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Time ticked as I sat there on the stone floor, measured as the sun stretched across the black and white checkered tile. Staring up at them, I did not want to leave. It was as if I had lost a lifetime with them, unknown to me who they could be, whotheyhad been. I knew the answer was there, somewhere, but I could not grasp it.
It was blocked.
The longer I sat, the more confused I became. Unclear and fuzzy images fluttered past in my head, I could not tell what they were, if they were memories or not. A crack had started to form the longer I waited. The longer I willed them to be free. I wanted to reach for them, to grasp them and never let go. Willing them to clear, but no matter how hard I tried, how long I sat there they never did.
They flashed in and out, over and over.
The few I had the last several days had been the clearest of them but these ones, these ones were deeper. Unreachable. A pain in my head started to throb as I tried and tried to grasp them. It wasn’t until my stomach grumbled that I gave up.
Rising from my spot on the floor- having sat there for longer than I should have, the hours had cost me precious time- time that was running out. It took an enormous amount of effort to leave the mausoleum and the statue. But I had to, I was almost there. All of this was almost over. Of course, I knew the only one who would have answers was him. No matter what, he held them. The truth was waiting and I could feel it.
ChapterTwenty-Three
THE GOBLIN KING
Icouldn't believe it. I shouldn't have even been there, but there she was, drowning before my very eyes. And I just couldn't let her die. Failure was not an option, not when it came to her. As I paced back and forth on the cold stone floor, the well in front of me revealed her face in the reflection of the rippling water. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest as I watched her sink deeper and deeper, her life slipping away.
Without even thinking, I disappeared into the shadows, shedding my shirt as I dove headfirst into the murky pond. The water was freezing, the stench of decay and algae assaulting my senses. But none of that mattered. All I could see was her, sinking further and further away from me. And I knew I had to save her.
As I swam towards her, my heart pounding with each stroke, the Kelpie emerged from the depths, its malevolent intentions clear as day. I kicked it in the face, sending it scurrying away. But that was just the beginning of the struggle.
The water weighed down on us both as I reached for her, her body limp in my arms. She had given up, stopped fighting for her life. And I was the only one left to save her. Panic coursed through my veins as I pulled her closer, desperately trying to bring her to the surface. But it wasn't just physical strength that saved her. As I held her close, the well of magic within me pulsed with an energy I'd never felt before. It enveloped her, forcing her to wake up, to come back to me. I felt it pulsing all around us, a force so strong it took my breath away.
As she lay on the banks of the pond, her chest rising and falling with each labored breath, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. I had never felt so scared, so helpless in my entire life. But then, as if in response to my fear, the magic flared one last time. And she took a deep breath, her eyes flickering open. She coughed and sputtered, I recoiled in horror. I had saved her again, against my own better judgment. I had warned her that I wouldn't be there for her every time, but my actions proved otherwise. I wanted to leave her there, alone and vulnerable, but something kept me rooted to the spot. The relief I felt was overwhelming, almost suffocating.
I had not meant to be so cruel, to push her away like that. My words had come from a place of frustration and fear. But then, as she reached out to touch me, I saw something. A memory that I couldn't quite place at first. It was a memory that had been lost to me, forgotten under the weight of the curse that affected us all.
It was of us, as children, bickering under the shade of a giant oak tree. I had accidentally dropped my apple, and it hit her on the head before landing in her lap. She called me an idiot and demanded an apology. And in that moment, I remembered.
I’d had every intention to at first until she started yelling at me. Calling me all kinds of names, throwing the apple at me. She had good aim, but it angered me. I’d ripped the book from her hand before tossing it, kicking it into a puddle even. Her last words to me that night were said in anger, ‘I hate you.’
It had been the last night I would see her for a long while.
The memories flooded back like a dam that had finally burst, overpowering and unstoppable. I had been so angry at the time, so fed up with being her constant companion, but now as I watched her face in the well, I felt a pang of nostalgia and longing for those simpler times. But my thoughts were interrupted as I saw her with the squirrel. The same one that had led her to the Caves. That troublesome little beast had been the reason I’d gone to the edge of those caves. How I had been called to her once again. I should have stayed away, kept my distance, but I couldn't bear the thought of her failing, of herdying. If she failed, then I would have failed too.
As I paced the stone floor, my heart pounding in my chest, I saw her face reflected back at me in the waters. The memory of that childhood argument, the way she had convinced me to disobey authority, flooded my mind. The anger and hate that I had felt towards her family dissipated in the face of these memories. I couldn't deny the feelings that were stirring inside me. And while the cracks had been forming for almost two decades, this caused a tsunami of emotions and memories to rush forward. Memories I had forgotten myself.
Memories now have meaning.
Stepping away from the well, I walked to the other side of the room and paused in front of the window. As I gazed out over the horizon, I couldn't help but think that she was out there somewhere, on her way to me. The wind blew through the open window, rustling the curtains of my four poster bed and stirring up the dead leaves scattered about the room. I had been trapped in this castle for far too long, a prisoner in the very place that saw her family's downfall.
More memories, memories that flooded back to me. Memories of the trip from my home to Inirea when I was just six years old, and seeing the magnificent castle for the first time. I remembered meeting her for the first time, a little bundle in her mother's arms. So many forgotten memories of my time with her family, and my time with her, came rushing back to me.
Memories that I had no recollection of having, and that I still questioned if they were truly mine. Among them was the fateful night and the role I played in it. My heart ached as her face flashed before me, so young and innocent at the time. And I had been nothing but an angry boy who wanted nothing more than to see the royal family fall.
Fuck, I was coming undone.
I was a mess, a complete and utter mess, and it was all because of her. Serra. The pull between us was stronger than anything I had ever experienced before. It was a connection that ran so deep, it left me breathless. I had felt it years ago, but had dismissed it as a fleeting feeling. But it had never gone away. It had only grown stronger with time.
And now, fate has woven our lives together in a cruel twist of events. I had asked her to play this game, to take on this role, to risk everything, and I had taken her memories to ensure she played along. How could I have been so blind, so foolish? How could I have not seen the consequences of my actions? How cruel this could be, how fate would play with us like this. How could they do this? How could I do this? Had I known, I would not have done this, I would not have asked her to play this game.
I would have let it be.
The weight of it all bore down on me, a heaviness that settled in my chest. I knew what I had to do now. What I had to sacrifice to make things right. I couldn't let her stay here, not when I knew what fate had in store for her. It would only end in tragedy.
I glanced over at the seeing well, her face reflected back at me. I knew what to do, what Ihadto do now. I summoned what little energy I had left and cast one final spell. Pay for it one last time. The pain shot through me as I sliced my arm with the blade and watched the blood drop into the water. The drops dispersed almost immediately, and I knew I had paid a steep price.
But it was worth it. She couldn't stay here, not when her life was at stake. And as much as it pained me to do so, I knew I had to let her go. It was the only way to keep her safe. I really did not want to know what the price would be this time. I really did not want to have to do this. But I knew one thing, that was for sure.
