Echo

chapter 12

He stands with his arms folded and body leaning against the door. I move my gaze to the floor while moving my hand over the wrist that still has the cloth tied around.

"Sorry how rude of me" he starts, pushing against the door and walking over he mocks a bow and stands quickly, "sir John schlatt" I look up at him and his devilish smile crumbles the walls I've built around me.

"You're not funny" I roll my eyes and avoid him again by walking over to the window. I stare out so heavily focused that I'm not really focused at all and hope he gets the message.

"You've been avoiding me" he states, his voice laced with amusement. I try and stay quiet for as long as possible but his presence puts me on edge, "vina?" He questions and I spin all too quickly and shake my head at him.

"I can't do this Jay" I start and he sits on my bed, the pain weighs on my heart and pushes into my stomach as I look down at him.

"We need to talk" he stands again and my heart pounds against my chest and a mix of anger and guilt pools in my chest, and the feeling of small pins stabbing me breaks out across my entire body.

"About?" I ask trying desperately to hide any emotion that tries to surface.

"What happened after I left that got you banished" the words stab my chest and leave me breathless. He knows, "you left a prince in critical condition all because of one silly slip up?" He questions and I feel my eyes prick with tears.

"John please-"

"I wasn't even gone a full day how does something like that just happen, vina?" His voice raises slightly and I glue my eyes shut, "please, talk to me" his voice softens but I can climb down from my angered thoughts.

"Vina!-"

"Maybe if you didn't leave like you promised you wouldn't..." i open my eyes to face him and his breath catches and his face softens entirely, "I would have been okay" i finish.

He doesn't respond but slowly looks over to his left and after following his gaze I notice the mirror is shattered, I take a sharp breath in and look away from it.

"You've completely lost control of them again" he mutters and I slowly nod my head feeling the tears glide down my skin, "and its my fault" he shakes his head and lazily sits down on the chest at the end of my bed.

"After you left my father and I fought over what he thought was best" he looks up at me and patiently waits for me to continue, "I never came down from my anger and before the ceremony he pushed me a little too far and ripped away my bandana from my eyes" I notice him wince as he fills in the blanks.

"I'm sorry, vina" he mumbles and hangs his head low.

"I almost had them under control" he looks up with glossy eyes and I close my eyes for a second and the emotions wash through me, "and then I arrived here and see you dead" he looks back to his hands and his face is hidden by his horns, "thats why I avoided you" he shakes his head slightly and stands quickly.

"I deserve this fate" he looks up, I feel my body numb and my head ache, "I shouldn't have abandoned you, my kingdom, my son-" he stops himself I fit the pieces together.

A comfortable silence falls over us both as he allows me to take in and piece together all of the information.

Nick said that the last king died and left toby without a guardian, that makes him king.

"Toby?" I question, a small smile appears on his lips and he nods happily.

"After I left the kingdom I found him abounded along the trail" he smiles fondly at the memory and its almost relaxing to see it again, "I bought him here and its were he grew up" his smile quickly falters but never completely dissapears.

"Hes a good kid" he chuckles and nods.

"I was a bad dad" his smile hides his pain and every bone in my body aches that he isn't truly here with me, "I saw his horns today" he laughs but every word is full with pain, "I didn't even know he was like me" his smile dissappears and be walks to the window to watch him and tommy running around.

"You gave him a home" I counter and he smiles fondly.

"He's a prince who refuses to live in the castle because I let him down"  I open my mouth to say something but he continues, "he doesn't even know how I died-" he spins for the first time hes showing ms his true emotions, "nobody does" his voice is faint and he glances back around to toby but has to look away.

"You can change that Jay" I say and he shakes his head at me with a frown.

"If anyone finds out he'll wipe me from existence" I freeze for a moment as realisation hits me all at once.

"Dream?" I question and he nods slowly.

We stand in silence and as a reflex I start to fiddle with the fabric on my wrist, he notices and smiles warmly.

"You know I remember the winter ball your father held" I look up at him and smile fondly as he continues, "we got bored of the ball room and ran through the corridors of the castle hand in hand until we reached the gardens" we both chuckle a little looking back on the memory of life we lived long ago.

"And even though it snowed heavily we still danced to the faint music we could hear from the ballroom" I smile and fall onto my bed whilst looking down to the floor.

"I'd do anything to do that again" he hums in agreement and the pain in my chest returned ever so slightly stronger and I can help but wonder if he feels it too.

"I should go" he starts but I don't have the energy to object or agree, "please be careful and get those powers under control" I nod and he smiles and leaves the room, the atmosphere changes to that same cold feeling I felt the first time he left. The only difference...

This time he isn't going anywhere.