Light in Torment: An Annora Park Novel: Book Three

Chapter Four: The Dim in the Light

I feel like shit when I return to Walker's house with all the guys in toe.  Just like the first scene the body had been skinned.  No blood.  Perfectly peeled like an apple.  And I was now one hundred certain that both victims were Light Fae and I knew what I needed to do.  And I didn't want to do it.  I didn't want any part of it.
   "You must, amour." Chamuel says softly.
   I nod.  "I know," I snap at him.  "I'm well aware what I have to do, Chamuel.  That doesn't mean I have to like it." I sigh and then look at Garrett, Walker and Chamuel and say.  "I have to go to Tir na nOg and see a certain Light Fae King."
   Garrett nods.  "You're going to see King Terrenel, that makes sense." And I wince at the mention of my ex-bonded name.  Well, how ex he was I wasn't even certain.  I knew the pain in my heart was horrible and I felt like every day it got worse, what that meant for the bond I wasn't certain but I knew that some things were more important than my broken heart—namely murder.
   "Are you sure, baby girl?" Walker says and takes my hand,  "Because if you really don't want to then—"
   "—No, you can't kill him."
   Walker smiles.  "Wasn't going to suggest it, amazingly enough.  Was going to say you really don't have to if you don't want to.  You don't have to do anything that you really don't want to do, Annora baby."
   I sigh. "Unfortunately I have no choice in this matter."
   "Wasn't it you who said, you always have a choice?"
   "Did I?" I look at him saucily and then laugh a little.  "You're right, I do have a choice, and my choice is to go to Tir na nOg and speak to him.  If anything, I have to see if he knows that two of his own have been brutally slayed."
   "What the heck.  What happened? Why do you not want to go to Tir na nOg and see King Terrenel?" Garrett asks and I shake my head.
   "Listen, I'm really not up for re-hashing it all.  The guys can fill you in while I'm gone okay."
   "No, we will go with you" Walker says.
   "No you won't." I say and narrow my eyes.  "I mean it Walker, you guys can't come with me.  I need to do this alone.  This is between the asshole and myself."
   Chamuel sighs.  "Things will not go well if you call him that word, my beloved."
   I snort.  "Things aren't going to go well either way, Chamuel.  Let's not pretend they will.  I'll call it like I see it.  He's an asshole and the fact that I'm going to speak to him means I'm probably losing my damned mind." I squeeze Walker's hand.  "I'll be back soon.  But this is something I have to do."
   It's Walker's turn to sigh.  "I know baby girl, I just don't like it."
   "That makes two of us." I say quietly.  I step back and take a deep breath and make my wish, and disappear.

Terrenel's throne room hadn't changed much except that now it wasn't lit up like a damned Christmas tree.  In fact it was actually very dark especially for the Light Fae Court.  I narrow my eyes and look around, it was also empty. 
   "Where is everyone?" I murmur.
   "Oh thank the Goddess!" A voice comes from behind me and spin around and come face to face with Desharra.
   "Desharra, where is everyone?"
   "In mourning, My Queen."
   "I'm not your queen, Desharra."
   "You are, you are my queen, and you always will be.  Now please, please come with me."
   "Desharra, you're scaring me."
   "My queen, you don't understand.  He's in a horrible horrible way.  Ach, it is terrible.  I've been unable to do anything for him. But I know that the Goddess meant it for a reason, and the reason is standing before me now.  He needs you, my queen."
   "Has something happened to...to...Terrenel?" And I hate that my voice quivers.
   Desharra nods sadly.  "He is...fading.  For the last half fortnight it has gotten worse and worse, and not he has locked himself in his room and refuses to come out."
   "Fading?" I'm shocked.  "He can't fade, he's...he's immortal." I say sharply.
   "We can still fade, my queen.  And if we will the light from our bodies to go, then eventually it will.  He has lost his light, and doesn't want to find it again.  Please please come with me."
   "Oh my God, of course I'll come." I say and follow Desharra to Terrenel's bedroom.  I try the door and sure enough it's locked.  I look at Desharra and she nods her head.
   "Go to him, my queen."
   I nod.  "I wish I was inside Terrenel's bedroom right now." I make my wish and appear inside of Terrenel's bedroom.  It's dark but my eyes adjust immediately.  What I see shocks me.  Terrenel lays on his bed so pale he appears dead.  His usual lustrous hair is not longer bright and shining and his eyes stare at nothing,
Oh my God.  Oh my God. 
   I hurry over to him.  "Terrenel," I crawl into the bed with him and take his cold hand in mine.  "Terrenel, Terrenel don't you fucking die on me, do you understand.  If you do, I'll, I'll, I'll hunt you to the beyond to kill you myself."
   "Annora..." my name slips past his lips in a mere whisper.
   "Yeah, it's me, asshole." And I see a small smile appear on his lips.  Oh thank God.  "Now get up out of this damned bed and while you're at it you might want to light the place up again, I feel like I'm in a damned funeral home.  Come on, asshole, get your butt moving."
"Feumaidh gur e thusa. Cha bhiodh ach mo Annora a 'bruidhinn rium mar sin." He says and I nod.
"Yes, yes, it's Annora, and yup, I'm the only one that will speak to you this way. So you know I mean it. If you die on me I'll fucking hunt you down pull you back and kill you myself. Get up."
Terrenel slowly sits up, as if all his bones are brittle and have been unused. His eyes then focus suddenly and intently on mine. "You truly are here. You are here with me, my love."
I wince. "Yes, I'm here. Now what the fuck were you thinking trying to go and fucking fade, you total asshole."
Terrenel sighs. And speaks quietly. "You were lost to me. You cut yourself off from me, you shut off our bond. I couldn't hear you anymore, I could barely feel you. It felt...it felt as if I'd already faded. I no longer wished to be alive not when I was dead inside."
I throw back my head in disgust and roll my eyes. "Well that's just a selfish stupid thing to think. Terrenel, you have people to think about, thousands upon thousands of people that...that...love and depend on you. You can't just fade. Do you realize what that would do to everyone."
"I cared naught for them, I cared for only one, and that one cared no longer for me."
I will not fucking cry. I will not fucking cry. "Oh Terrenel." I begin to pull my hand from his but he holds on strongly.
"No please, do not let go, I need your touch, right now more than ever."
I swallow—hard, but nod. "Terrenel...I do...I...do still care for you. Of course I care, if I didn't care then this wouldn't hurt as much as it does."
"But love...you no longer love me."
Shit this was hard. "You broke my heart, Terrenel. It's broken. And I won't lie to you. I don't know if it can be repaired."
"That is honest."
"I'll always be honest with you. But I do still care for you, and this...this all hurts like a sonofabitch. I've been suffering too, Terrenel."
"Oh my love..."
"Please, just...just...I can't..." I shake my head. "There are things I need to discuss with you, and they can't be discussed like this. I need you to get yourself together and, and, then we can speak."
Terrenel nods. "Stay with me," He asks. And I do. I stay with him.