Journey into the Realm: The Stolen Child (Journey into the Realm Series)

Copyright © 2014 Markelle Grabo

KINDLE ISBN: 9781626468825

PAPERBACK ISBN:
9781626468535

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Published by BookLocker.com, Inc., Bradenton, Florida,
2014,
First Edition.

For my Yia Yia and Pouli, who are young at heart and love unconditionally.

Also by Markelle Grabo

The Elf Girl

The Spell Master

Praise for the Author

“Grabo is a young writer that grasps the genre with great energy. I felt the worlds she created were outstanding. Her work is compelling and amazing to read. I cannot praise these stories enough.”

~Karen Doran / Broad Minded Books

“If you're a fan of the Young Adult genre, love a good mystery, a healthy dose of magic, a journey of self-discovery that is laden with danger and a little love for good measure, this is definitely one for you.”

~Gina R/The Insatiable Reader

“I thought the first book was amazing but this one blew it away. This is such a fun read with lots of twists and turns, clean romance and a shocking cliffhanger ending. I couldn't put it down. I can’t get enough of this series”

~Jamie Johnson/Fantasy Book Chick

“Everything about this novel works well - storyline, action sequences, intriguing characters, dialogue, plot twists, dragons, not one romance but two, angst, and ingenious details -- there is scarcely time to take a breath.”

~Patricia Lantier, PhD

“Riveting action, surprised twists and moments that will make you want to climb into the book and experience it
for
yourself! Markelle brings you into an Elf world that you will never want to leave. “

~D'vora /International Girls YA Book Club.

Beauty could be found in remembrance, but today all I wanted to do was forget.

I wanted to forget the Element fairy attacks and my rocky relationship with my sister, Zora. I wanted to forget the deaths of my friends, Janie and Daran. I wanted to forget Ellie’s betrayal and my stay in Fire Prison. I wanted to forget the way elves looked at me now, like I was murderous and untrustworthy just because I was half-Golden fairy. Most of all, I wanted to forget Stellan: his time as a soldier, our painful separation, his promise to leave the war for me…everything that led to his murder.

With each passing moment I was losing more of what had kept me strong all these years. I was falling apart when I needed to be whole. I was supposed to end the war between Element fairies and elves. How could I end a war when I couldn’t even end my own heartache?

But I couldn’t use today as another opportunity to dwell on the uncertainty of the future. I had to tuck away my grief and insecurity because today wasn’t about me. Today was about Brielle.

Or should I say Queen Brielle? She hadn’t been officially coroneted, but with Queen Taryn’s passing, she had to assume all queenly duties.

Passing
was such a euphemism, a way to make death sound less painful and losing someone bearable. The Queen of the Elf Realm had been
murdered
. Brielle had lost her mother and I had lost my aunt, who never even knew we were related. She had spent her entire reign leading the elves in a war against Element fairies, the very fae who had ultimately taken her life. Now she would never see the end she had fought so hard to achieve.

I closed my eyes against the bitter wind. Rain had begun to fall, the droplets splattering my face. I shivered and held tighter to Kalani’s neck. My dragon had slowed because of the weather, but the powerful gusts her wings created were enough to give me goosebumps.

Nathan’s grip around my waist tightened. He could tell that my shivers were not only the result of the cold wind, but also of my lingering despair over the past few weeks. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, my face now fully exposed to the rain. I didn’t care; I wanted the shower to wash away my grief.

“We’re almost there,” Nathan said quietly into my ear. I could tell he had actually yelled, but the wind had dulled his voice to barely a whisper.

I nodded, unable to speak. Kalani roared as we neared the capital city of Tarlore. We couldn’t land among the elves because she would crush every house or vendor cart nearby. Instead, we would land in a clearing east of the palace.

As we soared over the city, I kept my eyes trained on the sky. I didn’t want to look down. I couldn’t bear to see the grief-stricken elves wandering the streets, clothed in black, mourning their Queen.

We finally reached the clearing. Kalani landed gracefully on the grass as the light rain grew into a downpour. I slid off my dragon, her wet scales making my dismount slippery and uncoordinated. Nathan followed my actions quickly in order to steady me. I thanked him wordlessly with a nod and patted Kalani’s neck in gratitude for bringing us here. Razi, Zora’s dragon, was also present, along with Brielle’s golden dragon, Bronte. Kalani thrashed her tail and moved to join them.

The ride was over. Time to face the new queen.

I really didn’t know what to expect. Brielle was a free spirit; her youthful exuberance for life was evident to everyone she met. But she also had a great personal strength, and her fierce courage was unshakable. How was she dealing with her mother’s murder? I would find out soon enough.

Two palace guards were there to greet us. I was disappointed that Eder wasn’t among them. I had first met the elusive guard when he saved me from drowning back in the Human Realm. The last time I spoke with him he had told me that he was somehow involved in my past and future but said he couldn’t reveal any of the answers I sought until the time was right. Months later, he sent me a tense note asking that I visit the orchard in Birchwood, where a trio of nymphs had spoken several other unclear messages. But I had to give the nymphs a little credit. Even though their cryptic messages hadn’t prevented my capture, I had been warned about the Element fairies’ close proximity.

Still, I waited for Eder to reveal his intentions to me. I had rescued my sister, figured out my secret, and killed an evil Element fairy general. How much longer, or better yet,
what else
would I have to do to make the time finally right?

