Deadlands (The Healer Series, #2) (21 page)

“
Who says you’re the one who is supposed to defeat her?” Willow asked. “There’s something here we’re missing. I just know it.”

Declan nodded. “There was a prophesy long ago that I believe is about us, about this time of evil.
We’re living it now. We have got to find that prophesy and the item Carmela spoke to me about.” 

“What is it?” Elirana furrowed her eyebrows at them.
She had heard every word he said even though Declan tried to soften his voice so he wouldn’t be heard. Declan turned his head to look at her incredulously. “What is in my realm that you seek?”

“That’s not your concern, Elirana,” Declan said
, obviously a clear indication that he did not want Elirana to know. Willow’s curiosity spiked. So Declan didn’t really trust the Elf? Willow watched as Elirana narrowed her teal eyes at him threateningly.

“If this matter regards my people, then you
will
tell me what it is.”

“Well…it doesn’t regard your people, so you don’
t have to worry about it.”

“Do you think I would let you in my realm knowing this information?
That you could possibly put my people at risk? If there is something there that you need, and you take if from us, is that not stealing from my people?”

“Eli, baby,” Chase cut in. “How will we get out of the Deadlands if not through your r
ealm? Go back out there and die? Huh! I don’t think so.”

Elirana whipped around to glare at Chase. She was pissed. “Don’t Eli baby me, Chase Hawthorne! I am not your baby! I may have been once, but that was the biggest mistake I have ever made
and I do not plan to make it again! I do not belong to you! I belong with my people!”

“What is your problem?” Chase fought back. “Why can’t you see that I’m sorry? I’m sorry for everything, okay! You have no idea the burden I carry from leaving you in that palace! You have no idea how sorry I am for all the battles that broke out between our races! But I was not the only one involved and you can’t keep holding that against me, Eli!”

“One million apologies do not make me forget what you did to me! To my family!” Chase stood back shocked, his eyes going wide at her accusation.

“What? What did he do to your family?” Willow implored, unable to help herself.
What did she mean about her family? Chase and Elirana fell in love during the Wolfsbane sieges, but that had nothing to do with her immediate family, right? Besides, Elirana didn’t tell her family about Chase until
after
it was over, not during.

“Tell them, Chase! Tell them what you did!” Elirana s
creamed at him, her eyes blurring with unshed tears. She was going to burst any moment. Elirana was always so strong, but before her now, Elirana’s composure was rapidly disintegrating.

Chase looked at Declan and Willow, and what she saw in his eyes
took her breath away. Tears…actual tears were in Chase’s eyes. His big, beautiful blue eyes were full of remorse and unending grief. He looked like a man in agonizing pain and suffering. He looked helpless, alone, and completely defeated.

“TELL THEM CHASE!”
Elirana cried out. Her tears were fully streaming down her face now. Willow didn’t know what to do. What was going on? She was not expecting this sudden outburst to occur. The tension around the room reached to a whole new level. She gripped Declan’s hand, waiting for Chase’s confession. And the words that finally came out of his mouth stunned her.

“I KILLED HER BROTHERS!” Chase admitted with a cry an
d slunk to the ground hanging his head as he sat on his knees. The burden weighed on him so heavily that he couldn’t stand. It was like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders as he trembled and shook on the ground. Chase was crying in front of them showing the ultimate vulnerability. They were stuck in limbo until Elirana allowed them to pass through the portal, and there was no way Willow was going back out into the Deadlands, but the confession Chase just declared made the unprecedented situation turn from bad to worse.

“Does any of this make sense to you?” Declan pulled her as far away from Chase and Elirana as he could. His body blocked out most of their forms, but she could still hear Chase crying and it did nothing to calm her worry, until Declan took her face in his hands.

“I didn’t know that,” Willow whispered and looked away from Declan’s eyes. “
But now I know.”

“Know what?”

Willow had finally understood. She had finally put the empty pieces of their story together, and it was more involved than either Elirana or Chase had let on. Speaking almost to herself, she said, “Why Elirana wanted to erase her memories of Chase. Not only were they in love once, and shouldn’t have been, but Chase had killed a part of her family during the Wolfsbane sieges and left her to grieve and suffer alone.”

“That doesn’t sound like the Chase we know,” Declan furrowed his eyebrows. “You saw how he pursued you in the Everwild. Even now he still thinks he can have you, the stupid half-wit. But…if he was in love with Elirana as you say, there’s no way he would’ve left her alone, unless she had hurt him back
just as much. Trust me, baby, in a guy’s point of view, if we’re madly, truly, and deeply in love with a woman, there’s a good reason why he left her alone.”

“But I hurt you, Dec,” Willow argued. “And you never gave up on me.”

