Beyond the Fairy Gate

Chapter 44

Nyline

Weightless Nyline felt as though her body was slowly being lowered downwards. Then, the music started upright as she touched the cool polished floor. The music hummed around her, only she couldn't feel the people who were normally dancing. No, everything was silent except for the music. There was no laughing of the children or chatting of the adults. Just the music in the background that played the same song that she'd been listening to since she could remember. She was in the ballroom memory, which means she'd passed out. One of her hands raised and pressed it against her eye, feeling the wet there as it ran down the side of her face and dripped from her ear. At least in this memory, she couldn't feel the pain, no it seems she'd disconnected from that.

"Good lord child," An elder man's voice started, I've been waiting for you to fall as--" The man's voice suddenly cut off and there was a sharp intake of air. "Child?" There was a moment and then someone was next to her. "Child what happened?" A soft hand landed on her cheek and she could feel the memory being pulled from her mind. She tried to fight it, tried to grasp onto it but it seemed despite her not being in pain, she was still sluggish "Shhh, child, I will return it."

Nyline only shook her head as she opened her good eye and looked up into the face of her grandfather. His glowing green orbs looked at her with concern.

"What are you doing here?" She mumbled, not sure if she was making any sense or even speaking loud enough for him to hear.

"Looking for you," His voice was slightly sharper, but it still held kindness, which contradicted with the last time she'd spoken to him. "And it's a good thing I was. Hold on." He muttered and with her good eye, she saw him turn as if speaking to someone behind him. "Go find Nori."

"Don't bring him here," Nyline spoke sharply as she rubbed her face several times, but it seemed as if her grandfather wasn't listening to her.

"No, just find him and throw him in here. Quickly." He spoke to the unseen person once more before he turned his attention back onto Nyline. Who shoved herself up into a sitting position with effort.

"I don't want to see him," She gritted out glaring at her grandfather.

"Well, that is unfortunate for you right now child. He, and only he, has the abilities to help you right now. So, he's coming whether you like it or not." All Nyline did was shake her head a few times feeling resentful towards her sperm donor. "Child, what did you do?" She glanced sideways at her grandfather as a hand landed on her shoulder, forcing her to continue sitting. He was sitting cross-legged right next to her, and the warmth from his hand started to spread around her shoulder and down her back and arm.

"You saw the memory." She only mumbled before she looked away. Her mood only seemed to darken as she thought back on it.

"I only saw what happened to your eye, I have no idea what you did to get in this state." He said in what she thought was the tone of an annoyed parent, possibly a tone that Nicholas might take with her. She wasn't sure since only Uncle John had ever taken any type of tone with her and it wasn't one that she thought her grandfather or Nicholas would use.

"I was only trying to help..." She whispered, refusing to look at him. A silence fell between the two of them that was filled by the soft music playing in the background.

"Child, who were you trying to help?" He asked finally but she shook her head.

"They're not my stories to tell... I just wanted to help... they were making a mistake and... and... I just wanted to help... but I ruined everything..." Nyline ran her hand through her hair several times, feeling the true weight of the burden that she'd taken on when she'd made that decision.