Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Meron, of course, was the first to get to her. That was after a solid thirty seconds of him just staring, frozen, with Corliss doing the same. Maybe he thought she would disappear if he moved too quick, or that she was just the same illusion he'd been seeing ever since he'd been there.

But as soon as Corliss's smile began lifting the corner of her lips, Meron was rushing forward, scooping her up in his arms, and burying his face in the crook of her neck as silent tears poured. Corliss was laughing, especially when he lifted her feet of the ground, but crying, too. And finally, after all the time apart and the pain and heartache they went through, Meron set Corliss back on her feet and kissed her fully.

Lyv found herself staring, not being able to help it, because everything about the two of them was simply glowing. She remembered back to the journal her aunt had left her, about her and Meron's story. They'd only gotten a few short years together as mates, but here in the land of light and shadows, they would have eternity.

"Gods, I missed you," Meron breathed as he stared at every inch of her. He leaned in to kiss her once again. "Are you all right? How long...how long has it been?"

But Corliss just shook her head, brushing her fingers beneath his bottom lip. "Too, too long, but that doesn't matter anymore. I just...I'm here with you now. Somehow, after everything I've done, I'm here with you again."

"You found your way."

"I did...but I just...gods, there were so many, but I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop her...no, I couldn't stop me. The darker version of me, the one we tried to stop for so long. Meron, I just..."

"Shh. It's all right, Lis. You're all right and now so are they."

He was right. They could feel he was right. So many new souls were now in the land of light and shadows after Lyv had freed them from the dark spell that held them to their world

"You're right. They all came with me after. Every single person whose life I took from them...they're here now, at peace and with the others they love."

Meron smiled, then kissed the corner of her mouth. "And speaking of someone else you love..."

Faraine was the next one to get to her, already choking back sobs as she held her hands against her face. Corliss detangled herself from Meron, surging forward to greet her old friend. Faraine wasn't the only one crying then. Though they couldn't hear everything of what she was saying, Lyv knew she was apologizing over and over again for what happened when they were all still alive in their own world.

"Hi," Corliss choked out, whole body shaking even as she clutched Faraine. "Gods, it's good to see you again. And you're just as beautiful as you were the last time I saw you. I'm so, so sorry."

"Except much, much better than then," Faraine laughed, then kissed her cheek. "No matter what happened back then, back when you and I were both lost, we both knew it was only a matter of time before I found myself here. But I'm perfectly fine and healthy and just so happy to see you again."

Meron and Faraine introduced her to everyone else there, all of whom greeted her with smiles and hugs. They weren't there to worry about the past, but to welcome her into a future that was full of light. But it was when Corliss's gaze landed on Lyv, everything and everyone around them paused.

Lyv stepped forward as Corliss did, both meeting in the middle of the foyer.

And then Lyv did something she never thought she'd do, not after everything the face of the female in front of her did.