Fearkeeper: Book 2 (Keeper Trilogy)

12

"So... what did the letter say?" Roman froze up looking over to see Remus standing there awkwardly fidgeting with his hands. He quickly sat down at the kitchen table Roman had dragged himself over prior as the prince just sighed and smiled softly. "Look I'm..."

"Don't apologize. You were right. I made you a promise and after I found Virgil... I just... I mean I was still out there looking for you but... I wasn't as active about it anymore I guess. I had someone waiting for me then... I didn't want to risk not coming home." Roman's eyes darkened as he stared into his cup of coffee. "How was Deceit room?" Remus tensed as Princey laughed. 

"I didn't actually go in. I couldn't make myself. I just uh... Slept outside the door." Roman shot the man a look as he avoided his gaze. "I couldn't do it, Roman. I love him... and he's gone. Going in there would just admit it."

"Hey, I understand." Roman frowned as he held up the key he had around his neck making Remus confused. "It's to Virgil's room. Or... it was." Roman sighed as he shook his head. "I locked his door and refused to go back in. I just couldn't do it. The pain was just too great." Remus reached out hesitantly towards Roman's hand only to pause and put it back into his lap. "Now it doesn't even work. When I found out it was Virgil's carol I thought... maybe I'd find something in his room but... The key wouldn't work anymore. I guess without Virgil it just... doesn't really exist anymore."

"Has anyone tried to go into Deceit's room?" Roman shook his head as he sighed tilting his cup to make the drink swirl. "Then it could be locked permanently too."

"Yeah... considering... You might just be better off staying with me." There was a crash and Roman looked over to see Remus frozen, a cup on tipped over spilling coffee onto his lap with his hand suspended in the air. "Remus?"

"Stay... stay with you?" Roman frowned seeing the tears well up in Remus's eyes. "I can't... It's not possible. It wouldn't be fair. It's my fault..." Remus slapped a hand over his face as he winced causing Roman to tense up.

"Your fault? What do you mean?" Remus literally broke down crying out like a toddler throwing a tantrum shocking Roman so much he almost fell out of his chair.

"It's all my fault." Remus sobbed uncontrollably, trying to form his words through the hiccups. "I told Colt that Patton was there." Roman's eyes went wide as Remus slammed his head down onto the table in broken defeat. "It was my job to keep an eye on everything. I was useless for anything else. He didn't need a broken creativity. He needed a guard dog. He needed an insanity he could use. I saw the man and reported him to Colt. I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know."

"Hey, hey, stop that." Remus shook his head as he continued to cry.

"It's my fault Dee and Fear is dead. If I never told Colt about him Patton wouldn't have been targetted by him. Colt would never have gotten close enough to Fear and Deceit to do anything. I got them killed. It's my fault. It's all my..."

"REMUS SANDERS!" Roman grabbed his brother tightly with glowing pink eyes. "Colt killed them. He killed them because they chose us. He's the ONLY one to blame for that mess. You didn't send Patton to the dark realm, they did. You didn't trick Patton into thinking you were Deceit, he did. You didn't kill them... he did. Besides... you weren't there. I was." Remus's eyes went impossibly wide as Roman let go with a broken sigh. "I was right there with them... I was hurt and barely able to stand. Logan told me to run... I-I didn't want to but I did. I got Patton home and crashed. I didn't wake up for an entire day. When I did... I woke up to find out Virgil was never coming home... that Deceit and him were dead... It's not your fault."

"Colt's broken." Roman nodded as Remus bit his lip. "That was his worst fear." Roman glanced over to see Remus smiling sadly. "He was afraid of nothing but hurting them. He loved them. He told me once... He's Thomas's Id. His basic urges... his subconscious desires... his impulsive need... He was worse with his thoughts and actions than I am and I'm bad." Roman snapped over at that. Remus was just shaking his head in thought as he tapped the table. "He was afraid of hurting them. That's why he broke. He didn't just hurt them, he killed them. The knowledge that he did that broke him so completely."

"So by dying, Virgil ended up making Colt experience his worst fear?" Roman laughed as he took a sip of his drink. "And I thought I was dramatic. The guys even scary in death."

"You should've seen those to Roman." Remus's eyes filled with awe as he smiled off at nothing. "Deceit had the power of illusions and lies. He could manipulate the mind just enough to force someone to lie in whatever capacity... including a lie of omission." Roman cringed a bit remember how Deceit forced Logan to cover his own mouth so that he couldn't say anything. "It's not just that... the longer he was in the dark realm I learned he had learned how to actually control someone... although with limited applications. He couldn't control your mind but your body... He could trick it into doing what he wanted for a short period of time. He was a lot stronger than people gave him credit for. His power was based on the mind and action so obviously he could manipulate it." Roman could see how much Remus cared about him about... them both just by how bright those eyes shine as he spoke. "And Fear... He was the fucking strongest. I'm not kidding about him being the golden child. His influence branched so far. He could control the monsters. He created nightmares. He caused and controlled people's fear. The two together could create large scale, illusionary day terrors. I am not kidding I literally shit myself once because they decided to use their power on me. I am not easily frightened and they had me changing my pants." Remus laughed as he waved his hand through the air. "Of course it was fairly easy since I can just conjure things. Being creativity has its perks... even if I'm an imperfect copy."

"You aren't a copy Remus... you are half of a whole. Neither of us is wholely creativity." Remus just shrugged as he nudged Roman's arm.

"You never answered my question." Roman narrowed his eyes as Remus laughed. "Did you read the letter." 

"Yeah." Roman pulled the letter out of his pocket, handing it over to Remus who looked up at him with wide eyes. "It really is Virgil who started all of this. I just... I want to know who it is doing it for him."

"Dear Roman..." Remus started as he frowned seeing the tear stains on the page. "By now I hope you've figured out who I am. After all, I've called you Love so... It doesn't matter. I'm sorry. I really am but I had to do this. I had too. You mean the world to me, Roman. And you've broken... Broken because of me. I want to fix this. It's my only wish right now. Wish... Oh god. That makes me think of our special spot. Do you remember that old wishing well? I remember you gushing over it. You had built it just for me and of course, I made stupid jokes about it but love... I did love it. Just as much as I love you. I'm sorry that I had to leave you. I'm sorry leaving you hurt so much. It won't be forever. You'll see me again. I promise..." Remus's eyes widened at the name below and he smiled slightly seeing the ornate penmanship. He always was terrified his writing was too sloppy to read. "Anxiety."