The Heart Collector (Under Editing)

Chapter Thirty-Six: Reveal

"So let me get this straight. You think that I didn't wander into Larkston out of chance. That I've always lived here."

"Think about it Fare. You said it yourself. You were severely injured. Don't get me wrong, you're resourceful as Hell, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that you traveled far in that condition."

Fare was quiet. She had never thought about it. With her memory loss, she had just assumed that she was from somewhere other than Larkston. She had never considered the possibility that she was from there all along. She looked around. Where these the woods in her nightmarish memory? If they were, she had been looking for her past in all of the wrong places. She was always home. After her realization, her body began to move on its own. Novus called out to her, but she drowned him out. She walked towards the lake and stared out at the water. Fare felt tingling in the back of her skull. It was not as painful as the last time. A memory was trying to emerge. She waited. No flash except that her body began to move once more.

"Fare?"

She ignored him and continued her path around the lake. After a few moments, she led them to an overgrown stone path. Fare pushed back the brush and trudged forward. She could sense that Novus was still following behind. After walking for a few moments, Fare paused. She stood in front of a house's burned out shell. Fare stared then slowly sat on the ground. Moments of her nightmarish flash played. This was where it all started.

Novus dropped down next to her, "You okay?"

Fare sighed, "Surprisingly, yes. I've spent my whole life guessing and searching for myself. Now that its in front of me, it's a little surreal. In a way, I feel a little relieved. Like weight that I didn't know that I was carrying was finally lifted."

"I can't imagine going through all that you've have. Even at such an early age. I do know that it made you who you are today."

She could not help but crack a smile then she cleared her throat, "Why do you think that he led us to here? It couldn't just be about me. Something else must be going on."

Novus was about to answer, but clapping echoed in their surroundings. They turned their attention to the burnt lumber and they steadily stood up. A figure walked through the burned remains; crushing them under his weight. Novus stood slightly ahead of Fare. His Truthfall side was sending him all red flags.

"I must say," The figure came out of the shadows, "I knew that you would show up eventually. I just hoped that it would've been a little sooner."

"Sorry to disappoint." Fare was wary.

"You lead us here." Novus said.

The figure chuckled deeply, "Yes, I did. I led her here. I should have predicted that you would've followed."

Whomever was in front of them, kept enough of a distance so that they could not accurately assess his appearance. There were two things that they were certain of. He was male judging by the voice and that he was the one that they have been hunting all this time.

Fare noticed that wisps of freezing air began to swallow Novus' hands.

"Why?" Fare asked in hopes to by time for whatever Novus was thinking.

"What do you mean?"

Frost licked the ground off to the sides.

"Why kill all of those people?"

He tutted, "Now, now Guenivere. What fun would it be if I gave you all of the answers?"

Fare froze at the sound of her birth name, but did not say anything when she saw the frost covering his feet. The figure looked down.

"Nicely done Captain Snow, but I'm afraid that your ice won't be enough to hold me."

Novus and Fare heard a crack. He effortlessly pulled his feet free then moved with a speed that both Fare and Novus had never seen before. Novus was smacked to the side. Fare was caught by her arm and flipped on her back then promptly dislocated her shoulder. Fare screamed. Novus tried to get back up, but was hit in the solar plexus. He doubled over out of breath. She pushed herself to the sitting position and cradled her injured arm.

Fare noticed that he was a tall Fae with black hair and green eyes. He looked to be fairly young, but something was off about him. She could not sense what ability he was using. When they touched, she felt nothing. There was no way that he was that strong without using any ability.

"What the Hell are you?" Fare gritted her teeth.

The Fae kicked Novus in the stomach then turned around. Fare was certain that that kick may have given him a couple of broken ribs. The smile that the Fae gave her sent a shiver down her spine.

"Well, isn't obvious my dear? I'm Fae."

Fare unconsciously rolled her eyes, "No shit dumbass. I meant what kind of Fae are you?"

His smile grew wider, "I admire that you still have the courage to sass. Let's just say that my ability is much older and not even your pinpointing can pick it up."

Fare was shocked. She had never come across any ability that she was unable to detect before. While she was lost in her head, she almost missed him attacking her again. She managed to lay flat on her back at the last second and bring her knee to his abdomen. He landed close to her, but he effortlessly rolled back to his feet.

He chuckled, "Not bad. But unfortunately, you'll need to do better than that."

Fare barely blinked before he was on her again and this time, he lifted her up by the throat. She clawed at his hand with her good arm, but failed to dislodge it. She couldn't even reach her eyes to attempt to remove her contacts. Black dots swam in her vision, but she felt a coldness come up from beneath her. The next thing she knew, she dropped to the ground. She coughed as air filled her lungs. Once her vision cleared up, she saw a pillar of ice under his arm. The impact must have been brief and strong enough for him to let go. Another pillar rammed into the Fae but it broke directly on contact. She watched as he grabbed Novus' arm and flip him. Then she saw something that she had never seen in another Fae. His eyes turned a deep crimson to the point that barely any white showed. The next thing she knew was that Novus was thrown hard and splashed into the lake.

"Novus!" She screamed.

She bolted upright harder than she should have with her injured arm, but all she could think of was that Novus did not look to be fully conscious. She ran towards the water, but as soon as her feet touched the water, she was yanked back by her hair. Her head hit the ground and she saw spots. She swung a leg up but it was caught. She felt her knee pop and pain radiate up. Fare swallowed her scream.

"If you're going to kill me, then just do it you prick."

His grin returned, "Who said anything about killing you? I need you alive for a little longer."

"For what?"

"You'll see."

His eyes turned crimson again and her vision felt fuzzy. Everything went black.