Chapter 16

The children were allowed to play in the yard for the first time in years. For some, like Noor, it was the very first time they had stepped outside of the fortress and into the fresh air.

Nora sat on the bench by the edge of the playground soaking in the warm sunlight as she listened to the children laughing and playing. Noor chased one of his friends and exerted all of his energy climbing up and down the firemen pole. Even when he was dripping in sweat and red in the face, he did not stop.

"Nora!" He called to her from across the yard. "Look! Look at me!"

"I am looking," Nora found herself laughing at the boy's enthusiasm.

Noor wrapped his tiny legs around the pole and slid down to the ground. He didn't release them fast enough and landed right on his bum.

"One more time!" he said, jumping up. "It'll be better this time!"

"Slow down," Nora said to him as he zoomed up the stairs. "Noor!"

"Kids are high on crack."

Nora looked up and spotted Nico taking a seat beside her. She moved aside Noor's stuff to make space for him.

"Great weather, we're having, no?" The boy looked up at the sky.

"Yeah," Nora nodded. "It's nice."

"Must be the Shajara," Nico smiled. "Otherwise, it's always raining here."

Nora turned her face towards the sun and closed her eyes. She could hear Noor's little voice shouting around the playground like a maniac. Somewhere, Afet laughed as she pushed the children on the swing and they begged her to go higher.

"Thank you."

Nora slowly opened her eyes and turned towards Nico.

"For all this," the boy gestured towards the playground. "I don't think I've ever seen them outside."

Nora slowly nodded, "How are things in town? I bet the families were happy to have their children back."

"Over the moon," Nico laughed. "They're all very grateful for what you did."

Nora's heart contracted once more. She looked down at her wrist and snuck her finger beneath her long sleeves to touch her cold skin.

"Have you seen him since..." Nico asked slowly.

"What do you mean?" Nora held her breath and looked down at the ground.

"Your fey," Nico said. "Have you spoken to him since you were purified?"

Nora shook her head, "No."

"Poor guy," Nico let out a heavy sigh. "I can't imagine what you two must be going through right now."

Nora sat silently, suddenly too anxious to move. Her heart ached with each beat as she dragged her nails down her wrist, hoping for something...anything.

"You should talk to him," Nico said after a short pause.

Nora turned towards him and arched her brow.

"Unless you two called things off...." Nico tested the water. "I mean, I guess I would understand. You gave up something so significant as the mark. I can only imagine how rocky the relationship must be right now."

"I don't need this right now," Nora jumped to her feet.

"Nora, wait," Nico's face hardened. "Listen to me."

"No, you listen to me," Nora snapped. "I know what I did, okay. I know how fucked up it was. But look around you. All this...everything here was because of what I gave up. So don't sit here and lecture me about how I fucked up."

"Is your fey still in love with you?" Nico asked.

"Why does that matter to you?" Nora glared.

"Because if you two are not together then that complicates matters for me," Nico hissed back, making sure no one was around to hear. "Udara is still very adamant about us being together. Now, I can't say no. But you can. And I need to know if you and your fey are still good. Because if you're not then she will just push for this even more."

"My relationship is none of your business," Nora said through her teeth. "Grow a pair and say no yourself."

Nico pulled back for a few and stared. A strange look crossed his eyes before he slowly peered at Nora carefully.

"He left you, didn't he?" He asked.

His words were like a punch to the chest. Nora felt winded and dizzy as she stared back at the guy, her blood running past her ears like a waterfall.

"What?" Nora's voice was a mixture of a whisper and gasp.

"You wouldn't be this bothered if you two were still together," Nico observed. "He dumped you."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Nora shook her head.

"Oh no, I do," Nico nodded. "You burned off his mark. There's no way any fey would accept that."

"Worry about your fey," Nora said as she grabbed all of Noor's toys. "And stay the fuck away from me."

"Trust me, I want nothing to do with you," Nico laughed. "Just make sure you tell Udara you hate my guts."

