Lethal Affairs

A Normal World

Standing at the edge of her bed, Tyr watched her sleep.

This was Ysabel's third visit to the hospital, and he was not pleased. If the hospital visits continued it was only a matter of time before he would need to attend her funeral.

Her last encounter with death was the burglary and murder case at Vern. It could have happened to any employee at the company, but for reason it seemed like she was the chosen one for trouble.

They had been lucky this time, but it was still too close of a call. When they had found her, she had looked as if she had been knocking on death's door.

Like Helen had said, "... Ysabel is a magnet for trouble."

Many times he thought of what could have happened if they had not arrived when they did.

What if he had ignored the warnings?

What if he had not persisted in seeing her safe with his own eyes?

What if...?

The girl did not belong in their world and it was time Helen realized it. The longer she remained aware of it, the more dangers she will encounter. He trusted Helen's decisions and judgements, but the elder was blindsided when it came to Ysabel's safety.

He couldn't understand why Helen was so attached to the girl. She was usually a sarcastic unfeeling woman, and to see her overly involved with Ysabel was a rare sight.

He would admit that Ysabel was different, quite innocent, and somewhat naive in thinking. Even he was fond of her.

He would miss her and the special gatherings she invited to him to, but if they did not wish to attend her funeral soon, Ysabel needed to leave their world quickly.

With a heavy sigh, Tyr left the room in search of his Mistress. She had disappeared since the doctors had finished attending to Ysabel, and he was concerned for her.

He found her in a corner, sitting and staring at nothing in particular, deep in her thoughts.

Guilt was a heavy thing, and Helen was drowning in it.

The glamour she usually wore flickered on and off. It seemed like her body was stuck in different stages of aging. She had been silent since they had brought Ysabel to the hospital, and that disturbed him.

He knew the elder Fae well enough to know that she was burying herself in a grave of guilt. She had been responsible for Ysabel's safety, yet she had failed. The girl had trusted her with her life and she had destroyed that trust.

It had been she who had had brought Ysabel to New York as a trainee to work at the company, it had been she who had also taken the girl to the fortress where she had been whipped, slaved and starved.

"It is not your fault." he said to her. "You did not know."

Helen gave a small smile, "I put her there. I practically handed her over to be destroyed."

"It is not your fault," he said again.

Helen smiled, but said nothing.

"It is time to return Ysabel to her old life." Tyr suggested, "she does not belong in our world."

"I know." Helen said softly.

"You agree with me?" He had expected more of a resistance from her.

Helen sighed, but did not respond. She was fond of Ysabel and wished to keep her in their world for much longer, but the girl was a magnet for trouble and if her life was going to be constantly at risk, it was no use. She needed to set her free before the girls blood stained her hands.