“No! We must rest now!” Vanessa replied as she pulled her horse's reins to stop.
The horse protested at the sudden pull. Morgana slowed in front of her and then April, leaving me in front a few paces.
Sighing with anger, I slowed my horse and turned back towards them. Vanessa was already off her horse and heaving the
contents of her stomach back up.
“Nicholas, if we do not stop for some respite we will be no use for you,” April said gently as she rubbed Vanessa’s back.
We’d not stopped for two days, riding solid throughout the day and night. Only stopping to relieve ourselves. We had to get
back to Ornella as fast as we could. She needed me. I needed her to live. To be beside me.
“Fine. Ten minutes.”
Dismounting my horse, I headed towards the waves as the sun rose above the horizon. Breathing in the fresh salty air, I ran
my fingers through my dishevelled hair. Failing to calm my anxiousness. I couldn’t be like this when I got her back. She needed
me to be strong, calm, and level headed. I needed to centre myself and be the Fae Ornella knew and trusted.
“We will get her back, Nic,” Morgana murmured softly, standing beside me.
“We may not make it back in time,” I muttered.
“You know as well as I do, no one will stand a chance against the four of us. Ornella will be in your arms this time
tomorrow. I promise you.”
She patted my forearm gently before turning to face our sisters.
“Vanessa just needs a few minutes to drink some water and she will be fine in no time.”
“What about you?” I asked, out of concern.
I knew they were all pushing themselves. None of them were used to using their magic to this extent. Vanessa kept us
covered by weather, hiding our very beings. Morgana continued to use her magic to track Ornella. April kept scouting ahead,
taking down any enemy soldier she found with mind control.
“Do we know how they got through the barrier?” April asked as she and Vanessa joined us.
“I have some ideas. Nora being one of the main reasons. Ourselves and Nora were the only ones who could pass through
without being harmed. Perhaps she found a way to use her blood and create a spell,” I replied, sitting down, letting my legs
rest.
“But that doesn’t explain how the others could come through. And what of Ornella? Surely she wouldn’t have been able to
cross back and forth?” Vanessa asked, handing me her bottle of water.
I contemplated for the last few days if I should tell them what I suspected Ornella’s blood could do. It obviously could
open the portal. What if it could also do other things, such as walk through the barrier or any spell created by my family's
blood?
