Page 23 of Entwined

Chapter Nine

Darby rushed into his apartment, his heart thumping so hard he wondered if it might burst. After tossing his jacket on the chair, he yanked open the top drawer of his desk, the precious legal pad with Bram’s writings on it carefully tucked inside. He removed it with something close to reverence then placed the item on the table.

Darby licked his lips as he considered what he was about to do. Bram had said it was forever, that his decision couldn’t be undone.

No turning back.

He wondered if he should write out some sort of will, but not only did he not have any relatives to speak of, nothing he possessed was of much value.

Bram’s love is all I have of value.

As he lifted the paper, he took a deep breath. He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose then spoke the words of the oath slowly and carefully.

All the air was pushed from his lungs and the sensation that he was falling into a great abyss enveloped him, his stomach in his throat as he seemed to be plummeting to what would most certainly be a horrible doom.

Now I know how Alice felt.

Right when he was certain he would pass out from the adrenaline rush, he sucked in a breath and floated as if he were a feather in a starry sky. He continued to sway downward, his physical form no longer feeling as clunky and heavy as it once had. Which was odd, since he’d never thought of it that way until now.

Soon, the darkened sky wasn’t the only thing that surrounded him. The tips of his shoes touched something more solid and he tensed, until he realized it was only the top of a tree. His eyesight had adjusted to the low light, and he discovered that between the moon, stars and what seemed to be very large fireflies or something of the kind, he could make out forms and shapes quite easily.

I’m in a forest. He continued downward, his body winding its way between the trees. A very lush forest.

Darby squinted as he drew closer to the ground. A small clearing was below, and it didn’t seem rocky or dangerous. But he was sure there was someone lying there, someone curled into a ball as if protecting themselves.

Yes. Definitely someone.

When his feet had almost touched the ground, the figure moved, and the glow of the moon highlighted the long streaks of silver hair. Darby let out a cry.

“Bram!” Darby landed and fell to his knees next to his sweet fae, surprised to discover how cushioned the ground was. “Bram, are you hurt? Sick? Please, sweetheart, talk to me.”

Was there such a thing as fairy EMTs? He didn’t know what to do, who to call for help.

Bram weakly clutched his arm, still drawn up in a ball on his side. “D-darby? Am I imagining you, am I going to the Golden Light so soon?”

“I don’t know what that is, but I’m here. Like you were real when you came to me, I’m real now too. I said the words, I’m here to stay.”

Bram’s shoulders shook as he began to cry. “Oh, I’ve needed you so much, we both have. Can you hold me?”

“Of course I can.” Darby sat down on what he now realized was thick piles of moss, then pulled Bram to him. His jaw dropped as he placed his hand on Bram’s belly. “Wait. What did you mean, ‘both’?”

Bram gazed up at him, his eyes sunken and his face so much thinner than it had been the last time Darby had seen him.

“Our child, Darby. He or she is growing inside me. But without you here, I’ve been losing all my energy, withering away.”

Bram seemed to be short of breath and Darby had never been so scared. “Did I do this to you, to our baby?” He cradled Bram on his lap and laid a protective hand on the small bump. That was fast. “We have to get you some help. Tell me where to go and I’ll carry you there.”

Bram nuzzled him, sighing and pressing his cheek against Darby’s chest. “It wasn’t your fault. I wasn’t allowed to tell you, to convince you to come with me.” Bram peered up at him, and while it might’ve been a trick of the shadows and light, Darby could swear that he looked better already. “And all I need is you.” Bram smiled. “I can feel my strength returning.”

Darby gasped as something moved beneath his palm. “Was that…?”

Bram’s smile grew wider. “Yes. Our baby.”

“Wow.”

Darby was stunned. All along, everything had been true. He couldn’t help but be ashamed because of all his doubts. But even though Bram insisted everything was okay now, he had to be sure.

And I’m going to be a father.