Mia's POV
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Instead of waking up slowly, I feel as though I'm falling. When I hit the ground I bolt upright, and find myself in a hospital bed.
"Woah!" I hear a shout, and the blurry masses in front of me soon form the shapes of my friends- Elanil, Halion, and Flint. They all look in good condition- as good as you can be after a war, I guess. Elanil has bandages along her arms, Halion's arm is in a sling, and Flint has a few steri strips on a cut just above his brow.
"Oh my god!" I jump up, crashing into Elanil. Neither of us seem to care that we're hurt as we hug. But I make sure to keep my injured leg straight as I hug Flint and Halion, ignoring the painful tug at what must be stitches in my upper arm. My whole body is alight with happiness as I take in my friends, safe and whole. I eventually hiss and pull away as I feel the bruises on my face and ribs. Now that I focus on it, I feel bandages around my midsection under my robe. I knew I broke some ribs.
"What happened? Did we win? Are you okay? What about Knox? What day is it? His dad-"
"Slow down," El says, laughing. "Rothilion came with troops just in time. We got the Cin to surrender. Without their leaders none of them really knew what to do. So these past few days Rose has been getting our people in there to watch over Dae Taur and make sure nothing happens. A lot of the people actually hated living there, so they're happy with the change in leadership. The ones who weren't... Aren't here anymore. It's been three says since the war."
I nodded, understanding. "Knox?"
"He's alive," Flint replies, smiling. "You saved him. The Heartstone shattered, but you saved him."
Relief hits me so hard I wants to cry, but I force that feeling down for now.
"Shattered?" I ask. "But I thought- what happened to Earthe?" My mind is already spinning and I just woke up.
"Nothing happened. I guess whatever you did just got rid of it- so no one else can use it for its power."
I just shake my head, looking down at my hands. My hands-
I didn't notice that they were wrapped in bandages. I vaguely remember the stone burning my hands.
I look up at my friends, but none of them say anything. Throat tight with worry, I unwrap the bandages. My forehead crinkles as I stare at the burns on my hands. Both palms have red, angry spots dotting them, with scars already forming. It's not huge, not enough to change the way I use my hands, but enough to have me staring for a long minute. These scars will never go away. That was something I hadn't thought of before the war either.
My negative thoughts vanish, however, when I see the word 'forever' written in elvish, in my dad's handwriting, tattooed on the inside of my left wrist. So a scar and a tattoo is 'the price' for saving Knox? I smile to myself. My dad must've been the one giving out said price. My right arm, which took most of the heat, has the same healing burns on my palm, but also my arm. Tendrils of slightly raised scar tissue run up my arm, to my elbow, like lightning. Another smile escapes me as I take in the tattoo of a tree- the shape of my dad's star that I saw at the Solstice all those months ago- in the middle of my palm. The lightning-like scars running up my arm have turned into tattooed vines, beautiful and delicate, and extend from the tree. I hold my breath to keep from crying again.
If the only price I have to pay is a bit of my dad to carry with me anywhere, I'll gladly take it.
"I need to see Knox," I blurt out, trying to stand and walk away. I Huff in frustration as Halion gently pushes me back into bed.
"You have to stay here until the nurse checks you out," he instructs, a slightly guilty look on his face.
"I'll go get a nurse," El says quickly, hopping up and walking away.
The nurse brought me food, which I gobbled down as if I hadn't eaten in months, and while I ate I told my friends about my vision of my dad. They looked just as baffled as I felt living it.
"Ugh, you should've told him I'm a big fan!" Halion cries when I finish my story. That makes us all laugh- a laugh I'm grateful for after all the death and heartbreak we endured a few days ago.
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An hour later, after taking some pain medicine and having my wounds cleaned, the nurse let me go. El, Flint and Hal had all left by then, so I transported to the castle as fast as I could. Luckily the nurse didn't let me waltz around in a hospital gown. I chose a pair of loose fitting pants and a loose, long sleeved shirt with a small v-neck. Nothing tight, because that would definitely hurt.
The day is warmer than it's been in a while, and the sun warms my face as I finally make it to the castle, greeting the guards I've come to know by name.
"Welcome back," one of them says. I smile and thank him. Welcome home.