Declan smirked. “Honestly, baby, I didn’t have time.” Willow’s mouth opened to protest but he spoke before she could say anything. He continued, “Let me explain. You broke up with me and in the same night came back for me, explaining everything. The only good reason you gave me was that you were trying to protect me. You never said you didn’t love me anymore. I knew then that you still did. In the back of my mind, no matter how angry I was at being forced to the Academy, something didn’t settle with me for leaving you with my father and Bane. I wasn’t going to give you up. We confessed our love to each other and that’s something you can’t forget. Ten thousand hordes can never take me from your side. I’ll fight for you forever, Willow.” Willow’s bottom lip trembled at Declan’s declaration of love and Declan slowly ran his thumb over it. Whispering quietly, he said, “If Chase feels for Elirana the way I feel about you, then it’s not over.”

He closed the distance between them and kissed her deeply, covering his plush lips all over hers in a tan
talizing way. He was showing, not telling her how much he loved her. How Declan can bring her from an all-time low to a high in a matter of seconds just proved how amazing he was. She couldn’t do anything but feel him, and all her thoughts turned on him. Somehow, she thought that was probably his goal right now, since he could sense her anxiety.  

“I love your lips,” Declan said pulling back slight
ly before taking her lips again, “…I’m obsessed with them,” he said and deepened the kiss. Willow gave into him and opened her mouth to allow him full access to do whatever he wanted to her mouth. She ran her hands up his back, now smooth from her healing and she remembered the brutal beating he received and cringed.

“What is it?” he asked sensing her distress.

“Declan,” Willow whispered his name, “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

“For what?” he asked
hazily under heavy lids. He looked like he just received a high from her kiss as well. It was good to know he was just as affected by her as she was by him. 

“For what you went through at the castle,” she said
and a couple tears fell down her cheeks, but Declan wiped them away instantly and kissed her again.

“It’s a good thing my girlfriend has awesome healing powers. I know you didn’t want to see my amazing body all mangled with scars. I’
m good as new, so there’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“I’m serious, Dec,” she said and pulled away slightly.

“So am I. Look, I know we didn’t plan to get captured and tortured, but honestly, it helped me control my powers. When I let everything go, I could’ve hurt you too. I was so angry, Willow…so incredibly angry about what was going on around me. But in that moment, I knew you. I recognized you through the darkness that took over me. I knew you were in more trouble than I was being held by that Vampire scum and I was able to save you. The pain I endured only lasted a short while before I had your hands all over me.”

Willow smiled.
Declan was so good with words sometimes. “Oh, so you like my hands all over you?” She put her hands behind his neck and squeezed.

Declan smiled. “You know it baby.”

In the time they had been talking, Chase’s cries had dissipated. Willow glanced over Declan’s shoulder to see that Chase was sitting with his hands on his knees and was looking over at them. His eyes were red and blotchy but he otherwise looked okay. Elirana had calmed down as well, her face was guarded again and still as a stone. They were both so strong, capable of hiding their emotions so well. The tension in the air was still very palpable and Willow decided to address Chase first. She had mixed feelings about Elirana, and right now, she didn’t know if Elirana was truly on her side or not. Talk about her being stubborn! Elirana was the epitome of it! Chase was definitely her friend, so she had to make sure he was okay before anything else happened.

“Chase…are you alright?”

“You know what?” he asked and stood to his feet lithely. “Maybe it would be good for me to visit the Elven realm. Perhaps I can get an Elder to erase my memories, too. Doesn’t sound so bad, really….”

“Chase…”

“Don’t worry about me, Healer baby,” he said approaching her, “I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound like it…” she grumbled.

“Well, Warlock, what is your decision?” the cold voice of Elirana spoke up. “Are you going to tell me what my people supposedly have that you are seeking or not?”

Declan sighed and pushed his bangs out of his face. “Look, Elirana. You have helped us tremendously through the Deadlands and without you, we would never have gotten out alive, so I thank you.” Elirana’s eyes widened once and then continued t
o wait. “I need to ask you, do the Historians of your people keep an accurate log of prophesies, regardless of what race they are?”

“Are you asking me
if a prophesy of the Witch race would end up in our realm?” Elirana caught on quickly. Declan nodded his response. To Willow’s surprise, Elirana answered her. “We do. Our library called Malak Select is vast and filled with ancient scrolls and prophesies.”

“Of different races?” Declan inquired.

“Of different races,” Elirana nodded. “Although, many of the lesser beings do not have such profound speakings about them, so they will not be there.”

“Well, this is definitely a profound speaking,” Declan said. “We have to find the prophesy of the Healer. Carmela hinted to me that
it would be found in the Elven realm, along with…” he paused.

“Along with what, Warlock?
” Elirana turned angry. “There is still something you are withholding from me. You seek not only the prophesy. You said you needed an item. Words on a scroll hardly count as that!”

“You have trusted us on this journey so far, Elirana,” Declan urged. “Why would doubt us now?”

Elirana’s eyes shot to Chase. “I have many reasons to doubt those of other magical races.”

“As do I,” Chase narrowed his blue eyes at Elirana. “Especially
Elves. They like to take things, important things, from other races and hide it in their realm. I’d even bet that they stole the Healer’s prophesy from the Witches, who
rightfully
own it.”

