The Forbidden Lands (Wattys 2015 Winner)

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One
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"Evelin, wake up," said a voice. I groggily opened my eyes. It was Lucia.

The Enchanters stood over me. The sky was blue again. "Is Wraith gone?"

Dianthe nodded. "You did it, Evie."

I smiled. But it faded away as I looked to my right. Liam's body lay there motionless. First Girec, then Coten, now this? My breaths started to quicken out of shock. "Liam," I gasped. I could feel the tears coming on.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Lucia said, twisting her hands together. I noticed a glint of determination in her eyes.

"He's dead!" I sobbed. I buried my head in my knees.

Lucia touched my shoulder gently. "He's in a trance. There is a way to save him, but it means someone must give up their energy and power."

I lifted my head and wiped away my tears. "I'll do it," I said, standing up.

"No," Lucia said. "You'd die. And Liam will not have anything to live for without you." She paused. "I will do it."

What if it failed? Then I would lose Lucia and Liam! "No, Lucia!" I cried. "I need you, too."

And kneeled down and gave me a hug. "And I need to be with Girec," she said. She pulled out a letter and sat it in my hands. "Here."

Then, I watched in horror, as she created a sphere of silver and let it go into Liam's heart. She smiled at me, and then her body faded away into silvery dust. She was with Girec now.

Liam coughed and opened his eyes. "Lucia?" he said.

I shook my head, and tears ran down my face. I looked at the silvery dust, expressionless. My mind felt numb.

Liam leaned forward and wiped away my tears. "You are much braver than I, Evelin."

And he kissed me. For the second time. His lips were soft and warm, not cold and lifeless, the way everything else seemed to be. It comforted me from my grief. Girec, Lucia, and Coten. Many bandits and villagers, too, have lost their lives.

I broke away quickly from the kiss, my face flushed. "What happened to Artair?"

Liam's expression hardened.

I slapped a hand to my forehead. "By the Fates, you don't have to be jealous. I would just like to know whether or not he is dead."

We found him lying on his stomach, with his head down. I felt for a pulse.

"He's alive," I announced.

Artair lifted his head. His face was different--more boyish and ordinary. "A-a-as my first declaration as k-king, I'd like to let it b-be known that I'm refusing the th-throne, and a council will be placed in its place. The races w-will be f-f-free." He looked up at me. "I'm s-s-sorry."

I smiled. "It wasn't you. It was Wraith. I saw. In your memories."

"No," Artair said. "It was p-p-partly my fault. You should-d throw m-m-me in the d-d-dungeon."

I didn't know what to do. "We'll see," I told him. He had us tie his wrists together.

"You can look at people's memories?" Liam said, in awe, as we walked away.

"For those twenty minutes I could, when I had the Enchanters' full power. Now I just have my own."

He stared at me intently. "And silver eyes."

I looked away. "They are much better than my plain brown ones," I admitted.

"I think you were beautiful. And you still are," he said, taking my hand.

I blushed and pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. "Not . . . beautiful. I look like a little kid."

"Not anymore. You've grown up. There is a firmer set to your face. A confidence of who you are."

That was exactly it. A confidence of who I was. Not the wild Fendway girl. No. I was the Enchanta of the Forbidden Lands.

I suddenly remembered the letter Lucia had given me before she'd sacrificed herself. I opened the envelope. Two letters lay inside. The first was from Lucia.

Dear Evelin,

Thank you for everything you've done. I hope my help in the battle was enough to replace my bad deeds of the past. You are like a sister to me, and I'm so glad I met you. I'm sorry for the responsibility I put upon you, making you Enchanta, but I believe I made a wise choice. You are brave, Evelin, and you are the savior of Krialle.

Love,
Lucia

It ended with a flourish of her name. I wiped away a tear. I hoped she and Girec could be together.

The next one surprised me. It was from Girec. I read it, and it made me cry my eyes out. How I missed my brother. It ended with an "I love you, Squirrel. From, Girec."

I handed it to Liam, for him to read. They had been best friends, after all. He smiled sadly at me. "You're brother was always right about me," he said.

I wrapped my arms around my knees. "What about you?"

"When we were younger," he said, "your brother thought you were the most annoying girl in Krialle. When I told him you weren't so bad, he teased me mercilessly for the rest of the day about my infatuation of his sister. He continued to do that for days. I hated it. Because . . . as I grew older, I noticed he was right. I was."

"Was what?" I said.

"Infatuated by you, Evelin Fendway."

I said nothing, though I imagine my cheeks turned more red than a rose. How is one supposed to respond to that?
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I considered writing out Girec's letter, but I wasn't sure what to make it say. I probably would've cried, anyway.

Dedicated to @leia009 because she guessed some of this stuff from the start.

Who has been your favorite character in this story?