The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

we had lived there, had itbeen so quiet. Mal’goroth had destroyed the shield around it after…what he had done to me, but he hadn’t done any real harm to itafter that. It had been the people he wanted to punish, not thebuildings.

Once Penny had gone backto sleep, I went with Walter and Gareth to open the door to myhidden home. It was locked from the inside, but I was able to showthem how to get the attention of the door guard. Walter and Garethhadn’t realized before that, while a stranger couldn’t open thedoor, knocking could be heard by the occupants. The portal wasactive so long as the door was closed and wasn’topened by the wrongperson. Otherwise we’d have been unable to respond to messengersand such.

The reunions that followed werejoyful.

Walter’s wife was nearly inconsolable.I might have thought he had died when she saw him, but I didn’thave time to worry about them. My own children were awake, and theyhad been without either of us for the past day.

The refugees wasted no time returningto Castle Cameron. Camping in the mountains was far less desirablethan what I had to offer there.

I kept Penny’s location a secret. Shedidn’t need to be bothered. Not by anyone, whether it was a smallmatter or a concern of the Queen. As soon as our home was empty, Itook her quietly and installed her comfortably in ourbedroom.

Lilly and Rose had been caring for ourchildren, a kindness that I loved them for. That’s how you know whoyour family is, truthfully. I spent a long time with the childrenthat first day, to the exclusion of everyone but Penny. Irenehadn’t noticed my absence of course, but little Conall had. Hestared at me constantly and seemed hesitant to let me out of hissight. I took to carrying him around, as much for my own comfort ashis.

Moira cried and clung to me when shefirst saw me, but she recovered faster than the others, outwardlyat least. I knew she would grow up to be a strong woman someday.Her personality was comprised of some of the best parts of Pennyand me, and the end result was a resilient, intelligent girl whomight wind up more like Rose than either of her willfulparents.

Matthew wasn’t bashful, but he didn’tcry when he saw me. I think he wanted to protect me somehow, toavoid letting me see how much he had been hurting. I held him aslong as I could, and days later, when it was just the two of us, hefinally broke down. When all was said and done, I suspected my‘death’ had been hardest on him.

Once we were reunited, I evictedeveryone but Lilly Tucker. I asked the Thornbears to stay with usas well, but Rose declined. I suspected that it was my return thatinfluenced her decision. I knew she considered us family, but shehad only recently lost Dorian. While that hurt all of us, Icouldn’t imagine what it must be doing to her to see Penny and metogether again.

Their roles had been reversed. Ourfamily was whole once more, while Rose had become the widow. That’sthe true horror of losing a spouse, being alone. Sometimes the verypeople who care for you the most cause the greatest pain, remindingyou constantly of what you’ve lost. We wanted nothing more than tohelp her, but our good fortune only pained her more.

I put Peter in charge of the castleitself and told Walter, the Baron of Arundel, to act in my stead ineverything else. Despite some initial objections, I closed the doorto our home and the Illeniels isolated themselves from theworld.

***

A day later, Peter wasknocking.

“The Queen is asking for you,” heinformed me when I answered it (I had ignored everyone else whocame to the door).

“And?”

“The World Road isn’t functioning,” hereplied.

I hadn’t thought about it, but thatmade sense. When Mal’goroth had destroyed the shield around CastleCameron, the feedback would have shattered the God-Stone, which waswhere the power that fed the portals was stored. It also meantCelior was on the loose somewhere.

“Too bad,” I told him.

“But…!”

“One of the Prathions can providetransportation if that’s all she needs. The repairs can wait untilI get around to it,” I assured him.

Peter frowned. “My lord, I realize youare busy, but the capital is in shambles. The Queen will need yourassistance during the reorganization…”

I cut him off, “I don’t give adamn.”

His expression went blank.

“I don’t give a damn,” I repeated.“The capital, the world, and all the rest of it, can go to hell. Mywife is sick, and my younger daughter needs to be changed.” As Ispoke I could hear Irene crying in the background.

“Isn’t Lilly there?” he reminded me.“Surely she can handle it.”

I scowled at him, “Your sister is busycooking dinner. I’ll look after Irene myself.”

He started to speak, but I put afinger over his lips.

“Because I want to,” I clarified.“More than anything else.”

Although he was intelligent in manyways, Peter still didn’t get it. “I understand wanting to see yourfamily, but you have priorities, my lord, duties andobligations.”

“I was dead for a year, trapped insidea monster. I’ve already saved the world, Peter. It can do withoutme for a while. I know what my priorities are, and they aren’t outthere,” and then I closed the door.

“There could be a civil war!” heshouted through the door.

“Our young Queen is stronger than yourealize,” I answered back. “I’ll come out in a few weeks, maybe. Ifanyone has the poor taste to try to depose her before then—well Ifeel sorry for them.”

I walked away from the door, but aftera minute I changed my mind and went back to it. Opening it, I foundmy chamberlain still standing there. His expression becamehopeful.

I hugged him, which made him stiffenimmediately. Embraces were strictly not part of normal lord-servantrelations. “Thank you, Peter,” I said. “You saved me a few days agoand the rest of the world too.”

“You’re welcome, my lord,” he intonedsincerely, his voice was muffled by my chest. I hadn’t let himloose yet. “Does this mean you will see the Queen?”

“Nope,” I replied, and pushing himaway, I shut the door on him again.

Penny was sitting by the