If Addie Lost the Fight

Chapter 4: Telling Eric

Over the next half hour, Apollo and Fawn continued to fix Eric and heal him. When they were done, he slept, conserving his energy. Addie sat on the floor next to his bed, unable to be any farther from him than that. She dreaded the moment when he woke up. She had to tell him... She couldn't just disappear without an explanation. He'd go insane. She also couldn't put the pressure to tell him on someone else. Who knows how he might react?

Addie was so lost in thought, she didn't even realize when Eric finally woke up, propping himself on his elbows to see her better. "What's wrong?" He murmured, still waking up fully. "You're scowling."

Addie didn't realize she was making a face. She let out a long sigh. "Eric.... There's something I have to tell you..."

He smiled reassuringly at her. "Then tell me, Love. You know you can tell me anything."

Addie looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes. "I... I made a deal. It was a deal I thought I could win... But I lost... And now I have to live with the consequences..." She couldn't bring herself to say she was leaving yet.

Eric's smile faded, replaced with concern. "What kind of deal did you make?"

The tears in Addie's eyes started to roll slowly down her cheeks. "I told Cody I would fight him, and if I won, he would leave us alone forever."

He waited a moment for her to elaborate before asking, "And... If he won?"

Addie turned away from him, unable to bring herself to look into his eyes. She whispered, "Then... I would go with him forever, as long as he would leave you alone."

Eric's eyes widened as he sat in shocked silence. After a moment he said, "And you lost?"

Addie nodded slowly. "I... I thought I could win..." Addie's tears started falling down her face faster. "That's the only reason I made a deal like that. I thought I could win."

"Why would you decide that without talking to me first?"

"I couldn't talk to you. Cody wouldn't have let me. And even if he did, you were unconscious."

Eric hugged Addie, stroking her hair as she sobbed into his chest. "I'm so sorry." was all she said to him, over and over again.

"Maybe," Eric said, tears in his own eyes now. "we could figure something out so I can see you."

Addie shook her head. "I don't think so. Cody has all kinds of magical protections. I'd be surprised if there wasn't any protection to keep you out. He wants me all to himself."

"We can find a way," Eric said desperately. "I can portal in."

Addie shook her head again, sniffling loudly. "You can't." Her voice broke as she said it. "I wasn't able to portal out, so there's no way you could portal in without permission."

Eric looked into her tear-filled eyes with desperation. "There has to be a way. You've been in there. Is there anything about that place that you've found where I can come through? Any secret passages or anything?" Addie could tell he was grasping at straws, finding any way to escape this nightmare. She could relate.

She shook her head again. "Not that I've found."

"I will find a way."

Addie looked up at him, tears still sliding down her cheeks. "I hope you do."

Eric moved over in the bed to make room for Addie and she climbed in next to him, pulling the blanket over herself. He asked, "How long do we have before you have to go back?"