We arrived in Mythland.
It was quite far from the Grimlands; despite the fact they were one of the closest knit alliances in the world. We landed on the lighthouse just barely off the coast of Black Dawn City. The docks were right across a thin strait.
"The Grimlands was a huge success don't you think?" I grinned and elbowed Scott gently.
"Yeah..." he said and rubbed the back of his neck.
"What is it?" I asked. "We won that battle."
"I didn't mean for the train wreck." He mumbled.
"It was their own fault for running into the ice." I shrugged.
"You can't stop a moving train that fast Erin." He sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose.
"Stop being so soft." I said and rolled my eyes.
"Well, I'm sorry if I don't enjoy murdering innocent people!" He snapped.
I pursed my lips. I had forgotten he wasn't Xornoth. For a moment it felt like... "Right." I sighed. "You don't."
"You don't- you don't ever feel guilty after- after-" Scott said, struggling to get the words out.
"Not really." I said, tugging at my hair. "Guilt is not a normal feeling for me." Nothing really is. Imagine just feeling numb. That was my usual day to day feeling unless something ticked me off. I dug my fingernails into my wrist. "So...? Revenge on Sausage?"
"Oh, right." Scott said and turned around. He raised his hands, and the frost grew farther up his arms. The water around the port immediately began to freeze. The boats already docked were frozen in spot and the wood creaked dangerously as the ice expanded around them.
The ice began to advance across the strait towards the lighthouse. "Stop, stop, stop, stop." Scott muttered and his face began to fill with panic. He lowered his hands, but the ice kept spreading.
When it didn't stop, I grabbed Scott wrist and shot magic up his arm. Scott winced horribly but the magic ice stopped. I pulled the magic from Scott's body back into mine and he clutched his wrist. His veins were black, but the color slowly faded.
"What was that?" he asked harshly. I could tell he was forcing back reflex tears.
"I was trying to stop you from freezing the entire ocean!" I snapped.
"Well, it hurt like hell!" He snapped back and shook his hand out. I bit my lip. Scott's expression softened. "Sorry," he muttered. "You were just trying to help."
I tugged on my earring. "Mhm." I mumbled. With my other hand, I rubbed my thumb against a smooth spot on the Xornoth crystal.
"Let's- let's go." Scott said.
I really didn't want him to carry me, but there was no other way for me to get home. I buried my face in his shirt. I really didn't like looking down knowing that I wouldn't be able to fly if I fell.
When we landed, I immediately headed for the door. Scott followed and I was about to go up the staircase to my room when Scott spoke, "The crystal, Erin?"
I turned around and wrapped one of my hands around the crystal. "What about it?" I asked.
"Can I have it?" Scott said impatiently.
"Why can't I have it?"
"Erin." Scott sighed.
"Why not?" I demanded. Scott made a helpless gesture. He had no words. I backed up a few steps. "You don't trust me. Do you?" I said quietly.
"I do trust you- Just- Fine. You can watch the crystal. Just please be careful with it." He pleaded.
I nodded before I half-ran to my room. I sat down on the edge of the bed and took the necklace off. I stared into the deep red of the crystal for a moment. "Can you hear me?" I whispered. Nothing. I frowned. As soon as I had taken the necklace from Shrub, I had heard him. I couldn't make out what he was saying but I definitely heard him. "Don't worry. I'll make Scott let you out." I said even more quietly.
You better. Came a raspy whisper as clear as if it had been spoken right into my head. Only later did I realize the voice was much colder than Xornoth's had ever been.
I fumbled the crystal in surprise. It fell towards the ground, and I dove to catch it before it would have shattered against the wooden panels.
"Oops." I said to myself and put the crystal back around my neck. "Sorry,"
I really did want Xornoth back believe it or not. But I couldn't do it without Scott. I couldn't completely betray his trust...again.
I heard knocking and I almost dropped the crystal again. "What?" I called. Scott opened the door.
"You ok?" he asked cautiously.
"Yeah, why?" I said quickly. Had he been listening? Scott raised an eyebrow at my suspicious behavior.
"Just because of earlier...why else?" he said slowly.
"No reason." I said. Scott flinched and I looked down, he had frozen my doorknob.
"Sorry." He mumbled.
"It's fine." I said.
"I'll- I'll just go." He said awkwardly.
"Scott-" I started, and he looked back up at me. I don't know what I was going to say. Not to leave? That would just make it more awkward. Ask him if he was, ok? No then he would definitely know something was up. "Never mind." I ended up mumbling.
Scott pursed his lips and went to shut the door, but the handle was frozen, and it wouldn't shut all the way. He just sighed and walked down the hall.
I laid back in my bed, so I was looking at the ceiling. The crystal pulsed above my heart and for a moment, I saw a glimpse of the dark world my brother must be living in. "I miss you Xornoth." I whispered to no one who would answer.