Amazon

Emris opened her eye. She was in a plain room, resting upon a silk sheet bed.

All was silent except for the noise that raged in her head.

The Ender Terrain. Arishem. A fairy. Death.

It all flooded her mind in a rush.

Was any of it even real? she pondered as the rest of her body began to wake up.

Emris attempted to sit up, stopped when a gnarly pain assaulted her, and flopped back down in bed. She was very much alive, that much she knew. What had happened to her, though? Emris could recall leaving the last hut she'd been in, remembered how Druig had saved her from becoming a deviant's lunch, and then in turn she had saved him.

But after? After her magic had massacred the deviant? Nothing. Blank nothingness.

There was only Arishem and the dark place she'd been, Violetta and the door back, and Emris was slowly beginning to think herself crazy, unsure if it had even been real or not.

Violetta had called her a queen.

Yeah, right, Emris deadpanned, definitely a dream.

Emris began to laugh at the absurdity, but had to choke it back when the motion flared the ache in her stomach. She groaned and dug her fingers into the sheets, miserable.

The sound of a door opening perked her up and she lifted her head.

"Emris!" Sersi burst, rushing forward, "Thank the gods, you're awake!"

Emris grinned, forgetting her pain upon seeing Sersi here and alive. "You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?" she teased.

Sersi enveloped her in a long overdue hug. Emris pressed her cheek into Sersi's shoulder, wishing to stay in the moment of comfort for as long as she could. But alas, Sersi pulled away. Her face was flushed, her large eyes full of adornment as she stared down at Emris.

Sersi's gaze shifted down to where Emris's stomach was covered by the sheets, and her expression turned grievous.

"We were so worried, Emris," she said, voice somber. "After you collapsed, when I saw your wound, I -" her voice cracked. "I thought you were going to die," Sersi finished softly. Her gaze trailed back to Emris's face. "I'm so sorry for not having been there for you."

Emris strained against the tightness in her abdomen, struggling to sit up, desperate to show Sersi that she was here. That she was okay.

"Sersi, it's not your fault!" Emris made a noise, half lying down half sitting up, and Sersi reached forward to help her up fully.

Once Emris was in a seated position, she continued. "You don't have to be frightened anymore, Sersi. I'm here. I'm alive and I am not going anywhere any time soon."

Sersi clasped Emris's hand. Their fingers intertwined, giving Emris the strength she so desperately needed. The Eternal smiled at her, years worth of love and friendship etched in the lines of her face, and Emris knew right then and there she'd made the right choice back the Ender Terrain (or her dream, whatever it was).

Sersi was here and alive. Emris's future. Her family. And she would choose her a thousand times over again, even if that meant leaving her mother in the past. She could trust Sersi, Emris knew that. Still, she hesitated.

But she needed to speak about what she'd seen, who she had seen, or it would consume her.

"Sersi," she began, her fingers twitching nervously, "there's something I need to tell you."

Sersi's expression turned into a question. Her hand tightened just slightly upon Emris's. "What is it?"

Emris took a deep breath. Licked her lips. And spoke. "While I was unconscious, I saw - "

The door pummeled open. Emris stared, open mouthed, at the figures who crowded into the already small rooming.

"She lives!" Kingo declared pompously, Kuran a step behind him.

"So good to see you awake, Ms. Emris!" Kuran affirmed giddily.

"Kingo!" Sersi scolded, pulling away from Emris and crossing over to the others. "I told you, she needs to rest. No visitors!"

"Phft," Kingo dismissed and waved a hand. "She looks fine to me." To Emris, he asked, "You are fine, no?"

Emris flushed, not sure why she was so embarrassed. "Yes, I'm alright."

Kingo flashed Sersi a "I told you so" look, and Sersi simply sighed in defeat. They moved forward and Emris noticed figures behind them waiting to enter. Kingo and Kuran stepped aside and Emris swallowed.

It was Sprite and Druig.

Emris glanced down. Her hands were trembling. She carefully tucked them beneath the covers and sniffed. She didn't wish to think about the latest conversation she'd had with Sprite - they had both said very hurtful things and Emris wished she could take it all back.  

"Sprite," Emris said quietly, not sure where to begin and if Sprite was secretly disappointed that Emris had survived.

But Emris didn't have to wonder for long.

Sprite leapt forward and her arms wrapped tightly around Emris's neck, nearly suffocating the life out of her. Her face buried into the nape of Emris's neck.

Emris was too stunned to move for a moment. But then it hit her that Sprite was hugging her, and she immediately wrapped her arms around her, hugging back.

