Forgotten Monsters

Epilogue- The Truth

                “There is a girl with fair hair, her name is Tessa. Have you heard about someone like that?” Cain finally inquired, the question had been burning for some time, his eyes flicking ever more impatiently as he searched for her.

                The two men exchanged a glance, something unreadable in the boy’s stormy expression. It suddenly struck Cain that she wanted nothing to do with him, that she was purposely avoiding the palace to stay away from him.  

                “She isn’t here,” the boy finally said. “We should talk in private.”

             Cain waved Harlow back when he began to follow them. “You needn’t concern yourself, I’m sure you have much to do.”

                Harlow Blind blinked, probably stunned at having been dismissed. Cain knew that was the wrong thing to do, but he didn’t want the hard man to share the knowledge of Tessa’s whereabouts.

                The escaped into the next room, Gray strode to a window that looked over the city, hands in pockets.

Cain looked at him, but he was watching his feet and Cain couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

                “Tessa?” Cain nudged.

                The boy looked at Cain, his jaw twitching slightly. “She stayed with my aunt for a while, joined the rebel cause.”

                Cain didn’t want to think about what this boy might feel for her, so he asked where she was now. Gray was looking back at the city now.

                “You can see the south wall from here,” he whispered. “Where the witch hung the bodies of the people she killed. She probably stood right here and watched them sway in the wind.” Gray looked back at Cain. “You probably did the same. Can you remember?”

              “I remember nothing,” there was a chill in the air now, nothing his new heart could ward off. A flash of steel, cold against his throat. What was he missing?

                “It is better that way, I think.”

                Cain shook his head. “I intend to learn what has happened in my absence.”

                Gray looked very strange then, “What if no one will tell you?”

                “They will,” Cain said forcefully and Gray was silent.

                “Tessa’s touring the outside villages with her platoon. They’re delivering food.”

                Cain stopped. “When will she be back?”

               “Never,” Gray sad tiredly, “She is perhaps the bravest person I have ever known, but no one can withstand what she has.”

                “She ran away?” Cain couldn’t help the emotion that cracked against his voice.

                “She escaped.” Gray’s fists were balled at his sides. “And you love her enough to let her stay away.”

                Cain wasn’t sure if that was true. He thought that he was selfish enough to let her go. He thought he would raise a thousand armies to rescue her should she be stolen, he would soar through the clouds to bring her back to life, and he would give up the kingdom to exist with her for eternity. But what if she couldn’t stand to be near him, what if it hurt too much.

                “So be it.” That was all he could do, hope that one day she would return to make him whole.

                “Do I have permission to speak freely?” The boy asked.

                “You do,” Cain was unsure of what to do, so uncomfortable with this formality.

                “Harlow Blind has very loyal supporters, he’s powerful because he expects power.” Cain knew this. “Keep him close and control the power he has and he will serve you well. If not.” Gray spread his fingers. “You’ll lose your freedom again.”

                “And you?” Cain asked. Gray shook his head.

                “I’m no leader. I want this all to be over so I can be what I’m supposed to be.”

                “What is that?”

                “I don’t know anymore, but I want to find out.”

                Cain thought that he would do anything to have that freedom.

                 

     Resa watched soft, orange light paint the city as the sun set. Nestled between her shoulder blades were Bera’s wings, new fabric strung between them for his angel to fly. The city was falling asleep before her, lights going out as fires died and candles were extinguished. Soon the only light came from the stars that glittered and spun around her, so close she swore she could reach up and collect them in her palms.

       When she closed her eyes she saw Matthew’s hair shining like a gold coin as he fell. When she breathed she tasted his tears on her tongue. He was gone, but he surrounded her, dripping from the air like dew drops.

      She didn’t think she would ever come back to the city. Maybe she would go to the mountains, or past them to the desert. Somewhere in the back of her mind she contemplated travelling farther, beyond the uncharted lands to the endless waters that tore against the earth endlessly. She had an eternity to watch them battle.

        When Matthew had fallen from the window, she had wanted to hold his hand and fall with him. But he had whispered in her ear. The truth. You can live. So she had let go.

        Resa could live a thousand lifetimes for Matthew. So that when she finally joined him, and all the others she had loved, she could give them something, a piece of themselves her heart had stolen.

        The edge of the world was beginning to lighten, the stars blinking into nothing around her shoulders. Resa stood, utterly unafraid.

        She raised her arms to her sides, the fabric fluttering in the breeze, the frame bolted to every joint. There was a whole world out there to see. She didn’t take a breath as she leaped from the tower, it would have been stolen by the winds that carried her up.

         Into the sky.