The foyer is bustling with activity when I enter. There are flowers hung on almost every surface you could imagine, and I watch two elves hoist a banner above the entrance to the throne room.
'Welcome home king Rothilion' it says. Another one, hung below it, reads 'Bhailewood victory!'
The doors to the throne room are open, and through them I see the royal family. Rose, looking stunning as ever, laughing at something Rothilion is saying. And there, under his father's arm, is Knox. Alive.
I repeat the words to myself, trying to forever banish the image of what happened at the battlefield. It almost doesn't feel real anymore, but I know the horror I felt will stay with me for some time.
Knox, a bright smile on his gorgeous face, turns and sees me. A laugh of pure relief escapes me as I sprint down the rug running the length of the room, ignoring my protesting leg, Knox meeting me halfway. We both stop within a centimeter of each other so we don't collide- that would hurt. A lot.
A heartbeat later our arms are wrapped around each other.
"Ribs," I wheeze as he hugs me.
"Sorry," he says through a joyful laugh, moving his hold on me. I let out a long breath, grinning. I can't get enough of his warmth, his smell. He feels like home. Knox buries his face in the crook of my neck, one hand resting gently on my back while the other runs through my hair.
"I-" I stutter, clearing my throat so I don't start crying yet again, "I thought you were dead- you were dead. Oh my god, I was so scared." The last sentence comes out a whisper against his neck.
It takes me a minute to realize we're both shaking- me in relief and joy, Knox because he's crying. I pull away and smile, wiping a tear from his cheek.
"I thought you were as good as dead too," he says, shaking his head and wiping his eyes. 'Thank you, Mia. You saved my life, I-"
"You don't have to thank me," I say quietly, staring into those amber eyes, colorful and bright again.
"You know my parents are definitely watching us right now," Knox whispers. I smile fondly up at him while his mouth turns up into a playful grin.
"I don't really care," I reply jokingly, biting my lip to keep from laughing. We both turn to them, who are smiling 'at each other.' AKA they're trying to look like they weren't watching. Knox and I walk side by side to his parents. Rose and Rothilion both give me a gentle hug. Rothilion holds onto my shoulders after the hug, shaking his head with a smile. His face has filled out, no longer gaunt and hopeless like the one I saw in the cells. He is dressed in gold and brown robes, with a subtle crown on his head. He truly looks like a king.
"Mia, thank you for your help," he says. "I do not think we would have won without you."
I nod, not really knowing what to say. Eventually I smile slightly and say "And we couldn't have done it without you."
Rothilion's smile broadens. I wave my hands around at the decor, the flowers glowing in the shifting sunlight coming through the windows.
"So, is there a party happening or something?"
"You bet there is," Rothilion says. "For me, of course. Only me." Rose jabs him playfully in the side as we all chuckle, and I feel a true sense of peace. It's a jolting feeling. To feel happiness without fear of the future, to know that it's all over.
After discussing the party a bit more Knox and I leave to get ready, arm in arm.
Our footsteps are soft as we ascend the stairs, and memories of my whole time here flash. So many memories in just a few months. And now that it's over, now that we've won the war, my 'mission,' so to speak, is over. My smile fades, even as I remember every happy memory of this place.
"Hey, Knox?" I start, trying to think of how to phrase it.
"Yeah?" He replies as we reach my door. His hands are warm against mine.
"I just- what happens now? The war is over, I did what I was supposed to come here to do. Where am I supposed to go? I have a life on Earth, but I have a life here too. I can't live in both."
Knox's neat brows furrow. "Why not?"
I shrug as I open my door, the familiar scent and sight of it washing over me like an ocean breeze in the middle of winter.
"I don't know... It's gonna take a while. To figure it out."
Knox steps closer to me, running his hands up and down my arms. "Take as long as you need, I'll be here. We have a long time, remember?"
I smile, love flooding my veins as he tilts my chin up and kisses me softly.
As Knox leaves to get ready in his own room, I stand there for a minute, staring at the room I spent months in. The room I love, untouched from the war. The last book I was reading still lies open on the chair by the fireplace. My phone is still on my bedside table, fully charged.
I nod to myself as I head to my wardrobe.
Everything will work out.
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Why am I actually so sad that it's almost over. I feel so attached to these characters wtf😭😭
One more chapter.