"I'm so sorry, Sprite," Emris breathed. "What I said to you - I didn't mean it. Any of it."

"Shut up," she interjected, her voice hiccupping. "I know everything. And I," Sprite paused, "I'm sorry."

Emirs pulled back, her arms falling to Sprite's shoulders. She looked at the girl carefully. "What do you mean you know everything?" Emris questioned, forgetting the other Eternal's were standing around them, listening.

Sprite blinked and looked to the ground, shame reddening her face. "Ikaris told me," she whispered so softly Emris could barely hear her. "He told me it all."

Emris sat back, shocked. Ikaris had done what?

Sprite met her eye, the guilt gone and replaced with determination. "I was a fool, Emris. Too blinded by my own emotions, and for that, I hope you can forgive me." Something broken filled Sprite's voice, something so unlike Emris had ever heard before.

She wasn't used to seeing Sprite as anything but strong and determined.

"When Sersi told me she wasn't sure if you would make it, when I caught a glimpse of your body, I - I couldn't - "

Emris enveloped her in another hug, shushing her. "It's alright, Sprite. I'm here. I'm not leaving you."

Emris gently stroked the girl's hair, her gaze shifting onto the others as Sprite's soft sobs filled the room. They were all looking away, busying themselves with fussing over each other to give Emris and Sprite privacy.

Except for Druig.

He stared right at Emris, as he so often did. This time, Emris held his gaze. He had saved her life; not just once, but twice. Perhaps even three times, if he had been the one who'd caught her, as she figured him to be.

The corner of one lip twitched up at him. She blinked, hoping he understood the emotion in her eye.

Druig coughed and glanced away, failing miserably to hide his smirk.

Emris felt her own smile growing, unable to escape his infectious humor, and at that moment Sprite pulled away from her. Emris directed her attention back to her. Her thumb snuck out, wiped a tear from Sprite's face, and she gave her a brave smile.

Sprite returned the look, her tears now dried. "Thank you, Emris." She got off of Emris's bed and turned to leave. At the last moment, she glanced over her shoulder and said, "Glad you aren't dead."

Emris snorted and made a dismissive gesture at her. "Thanks, Sprite, that really means a lot," she joked, and then Sprite left.

Emris shifted on the bed, still slightly uncomfortable to have them all staring at her, and then berated herself for having forgotten. "Gilgamesh!" she blurted, struck with shame for having not immediately asked. "Is he alright? I ran into him in the jungle and he wasn't doing so well, was someone able to get to him?"

They all stared at her. Emris glanced between them, waiting. Why wouldn't they tell her? Surely, the great Eternal had survived. He was a fighter. He was a survivor, like Emris, which meant there wasn't any possible way he was dead..

Right? 

Emris stilled, her brow creasing. "Sersi? He's alive, right?" Her voice was soft. Concerned.

Sersi didn't have to answer her. Emris knew from the look on her face, from that broken smile that Sersi struggled to hold, that Gilgamesh had not made it.

Emris blinked.

She didn't wish to believe it. Gilgamesh, he had been so pure. So giving. He had fed Emris, invited her into his home, and had praised her skill without even a scrape of doubt. Emris had not known him long, and she wished desperately that she could have changed that fact.

But now he was dead and there was no going back.

"I am so sorry, Sersi," Emris choked out. "It's my fault, I - I could have saved him, but I was foolish and allowed that deviant to get the better of me. If I just would have held on, if I would have been a little stronger," she rambled, her eye looking everywhere but at Sersi.

"Enough," a voice directed. This time it wasn't Sersi who spoke. 

Emris clamped her mouth shut. She stared at her hands, ashamed. She could have saved him.

"No, you couldn't have," Druig chastised, the sound of his footsteps drifting to her ears.

She caught a glimpse of his torso out of the corner of her eye. Emris still refused to look at him. At any of them.

"Look at me."

Emris's nostrils flared, refusing.

He muttered something to others, too quiet for Emris to hear, but then the door was opening and the room was a million times less stifling than it had just been. Finally, she relented and looked up from her hands.

Sersi, Kingo and Kuran were gone, leaving Emris alone with Druig. She glanced at him warily, still unsure what to make of him. He had saved her life, yes, but that didn't change the fact that he was still a deranged prick. Emris hadn't forgotten about how he had taken control of all the villagers and put them in harm's way.

"How lovely it is to see you awake and not vomiting blood," Druig simpered. "I do believe you owe me a new tunic - you bled all over my last one."

Emris scoffed and bit her tongue. She was beginning to see that Druig's flippancy was a twenty-four seven kind of thing. "So sorry," Emris mocked, "next time I'm bleeding to death I'll be sure to direct my blood away from your precious little clothes." 

