Across Acheron

Session 8

Their lips never moved, but I still heard every word she said. She explained the Bás rí—Death King—in lucid detail and a thick Irish accent.

He’s one of the most important of the Unseelie fae folk, she said. He wears glamour that makes him as beautiful as the sun, shining so brightly that you lose your breath. His beauty is what captures you. As soon as you fall for it, you can never say no to him.

He seeks out those with black hearts and makes a deal that they cannot pass. He will help them fulfill a wish such as revenge and they will have to give him their soul as payment. Most of them die from madness before the deal is finished, but he still gets the soul. An awful cheat, he is.

I don’t think I ever actually believed her. It all seems like a bunch of crap, doesn’t it? But I think my mom seriously believed in all that faerie bullshit. I kind of wish I didn’t take her for such a fool.

The memory faded and I woke up in a cornucopia of shadows. That’s all there was for a while; the sound of my heart pumping and the hollow feeling of pure terror. My initial reaction was to whisper Keenan’s name, feeling the spot beside me. My only answer was silence, and my hand never found another body.

My following reaction was to start panicking. My hands flew in the darkness, reaching for the lamp that didn’t seem to be there. In the gloom, I kept seeing my mother’s face and it scared the hell out of me. Love and be loved, she was saying. Love and be loved, so he won’t come after you.

“Keenan?” I whispered harshly in the darkness. I really wanted to scream, but I knew I’d get hit if I ever woke Cillian up. “Keenan, where the fuck are—”

Chizk, chizk, chizk.

I stopped short when I heard that sound. Chizk, chizk, chizk. It sounded like metal chains against hard leather, coming from outside of the room. I stopped breathing altogether when the sounds came to the stop right in front of my door.

Squeak.

The turn of boots.

Chizk, chizk, chizk, chizk...

The sounds soon regressed farther away, seeming to go down the stairs. I tripped over myself as I went for the door. I knew that I should have just stayed in bed and shut my eyes until I fell asleep again, but like I said, I’m not much of a listener.

Not much of a thinker, either.

Once I finally found the doorknob, I turned it slowly and crept out of the room, glad that the hall was dimly lit. I checked all corners, but found it empty. Get back in the room, Jack, I tried telling myself. Probably just your imagination.

The problem with lying to yourself is that you never really believe it.

I tiptoed my way towards the top of the stairs, holding my breath as I leaned over the edge.

And that was when I saw it.

At first, it was only a black silhouette against the dim light of the old lamp it stood by, but when it turned slightly, I got the opportunity to get a good look of it. A mane of black raven feathers drifted from its head and ended at the middle of its back, vibrant against pale skin decorated with Celtic tattoos. Twisting antlers protruded from its temples and wove their way to the ceiling, looking horrifically beautiful. Despite its mythical appearance, the thing wore modern black jeans tucked in black chained Doc Martens, chest concealed behind a black leather vest.

I knew that I should have screamed or something, but I seemed to have forgotten how to. I couldn’t even move as I saw the thing turn around to look at me with Keenan’s eyes, cocking its head slightly like he always did and gave me a questioning look.

I opened my mouth, but the only thing that escaped from my lips was a faint whining sound. The thing looked down at its awfully long fingers and travelled up its arm before looking back at me.

“You can see me?” he asked, holding Keenan’s voice. I swallowed the last of my breath and felt my body crash onto the hardwood floor, fear tightening around my throat and making it impossible to speak. The thing—Keenan—raced up the stairs in a blur and stopped right in front of me, his eyes brighter than they were before.

“You can see me, Jack? Right now? You can see and hear me?”

I think I only managed to nod once or twice, but I passed out before I could make sure. I still heard his voice though, drifting farther away as I lost consciousness.

“Hang in there, Jack. It's me. Don't worry, I've got you.”

It’s me.