A World Of Treason and Tides

Chapter 14: Started Sending Monsters

Ryan clenched and unclenched his fingers. "Aeron," he grunted. "Aeron used spells to take away our power. Me and my mother were left with a little more than nothing. But, due to my uncle's lack of honesty, some of my father's royal powers remained with him. But my father is not a warrior— he relied upon his magic. Oh he is very good at fighting with bare hands but how useful is that to royal magic? I don't think that even swords are much useful." There was an angry glow in his eyes.

"So you decided to come here?"

"Father decided. As soon as he found out that he still had some power left, he knew Aeron would come after him, after us, and he decided to leave. I wanted to stay. My father was content to living a simple life in the human realm rather than being a prisoner in his own kingdom. But I was not. I wanted to find some way to get back our powers— I still do." Ryan's growl made me flinch.

I straightened my back and cleared my throat. "I think I understand what you are saying, but you know, I would give anything only to get back the simple life I was leading."

Ryan stared at me for sometime. "I did not mean to offend you, Venus."

I sighed. I knew that in some way or the other, he would always end up offending me— us— the humans. The faeries would never be able to understand the complexities of human life, and they would never be able to thrive in its simplicity either.

"Ryan?"

Ryan looked at me with inquisitive eyes. "Yeah?"

"Is that why you want to help me? So that you can go back to Odalis, and get back your powers?"

Ryan opened his mouth. Then closed it again. After some time of acting like a fish, he finally spoke. "Spark," he said, "Now that my father isn't here to prevent me from going to Odalis, when he and mother themselves have gone there, I also could have gone with them if I wanted. But I did not. I genuinely want to help you, Venus."

"Why?"

"Because I want you to get back with your loved ones. Because I know how it feels to stay away from what you love, and because I feel guilty—"

"—Guilty?" I asked cutting him off.

"Yes guilty. I feel guilty and responsible for what happened with you and your family. Aeron has always wanted my father, me, never you. Your kin were just a human catalyst speeding our return to Odalis."

"I—It's my fault more than yours, Ryan. If I had been more careful and had not drunk the water from that pond, none of these would have happened," I sighed, "Aeron would never have known about me."

Ryan stood up from the chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "It doesn't matter," he said, "But you must know that I shall help you, no matter what, and without any personal intentions of mine."

Saying that, he went towards the door. And I stood there, gaping at him. Before he could go out, I called out, "Wait!"

"Tell me more about you faeries," I urged, "What about this house? Did your father build this?"

Turning to face me, Ryan raised a brow. But answered my question. "My father had built his house with his magic when we surfaced here. I told him not to use up his remaining power, but he would not listen to me," Ryan let out a long sigh.

"I don't understand. Do you lose your abilities after you use them?"

"In Odalis, they are renewed almost immediately, unless of course we spend a huge amount— in that case, it takes quite some time. But here, even renewal of small magic takes a long time. That is why, I was so weak after using it to bring you water."