“Of course I know that but how could you have possibly known you were going to meet an exotic beauty like me and change the world with peace just to keep it?”
He smiled which was exactly what I wanted to see. “I couldn’t. That’s for sure. If someone told me I would a year ago, I probably would have laughed offensively.”
“I wouldn’t have believed it either but I’m glad things turned out this way. I love you and I don’t ever want to see you suffer.”
“I’m not suffering. You’re here and I’d like to just forget about all of this.”
“I’m sure you will with time. Just not yet.”
“Thank you for being here.”
“Where else would I be?”
“Troy?”
My head snapped to the left. I didn’t even feel anyone coming until Zayden and Darius were already in the room.
“He’s fine.” I snapped my words just as my head. I didn’t think it was their business to get involved because they weren’t involved and everything was fine.
“Thank you.” Zayden said. “But we’d still like to speak with him.”
One of those casual eye exchange things happened and it only took me a moment before I figured out what it meant. “You want me to leave?”
“This is just something we should do without you.”
I turned around to look at Troy, hoping he would see differently but he didn’t. He rose to his feet with a nod like he was agreeing. “It’s okay. Just for now.”
“No. Why should I leave? What are you going to do?”
I turned back to Zayden for the answer but he seemed very unsure about giving any detail. “Nothing. It’s just—he won’t really talk to us if you’re here.”
Out of all the times I’ve been so confused, this was near the top of the list. I didn’t understand why.
“What do you mean? Talk about what?”
Zayden’s eyes looked behind me at Troy and he was clearly getting frustrated with me still being here and came out with the last thing I wanted to hear. “About how he loved her!”
My curiosity left me and I stood without expression.
“Happy? Now will you leave?”
I turned to look at Troy and he looked sorry, sorry that maybe he didn’t tell me but I didn’t need it right now and I knew exactly what I was going to do. “Okay. Fine. I’ll leave.”
“Jaylyn, wait.”
“No. It’s fine; completely fine. I need to go eat something.”
I left the room before any of them could have said anything else to me but I did lie—a little. I wasn’t going to eat. I needed to see her; the one he loved.
The only problem was I didn’t know where to find her. I had to go to someone who knew her better than me from the beginning; Phil.
It was busy tonight as it was last night but I ignored everyone and walked right up to the bar.
“Excuse me.”
Phil turned. “Yes? What can I get you?”
“I was wondering if you could help me actually. I was in here last night with Troy and—”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Um, I heard about the woman he was with that you told me about, Marina and would like to pay my respects.”
“Oh, of course. It’s such a shame what happened. I don’t know how much help I’ll be but I can at least point you to her house. I think she’s still being kept there. Her parents are coming from the south.”
“Anything you could do would be great.”
“Okay. Just take a right outside and go two lit corners over. Her place is across the street.”
“Thank you.”
I took every direction I could and knew that had to be the place because there were two armed guards standing outside her door.
I approached.
“Halt.” One said. “What is your business here?”
“The deceased is a dear friend of mine.” I lied. “I’d like to see her.”
The two guards looked at each other but then opened the door for me. “We’ll give you a few minutes.”
I walked in and the door was closed, leaving me exactly how I wanted to be; alone.
Marina’s body was placed on a table for viewing with a blanket laying over her. I approached and stood next to her. She was beautiful and looked peaceful even if she was dead but I wanted to change that. There were things that needed to be done.
I focused everything I had and placed both my hands near her heart. My eyes started to glow but I closed them, not to draw attention from the guards outside and to better concentrate myself.
The sounds around me were smooth and rhythmic. A pulse traced through me that was not mine and I had to open my eyes. Marina started to breathe and I quickly covered her mouth before she let out a sound.
“Shh! Don’t alert the guards outside.”
She nodded and I slowly lowered my hand. “Who are you? Why are there guards outside and why am I on a table?”
“You’re dead—I mean, they think you’re dead. I brought you back so you could do something for me.”
“Brought me back? Who are you?”
“I’m Troy’s wife.”
Her look of confusion from waking changed to concern.
“I can heal things—spiritually. You still have a purpose.”
“What?”
“It’s Troy actually. He feels terrible for what he’s done. I need you to talk to him.”
“Me? Why should I fix your marital problems?”
“It’s not a marital problem. It’s just Troy’s problem. He loves you.”
She started to smile and got off the table. “He said that, did he?”
“He didn’t have to.”
“All right. I’ll go but I’m not doing this for you.”
“Of course not. This is for him. We both care about him.”
“But how am I supposed to walk out of here if they think I’m dead?”
“If you have a cloak, get it and sneak out the back. I’ll leave through the front and meet you to bring you into the palace.”
“Okay.”