Although I was displeased with Eder’s avoidance issues, I was grateful to see Danica and Jacqueline – high guards I knew well – waiting for us at the edge of the clearing. As Nathan and I neared the two elfens, Danica rushed forward and threw her arms around me, immediately sobbing into my shoulder. Shocked, I held her tentatively, rubbing her back slowly to comfort her.

“This is my fault, Ramsey,” Danica confessed. “I’ll never forgive myself.”

Before I could ask what she meant, Jacqueline cleared her throat and motioned for us to follow her to the palace. I reluctantly stepped out of Danica’s frantic embrace and nodded to Nathan. Urging a still-hysterical Danica forward, we left the clearing and traveled through the woods to reach Tarlore’s castle.

I quickened my pace until my strides matched Jacqueline’s. The stoic guard kept her eyes trained ahead, her face devoid of expression.

I swallowed. “Where is Brielle?” My voice was hoarse for a reason unknown to me. I felt as though I had slept for ages and was just now waking up.

At first the high guard appeared to be ignoring me. Finally, she pursed her lips and said, “Standing on the bridge. Waiting for your arrival.”

“It’s raining,” I said, stating the obvious.

The high guard nodded. “The Queen doesn’t seem to care.”

I winced at Jacqueline’s mention of Brielle’s changed royal status. I realized then that I was facing a completely new reality. Brielle was Queen. Queen Taryn was dead. I was half-fairy. What next?

I returned to Nathan’s side. “I have to go to Brielle. She’s waiting on the bridge in the pouring rain.”

Nathan took my hand, squeezing it lightly before responding. “Go ahead. She needs you.”

I smiled gratefully and hurried off without explaining my intentions to Jacqueline, who seemed to be in charge now that Danica was in shambles. She didn’t stop me, so I assumed she knew what I was doing.

I carefully watched my step as my feet carried me to the bridge. The ground was slick and rain continued to pour. I didn’t want to fall, but thinking of Brielle, standing alone, made my pulse quicken. I ran faster, my arms and legs pumping – Brielle was my only focus.

I reached the bridge. The rain formed a curtain separating me from the grieving royal. I stood at a short distance from her, watching the way her head bowed and her arms rested haphazardly over the railing. I barely recognized the wild princess I loved and admired.

I ran forward, feet smacking the wet cobblestone, heart racing. Brielle turned as she heard my approach. I didn’t wait for her to speak. I threw my arms around her and brought her close. She buried her face in my shoulder and held me so tight I could barely breathe. I didn’t mind.

She wept silently and her body trembled. I could feel her hot tears on my skin, a contrast to the cold rain. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she admitted breathlessly. “Not without her.”

“We’ll do it together,” I promised her, pulling back to meet her gaze. “We’ll survive together.”

We had lost so much and felt that we would never be whole again. The rain fell, the outlook was bleak, and our grief had claimed our spirit.

But it had not claimed our strength.

We would never be whole, but we could be mended. Not perfectly, but enough to survive. And I knew we would.

Because when Brielle finally found the strength to smile, it was as though the sun shone through the rain, bringing a ray of hope to the darkness.

“Today is the day,” I muttered listlessly, closing my eyes briefly to ward off approaching dread.

Two weeks had passed since my arrival in Tarlore. Queen Taryn’s funeral had taken place exactly one week ago, and yesterday we celebrated Brielle’s coronation. She was now fully accepted as Queen Brielle of the Elf Realm.

I felt Nathan’s breath on my neck. “Are you nervous?”

I contemplated the question for a moment. We currently rested in the purple guest room I had claimed upon my arrival. Lying comfortably on the bed, I felt safe tucked in Nathan’s arms. I wouldn’t feel this way after today.

“Yes,” I said, unable to lie to him.

“Maybe there’s another way….”

I sighed. “Nathan, if there were another way, surely Queen Taryn would have found it before she was…before she died.” I paused, drawing in a deep breath. “As far as everyone is aware, I’m the only one who can end this. I promised Brielle I would leave the day after her coronation.”

“She hasn’t summoned you yet. She may have changed her mind,” he suggested, pressing his forehead against the base of my neck. Warmth blossomed across my skin.

I shook my head, ridding myself of any temptation. “She hasn’t.”

I felt his fingers curl where they rested against the cloth of my dress. I wiggled and turned until we lay facing each other. His breathtaking emerald eyes held apprehension and sadness in their depths. If not for the striking silver slashes holding my attention, I would have cried.

“I’m leaving only because going to the Golden Fairy Realm will bring peace to this Realm and to the Element Fairy Realm. As High Queen, a command from Queen Titania would put a stop to everything. I’m half-Golden fae and her only niece. If there’s a chance our shared blood can make her hear me out, I have to take it. I’m the only one who can reach her.”

“I know that,” he replied, his gaze never once drifting from my eyes. “I just don’t want you to go.”

“Me either,” I told him, bringing my face closer to his, my lips closer to his lips. “I know the risks, the temptations. But nothing in the Golden Fairy Realm could ever replace the greatest temptation of all.”

“What’s that?” Nathan wondered.

I brushed my fingertips across his cheek until my hand rested at the back of his neck. “You,” I confessed, smiling tentatively.

Ignoring the rational part of me that said now was not the time, I pressed my mouth to his, losing myself in the taste of him, the thrill of just being near him. My fingers tangled themselves in his pale hair, and his hands ran down my sides, sending shivers through my body. He smiled against my mouth as we deepened our embrace, and at that moment all I could think was:
I just want this. I want this forever and nothing else.

And then suddenly another thought crossed my mind, one I couldn’t ignore even with Nathan’s hands all over me and my lips locked with his.