Summer Garden

Summer

Summer felt her heart plummet to the floor.

He actually liked her. After all of this. After having his soul ripped out of his body multiple times and then tortured and torn apart and reconstructed... He actually liked her. She didn't deserve this. She'd ruined every aspect of his life. If she'd just stayed out of things he'd probably be resurrected and married to Vastras by now. Instead, here was the stupid Fae demanding that he belong to her.

"We don't have to, Trei." She said, each word ripping a chunk in her soul, "The Council is unlikely to enforce something the Arbiter pushed for, now. Not until he's caught, anyway."

Trei shook his head, his black eyes looking at her as he smiled, "The wedding has to go ahead, Summer. Partly because that's exactly when Janus was planning his little box of horrors. Mostly because..."

He trailed off, and looked embarrassed, "Um... Uh... Sorry, not trying to insult you, I just..."

Vastras glared at him from where she was leaning on him, "Dude. You have a roomful of people who don't want you to say it."

Summer felt her cheeks flush red as understanding dawned, right as Trei burst out, "Summer, will you marry me?"

Time slowed to a crawl. She could hear her heart beating in her ears. Vastras pulled back from him, her hands closing to angry fists, her eyes glistened. Luna looked away from him, a shudder passing through her. Astrian struggled to raise her head, still bleeding.

Summer felt the presence arriving behind her, and pushed against the flow of time, turning with agonising slowness to stare angrily. A Fae stood there, stepping through a crack in reality, but not quite arriving. His wings were black, so were his eyes and his hair. He stood there, out of reach, out of sync with reality, watching her, and watching the event unfold.

She focused, feeling the light burning behind her eyes, breaking free of her own time stream to match his, "Tyr."

The man looked at her tiredly, but with a slight hint of surprise around his eyes, "Summer. Strange. Last time it took you much longer to realise I was here. Much longer to break free... Ah. You've touch power recently. A lot more power than you have now... Don't you feel weak?"

"If you ruin my wedding, I will ruin your eternal dead life." She threatened, glaring at the observer. Tyr never interfered in events, never openly. Yet he was always there. Stepping from the in-between to watch as everything went to hell. Watching, out of reach, out of touch. Only the most powerful Fae were even aware he existed. No one could match him. Because he wasn't Fae. He was what happened when you resurrected a Fae. And failed.

Tyr shrugged, looking around the room as time continued to slow, approaching the moment he had come to watch. "I think you want to forget me, and remember the man who just asked to marry you... In a room full of women besotted with him."

Summer looked back uncertain, "Tyr... What do you know about Trei?"

"I observe, Summer. The fact you can notice me does not mean I will tell you what happens next." The Fae said tiredly walking up beside her, a trail of light linking him back to the half-closed doorway he'd stepped through.

"Why do the Fates hate him?"

Tyr laughed, looking at her, "Persistent. That's new. Usually you'd banish and be done. Or try to."

Summer shook her head, "Yio gave his soul to Janus... What reason could she have?"

"Every reason." Tyr sighed heavily, "You'll work it out. Maybe in time."

Summer glared at the untouchable bastard, "Not even a hint?"

"Just this one." The Fae said, turning to leave.

Summer threw her eyes back to the moment, and stared in horror. As she felt herself being pulled back into the normal flow of time she threw up the first spell she could summon.