The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 23

When we returned to his cottage, Cordelia was sitting on the porch. She scowled when she saw me by his side but her expression quickly changed to relief when she turned her gaze to him. I stepped away as she went crashing into him, wrapping him in her embrace. He stumbled back at first, his arms loose in the air.

"Three weeks! You scared me to death! I thought you were dead! Three weeks you were gone!" Cordelia sobbed into his neck.

I went pale, the realization settling in. Three weeks? We had been in the mirror for three weeks? It felt like only a day or two at most. Before my shock could consume me, I peeled my eyes away from them as he began to hug her back. My fists clenched as I buried them into my pockets and I bounded up the stairs. Before I could reach the door, it was already swinging open. Merlin's green eyes widened in shock, his lips parting as he gasped. I couldn't get a word out before he scooped me into his embrace and held me there tightly.

I couldn't stop my body from trembling as the memories of the time in the mirror came crashing back. What had been taken from me... The way it had felt... I could barely stand to think it, let alone ever say it out loud. Tears were falling before I realized, Sea Legs whipping back in shock as he wiped them away and held my face in his hands.

"Hi," I managed to force a weak smile.

He shook his head and pulled me back in for another hug, one of his hands resting atop my head. When I finally gave in to hugging him back, my hand met with his sheathed swords on either side of his hips. I blinked and retracted my body to scan him. "You are dressed for a fight?"

He nodded, his face faltering. "The ship is set to sail in the hour. Captain Silver Tongue denied my request for him to wait any longer. You were presumed dead. Both of you."

I did die. But that wasn't what was important right now. My head snapped behind me just as Cordelia let out a whine.

Death Bringer was stepping around her as if she were an inconvenience in his path, her eyes furious as she pushed him. He didn't even stumble.

"You worthless bastard! You piece of shit!" Cordelia bellowed through her cries.

I couldn't bring myself to look away, uncertain of where their fight was headed. Merlin swallowed loudly beside me and then cleared his throat.

"I told you before I left how I felt. I've told you all along. You cannot blame me for your delusions." Death Bringer was cold and distant. I hated that there was a small part of me that felt pity for her.

"I stuck by your side through all of your bullshit!" Cordelia smacked him across his face, then gasped at her own actions and retreated from him with her trembling hands held up in surrender, "I didn't mean to-..."

"I don't care. I told you from the very beginning what I could offer you. You seemed to understand. Had I known you were going to get attached, I would have broken it off long ago!" Death Bringer threw up his hands, his only sign of losing composure.

Cordelia turned to face me, her expression twisting to rage. "You!"

I tilted my head. "Me?"

Sea Legs groaned, "Here we go. Make it quick." He sighed and crossed between us, pulling Death Bringer into an embrace. They both patted each-other on the back just as Cordelia emerged into my field of vision.

She was furious, her emotions practically radiating off of her. "You dirty little slut! He fucked you, didn't he? Little word of advice, don't let his moans of pleasure fool you. He is incapable of loving anyone, let alone you!"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, ignoring her little jab about his moans. It took everything in me to push the thought away of their bodies twined together to keep my calm and collected composure. "I have no idea what you are talking about."