A peace had come to the village. Now, they had changed sides. Tensions eased with the king decreeing a treaty between them and their once rival village. Tarem'Wa had proposed to the princess. It was all very happy.
I had dreamwalked with Levi and Cali last night. They had instructed me on what powers to pull when I wanted to traverse worlds. I was completely ready to return to Arn's side.
I hugged the princess as I said my goodbyes to the village. I was glad they were better off touched by my magic. Now, I was going back to Medowlark, back to Arn.
I stepped back from everyone. "Thank you very much for your hospitality. I am grateful to have met each and every one of you. I hope everything in your life goes the way you want it to. For now, I will be heading back to where I belong."
I readied myself. Feel the magic, just as Mom instructed me.
"Take me to where I belong," I pictured Arn's side.
My stomach flipped as I was dragged off of Zannikar. Just as quickly, I fell towards a planet much smaller than Medowlark. It was covered in water. Caliope. No, this isn't where I was supposed to go.
I dropped into the ocean. I couldn't swim.
The water carefully caressed my shoulders. The air was ripped from me. I was going to drown. Pixies are useless in water. I never learned to swim.
Hands supported my back, pushing me to the surface—a glimpse of black feathers before me.
Could it really be him?
I coughed water up on the beach. Around me, birds screamed, and the ocean slapped against the shore. I forced my eyes open. I could see the sand. I found the remains of blue polish still on my nails. But it wasn't Arn who had saved me.
His wings weren't truly black. They had little white stars scattered across them. He blinked empty eyes at me. It was like staring at Blackwater fae, soulless. His ears were pointed, a trait that faded over the millennium. His black hair showed his widow's peak.
Something came off of him. Something that twisted my stomach into violent knots. I wanted to throw up for real this time. I tried to back away, but he grabbed my leg.
I ignored my stomach, pulling at my thundering heart. My bow was in my hands. Sure, it couldn't harm him, but at least I could pacify him.
"Do fae not say thank you anymore?" His voice came out, much more of a baritone than Arn's bass. "Have I been asleep through the fading of manners?"
He only had a white cloth across his waist. The edges of it were wet from me. He saved me. The God of Death saved me.
"What do you want from me?" I didn't drop my fingers.
"I just wanted to meet the baby of the family," he crawled over me, forcing me from my stance. "Your wings are quite pretty. It's not my fault you nearly drowned. I saved you. You're not supposed to die here."
"T-thank you," I muttered. "Merci beaucoup.. and all that, but...why me? Why are you here?"
"I'm only ever in places for three reasons," he tucked his finger under my jaw. "One, because I'm doing my job. Two, someone told me to be here. Three, I was called."
"I didn't call for you," I wasn't strong enough to fight him off.
"No," he leaned in. "You didn't."
He kissed me softly. I almost expected to feel my mortal body fading. I thought this was how he was going to kill me. A kiss of death. Magically, it was innocent. Curious. Fleeting.
"You're quite sweet," he sat back. "I'd been thinking about that. A male god of love must give the best kisses. I was right. Though, you're very close to Yulates. Aza is going to love you."
"What are you talking about?"
He let out a small laugh, quickly covering his mouth. He crept away from me, standing a foot away on the sand.
"Dorimir," he said, his voice much deeper. "Leave. You are ruining everything; you have said too much."
"But dad," he flipped. "He's fun. What about a new plaything? It might make your plan-"
"No," he said sternly in that deep voice. "Do not ruin everything for me! Go home!"
"Dori," I sat up, placing my hands where he could see them. "That's what your mother called you, right?"
He stared at me. His wave became different—sadness, longing, perhaps even hopeful.
"Yeah," he cracked. "It was."
"She told me about you," I tried. "She told me she was so proud of you. She's scared that you're going to do something bad."
"I want to see her," he planted back in the sand. "He said I could, but I have to wait."
"Until when?"
"He never says when, just soon," he shook my shoulders. "What else did mommy say?"
"She loves you," I knew that's what he wanted to hear.
That switch flipped yet again. That thing flooded me. It stuffed my mouth with cotton. He laughed like I had heard Ezra laugh a million times. It was suffocating this time.
"You're playing a dangerous game," his voice was deeper.
Madness. I was swallowing it in droves. It wasn't Dorimir, it couldn't have been. This was more than a shift in thoughts. It was a complete change of the mind.
I gritted my teeth together. "Serberous," I managed to say.
Yet he was gone before I could even blink. I never got my answer but I had guesses now.
"Lexington," Forrest broke through the surface.
"Hi," I waved, trying to catch my breath.
"What are you doing here?" He plopped down. "I thought you were on Medowlark. You're supposed to be on Medowlark."