Nora couldn't stand around arguing with the boy anymore. She turned away and marched off towards the fortress, leaving all the children and Afet to continue enjoying their beautiful day. Her chest burned with molten lava as her legs shook from the weight of Nioc's words.

He left you, didn't he?

Nora flinched as the words echoed in her head.

He dumped you.

Suddenly, Nora was a teenager once again, staring at Seema Blade in the bathroom mirror as she cried to her best friends about how Hayden broke her heart. Nora barely saw where she was walking as the memories all came rushing back into her head, making her feel cold and numb.

"He wouldn't even talk about it," Seema tabbed her eyes with the napkins her friends passed to her. "He just said he didn't like me anymore. No explanation. No nothing. I gave him my whole heart and he just broke it up into tiny pieces."

By the time Nora reached her room, she was gasping for air. Her hands fumbled with the lock many times before she was able to turn it and step away. Noor's toys fell out of her hands as she ran to her bed and pulled out the gold ring from under the mattress.

"Come on, come on," Nora chanted as she failed at slipping the ring into her finger.

The gold turned slipper and fell to the floor, making Nora's frustration double. She snatched it off the ground and shoved it into her finger, feeling the cold metal wrap itself around her.

Nora knew she would get nowhere with her mind so scattered. The last thing she needed was to teleport to some horrible terrible place and get stuck. She needed to calm herself down to even begin to think about where she wanted to go.

Pacing the floor back and forth, Nora pushed her hair out of her face and tied it up. She grabbed a towel off the chair beside the bathroom and wiped her sweaty palms and tossed it aside. With her eyes closed, she opened and closed her fingers and took several long deep breaths to even out her breathing.

When her pacing began to slow and her heart began to settle down, Nora opened her eyes and looked down at her hand. She slowly reached for the gold ring and began to turn it. In her mind she imagined Hayden's room.

The air shimmered in front of her and slowly sparked. Nora took in a deep breath and watched the dark veil open with it's water-like features. Once it was big enough, she tightened her hands into fists and walked through.

"Hayden!" Birdie's voice startled Nora as she stepped out on the other side of the portal.

Her heart leaped up as she realized they were home. She whirled around in the middle of the empty room and was about to dash out the door when an unfamiliar laughter caught her attention.

"Okay, okay, I'll be serious now," someone said, their voice still coated with carefree giggles.

Nora felt her heart shrivel up as she turned towards the glass wall.

"Hayden, are you listening?" The voice asked.

Nora's hands began to tremble.

She felt as if she was trapped in a wind tunnel. The voices and sounds seemed so far away. All she could focus on was her shallow breathing.

"Birdie, don't make me laugh!"

Nora walked up to the glass and looked down.

Hayden sat on top of the picnic table with Birdie on the bench beside him. He had his eyes glued on his phone as his fingers scolded through something that made his browns knit together in confusion.

Nora's heart contracted at how devilishly handsome he looked with his hair pushed out of his face and a clean shave. As she watched, he lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck before craning it to work out a knot.

Nora was so starstruck by his sight that she almost missed out the third body standing in front of Birdie and her brother.

"Hayden!" The girl tried to grab his phone. "Look here. Listen to me."

Nora's head began to spin as she suddenly recognized that head full of glossy black hair.

Elsa threw her thick locks over her shoulder and cleared her throat. She sighed dramatically, causing Hayden to turn off his phone and looked up at her.

"You're all that I've ever wanted," Elsa said, reaching for Hayden's hand.

Nora swore she was going to pass out. Her ears began to ring as she watched Birdie's bright eyes bounce back and forth between her brother and Elsa.

"Today is the happiest day of my life," Elsa beamed. "When you told me that I was the one.....I thought...I thought I was dreaming."

Nora's stomach tried to push up her breakfast. She wanted to bang her fist against the glass wall and scream in rage as she watched Elsa hold Hayden's hand between hers. She knew she would be having nightmares about the way Hayden's eyes stared back at the girl, waiting to hear what more she had to say.

Hot tears rolled down Nora's face as she suddenly remembered Seema Blade once more. She backed away from the glass wall and looked around the room, covering her mouth to keep herself quiet. Once again, Nora was not in control of her mind or body.

