the giant nearby.
“Cara is what the Darksiders need. You are what the Green Court needs. You came back from the Fade twice for a reason. Do you think the gods would allow that if you weren’t supposed to be king?”
Sometimes, he wondered. And he didn’t want to stay. He wanted to get back, to see Cara and Drake and all of the people who had enriched his life since he first returned. He had changed because of them all, become a better man, and he just couldn’t give up now. Not when there was still so much to do. The thought of leaving either Cara or Drake at the hands of some of the remorseless fae back home made up his mind for him. He had to return.
They burst out of the valley and onto sand, immediately slowing down as their feet sank into soft sand. Brendan chanced a glance over his shoulder. The giant was behind them, thankfully. But it could still catch up. As he watched, the creature stopped running to find a rock to throw.
“Careful,” Brendan called out to Bran. “Watch out for the rocks!”
But the first rock was aimed at the ship they were gaining on. As the rock landed in the water with a huge splash, the crew began to pull up the anchor.
“Hurry!” Bran shouted, but Brendan wasn’t sure who he was talking to.
A second rock landed in the sand in front of them. They ducked around a pile of rocks and jumped into the ocean as one. Brendan swam against the current toward the ship. He could hear his soldiers on board urging him on, full of joy to see him. That was what he inspired. They dropped a floating buoy, and let it trail behind the ship as it sailed away.
Bran was slowing down. The next rock landed too close to him, shoving him underwater with the force of the impact. Without hesitation, Brendan dove under after him. Bran struggled to make it back to the surface, trying in vain to swim against the current. Brendan gripped his arm and pulled him up, determined not to leave anyone else behind. They broke through the surface, sucking in ragged breaths.
“I… can’t,” Bran gasped.
“You’re coming home,” Brendan said firmly, urging Bran on toward the buoy.
With Brendan’s help, they both made it, Brendan gripping Bran’s shirt as well as the buoy in case the boy slipped underwater again.
The soldiers above cheered and threw a rope ladder over the rails. Heavy with seawater, Brendan pushed Bran up first. He gripped the ladder himself then and began to rise when the final rock landed, sending a wall of water crashing against them, almost knocking them both back into the sea and causing some damage to the ship.
Brendan ignored it and kept climbing, finally clambering over the rails and landing on the deck. As the crew slapped him on the back, he only had eyes for one thing: a set of two dozen trees gathered neatly in front of him, cared for by the elder, Dafina . They had done it. They had taken the trees. All they had to do now was make it home.
Chapter Eight
Drake
All was lost. The soldiers hunting them would soon reach their floor. Drake steeled himself for the end. He had plenty of regrets.
A horn sounded in the distance. The scout, still by the window, peeked outside then frowned.
“What is it?” Drake asked. “More of them come to support Donella ?”
“I don’t… I don’t think so. I think it might be help for us .”
Drake exchanged a glance with Dymphna then rushed to the window. Two sets of troops were approaching the castle, briskly cantering parallel to each other. The smaller troop, made up of less than one hundred soldiers, carried a black flag at their lead. The second troop was larger, maybe triple the size, and carried a green flag.
“Help from both courts,” Drake
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