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10
LILIN
The Earthside concept of time had always been strange to me, the marking of hours and days a confusing and messy affair. Now, as I tossed stones mindlessly into the serene blue lake beside Julian’s cabin, I thought the mortals might not be so ridiculous, after all.
From time to time I stretched my wings, trying to feel a glimmer of either Julian or Abigor, but there was nothing.
Should I stay? I didn’t know where Julian would reappear, if indeed he ever would. My stomach curdled with fear at the thought; had I sent him to his death? It made sense that he would return to his home, but how long until that happened? Would I be standing at the water’s edge until the life faded from the last villager’s eyes?
The sun was setting.
Night and day made little difference to me, but for some reason, the encroaching dark seemed oppressive, and the thought of waiting alone in Julian’s empty house was unbearable. I turned away from the lake and began trudging up the path toward the village. I could do something useful in the meantime. Clear the streets, perhaps, or move the villagers’ bodies back toward the buildings that remained. Anything but waiting here helplessly.
I almost expected things to look different, having been away for half a day, but everything was exactly as it had been. Only the villagers had changed, their faces deeply lined, their hair fine and snowy. The children had grown no taller, but their faces bore the weight of years; even the infant in its mothers arms looked like a strange, elfin crone.
I felt ill, gazing at them. I willed Julian to come back, to bring Abigor with him, although my thoughts were edged with cold despair.
I could have gone with him. I could have tried. The weight of these souls before me dragged me down, and I felt as though I might never rise again.
Crack.
I flinched, instinctively spreading my wings to protect myself, my hands curling around twin balls of lightning.
“Watch out,” called a familiar voice, “she’s jumpy.”
I dropped my hands, my eyes going wide. “Abigor,” I gasped, whirling to see a misty silhouette taking form in the moonlight.
“The one and only,” he said, a wry smile on his face as the rest of his body solidified. Behind him, hazy shadows resolved into a second shape, and a moment later, Julian appeared, coughing.
“That’s enough—of that—for one lifetime,” he managed to say, doubling over with his hands on his knees.
“I didn’t—” I took a few steps toward Abigor. “I didn’t think you’d come back.”
His lips tightened. “I wasn’t going to,” he admitted, “but—”
Before he could finish his sentence, I threw my arms around him.
“Oh,” he said. “Okay.”
His hands came up tentatively, brushing against my back before settling on my shoulders.
“I hate you,” I said into his chest, blinking away burning tears of relief.
I felt his low rumble of laughter. “Oh good,” he said. “I was worried you’d changed.”
“You shouldn’t have left,” I said, pulling back and looking up at him.
His forehead creased. “No,” he said. “I—for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
I let my arms fall and stepped back. “Well, you’re here now,” I said, “and I suppose that counts.”
“Well.” Abigor turned. “Apparently Julian saw something, and he wouldn’t tell me what it is, so what choice did I have?”
“Is that so,” I said with a watery laugh, wiping my eyes and turning to Julian. “What did you see? Must have been convincing.”
Julian cleared his throat. “I’m not sure.”
Abigor’s brows rose. “You dragged me back from Hell to show me something, and you’re ‘not sure’ what it was?”