She fumbled with her ring, opening portals that would shut off due to her lack of concentration. Nora looked over her shoulder to make sure no one came into the room as she desperately tried to open a portal back to the island. Her ears still rang with Elsa's laugh as Birdie lapped her hands and cheered.

"That was so beautiful!" The girl celebrated, causing Nora's heart to shatter even more.

With great difficulty and immense pressure, Nora managed to open the portal and keep it steady long enough for her to walk through. She all but ran in, ignoring the way gravity shut off and made her body fly through free fall before landing back in her room at the island.

As the portal closed, Nora wanted to drop to her knees and curl up in her misery. But before she could, there was a loud bang on her door that startled her.

"Nora, open the door!" Afet demanded impatiently. "Nora!"

Nora rushed forward and unlocked the door. She swung it open and came face to face with the frantic fey.

"What were you doing?" Afet asked, her eyes wide and her voice strained.

"I..l was..." Nora noticed the commotion outside in the halls. "What's going on?"

"Come with me," Afet grabbed Nora's hand and pulled her out of her room.

"Afet, what's happening?" Nora asked as she noticed the nurses and doctors running back into the building with the children.

"Something is wrong with the Shajara," Afet said, her voice laced with panic.

"What's wrong with it?"

"I don't know!" Afet snapped. "I don't know!"

"Where is Udara?"

"She's with the Shajara," Afet began to rush up the stairs as she dragged Nora along with her.

The two ran up the steps in record time. Nora burst through the door behind the fey and stumbled onto the rooftop where all the guardians had gathered. She barely had time to notice everyone when her eyes landed on the great giant floating tree in front of her.

"How..." Nora gasped. "What happened?"

The tree, which had been in perfect health for the past two days, was now suddenly falling apart.

Leaves started to shed as if someone had taken told of the thick trunk and shook it. The brown bark was patchy, showing off it's gray skin once more. A branch hung limply from one side, dragging along the floor with the wind.

Udara turned with tears in her eyes and ashes in her hand. Nora's eyes found her and her mouth fell wide open.

"Where's Noor?" She asked Afet, not taking her eyes off of the ash in Udara's hands. "Where's Noor?"

"He's in the infirmary," Afet assured her. "I left him there myself."

"What's going on?" Nora asked. "What's happening? I thought the Shajara was healing."

"I don't know what's happening," Udara confessed. "I've never seen this before....this level of damage takes years to happen."

"Maybe it needs more blood," Nora said, stepping forward. "Where's the dagger?"

"Here," Arsenio said. "I have it."

Nora took the glass dagger and rushed up to the tree. She rolled back her sleeves, not caring who saw her nail marks on her wrist as she raised the dagger.

Afet walked up to Udara and wrapped her supporting arms around the queen's shoulders as they all waited for Nora to bring the dagger down. The guardians leaned forward and the feys all held their breath, counting the seconds in their head.

The glass dagger began to glow in Nora's hand, ready to accept her sacrifice. She took in a deep breath and lowered the blade to her palm, flinching at the sharp pain as it sliced open her skin.

But before she could pull the blade back and raise her hand to the tree, the light within the dagger flickered like a firefly and stopped. Nora stilled as Udara frowned and stepped forward.

With a crack like ice crunching, the glass dagger shattered on Nora's palm. She dropped the handle in shock as the chunks of glass fell around her like ice cubes.

Everyone around the rooftop gasped. The feys jumped back as the guardians reached for their blades.

"Nora!" Afet jumped forward with concern and fear in her eyes.

Nora didn't look up. She stared at her hand and watched the cut heal itself as if she had been doing that her whole life. Udara jumped forward and grabbed her hand.

"What did you do?" She asked.

"I...I didn't do anything," Nora said, confused and stunned.

"Why did the glass shatter?" Udara looked at the chunks on the floor. "Someone bring me another blade."

A guardian pulled out his glass dagger and presented it to the queen. Nora's muscles locked up as she prepared for Udara to slide her palm once more.