I walked outside passed the guards and acted sad while doing so just so it looked believable. It worked because they didn’t stop me and I walked around the corner of the house where Marina was climbing out a window.
“Oh! You scared me!” She said.
I laughed. “Sorry. Come on.”
She put on her hood and we began the walk back to the palace.
What exactly was I doing and how did I see this ending? I wasn’t sure yet. I just knew I was sorry and felt it more while we walked silently side-by-side.
“What?” She asked.
“Oh, nothing.” I was caught off guard from her asking. She must have seen me looking in her direction every few steps. “I’m just sorry.”
“About what?”
“About Troy. I didn’t know there was someone else when we met. In fact, he specifically said he wasn’t with anyone.”
“I guess at the time he was right. My family doesn’t live here in the city. I moved here when I was sixteen but as the years went by, I started to miss them and I decided to move back. When I did, I realized there was something else I was missing more.”
“Troy.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sure you already know how sweet he can be. I missed that and had to come back.”
“I am sorry. He never even told me about you. If I knew at all, I wouldn’t have pursued him. I swear to you. That’s not the kind of person I am.”
“Thank you for your honesty but it was my fault. I left and moving on was probably what he thought was best to do. He couldn’t have known that I’d come back and I shouldn’t have assumed that he’d be waiting for me.”
“I suppose.”
“And I guess since we’re apologizing, I should to you also. I said some things that led to this that I regret.”
“It’s okay. Being brought up in war does that but this is something I think Troy will need to hear. He hasn’t been quite himself sinc
e it happened.”
She nodded to agree and we were almost there. It was just at the corner and now I would have to sneak her in. I couldn’t use the front door. That would have been too noticeable. I walked her around the palace grounds and stopped under Troy’s balcony.
“This is it?”
“We’re going to climb the balcony? How romantic.”
I laughed. It was a little but she probably knew we couldn’t just walk in. I hoped she was able to do it. I didn’t exactly know her well enough but she did follow.
We climbed up the left side and stayed back from the windows when we reached the top.
“Stay right here. I’ll have to prep him before he just sees you or he’ll freak out.”
“Okay. Take as long as you need.”
I came in view from the windows and opened the balcony doors to go inside.
“Jaylyn!” Troy came right over and seemed worried. “Where have you been? Are you all right?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
“You had me worried when you left. I’m so sorry about all of this but it’s nothing. I’m over it.”
I couldn’t believe him. He had one talk with Darius and Zayden and now it was like his past with her never happened? It couldn’t have been true. I knew he was only saying it to make me feel better.
“I know you’re not. You don’t have to pretend for me.”
“I’m not.”
“Well, that’s too bad because I brought you something.”
“What?”
I smiled and looked towards the balcony. “You can come in now.”
Marina slowly stepped in like we planned and removed her hood.
Troy’s eyes widened and his heart raced. “Marina?”
“Hello, Troy.”
He took it a little harder than I expected and he fainted right next to me.
“Troy!” We both went to him and tried waking him. “Are you all right?”
He was dazed but started to get up with me. “Yeah. I thought I just saw Marina in here.”
“There’s a reason for that.” She said.
Troy looked up and saw her for a second time but his reaction was different from before. He was startled by it and guided me behind him. “Careful, Jaylyn. She probably came back to kill you.”
Marina laughed and I couldn’t help it. I laughed too. “Troy, it’s okay. She’s not dead.”
“Not?” He loosened his stance and glanced at me.
“Surprise.”
“You brought her back? It worked?”
I shrugged. I didn’t know the certainty of it being forever. I knew I still didn’t want her around but there was also something telling me I didn’t accomplish mastering my gift this soon. It seemed too easy.
“Your wife is an amazing woman and I take back everything I said. You deserve each other.”
Her words made even me smile but it seemed Troy was still trying to register it. He moved back and dropped himself down in a chair. “I’m sorry. This is—I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m the one that did this and I had to be the one that fixed it.”
“Thank you but I’m still sorry. I never wanted—”
“I know. I just missed you, Troy. That’s why I came back. I’ve always loved you.”
Troy’s look softened and something was tugging at me that didn’t feel right. That sign was enough for me and my demeanor changed into that cold-blooded killer. I felt it coming from within me like her life force was somehow tethered to me. I could feel the strings of it curling around my hand and I saw it for myself. They were a glowing green like my eyes would be if I was healing but there was also a darkness in them when pressure was applied. I knew it then. I had the ability to take back the life I give and I was ready to. This little apologetic scene was over.
“Good-bye, Marina.”
Her eyes shifted to mine and I tugged my fist towards me. The strands turned black when ripping away her life. It felt amazing; easy. Blood began to pour from the wound that killed her and Troy panicked.
“Jaylyn!” He sprang up from the chair and caught her before she hit the floor. “No!”