“You have a lot of nerve, Werewolf,” Elirana said. “Are you so willing to come to my realm to find out what awaits you?”

“ElIRANA!” Chase screamed at her, his cool resolve vanished. Only Elirana could invoke that reaction in him. Chase had totally cracked. “Do I really care what happens to me, now? No! This is beyond you! This is beyond your people! Look around! The Dark Witches are rising against everyone to declare war on every race, including your own! You can either help us or not, but either way, if we have to find something that will end the evil of this world, then we’re going to your realm whether you like it or not. Stop being so selfish and help us!”

Elirana took a step back, apparently shocked to be yelled at like that
, especially when Chase’s deep voice sounded booming in the smallness of the mountain. Elirana recuperated quickly and yelled back. “I’m just trying to do what’s right!”

“So are we!” Chase threw his hands in the air.
“Please open the portal to us.”

“Elirana, as son of the Head Warlock of the Emerald Circle, I promise you, we will not betray your people if you let us into your realm,” Declan said grabbing Willow’s hand and approaching her. “In order to figure things out, we need that prophesy. I believe all the answers will come to us after that. You just have to have a little faith.”

Elirana stood silently contemplating Declan’s words. Willow felt it was her responsibility to speak up and try to persuade her as well. “Elirana,” she took the golden key around her neck and held it higher. “The key to freeing my sisters is right here. They are
my
family. They are my home. I know you love your family and would do anything to save them if you had to. My sisters mean everything to me.” Tears started to form in her eyes at the mention of her sisters. “And they need my help. If I don’t try…if we don’t try to save them, then all is lost. The world will fall into darkness. Please, Elirana, please understand the magnitude of this. Please help us.”

Elirana
let out a sigh and hung her head. When she looked up, she nodded her head. “Then let us go through the portal. I must warn everyone here. My people think my memories are still fading. My father brought me to Carmela’s and I was taken from him. If I show up there with you, they may regard you as a threat. Actually, I’m sure they will think that and try to detain you if we’re caught. I do not have authority to overrule the laws of my people if this happens.” 

“I thought you said you have influence in the courts,” Willow spoke up.

“They respect me, yes, and the Princess and I are great friends, but it’s not like I’m the Princess herself,” Elirana explained. “I can, however, tell our story and perhaps they will listen to the truth, if it comes to that point.”

Chase snorted. “Knowing the Elves, they’ll lock us up as soon as we step foot in their realm.”

Elirana glared at him. “I’m sure they’ll take you right away, Werewolf. The Witch and Warlock I am not so sure. Yet, I imagine my father is not so fond of them now that he knows they aided in kidnapping me.”

“It was Carmela’s doing,” Willow put her hands on her hips. “We can’t be to blame for that.”

Elirana just shrugged. “Follow me. The portal is this way.” She started to walk up the rocky steps to a loft above the cavernous room.

“Why is it that we can’t catch a break?” Willow asked turning to both boys. Chase had his arms crossed and towered his full height frowning. Declan was shorter than Chase, but he still stood just as proudly. He was shaking his head and grinning when Willow continued to complain. “One minute it seems like we’re fine, the next we’re running for our lives. I don’t get it!”

“Yeah, I thought I was the trouble maker,” Chase said and gave her a teasing smile. “But I’m not so sure now. I think you attract trouble way more than I do, Healer baby.”

Willow rolled her eyes. “
So you’re saying that I outshine the infamous Chase Hawthorne at causing all sorts of mischief?”

Declan pulled her into his side
roughly and snaked his arm around her waist. “Mmmm, I love a bad girl.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her neck.

“Gross,” Chase said and walked up to the base of the stairs. “
Well, it’s off to the Elf realm we go. Can’t say it’s my favorite place to be, but we don’t really have a choice do we?”

Willow broke out of Declan’s hold and went to stand at the stairs with him. “Will they really lock us up?”

“I don’t doubt it,” Chase said and then turned to Declan and lowered his voice. “Look, Pretty Boy, I can’t say you’re the brightest light bulb of the Warlocks, but you were right in keeping whatever it is you need to find a secret from Elirana. She would have no problem telling her kin everything about our adventures down to the very details of it. If the Elves have the item you seek, then they most certainly took it for a reason, and will not give it up willingly. Elves are cunning and like to hoard magical objects. They come to the world to collect items for their gain, and take it back to their realm. Seldom know where the various portals are located in our world, but the Elves come and go whenever it pleases them. My pack found at least a dozen different entrances during the sieges, but that’s not even half of them.”

“I thought you liked their race, Chase,” Declan said and motioned upwards with his eyes.

“I like
one
,” Chase said following his gaze up the stairs. “Although right now, I’d say she probably wants to fry my ass and never see me again. I may have to shift and call out to my Alpha for help if the Elves decide to keep me hostage.”

“He’s probably not happy with you either, Chase,” Willow said. “
Don’t forget about that fight at Carmela’s that led us through the portal to begin with. You were supposed to keep Emerson updated through the other Werewolves that were with us.”