Druig lifted the cotton of his tunic with two fingers, brandishing it to her. "This is quality material right here, not sure if you were aware, so I'd greatly appreciate it."

Emris made a face. "It's cotton."

Druig blinked at her, seemingly perplexed. "Precisely."

Emris grunted, rolled her eyes, and resounded to go back to sleep. This conversation was boring her. She wished to mourn over the loss of Gilgamesh alone; she couldn't focus with Druig hovering right over her. He made her forget about Gilgamesh, which she couldn't allow herself to do. Not when it was her fault he was gone.

"I told you," Druig chirped, his voice much closer sounding than it had been moments ago. "You couldn't have done anything. None of us could have."

Anger flared in Emris. Her eye snapped open and she found Druig's face only inches from her own. She jerked back. "What is wrong with you!"

Druig pulled back and released a chortling laugh, as though her anger was the funniest thing in the world. "Can't handle the heat, little bird?" he grinned.

Emris flinched, her annoyance threatening to spill over. She had to force herself to take a calming breath before she resorted to using her magic to flay the Eternal alive. "That doesn't even make sense," she muttered. "You're cold."

"What was that?" Druig must not have heard her.

Emris bit her lip and looked away. After a moment, she asked, "Why do you call me that anyway?"

Druig didn't have to ask what she meant. "Because," he declared.

Emris raised an aggravated brow. "Because, why?"

He licked his lips and leaned forward until they were eye level. Emris found herself unable to look away. "Because you have wings, little bird, you just don't yet know how to fly." He straightened and flashed Emris another grin. "Don't worry, though, I'll teach you how to use them soon enough."

A weird look crossed Emris's face, but she didn't say anything. She had determined that it was just better not to feed into Druig's delusions.

Awkward silence filtered between them as Emris played with a string on her blanket. Druig cleared his throat.

"Emris, I wanted to thank you -"

She glanced up at him, noting the serious tone of his voice, but he was cut off by the door opening. Both of their heads turned.

No.

Emris had to escape.

He must have noticed it in her face, must have seen the way her shoulders tensed, the way her fingers gripped at her sheets, and it had him rushing forward.

"Emris, wait, please just -"

"No." She shook her head, this strange feeling suffocating her. "Get out." 

Ikaris reached out a hand for her. "Please, don't be like this, Emris, I said I was sorry -"

Druig took a step to the side. Shielding her from Ikaris. "I believe the lady told you to leave," he said slowly.

Emris held her breath. She hadn't expected Druig to step forward.

Ikaris's piercing stare moved off her and narrowed in on Druig. He looked down his nose at Druig, his shoulders broader and his form reeking of dominance, but Druig held his ground.

"Leave, Ikaris."

A muscle in Ikaris's jaw ticked. His tell. "This is between me and Emris. Stay out of it."

Druig eyed him up and down, chewing his lip. He pretended to ponder for a moment, a finger tapping his chin, and then he shook his head. "No, I don't think I will."

Emris was no fan of Druig's, but in that moment she couldn't have appreciated him more. It was no easy thing to stand up to Ikaris.

"Move, Druig," Ikaris said, his voice a deathly whisper, "or I will make you move."

Emris glanced back to Druig, who was still smiling. He was too cocky for his own good. Ikaris was preparing himself to fight Druig, if it came to it, but Emris wouldn't allow that to happen. Ikaris would incinerate Druig where he stood.

"Enough," she interjected. Druig wasn't going to fight her battles for her. "Ikaris, what are you doing here? If you really cared about me dying, then you would have stayed when it mattered most." She shook her head sadly at him, a remorse so great in her eye that it physically pained her. "Just leave."

Ikaris's eyes locked on to her, something in his face breaking. "You know it wasn't like that, Emris. Of course I cared what was going to happen to you," he implored, a note of desperation filling his voice, "but they were dying. I had to help them. Please, you have to understand."

"I was dying," she fired back. That seemed to stump him. She scoffed and shook her head.

"You know what, Ikaris? Save it. You had a choice to make, and you chose them." She shrugged. Thought back to her dream, where he had been dying, and smiled a sad smile. "But, I get it, because I would have chosen them, too."

He didn't need to know that she lied.

Emris closed herself off. Laid down, back to him, and waited for him to leave. His footsteps leaving filled the room. There was pause in his step right before the door, causing Emris's traitorous heart to skip a beat. She stared at the wall, waiting.

But then the door opened, his footsteps resumed, and the last scrap of hope Emris had had disappeared out the door with him.