"What happened to you?" the green-eyed boy asked, looking at the beautiful broken man before him.
"I was left in the darkness, so darkness is what I became."
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—Harry approaches a stream and kneels, splashing his face and brings a handful of water to his lips.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Dylan says, tying up his boots, "Not unless you want your bowels to rip apart."
He turns. Zayn has been snoozing on a rock, with one eye open. Harry releases the water, standing and facing off with Zayn, who offers his flask of mead. Harry reluctantly takes a sip, spitting most of it out. He hands it back, disgusted by the taste. Zayn laughs at the innocent boy's reaction—Harry's nose scrunched up in disgust and it was the cutest thing he has ever witnessed.
"I forgot to tell you, princess," Zayn said, trying hard to keep a straight face, "That's not water."
Harry looks at him, annoyed. He suddenly smells something, walks a few steps and bends down. He examines a long brown pellet shaped object on the ground.
"What is it?" he asks, Dylan laughing loudly.
Zayn turns to look at what he's talking about and desperately tries not to laugh at what he looking at.
Zayn struggles to speak without dying of laughter.
Harry is confused, "What is it?"
He couldn't take it anymore. Zayn clutches him stomach, letting out a loud string of laughs. Dylan is also laughing, on the floor and hitting the ground with his fists. "You really want me to tell you what that is?"
Zayn doesn't need to. It's an animal dropping. Harry winces, finally understanding what they were laughing about, as he watches Zayn knead it between his fingers and take a long sniff. He catches the sudden look of fear in his eyes as he gazes around the woods.
"Stay here with Dylan." he orders.
He moves away, through the trees, tracking prey. He hears the wind call his name. "Zayn."
He stops, looks to an outcropping of rocks surrounded by dense forest. From out behind a tree steps an apparition of Gigi, his wife. She is beautiful, with long blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders and bright blueish-green eyes that used to shine bright like glitter.
He can't believe his eyes, "Gigi?" Did Ravenna actually keep her promise?
Harry and Dylan hear Zayn call out, following his tracks.
Gigi holds out her hand.
"Am I dreaming?" Zayn asks himself softly.
Gigi smiles, "Touch me and see for yourself."
Zayn shakes his head, looking around. He tries to fight it, but her face draws him back. He begins to walk toward the rocks.
"You weren't there to save me, Zayn." she says alluringly, "I called for you but you never came."
