Chapter 92 Chapter 92

Chapter 92 Chapter 92

Mirelle’s POV

The mountain shook again.

Dust rained from the ceiling, and some of us screamed as pieces of rock crashed to the ground. The torches on the walls flickered violently.

“What the hell was that?” I shouted again.

“Eragon!” Corlin shouted.

“On it,” he said.

He rushed out to check what was going on.

“Let’s get out of here. We will be needed out there,” Corlin said.

When we got to where everyone was, it was pure chaos. Everywhere we turned, we heard screams. Then the mountain shook again.

“Everyone stay calm,” Corlin shouted.

Then Eragon came running back to us.

“It’s the Seelie soldiers. They are using fire magic to explode the trees. I don’t think they know our exact location, but they know we are in the Dead Forest.”

Corlin’s hands formed fists.

“It’s just a matter of time then… We will need to leave this place. We can’t stay here any longer,” Corlin replied. He turned to Eragon. “Get everyone to stay in their tents till this is over. Also tell them to pack up.”

“Where are we going to go?” I asked.

“There is a place,” he said.

That was all he said as we walked back to his office. I noticed he did not want to say more, so I kept quiet. I guessed it was meant to stay secret for now.

He brought out a map and marked some spots on it.

“We will need the help of the dryads,” he said.

“Dryads?”

“Yes. They guard the trees. They can help us find where I want us to go. I need to call to them.”

Then he walked towards a small table stacked with books. He pushed the desk slightly and I heard a click. An opening appeared beside the table.

He walked in, and I followed him.

Inside the room was a tree with tiny floating lights circling around it. Corlin walked up to it and placed his hands on the tree.

A small creature that looked almost like part of the tree crawled out of it and made a soft chirping sound. Corlin seemed to understand what it was saying.

Once they were done, the creature disappeared back into the tree, and Corlin turned to me.

“Was that a dryad?” I asked.

“Yes. We are done. Let’s go. We should be expecting them anytime soon,” he said.

As soon as we walked out of the secret passage, Eragon and Fiona came running in.

“We are ready,” Fiona said.

Another wave of explosions hit the forest and shook the caves. Then… after what felt like forever, it stopped.

We all paused, waiting for the next hit.

It never came.

“I think they are done,” I said.

“I hope so,” Eragon replied.

Rita rushed in, her face full of panic.

“We have got a problem. A rock collapsed on one of the tents.” She looked at Corlin. “It’s Lirall’s tent.”

Corlin’s eyes widened, and he ran out of there like hell was chasing him.

“Corlin!” I called as we all ran after him.

When we got there, people were already moving the rocks as fast as they could, and Corlin had joined them. He was screaming Lirall’s name.

Who was she to him?

“Over here! I can see a hand!” someone shouted.

We all rushed over and started lifting the rocks away. The moment I saw her face, I immediately understood why Corlin reacted the way he did.

It was the fae girl I had seen him with.

Corlin gently lifted her up and checked for a pulse.

He took a deep breath.

“She is okay. She is okay,” he repeated, though not to anyone in particular.

He turned to one of the faes standing nearby.

“Bron!”

Bron rushed to him. He was quite clumsy.

Bron closed his eyes and held his palms over her body, moving them slowly up and down. A soft golden glow came out of his hands.

“Her crushed ribs are healing,” he said.

Then he suddenly gasped.

Corlin grabbed his arm in panic.

“What is it?”

“I am not sure I should say this here.”

“What’s wrong? Say it.”

“She is pregnant, Prince.”

Almost everyone gasped.

Corlin looked down at her, and I swear I saw his eyes fill with tears.

“Let’s get her inside,” Bron said softly.

Corlin carried her gently out of there and straight to his room. He laid her carefully on the bed and brushed her hair back with his fingers.

“The caves are becoming unstable, Corlin. I am not sure they can withstand another hit. We could get buried down here,” Fiona said, her tone heavy with caution.

“We will soon be out of here. In less than a day. Gather anyone with elemental magic. Let them reinforce the caves. That should hold it for a little while… till we are out of here.”

And I wished I could help.

If only my powers would come out.

I walked out of his room feeling completely useless. I headed to the training area where some of the weapons had fallen to the floor because of the tremors.

I concentrated as hard as I could, searching for that spark. I searched deep within my soul.

“Come on,” I muttered in frustration. “Give me something. Anything.”

“Calm down.”

I turned around. It was Sailine.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. This is not the time for my powers to perform a disappearing act.”

“Your powers have not disappeared, Princess. They are part of your soul. Just because your physical form is different does not change that.”

“Then how can I make it work?” I asked.

If someone had told me I would one day ask Sailine for help controlling my powers, I would have denied it with everything in me. And although he had proven himself… was it wrong that I still felt a little doubt when it came to him? Especially after what he did to Faith.

“Empty your mind. Don’t think about anything. Don’t get distracted. Go to the deepest part of your soul and pull at the white line you see.”

I did exactly as he said.

And when I saw that white line…

I pulled it.

“Princess,” Sailine whispered, “open your eyes and look at your hands.”

I opened my eyes and stared at my hands in awe.

Sparks jumped from one finger to another.

My powers were back.