The Catalyst

Chapter 45

After a long day spent riding, Jaden and Bryani found a cozy inn by the road. They wolfed down a generous meal before retiring to their room. Patrons and staff were oblivious as to the current ruler of their country sleeping under the same roof as them. Jaden actually preferred things this way. From what he'd gathered, people had heard rumors and gossiped about him, but artists hadn't started painting his portrait to distribute across towns and villages, like they did for Tessa. So he could travel unbothered.

Inside the room, there was only one double bed rather than two cots.

Bryani shrugged helplessly. "They must've gotten it wrong."

"Really?" Jaden asked, amused, as they dropped their bags. "You didn't ask for this?"

"Of course not," Bryani replied.

"An actor," Jaden teased, "and such a bad liar."

"I'm not lying!" But the corner of his lips twitched into a smile.

Exhaustion taking over, Jaden fell on the bed, tearing his gaze away when Bryani shed off his coat and shirt.

Bryani let out a soft sigh as he lay down next to him. "Look, I just thought we could use the comfort. I'm worried sick about my family, and I know you're stressed out by a thousand different things. So, is cuddling all right?" He slid his arm around Jaden's waist.

"Yeah." Jaden curled up on his side so that his back was pressed against Bryani's chest.

After the initial nervousness faded, it did feel comforting. The warmth was welcome after a day spent out in the cold. And when Bryani's breathing became deep and even, it slowly lulled Jaden to sleep.

He was the burnt man again. But he wasn't in a torture chamber. He walked outside through snow drifting down. His injuries throbbed with every step, but he had to keep going. They all did.

Beside him, the woman he loved held his hand. He conjured up that vision of her in the forest, beautiful, laughing, sunlight dappled on her pale skin. Now she had lost the baby. Now they'd scorched her scalp and sheared off her lips.

Their fingers and toes grew numb in the cold, their limbs trembled under ragged clothes. He glanced over his shoulder at the others. A dozen, no more, all disfigured and brainwashed. They had to kill everyone for it to be over. It was the only way.

Pain raked him all over, the burns especially, a searing agony across ravaged skin. It threatened to send him sprawling, to render him senseless. But so long as she held his hand, their energy swelled, and kept them going. She had always been more resilient than he was. The humans called it magic because they didn't understand anything. It used to be beautiful, now it was dark and dangerous, fueled by hate and madness. They had to kill everyone. It was the only way for it to be over.

Then a veil was lifted to reveal a new scene.

She lay on a blanket of crimson snow, surrounded by many other butchered bodies. Although he saw only her, overcome with grief and despair as he crept closer with only half his limbs still working. Her long hair danced in the cold wind, and in the sun it was a dark shade of green. Her eyes were closed, with frozen tears in the corners. She still breathed, but she didn't have long. He was the only one still moving.

The elves of the White Mounts had suffered great losses, but some still stood, and they were talking. This upset him. What was there to talk about? Couldn't they end this already? All he wanted now was to die with her.

A fresh wave of grief for what could've been traversed him as finally he reached her, and held her in his arms. He stroked her cheek then her hair, and the strength he had left exploded out into one final, rasped scream that sliced through the silence of winter.

"Jaden!" Bryani was shaking him awake.

He gasped and sat up, clenching his chest, feeling for the crescent stone. Its presence calmed him, for some reason.

"You're trembling." Bryani hesitantly touched his shoulder.

Jaden looked up at him and saw the concern in his eyes. "Sorry I woke you up."

"It's okay. I get nightmares too, sometimes."

"Not like this," Jaden breathed.

"Come here."

He lay back down and let Bryani hold him through the echoes of the pain, until the trembling eased away. But Jaden's thoughts still raced.

Who are you? Why are you showing me all this? Why do you want me to feel your pain? What do you want from me?

Until a realization struck him like a blow. He propped himself up on his elbow, staring into darkness.

"What's wrong?" Bryani asked.

"I know her," Jaden whispered. The orchard in Moonvale, Noah with his demon, her eyes like onyx stones, her lips black as ink, her wavy locks a very dark shade of green . . . It was her!

Bryani was, understandably, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I . . . I've got to tell Noah . . ."

"Tell Noah what? You sound like . . . like he's in danger?"

"Maybe, I . . . I don't know. I'm sorry, I can't talk about this. It's not my secret to tell."

". . . All right. I guess, let's try to get some sleep?" Bryani suggested.

Jaden nodded faintly, though he was quite certain he wouldn't be able to.