“Did you honestly think I’d let her live after knowing how you really feel? Besides, I wanted to do it myself.”
“How did you do that? What exactly was it you did?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure. I gave her life back but I could feel that I was in control of it and could ended it whenever I liked.”
“But why bring her back at all if you were just going to kill her?”
“I wanted to know her. I wanted to know what you wanted in her. I think you two would have been very happy together. There was just one little problem.”
“What?”
“Me. I did this for us but if you think you still love her then you can join her.”
Troy rose to his feet and approached me. “You know I wouldn’t choose that. You’re the one I love.”
“You don’t know how badly I want to believe that it was always solely because I know it wasn’t.”
“I don’t love her!” His voice got loud like we were beginning an argument or he was just trying to get out a point. “I don’t know what it is people keep saying but I don’t love her. Love is wherever you are and I never had that until I met you. What I had with her wasn’t love. We were young and—”
“You still are young.”
“That should prove it. I was even younger. I wasn’t ready to settle. I wanted to be free.”
“So now you’re not free?”
“No. It’s nothing like that. I want this. What I have with you is the most special thing I could ever ask for and I would never take it back to be with someone else. In fact, I would do it all over again a million times if it meant having you because you’re worth every sacrifice I could give. You shouldn’t be questioning it.”
“But you feel something.”
“But it’s not love. It never was and it never will be. I belong here, with you.”
“Okay but don’t hold this as your fault. I’m the one that killed her.”
“Only because I did first.”
“What makes you think I wouldn’t have done it anyway after you went to see her and came back with completely good news?”
“Now you’re starting to sound cold like Adele.”
“Good. Then her teachings are working.”
“Jaylyn—”
“No. I would have and I want you to believe it. I saw how you were with her. You may not call it love because you don’t want to believe it but everyone else always has and I did too. I couldn’t have her existing in the same world as you, risking your hold to me. I did this for us. Her death is no longer over your head. I’ll carry it for you and for me, it weighs nothing.”
“I’ll still have to see her parents.”
“And you’ll do it. Your father’s story will still work.”
“But there’s still a problem.”
“What?”
“She’s dead here.”
We both looked at that lifeless thing on the floor and I knew he was right. We somehow had to get her back to her house and on the table she woke from.
“Then we bring her back.”
“Just like that? You think it will be that easy?”
“It’s dark out. You carry her back to her house, we’ll sneak her in the window she came out of and lay her back where I found her. No one goes in. Two guards stand outside but they’re waiting for her parents.”
“And they let you right in?”
“I told them she was a dear friend of mine. It was no problem.”
“Nice lie.”
“Look, are we going to do this or not?”
“Okay. Only because it would be worse if she was found here. This will be our secret.”
“I think I can handle that.”
“How should we get her out of here?”
I smiled and walked towards the balcony. “Same way she got in. Just
toss her over.”
“Jaylyn—”
“It’s not like she’ll feel it. You can’t step outside this room with her without someone seeing.”
Troy lowered his head with a long sigh. I knew he didn’t want to and it was because he felt something for her but I felt nothing and had no problem doing it myself if I had to.
Unfortunately, I didn’t. Troy carried her down and we walked the whole way in complete silence.
I would have liked to know what he was thinking but I didn’t even know how I would start any kind of conversation with him right now holding a dead person in his arms. I kept everything to myself and was glad to finally be there.
“This is the window.”
“Okay. I’ll take her in.”
“I have to come so I can show you what to do with her.”
“Then let’s limit the talking while doing it.”
It almost sounded like he had an attitude while saying it or it was just him straining to get through the window without dropping her. I hoped that was the reason and I followed him in.
“Where was she?”
“Right when you walk in the front door.”
“Oh.”
Now he didn’t sound happy and I guessed that that’s where it happened.
He led the way and this is where we would have to be extra careful so the guards wouldn’t hear anything from outside. They had no idea we were here.
I helped Troy place her gently on the table and covered her with the blanket, placing her hands where I remembered them being then we got out of there. I was ready to leave it all behind us and took Troy’s hand while we began walking back.
He looked over and seemed confused.
“What?” I asked. “I can’t hold your hand?”
“No. Of course you can. I just thought you were mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because of all of this.”
“I’m not mad. I just want it to be over as much as you do. I don’t want to always follow the days after your birthday celebration this way.”
He laughed. “You won’t but I’m glad you feel the same way. Zayden wanted to convince me of that too by using a more personal event that you probably don’t want me to repeat.”
“Ryon, you mean? I know he was glad to be rid of him physically so Adele could never be with him again. You don’t have to dull it down for me but I do know how he feels. I just feel better that she’s out of the way before she really got involved.”
Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7) Page 23