"I was," I nodded. "Then I was on Zannikar, and now I'm here."
"What happened?" He took my hand. "Where's Arn?"
"It wasn't Arn," I shook. "No, Arn is still on Medowlark. I left because I was mad at him. I ended up on Zannikar by accident, and I thought I figured out how to get back, but now I'm on Caliope."
"So the war isn't over," he sighed. "I was hoping it was done."
"No," I confirmed. "I fought with Arn about the war, and we broke up. After everything we've done, this is stupid."
"What?" Forrest was as lost as I was.
"The Parisians wanted to kill every Germaine in their path to get rid of the demon," I scoffed. "Arn was going to go along with it, even as the God of Passage. We fought and I ran and I kept thinking I wanted to go home and I slammed into Zannikar. I healed a village, and now I nearly drowned in Caliope."
"I'm sorry," Forrest hugged me close. "It's not your fault. You were absolutely right."
I never thought Forrest would hug me. Perhaps with the scars gone, I no longer caused him so much pain. I had been reborn, after all.
"What now?" He sat back.
"Je ne'ais pas," I shrugged.
"I'm staying with my parents," Forrest spat out. "So you can't stay with me, but I can take you to where Loral and Myhilda are."
I shook my head. "How am I going to explain to them why I'm here?"
"It's entirely up to you," Forrest poked the sand. "I'd recommend the truth."
"Orpheus," Alcibiades resurfaced.
I couldn't look him in the eyes. Not after what I had just seen.
"Are you hurt?" Alcibiades planted in the sand next to Forrest.
"I'm a masochist," I laughed. "Even if I were hurt, I'd enjoy it."
Alcibiades' hands were torn to shreds. Outside of a moonstone disguise, I could see that now. It was sad. No wonder Forrest loved him so much.
"What does that mean?" Al turned towards Forrest. Forrest shrugged.
"I like the pain," I explained. "Sexually. It was a bad joke. Take me to where Loral and Myhilda are."
"We need to grab our disguises," Forrest mentioned. "Give us a moment, please."
They ducked into the nearby tree lines. I stayed where I was.
"Orpheus," Nox appeared from the water.
"Hello," I crossed my arms.
"No water fae are going to come up here," he explained. "You brought forth some unexpectedly bad waves with you. What was that?"
"The God of Death," I spat out, afraid his name would bring him back.
"You weren't supposed to be here," Nox put together.
Tears stung my eyes. "No, I wasn't."
"Why don't I give you something to occupy your time?" Nox stood closer to me. "You can return to Newartic with us. You can help me rebuild my church."
"Why me?" I looked up.
"I'm building a church of love," Nox reassured me. "It's all about you, Orpheus. You are to heal all wounds, you are to repair the Blackwater Grund, and you are to bring love back for all of us."
"Dad," Alcibiades emerged from the brush. "What are you doing?"
"Well," he turned. "I was coming to tell the two the good news until something intruded. My church was approved. I am going to go find a ship home so we can start rebuilding."
"Really?" Al lit up. "I'm so glad to hear that."
The two of them hugged. Forrest seemed upset.
"We can come visit them anytime you want," Al turned towards him. "We can invite them to Blackwater if you want. Don't be so sad."
"I'm just going to miss them," Forrest shrugged. "I'm happy to go home with you."
"How do you two do that?" I glanced between them.
"Water fae hear emotions," Forrest explained. "I think I've told you before. But Alcibiades could hear me get sad. We should go, we're taking Lexington to Loral and Myhilda. We'll let them know to get ready to leave."
"Thank you," Nox nodded. "I'll meet you back at your parents tonight with plans."
Alcibiades and Forrest walked down the shoreline with me in tow. I followed them to a small city that bloomed out of the mountainside. They dodged through the streets until we reached a small house. Forrest knocked.
"Forrest!" Myhilda opened the door. "Al! How are you guys?"
"We brought you a present," Al gestured to me.
"What are you doing here?" Loral eyed me warily.
"Is the war over?" Myhilda brightened.
"No," I admitted. "It's honestly much worse than I thought."
"W-what's going on?" Myhilda's face dropped.
"May I come in?" I took a step forward.
"Yes, yes, of course," Myhilda opened the door wider.
The water fae boys headed into the kitchen. I pulled Loral and Myhilda with me into the sitting room. I sat across from them as they plopped down on the loveseat.
The truth. Forrest told me to tell the truth.
I took a very deep breath. "I know that you both know what Arn truly is."
The two of them nodded. Good, that was going to make this much more manageable.
"Do you remember when I was sick for nearly two months?"
"Of course," Myhilda smiled.
"I wasn't sick," I managed to get the words organized and out. "I died. Arn went to place Tia's soul in his father's realm, and I was killed by a demon that resided there."
