The Crystal Trials

22 Dath

I followed Faolan that night, Nik on his back crying but giggling when he played with the children. I had followed them after they ran from the alleyway, and I wanted to make sure she was ok after hearing Taury's outrage. I had to run behind them as my bear or risk losing them. Faolan had taken her to the city port. Why was he taking her there?

They walked to the docks, looking around the area. I was not one to sneak around. I like direct and simple. But I had been so worried about her, I had to be sure she was all right. Once I saw, I would leave her be. Her look in the shop, dressed as a demon, had my body doing things I had suppressed around her for a long time. The way I had looked at her wasn't planned. She usually never saw. But then, when she smiled back at me, my stomach did flips. Could it be possible? The whole time she had the same secret I did?

Faolan crouched so she could get down and she gave him a quick hug before he went bounding away. He stopped near where I was at and sniffed the air, his nose dead on. He growled in warning and gave a quick snap of his jaw. We both knew I shouldn't have been there. Faolan bound off to the heart of the city, not giving me away. I would have to thank him later.

I shifted back to Fae form and when I saw Alden was there, I moved behind the ship nearest them. I should have left. But then she was talking. Telling him the horrors she lived through year after year. I had known most of it. Helped put her back together before going to school. Held her when she cried when she told me the truth for the first time. The truth we had already suspected. But I didn't know that her father was crueler than she had let on. That she could have freed herself but refrained at her mother's wish. Taking on more than she could handle. And Taury threw all of it, and my feelings for her, in her face.

I leaned against the hull of the ship, tears falling down my face at all that my best friend had lived through. I had done nothing to help her. Not in the way she needed. I could have made the hard decision for her. Took care of her. Loved her. But there she was, pouring her life's story out to someone that saw her pain.

Alden's words towards Nik about protecting her heart, had rocked me as much as her. He was right. Her strength was her heart. And I felt sick at the idea of sharing her. Alden was a good man, but he didn't know Nik like I did. I had to do something.

I stepped out from behind the ship to make my way to her. I had to tell her the truth. My truth. I stayed against the ship and peered around the corner. Nik was standing up next to Alden with her hands on his naked back. No. Please gods no. He spun around and kissed her full on the mouth. She didn't like to be touched! What was he doing? Didn't he know she was going to go into a full panic attack? I waited for her to push him away. To scream. Something.

But she didn't. She wrapped her hands around his waist and pulled him closer. My face was wet. I couldn't be too late. I had to show her. To fight for her like I should have all along. I saw a man hauling a crate off the ship I hid behind and flagged him down.

"Sir! Sir!" I whispered loudly. The man turned and placed the heavy crate down.

"Whatchu want boy?" He grizzled.

"Are there they supposed to be doing that?"

The man chewed his tongue and followed the direction of my pointing. He huffed in annoyance and walked over. I slipped behind the ship and waited.

""Oi, you there! If you want to get hot and bothered, go to the Inn!"