|[ THE FAERI'S KEEPER ]|

Chapter 35: War Will End Us

At some point strong arms pulled me off Cedric's limp body, someone with long black hair and bright green eyes. His face was tight with pain, and his skin was still slightly too pale. I sobbed into his shirt, my whole body shaking. It couldn't have happened, it shouldn't have happened. I should have stopped it, I could have stopped it. But he had... and then he'd... fresh tears poured down my face and stained Claude's shirt as he tried to pull me from the room.

"Irene... we have to go..."

"No!" I shouted, pushing away from him, trying to move back to Cedric. Claude grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him firmly.

"Irene!" he said loudly, "Irene, you need to come with me." I wasn't listening, I was too shocked. It was if my mind was refusing to register anything he was saying, refusing to acknowledge that any of this had just happened. I could see the blood everywhere, mingling with Merricks to form a lake in the room with their bodies' two lonely isles... but it wasn't right. It couldn't be blood... it was ink, just a smashed ink bottle... not blood... not his.

"Irene! Soldin's army is here!" he shouted in my face. His voice was so far away... but the words fell like leaded weights into my stomach. His army had caught up... war was moments away. I fell still in his arms, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. My throat was sore and my head felt clogged with tears, "You wanted to stop this goddamned war, so stop it!" Claude said firmly, "Because it was you who came back! Not me." He let go of my arm hesitantly, as if he was worried I would once again throw myself at Cedric. I sniffed and began wiping away my tears. My body still shook with silent sobs as I picked up mine and Soldin's sword.

"Why are you taking that?" Claude asked, eyeing the blade curiously. There was a sliver of fear in his expression, as if he expected it to come to life.

"Why not?" I whispered. I looked at Cedric's body, "Could you... could you b-bring him up with us?" Claude nodded slowly and stooped down beside Cedric, picking him up carefully in his arms.

"What about him?" he jerked his chin towards Merricks still form. I avoided the sight.

"We will come back for him... but we need Cedric..." my voice almost broke over his name, teeth jarring together sharply.

We made our way slowly up the stairs, Claude occasionally making an uncomfortable noise as he hefted Cedric further into his arms.

"God, he's heavy." He commented at one point, attempting to make light conversation. I didn't even acknowledge I had heard him, dragging my feet up the steps. I stumbled a few times, grazing my hand on the rough stone. The pain of the raw skin didn't register in my mind; it was a dull, distant buzz – pain that was not my own.

As we reached the top I found a smouldering cloak on the floor, surrounded by charred, half-melted chunks of metal. So Soldin had made it this far... I wondered he was now, lying dead or dying. The image of his marred, burned form sent a thrill of satisfaction through me. A life for a life, I supposed. Blood for blood.

A king for a king.

We picked our way towards the door and I kicked it open, not caring who heard the crash of splintering wood.

Outside everything seemed both different and unchanged. The houses looked the same, broken down, abandoned, empty... lifeless... but there was a new feeling... A feeling of apprehension. Something was happening, or was about to.

I felt bone-tired, but at the same time I could feel adrenaline pumping through me, keeping my body going. Perhaps the weariness was only in my mind, or was it sadness? Could sadness really do this to you?

Claude gently placed Cedric on the ground, propping him up against a fallen chunk of stone.

I glanced around and could hear the sound of dozens of marching feet. It was coming from somewhere to my left.