Starlight (Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Arik's back was to Ro. They were in a dark place and all she could see was him. She kept running towards him, but the closer she got the farther he seemed to be. She reached a hand out to him screaming and crying for him to turn around. He never moved. Never so much as glanced at her over his shoulder. Then all at once his disappeared. Ro sank to her knees and covered her face with her hands while she cried. She felt as if she had lost him.

"What will crying fix?"

That voice. Ro knew that voice better than her own. She looked up, "Grams?!"

Her grandmother stood before her in a field of wildflowers. Beautiful. Sunlight cascaded behind her and Ro could only make out her silhouette until she stepped closer. It was Grams. Her amazing gorgeous grandmother that she loved with all of her heart. Ro ran to her and threw her arms around her.

"Grams! Oh my God Grams!" Ro began to cry, "I missed you so much. I thought of you every single day. I never thought I would-"

"I never left you honey." Grams stroked her hair, "Why were you crying just now?"

Ro drew back from her grandmother and wiped away her tears, "Because I just lost a very dear friend. I couldn't make it to him."

"And where has he gone?"

Ro shook her head, "I don't know and I don't know where to find him."

"Now. Now." Grams soothed her, "You know the old saying if you love something let it go."

Ro shook her head again, "I can't let him go Grams."

"You let me go."

Ro's eyes became teary again, "I thought you were dead. I thought I would never see you again. I couldn't keep putting energy into lost hope. I had to keep strong. I had to-"

"I know." Grams stroked her head, "I know, Ro."

"Du lass mich auch gehen."

Ro turned her head sharply towards the sweet voice beside her, "No." Ro told Annika in German. "No I didn't let you go."

Annika reached for Ro's hand and held it tightly, "Please do not let Arik go."

Ro squeezed the little girl's hand, "I'll never let him go. And I will never let you go." Ro placed the little girl's hand over her heart. "You will always be right here next to Arik and Grams."

The world around Ro began to grow dark and the wind picked up. The flowers swayed in the breeze and they petals began to flood the air. The swirled around and thickened. Annika and Grams began to walk back into them.

"Stop! Where are you going?!" Ro shouted.

They did not answer, but instead disappeared in the petals. Ro ran into the thickness. The petals began to block out the sun and the field became dark. Ro couldn't see anymore. Everything was black. She felt alone and fearful. She began to reach in front of her for something to hold onto, but there was nothing there. Then suddenly a light appeared and Ro instantly ran towards it.

Ro woke up on the ground. She felt the dew on the blades of grass between her fingers. The sun was up and she knew by the light that it was early morning. She felt well rested like she had been asleep for hours. She heard the crunch of rocks beneath the feet of the two horses that stood beside her. She looked up and noticed that they had no riders. Then Ro heard voices. They were close. She lied still and listened.

"Take her and be gone from these lands." Ro recognized Shea's voice as she spoke in the Fairy language.

"You wish to simply hand over the healer? At what cost?" Ro knew that voice. She clutched unto the grass beneath her hands to keep herself from screaming as the Dragon spoke. "Surely you have some war tactic to go along with this exchange."