But as the queen lowered the blade, Nora's wrist emitted a pulse of pale blue light.

"No..." the fey gasped.

Nora's eyes widened as she stared at her hand.

There, beneath her skin, like a slither of light under the deep dark sea was a faint blue glow.

"Your mark..." Afet said, taking a step forward and coming to stand beside Nora.

"How is this possible?" Udara asked. "It was burned off. And we checked to make sure."

"I...I don't know," Nora felt just as baffled as Udara looked.

"Afet," Udara looked up with her face suddenly pale. "If her mark was still present when she gave blood then...."

Afet's face mirrored the horrors in Udara's eyes, "The Shajara is poisoned."

"No, no," Udara's breathing changed. "No, this is not happening."

"What do we do now?" Nora asked, pulling her sleeve down to hide her glow.

"How did this even happen?" Udara asked. "Did the fey mark you again? Did you go see him? Is he here?"

Afet suddenly stepped forward and shielded Nora's hand on which she still wore her gold ring.

"No, she was with me all day," the fey said quickly. "She's been with me since she's been purified."

"I don't understand," Udara shook her head. "How can it come back?"

"It was too easy to get rid of a mark that big," Afet said. "There must be a reason why we never heard about a mark coming off."

As the group stood around in a panic, the tree groaned and a crack appeared on one of the higher branches. Everyone looked up in shock.

"Go tend to the children," Udara said. "I'll see what I can do to hold the Shajara together."

Nora hesitated as she looked at the tree and then back at the queen.

"Go," Udara said. "The children need you."

Afet grabbed Nora's hand and pulled her away. They buried down the steps and towards the infirmary as the shamans rushed up with herbs and pots of holy water.

"Take off your ring," Afet said, pulling Nora into a quiet corner. "Don't let Udara see it or find out you've been off the island."

"Afet, I didn't do this on purpose."

"I know, I know," Afet nodded, checking to make sure no one was headed their way. "None of us knew this would happen."

"How is this possible?" Nora asked, pulling back her sleeve and staring at her glow.

"You went to go see him, right?" Afet asked.

"Yes...but..."

"I think I have a theory," Afet said. "You mark was probably hanging on to it's last strand after you were purified. Not enough to do any harm to the Shajara when you gave blood. But your blood on the tree is still connected to you as if it is running through your veins."

Nora listened carefully, holding her wrist and feeling it's warmth.

"And when you went to go see this fey..." Afet continued. "I think it sparked your mark and it's starting to come back.

"But he didn't see me," Nora said. "I was only there for about five minutes."

"You two are like magnets now," Afet said. "Even if you were around him for just a minute, your mark would be pulling strength from his magic."

Nora was speechless. She stared at Afet, her mind spinning and her head buzzing.

"Let me see," Afet said, holding up Nora's wrist.

The faint blue glow pulsed once more from Afet's touch.

"It's barely there," Afet said. "But it's there."

"So if I'm around him..." Nora looked at her light. "It will grow stronger?"

"Yes," Afet nodded. "That's my theory."

"But he...." Nora felt her stomach clench. "He thinks the mark no longer exists....he moved on."

Afet looked up in shock, "What?"

The fey's reaction to her words and the emotions in her eyes shattered whatever composure Nora had managed to build. Her face twisted in pain and her eyes watered as she threw herself into Afet's arms and began to sob.

"No, no. No, honey," Afet pulled Nora tightly to her chest. "Don't cry. You're my strong girl."

Afet's kind words only made Nora sob harder. She felt years of loneliness rise to the surface and pour out from her eyes as Afet held her and offered soothing words like a mother. Nora began to realize just how much she missed being held like that by someone who she could call her family. She had no one and Afet's kindness only made her realize that more and more.

"They all leave," Nora looked up, her eyes red and swollen from crying. "Everyone I've ever cared about."

Afet felt the girl's heartbreak and began to cry along with her.

"And now you..." Nora's voice cracked. "You and Noor and everyone else...."

"I'm not going to go anywhere," Afet shook her head. "Never, my love."   

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