Forbidden Devotion Ch. 02

Jayden darkened the light in front of the elf and he shrank away from him. "We're not going to just wave the white flag! We might not be able to save everybody but that doesn't mean we're going to give up on those we can help! We may not know how now but I believe an answer exists and we're going to find it!"

Ilana stepped to the elf and piled on. "Right, these are your people! My sister! Nadine! No one should give up so easily especially a knight of our land! I should have you kicked from the knighthood!"

She spoke as though she still had the power to do so—not that he had to know that!

"Ok, fine!" the elf submitted. "What is your brilliant plan then?"

Ilana relaxed her stance and began to think. She actually didn't have one. She hoped the answer would come to her once she reached the forest but she was drawing blanks.

She tapped Jayden on the arm. "Hey, let's talk about this."

He nodded in the affirmative and they chatted around the corner at a distance outside of earshot from the guardian elves.

Jayden said, almost with despair, "We're probably not going to get any answers out here..."

Ilana glanced over at the forest entrance and spoke with the same sadness. "I had the same idea."

"It's too far to go back to inform the capital not that the king is in a very listening mood. Besides, the longer we wait, the worse it gets in the forest and the more graves we'll have to dig. That is if we can find a cure."

"If there is an antidote, my sister would know. She's a natural healer and knows all about remedies and such. We can't talk to her out here, though, sigh..."

Jayden asked, "Do you think the guards could go fetch her for us?"

"You would put them in danger like that?"

"No, I suppose not. I don't think I could look at myself in the mirror after that."

Ilana lightly caressed the hairs on Jayden's arm. "I have to speak with Nadine. She's the forest leader and protector. Not to mention a psychic healer. I think she's been sending me visions. I'm sure she's trying to tell me something."

Jayden held Ilana by the hips. "If she can send visions, couldn't she communicate what she wants telepathically so you wouldn't have to go in there?"

Ilana shook her head. "No, not anymore. I think she's dying..."

She froze as she watched her beloved strain to hold back from choking up but to no avail. His reddened eyes moistened followed by uncontrolled sniffling. He tried covering his emotions but Ilana pulled his hands away. It warmed her heart to see him displaying his emotions to her. For her, it was like another step in their relationship.

Ilana wiped the trickles running down his cheeks. "What's the matter, honey? Talk to me."

Jayden pulled her closer. "We don't have a choice but to go in the forest. You know what that means. I can't lose you!"

Ilana knew it but the reality only now set in. Still, it was touching for Jayden to shed a tear for her although the truth was she could also lose him.

Now, she was breaking into pieces. "I know, baby...'sniff'...but we have a chance, right? If something does happen, maybe we get to save some people? I can see Nadine, Remi, and friends before..."

Jayden snatched her hands and squeezed them. "No, we're not having this conversation! Like you said, there's a chance we can make it so why couldn't it be us? We'll make it!"

Ilana didn't know how but his belief at least alleviated some of her fear and replaced it with a hint of strengthened will. "Okay, but in case anything does happen, I wanted to tell you that I..."

Jayden jumped into a kiss with Ilana and she filled with warmth and tingles before she realized what was happening. When the surprise subsided, she shut her eyes and gave it back to him.

They collapsed to the grass together with their hands attached and absorbed the heat of each long, hard, kiss. This time, no one knew if or when they would get to do it again.

They kissed until their consciences whispered that it was time to go.

Ilana's face was flushed and she was crying quietly. "We...better go. The golden bow and arrows are hidden behind the illusion of a red bark tree in the forest. I can dispel the magic."

Jayden wrapped his arms around her. Ilana wanted to melt into him. It was a tight, strong hug of the likes she would want to live to feel again.

"Okay...sigh...let's do it..." Jayden said as they walked back to the forest's entrance to speak with the guards.

She had to battle through the resistance overcoming her to utter the words she knew she had to.

Ilana pointed at the path behind the knights. "Um, let us in, you two! If we're going to save the forest, we have to get in there!"

The rightmost knight shrugged. "That's your brilliant idea? Run in and get yourselves killed? I can't let you do that, Lady Ilana. The king would have our heads. Try again!"

Ilana snickered. The king would want your heads? Now, you get to live a day in my life...

"We have a plan!" Ilana snapped. "We're not just going in because we've given up on life! As for the king, tell him we overthrew you and went on our own. Easy!"

Jayden cracked his knuckles. "We can always make that last part really happen if that would suit you better."

The elf on the left shook his head in a blur. "No, no! We don't need any violence! I just don't want to see more lives end especially that of our beloved Lady Ilana! You have to find another way, please, I beg of you!"

Ilana laid her hand upon the knight's cheek. "We might be able to help but we have to go in. We talked about it but there's no other way we can see. Time is something we don't have so we have to do this now. If we don't make it, tell the people of Nevin that we did went out for them. Please do that for me."

The knight was contemplating her request but with enough trepidation to delay his decision for more than a minute.

Ilana was trying to make her own decision easier by believing that if she didn't come out of the forest alive, it would serve as her penance for wrongs both real and imaginary. If she was allowed to survive, she would continue to fight for her people by stopping the dark elves. She may have told herself these things but it did little to make it any easier.

The knight on the right grumbled, "I hate that you're doing this. It's still foolish but if it is what you wish, I'll grant it. I don't know how but you'd better come back alive or I'll haunt you myself!" He threw himself on the ground with his weapon tossed to the dirt at his side. "Happy? I'm officially overthrown by the mighty Lady Ilana and her troll friend."

Ilana shot a look at Jayden and fought to contain her laughs.

"Troll, huh? Must be the pants," Ilana said softly with her hand over her chuckles.

Jayden responded with a phony mean glare that turned into a barely contained laugh of his own. "Haha! I swear that I'm going to get you if we make it! I'm going to stay alive just for that one!"

"Hehe," she giggled but transitioned back into serious mode as she turned her attention to the first knight. "So, what do you think?"

"I'm with him," he said pointing at his partner on the ground. "This is insanity! But, if this is the only way to save everyone, I'll allow you to pass. Understand that we can't let you leave once you enter. Not until every survivor has been cured and the plague no longer poses a threat."

Ilana nodded. "I do understand."

"I'll be praying for your safe return!"

His cohort echoed, "As will I. I'll make those prayers double for each of you!"

"Thank you both," Jayden said. "Don't worry. It will work out. I promise."

"We'll hold you to that," the left knight said as he joined his partner on his back. "You beat us so do as you wish..."

"Thanks, you, two. We won't let you down..." Ilana said as she joined Jayden.

They stood with a sense of determination and purpose yet it was being overtaken by crippling procrastination that caused them to second, third, fourth, and fifth guess themselves. It was going to happen now or it never would.

The path ahead was tranquil but it was deeper into the woods where the calamity struck.

Ilana was shattering into a million pieces and was trembling to her toes. Her heart was flying so fast, she thought it was going to blow.

"Well, Jayden, this is it. I'm not ready but I'm as ready as I'm going to get."

"Neither am I but it's for a cause greater than ourselves. Let's go."

"Okay..."

And into the forest they went to face their fears and destiny...