I could feel Ava wavering, because she liked being a brat and having her way, but knew as well as I did how crucial this had become.Fine.I’ll behave, she agreed.
I turned back to my grandfather. “When can we see Takahashi and Hemlock?”
“They’re with the healers now,” he said. “You’ll be able to see them once they’re stable.”
We sat in the waiting room for over an hour, until a nurse came out to tell us Hemlock was awake. We decided Ava and I would go visit Hemlock first. Kallie and Marcus could visit Takahashi, because we didn’t want to crowd either of them.
I wheeled Ava into the room. Oberi flew off the back of the chair and landed on the bed beside Hemlock. I could feel her working her healing magic through the bond.
The healers did well,Oberi noted.She’s doing much better now.
“Ava, Charlie,” Hemlock said, sounding relieved. “It’s so good to see you.”
The way her voice sounded shocked me. Hemlock was such a strong person— so strict, no nonsense. She was a fae in every sense of the word, because she was tough and endured no matter what came her way.
But now… she didn’t sound that way anymore. She seemed fragile and weak. Her typically strong tone was so subdued.
I had the thought that even though Hemlock and Takahashi were here with us now, the Warden might’ve taken them from us anyway. They weren’t the same people anymore as a result of his torture, and I hated him for it.
Ava kept on the facade of everything being normal even though it wasn’t— because I couldn’t, and she knew it. “It’s good to see you, too, Professor.” Ava wheeled herself forward and planted herself at Hemlock’s bedside. “We had no idea where you’d gone all these months. We’ve been so worried.”
Hemlock gave a gasping cough. “It doesn’t matter what I’ve been through or where I’ve been. The important thing is that you’re safe, which is what Hiroto and I did our best to maintain.”
Ava and I shared unease across our bond. “You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve given in and saved yourself.”
Hemlock let out a harsh laugh. “There are far less important reasons for me to resist Doctor Taurus, the littlest of them beingthat I despise him. It was nothing to endure what he put us through in order to protect you all.”
“What did they do to you?” Ava whispered, and I heard her voice quiver. Like Takahashi, Hemlock must’ve looked terrible. I was happy not to see it; I wanted to pretend like they were as they always had been, not tormented by the worst of the world.
“Nothing I didn’t survive,” Hemlock replied, and she didn’t elaborate. I understood why— she didn’t want to burden us with what she’d been through, though I knew most of it from what Marcus had told me, and she didn’t want to relive it by recounting it now.
Hemlock shifted on the bed. “But you… Ava. A princess, and the Holy Mother to Elvish kind. I couldn’t be more proud. I heard you two are getting married again.”
“We are,” Ava gushed. “I absolutely can’t wait. We need you to be there— no, weneedyou to officiate the ceremony. You married us the first time, you should marry us again.”
“I love that idea, but we need an Elvish mystic to marry us, pidge,” I reminded her. My grandfather had made that partvery clearduring our wedding planning that we had to get married in the temple.
“So? We’ll make Hemlock a mystic, then,” Ava demanded. “She’s been studying the Elves for decades. She knows more about their religion, culture and lifestyle than anyone. She should be accepted by the Elves as one of their own and installed as a religious figure at the temple— that is, as long as she’s open to it.”
Hemlock gave a light laugh that seemed very pained. “A dream of mine, once considered foolish and out of reach. But an Elvish mystic… I never thought I’d get the chance. If it’s possible, I absolutely will take the rites and join their ranks as a mystic.”
“I’ll talk to the temple,” Ava said in excitement. “I’m sure they’ll induct you as a mystic as soon as possible, if only to please me.”
“It would be a great honor to be a part of the Elvish temple,” Hemlock said. She gave a tired sigh. “I will be happy to marry you once again. Hopefully I will be strong enough to perform the ceremony.”
“You will be,” Ava promised. “I’ll come in and heal you myself every day. We’ll even put the wedding off, if we have to.”
My grandfather wasnotgoing to be okay with that idea, but Hemlock wheezed again and said, “There will be no need. I will be strong enough to wed you when it is time. Go, now. I need rest, and neither of you should be worrying over a silly old woman like me.”
“Wewillworry over you. Very much, every day until you’re well again,” Ava insisted.
“Then I’m sure I’ll be well again very quickly, if only so you can be at peace,” Hemlock said.
We had to leave, because Hemlock sounded too tired to talk anymore. We left the room. We barely had time to close the door behind us before we ran right into Eddie.
“I’msovery sorry, my prince,” Eddie apologized profusely. “I heard what happened. I should’ve been there to protect you.”
“I ordered you not to be, Eddie. It wasn’t your fault,” I stated.
