A great cheer went up in the hall.
Elric ran forward, but the queen didn’t look at him.
“Can it really be you?” she asked Osmund as the light glowing between them faded. She propped herself up, then leaned forward and drew him into a loving embrace. “I thought you were dead. What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Osmund said. There was a hitch in his voice and Elric wondered if he was telling the truth. Before he came through the portal, Osmund seemed pretty clear about what had happened. Elric listened carefully as Osmund spoke, wondering what he was hiding. “I found myself in the Nightfell Wood. I couldn’t get back through the shield. But I discovered the old elf city and the fairy ring there. The Grendel came for me in a cloud of smoke. The portal activated, and I fell through to the Otherworld. I have been there ever since, waiting for the day I could return.”
Now Elric knew that was a lie. Osmund had claimed he never wanted to return. He had also told Elric to go along with whatever he said, so Elric bit his tongue.
Raven rushed forward and offered the queen a hand. “Your Majesty, we should get you to your quarters so you can rest. It has been a terrible, terrible day. But the return of Prince Osmund gives us hope.” He pointed to the fractured crystal. “A piece of the crystal has mended.”
The queen nodded, looking dazed and still ill. “Yes, yes, that would be wise.” She allowed Raven to pull her to her feet.
“But what about Wynn?” Elric said. “We have to send a rescue. I will gladly lead it.”
The queen faltered and Raven caught her. “Do not upset the queen. She is in a fragile state.”
Elric stared at Lord Raven in shock. “And my sister is in danger!” he shouted. “We have to go and find her.”
Osmund gave him a warning glance, but then stilled his expression.
“No, we don’t,” Raven said in a hard voice. It fell as heavy as an executioner’s ax.
Elric’s heart pounded as he shook with rage. “Are you just going to throw her away, like she didn’t even matter to you?” He clenched his fists. “When I was a shepherd, I protected all of my sheep. If one was lost, I searched for it.”
Lord Raven handed the queen over to her attendants. He approached Elric. “And how many more of the flock would we lose in the effort?” he asked. The air turned cold and a biting wind blew across Elric’s face. “The Grendel will destroy our world if he can, and it won’t be enough. How many should we sacrifice?”
Elric didn’t have an answer right away. It was hard to think of facing danger and the reality that some might not make it home. But it was each person’s choice to fight. And there were some things worth fighting for. Fighting to save a loved one was worth the risk. That’s what love meant.
Elric looked around the room at the faces of all the fairies crowded around the circle. “Don’t you love Wynn too?” he asked. “Aren’t you willing to fight for her?”
One by one they looked down at the floor. Not one would meet his eyes but Zephyr, who looked stricken and worried.
“She’s out there. Wynn is out there. Your princess, your friend. She needs you,” he said as he paced in front of the crowd trying to meet the downcast eyes of the fairies. “Are you going to hide forever? How many children like Wynn will you sacrifice?”
Now they looked away.
“Fine.” Elric ground his teeth together. “If you are all too much of cowards to help me, I’ll go find her myself.” At least Osmund said he would help.
Elric turned to leave the room. One of the royal guards grabbed him by the arm. He spun around and tried to pull free, but the stronger man held him fast.
“I know you are grieving,” the queen said. “As deeply as I am. But I cannot allow you to leave. No matter what, I have taken you in as my son, and I will protect you. Your loss would put this entire realm at risk of the darkness. I will send Lord Raven to fly over the wood in the morning. Take him to his room. Be sure the door is sealed.”
“No!” Elric screamed as he dropped his weight and tried to pull out of the guard’s grip. He wrenched his shoulder. He wouldn’t let them drag him from this room like a disobedient child. Lord Raven wouldn’t risk himself. He’d fly high over the trees. He wouldn’t see her. “She’s my sister! She needs my help. Please!”
The queen said nothing as the guard pulled him forward. “Osmund!” he cried. “Wynn needs us. Help me!” The words tore out of his aching throat.
Osmund’s face gave away nothing. He glanced down for a moment, then back up to Elric. “The queen is right. I’ve waited a long time for a chance to come back to this place. We cannot risk the shield breaking. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.”
Elric’s shock made his muscles go numb. In that moment, the guards dragged him toward the spiral stair that climbed up the trunk of the tree to the rooms in the branches above. They were just about to pull him from the throne room when he regained control of himself and fought against the grip holding his arms so tightly.
“You’re her friend!” Elric screamed at Osmund. “I thought you cared for her. You protected her. She trusted you!”
He tried to twist his arm free, but it was no use. “She’ll die without our help.” Elric watched as Osmund lowered his gaze, looking ashamed of himself. “Her death will be on your head.” His voice filled the chamber. “Her blood is on your hands. All of you!”
No one met his gaze as the guard dragged him from the room.
Elric pulled against the fairy holding him the entire way up the staircase. With
