Chapter 55

Naomi wanted to be sick, and puking directly onto the shriveled corpse hanging off her arm might actually improve its looks. She didn’t know if this body were once Errilol’s, suggesting he was once mortal or if the corpse were of a favored follower, and at the moment, she didn’t much care. She wanted to be free of the abomination and to kill the entity that animated it. She continued to pull away from the corpse, but Errilol came with her. He was not exerting any effort to keep her still, but passively holding on like a rag doll with a claw like grasp on her arm. She whacked the dead arm with the shield, but at the odd angle, she couldn’t get any strength behind the blow.

“Let go!” she shouted, not really expecting him to do it, but she really, really, REALLY wanted him to let go of her arm. She was going to catch something from him, she knew it. Rotted corpses were not hygienic.

“But I could do so much for you. Just let me in.”

The way he said it made it sound dirty and coming from the mouth of a corpse made it just all sorts of wrong. She dropped the shield to pry at his fingers. He laughed at her futile efforts. It was infuriating. If she could just get him off of her, she’d be able to do what she came to do.

In a flash of clarity, she realized how stupid she was being. Her mission was not to get away from Errilol but to destroy him. She had a free arm. She should use it. She switched the horn to her free hand and stabbed the corpse in the chest. Bones cracked under the force of the blow, and the horn wedged into the chest cavity. Nothing happened.

Errilol chuckled. The horn bobbed as his chest shook. “This is why women are not warriors,” he said. Naomi, suddenly, found herself airborne as the god tossed her aside. He was no longer a rag doll. He stood on his own. She skidded to the ground in shock. The horn had not worked. The unicorns had assured her it would. What had she done wrong?

She shakily picked herself up as she kept a wary eye on the god. She was now defenseless. The horn was still stuck in his chest, and the shield rested somewhere on the ground. She realized with unhappy irony that by making her weapons invisible she couldn’t find them. Errilol grasped the horn to pull it from his chest, but searing light erupted from the object, and the god howled in pain.

She crept around the god as she tried to pinpoint where she had dropped the shield. It had to still be close to where Errilol stood. He tried to remove the horn again. The light that erupted again. The god let out another enraged howl. She scurried up to him and felt around for the shield. Her hand grazed it. As she picked it up, Errilol’s hand shot down and grabbed her by the back of her neck. He jerked her up to his face. She brought the shield up between them. “Remove the horn, girl.” This close to the god, she noticed fine cracks had formed in the bones. The horn was harming him.

“Having a little trouble?” The god shook her by the scruff of her neck. She felt like the rag doll now, but even so, she saw more small cracks form in his bones, spider webbing out. The horn was working, but maybe she could speed up the process.

“My priests are on their way. They have killed your friends. Tavik is dead too. He was no longer any use to me. Give up.”

She didn’t believe him, but all he said could be true. She shook as she answered, “No.”

“Why would I lie? They’re dead. How could you think you could destroy me? I am a god. You’re only a puny woman, not even a virgin.”

She knew he was doing something to her. He was in her head, making her feel his words, influencing her. She had to fight him. She reached out, and her finger tips grazed the horn. “Pull it out, Naomi. It’s the only thing you can do. Your death will be quick,” he urged. He brought her closer.

“Go to hell,” she said and struck the horn with the heel of her hand. The horn shot through the rest of his body till the point broke through to the other side.
Errilol screamed and threw her away again as the bright light erupted and sustained. She hit the wall and slid down it. She woozily held the shield in front of her to block out the light. Errilol continued to scream. She thought the sound would make her ears bleed. The light was blinding her. She could not see Errilol or the room at all. She huddled behind the shield. She squeezed her eyes shut and threw her free arm across her face to block out as much of the light as possible, but searing whiteness still stabbed into her brain.

Finally, there was an explosion, and debris pinged off the shield. The light vanished. She peeked over the shield and saw a small blast crater had formed in the center of the room. There was no sign of Errilol or green fire.

She crept toward the crater and looked into it. In the center, a broken unicorn horn rested. “Well, great. What the hell am I supposed to do now?” she asked looking down at the broken horn. She’d used it to transport everyone there. Yula, Agatha, Mr. Squibbles and she were now stranded. That was if the others were alive. What if Errlilol hadn’t been lying? The dim room began to fill with a golden glow. She turned around and found herself once again surrounded by unicorns.

“I thought you weren’t allowed in the homes of gods.”

We aren’t, but this is no longer a home of a god. You have succeeded. Errilol is slain.

“Naomi!” She turned to the doorway and with relief at the sound of Agatha’s voice. She couldn’t help giggling at how the two women bounced as they ran into the room. They didn’t look hurt in any way. Yula and Agatha skidded to a stop at the sight of all the unicorns.

“Who wants to go home?” she asked.

Naomi knew no fear as she stood outside the main gate to Tavik’s castle because this time she had her own guard to protect her, for who would be foolish enough to attack a herd of unicorns? The guards were slack jawed as she waltzed past them.

Mrs. Boon met her at the foot of the stairs leading to the private chambers. She did not scrape her knee to Naomi, nor did she look at all pleased to see her. Naomi gave the housekeeper a cool stare. “I would get my things in order if I were you.”

“I am to be let go?”

“What do you think? You held me prisoner. If you don’t leave, I’ll do the same to you.”

Mrs. Boon’s back stiffened, but she nodded. Naomi continued on her way and didn’t pause again until she was outside Tavik’s door. She stared at the wood beams. He was on the other side. She put her hands flat against the door and leaned her forehead onto it. It was almost over. Everything was almost over.

