An Eternity of Change

Chapter 12

The next day...

Jaylyn limped after Adam as they walked through the town back towards their training spot, she was still a bit sore from yesterday's session and had several bruises and cuts but continued to keep pace with Adam to avoid showing weakness. The snow was softly falling once more and their footsteps seemed muffled in the light feathery white snow. It was still early and not many people were out but from those who were seemed to be returning from the bar or still walking to work with their heads bowed against the snow and cold. They had almost made it out of town when a disbelieving voice called out from a small nearby house.

"Jay, is that you?" Jaylyn froze and sent a quick glance in the voice's direction as a weak looking woman walked towards them. "Jay?"

She heard Adam turn back to her and stop behind her but ignored the immortal completely as she walked towards the woman. "Maddie?"

"Jay!" Her half sister threw her arms around her and she could feel Maddie shaking with weakness. "I thought you'd been killed..."

"Maddie, are you sick?" Jaylyn gave her a worried look when Maddie pulled away.

"I'll recover, it's just a small fever." The lie was clear.

"Mother, who's this?" A small boy ran out of the house, stumbling a bit on his short legs, and gave Jaylyn and Adam a cautious look.

"This is your aunt Jaylyn." Maddie gave her son a weak smile. "Sis, I'd like you to meet my son Will."

Will still seemed hesitant before waving shyly. "Hi... Mother told me lots about you. But... she said you were sleeping like Father."

"Maddie, I-" She paused before continuing with a smooth lie. "I tried coming back to you, I really did, but I got lost. I wound up in a different town days later... I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter what happened, you're here now." Maddie started walking back to the house. "Let's get somewhere warmer before we all catch our deaths... bring your husband too."

"Husband?" Adam frowned slightly. "Jaylyn, don't go with her. You need to leave this life behind."

"Adam, she's dying." She gave him a pleading look as she followed her sister. "Just let me stay with her for a little while."

He gave a sigh, knowing she was going to go anyway. "Alright, just for a bit."

Inside it was warm but the light from the fire made Maddie look even worse, her skin was pale and she was visibly shaking like she could barely stand up. Jaylyn could guess it had taken a lot of energy to walk out in the snow, she could tell Maddie wouldn't make it another day in this condition.

"Maddie-"

Her sister cut her off. "Jay, I'm going to be fine. You can stop worrying so much."

"Of course." She replied as Maddie lay down on her bed. "How long have you been sick?"

"About a year now, it's just the cold making it a bit worse, I'll be fine again soon." She saw Jaylyn glance back out at where Adam was being endlessly questioned by Will's curious two-year-old mind. "He's such a smart boy... It's a shame his father died a few days after he was born."

"What happened?" Jaylyn asked while Adam sent her a look, which she ignored.

"An accident." Maddie didn't clarify anymore than that and silence followed her words for a few moments before she broke off in a coughing fit, blood coming up.