The Dark Side of Magic (The Dark Side, Book 2)

The Pain of Caring

[Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to write this chapter. Please forgive me? The last one was so long that time just kind of got away from me. Before I knew it, I realized it had been a month since I had written it. 
This is actually another exceptionally long chapter (five thousand some words before the Author's Note). And, again, I actually didn't end the chapter the way I intended to. Like last time, the chapter got away from me. It got far too long, far too quickly.
Sydney is going to murder me soon, haha.

Regardless, after three nights of writing, I have finally finished the chapter! I really hope you all enjoy it!
It's getting back to the emotional core of the story a little bit and slowing things down. I'm going to try to let you back into the character's headspaces, and this is the start of that. Seeing the inner workings of a character's mind has always been one of my favorite things about reading and writing, and I kind of got away from that for awhile.

Dedicated to Norah, because she has loved Blain unconditionally from the very beginning, and he is the primary focus of this chapter. His character development in this chapter takes an interesting trajectory for me, because I think everyone can relate to being at war with themselves.

Without further ado - ladies and gentlemen, I give you Chapter 6. Enjoy! I promise I will try not to let nigh on a month and a half pass before Chapter 7 gets written.]

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Blain sat alone in one of the spare bedrooms of the Miles house, waiting. Waiting for Kylie, as he had spent most of his life doing - as he would happily spend the rest of his life doing.

Isaac had said that she would arrive late tonight, and as the minutes slowly ticked by, his mind wandered - as it so often did - to their past. They had had so little time together, in the grand scheme of all things, and yet somehow it felt like he had lived lifetimes with her in his arms.

Pulling a thin, silver chain from beneath his shirt, he absent-mindedly toyed with the delicately crafted band that hung from it. He could remember - vividly - the day that he had found it. Three months after his mother had died, he had finally ventured into her room. It had taken everything in him, but he knew that he needed to go through her things and decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

The ring had been there, sitting on her nightstand.

With a note that had ripped his heart out.

For three months, they had thought that his mother's death had been a tragic accident. That merciful thought went down in flames the moment he picked up the note and began to read it.

After losing her daughter to cancer and her husband to suicide, Julie had tried to be strong for her son...and for Kylie. Blain recalled that note with painful clarity, and he remembered every word that had turned his world upside down.

Dear Blain,

I don't know when you will see this. I don't know what you will think of me when you do.

I am sorry...so very, very sorry. I know that it isn't fair to leave you here alone. I know that I am being selfish...but you are grown, and talking about leaving this one-horse town because it holds too many memories that you can't escape. I can't live in this house alone, but I can't leave it, either. It is all that I have left of Cara...of your father.

I can't do this anymore. I can't live with this crushing loss.

This ring has been in the family for decades. Give it to Kylie some day. I know you haven't realized it yet, but one day soon, you will. She's been in love with you for years...and you've loved her since Cara died, whether you'll admit it to yourself or not.