“Could you let me be alone with him first?” she asked her two friends who had followed her up.

“Of course, dear,” Yula said.

Agatha laid her hand on the center of Naomi’s back to give it a gentle rub. “Go to him, Naomi. He’s waiting.”

Naomi lifted her head and nodded. She opened the door and slipped inside. It was almost over. Errilol was dead. The unicorns were safe. All that needed to be done now was awaken Tavik. She felt a gut clenching fear at the task. It had been several months since he’d seen her. The time when he was delusional didn’t count. What would he think when he saw her? Would he be happy or would he turn away? Naomi took a deep breath to steady her nerves. His reaction didn’t matter she told herself. All she truly wanted was to restore him back to his health. If he turned away from her, she would go. She’d find something else to do, see if Agatha needed an apprentice maybe. Him well was all that mattered. She wished she really were that self-sacrificing, but she knew the truth. If Tavik turned away from her, somebody was getting hurt in the physical sense. She’d lay odds on Tavik. She’d just killed a god for him NAKED, what more could a guy ask for?

She marched over to the side of the bed. He had not been disturbed from when she’d left him. He was still unmasked. She wondered what the priests and servants had made of his state. She laid her palm across his forehead. He was like a block of ice.
She leaned in and laid her lips across his, which were cold and lifeless. She squeezed her eyes shut to block out thoughts of funerals and final farewell kisses. Tavik would come back. He would be okay. His lips remained lifeless under hers. Why wasn’t he waking up? Tears began to leak out. She raised her head to wipe her tears off of him.

“Come on, Tavik. Wake up,” she begged. She lowered her head again to kiss him. The unicorns had assured her that this would work. She began to despair at the lack of response. If he didn’t wake up, it would be her fault. She’d been the one to put him in this cold state. She’d done it to protect him from Errilol while she confronted the god, but it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t recover. He still did not stir. She rose and stumbled back. She’d call Agatha. The witch would know what to do. She turned toward the door to call the women in.

“No, Naomi come back. Don’t leave me.”

She whirled back to face Tavik. His eyes were still closed, but he had spoken. She rushed back to the bed. “I’m here, Tavik. I won’t leave you. I’m here to stay,” she babbled. “Tavik, open your eyes. Look at me.”

He didn’t open his eyes, and the blue pallor had not lessened. She had the mad fear that he had not spoken, that she’d imagined it. “Missed you,” he breathed. She gasped with relief. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

“Wake up. I need to know you’re going to be all right.” It made her sick the way his head lolled on his neck as she shook him. She jumped on the bed and straddled his torso. She held his head between her hands. She would bring him back, but the only way she knew how was the way she’d been told. Kiss him, the unicorns had told her. She began to rain kisses down on him. She kissed his eyes, cheeks, forehead, mouth, ears, chin, jaw, eyebrows, and nose. She covered his face with kisses. Her lips swiftly grew numb on his cold skin. She was kissing his mouth once again when it responded and opened to her. Her cry of joy was muffled. She kissed him a few seconds longer before raising her head.

His eyes were open now. He looked up at her with wonder. “You’re back,” he murmured.
She dumbly nodded her head as she wiped her tears of relief away. Tavik’s brow furrowed. “I can’t move my body.”

Naomi had an inkling why. She picked up his hand and brought it to her lips. She gently kissed it all over. Tavik’s hand then flexed and cupped her cheek. She laughed. Tavik looked bemused. She had just begun to kiss down his arm when the bedroom door swung open, and Yula and Agatha tumbled in. They picked themselves up and blinked at the picture of Naomi straddling Tavik on his bed.

“I don’t think they’ve finished their hellos,” Yula said grabbing Agatha to drag her back out of the room.

Agatha brushed her off. “I think the sun will rise before they’re done.” Naomi blushed and crawled off Tavik. Agatha came up to the side of the bed and looked him over. “Well, how do you feel?”

He chuckled. “I’ll tell you when Naomi’s done with me.” Agatha raised an eyebrow and looked at her. Naomi could feel her cheeks burning brighter.

“He’ll be all right,” she muttered. Tavik chuckled some more. She sent him a warning look.

“But you kissed him obviously so he’s fine,” Mr. Squibbles said sticking his head out of Agatha’s pocket.
Naomi stared at her shoes.

Yula grew concerned. She came up to the bed and laid her hand on his brow. “But you must be all right. Naomi went through such peril to help you. She killed Errilol and saved the unicorns. The unicorns told her a kiss would save you.”

Naomi had been holding onto Tavik’s reawakened hand. It spasmed and squeezed hers as he slanted his eyes to her. “Errilol’s dead?”

“Can’t you tell, Tavik?” Agatha said. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They watched him tensely. She’d been sure Errilol was no more, but if Tavik could still sense him…

His eyes opened. “He’s gone. I don’t feel him at all,” he said in wonder.
Agatha smiled and looked over at her. “Naomi did that. She saved you.”

“Yes, she did.” His eyes slanted to her. She stared back. Agatha slipped her arm around Yula’s shoulders and began to lead her out.

“Let’s let these two get back to their kissing,” Agatha said with a twinkle in her eye.

Once they were gone, Naomi groaned and flopped down beside Tavik. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Your mother knows.”

“Mothers know everything.”

Naomi propped her head up and looked down at him. She pulled the sheet away. “So what would you like to get the feeling back in first?” she asked.

“You choose.”

She ginned wickedly. “You’re going to regret that.”

“I highly doubt it,” he replied.

THE END.