"Impossible," Loral stood furiously. "You're still here. Arn would have done everything in his power to fix you."
"He did," I glared up at him. "Arn tried to use his magic to no avail. I was fading fast. A prophecy has been dragging my feet since we started dating. Arn was going to make me a god. That's exactly what he did to save me."
"So you weren't in the infirmary," Myhilda pondered. "Beth's theories were right."
"I was actually in the Underworld," I folded my hands. "I was training with Arn's parents and some other gods to use my own power. I had more magic in me than ever before, and I was destructive. It took so long to get a handle on it, and apparently, I still don't have it."
"You're here alone," Loral pieces together. "You used god powers to get here."
"Correct," I put my head in my hands. "I fought with Arn about the Germaine fae, and we broke up. Now I'm here because my powers won't take me where I need to go but where I'm supposed to be."
"Why are you here?" Myhilda asked.
"Because I am about to help Nox rebuild the Blackwater Grund."
An overwhelming feeling came over me, like I had to run. Everything I had eaten as a parting gift from the village came running back up. I rushed to the bathroom, emptying the contents of my stomach.
"Are you okay?" Myhilda was on the other side of the door.
No, I wasn't. I felt freezing cold but burning hot. I wanted to laugh and crumple into a heap. I didn't know what was wrong with me.
"Lexington," Loral knocked on the door.
"Orpheus," Al's voice came through the door.
"Lex?" Forrest inquired.
I held onto the toilet seat like it was the last piece of food in a dying town. I was holding on too tightly, and it was killing my fingers. The world around me didn't feel real. I was tumbling. Time reset each time I blinked. I was going to vomit again.
They must have unlocked the door with magic. How long had I been here? I couldn't move.
"Let's get him in the bed," Myhilda insisted. "I think he's sick."
Madness. I was sick with madness. Like Ezra had been following their battle with Serberous. The nausea, the floating, the feeling of time. It all made sense.
Would it end for me? Ezra only got worse. But Argus and Domascus recovered. Cali was okay because the madness was part of her all along. I needed help.
I grabbed Myhilda's hand, too hard because she yelped.
"I need you to pray for me," I demanded. "You worship Calliope. I need her help."
"But what if she doesn't hear me?" Myhilda worried.
"Tell her her son is in trouble."
I fell to the ground as the world faded to black.
~*~
"You touched me," a voice echoed in my ears. "Your magic embraced me in a way I never felt before. It scared me, Orpheus. I was terrified. I thought I could only bring sadness."
Dorimir came into my view. He was crying. I couldn't move to comfort him.
"When we all brought that baby back, it was the first time I'd ever brought something good to someone. I still have that magic scarred into my arm."
He lifted his right hand. I couldn't see anything, but my mouth was frozen.
"Am I capable of bringing love?" He asked. "More than death and grief?"
I wanted to say something. I was paralyzed.
"I can't have you talk," he shook his head. "If Dad hears, he'll kill me. Or you. But I want to learn, Orpheus. And I want my mommy back."
I needed words.
"In another world, we could be best friends. Or maybe in another, we're lovers. But you discovered something in me. I'm breaking apart. I don't like it."
Dorimir was lost in this, too. What was I doing?
"I can't change. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what's coming. I'm sorry that you're going to fall into this trap. I'm sorry I'm such a bad kid. I'm sorry Dad chose me as a host. I want my mommy back."
"Dorimir!"
The dream faded. The dark room we were in burst with warm firelight. Before me were Levi, Cali, Argus, and Ezra.
"We came as fast as we could," Cali spoke first. "My patron prayed to me. That you're sick and you needed us."
"I ran into Dorimir," I managed to say.
"We all ran into Dorimir," Levi nodded. "Thanks to you, we combined our powers and brought that baby back to life."
"No," I shook my head. "I made it to Caliope, not Medowlark. I nearly drowned in the ocean, but Dorimir saved me. Something is wrong with him. He's talking to himself, and his laughs contain madness. I think Serberous possessed him."
"You caught madness sickness," Ezra spoke up. "For real this time."
"Oh," Argus looked away. "You're in for quite some pleasantries."
"You've all had it before," I stated. "What do I do?"
"Wait it out," Ezra shrugged. "It will fade in time."
"Until then, you'll be subject to nausea, fevers, vomiting, pain, madness, poor grip on reality, shakes, restlessness, the works," Argus focused on his fingers.
"I'll stay watch," Cali stood. "Myhilda can be my eyes."
"Thank you," I nodded. "I'm worried about Dorimir. This is the third time we've run into him. I think something is wrong. It might be Serberous."
"Rest for now," Levi stood. "We'll take care of what comes."
With that, I returned to my long, fitful sleep.