"Why do I even care why you did what you did?"
Ashlynnâs mournful cry drifted on the winds of the storm lost in the tempests of wind and rain to all but the most sensitive of ears. But to the person who loved Ashlynn the most deeply, the person who could feel an echo of Ashlynnâs every anguished heartbeat within her own chest, the words were a cry that had to be answered.
"Because my darling Ashlynn is kinder and gentler than anyone deserves," Nyrielle said softly as she descended from the sky with a soft flutter of her dark, feathered wings. "Because you will suffer endlessly before you let your loved ones know even a bit of anguish," she added as she knelt in the mud beside Ashlynn, wrapping her arms around her lover and pulling her close enough to use her dark wings to shelter Ashlynn from the rain.
"No I wonât," Ashlynn said, denying Nyrielleâs words almost reflexively as she lashed herself with another bout of self loathing. "I forced Heila to fight to the death in the arena and I tormented Ollie with an impossible trial, and I..."
"That isnât inflicting suffering," Nyrielle interrupted gently as she stroked Ashlynnâs damp hair. "Thatâs helping your loved ones learn to face adversity. They both thank you for it and neither one of them resented you for it at the time. Donât let your pain twist your wisdom into a vision of cruelty, that isnât who you are," she said, pulling Ashlynn tightly to her chest.
For a moment, neither woman moved as the wind and rain raged around them, pattering against Nyrielleâs wings loudly enough to drown out the small, choked off sobs that forced their way past Ashlynnâs lips. Then, ever so slowly, the intensity of the rain began to fade, diminishing along with the fierceness of Ashlynnâs cries as she drew strength from her loverâs embrace.
"Why did it have to be Jocey?" Aslynn asked, turning a red, puffy eyed gaze to meet her loverâs eyes. "It could have been anyone but her, even if it was my mother or father it wouldnât have felt like this so why...?"
"I donât know," Nyrielle said softly as she continued to stroke Ashlynnâs hair. "Youâll have to ask her yourself. At the point of a sword if you need to, or as her last words from the gallows if thatâs what you desire. But not tonight. Not like this."
"No, no, I canât wait," Ashlynn said, pushing back against Nyrielle with strength that would have been enough to overwhelm even a powerful knight like Sir Broll or Sir Rain but somehow still felt feeble against Nyrielleâs unyielding embrace. "Let me go! I need to find her. I need to take her away from him and I need to..."
"You need to come home, my darling," Nyrielle said, placing a finger gently over Ashlynnâs lips. "If you attack Owain like this, then Iâm afraid that even he could overpower you. You arenât in control of yourself or your power right now," she added, as she gently turned Ashlynnâs head in the direction of the burning tree. "If you truly insist, if you defy me when I sleep and run away from me again, youâll only hurt the ones who are close to you."
"Did I, did I do that?" Ashlynn asked, staring at the burning tree in horror. "Was that really because of me?"
"The energy of the world bends to the desires of a witch," Nyrielle quoted. "Didnât you tell me that? So how do you think the world responded to your desire to hurt someone who was closer to you than anyone but me? The storm youâve gathered is very fierce, my darling and you nearly drove me from the skies with your fury."
"I, Iâm sorry, Iâm so sorry," Ashlynn said, throwing her arms around Nyrielleâs lithe figure and clinging to her tightly enough to crack the ribs of an ordinary person. "I never, never want to hurt you. Not even accidentally, Iâm so..."
"Hush, my darling," Nyrielle whispered, placing her finger on Ashlynnâs lips once again. "Come home with me. Spend the day with me and let me guard your dreams from the ghosts that would torment you while you sleep."
"Then what?" Ashlynn asked as her emerald eyes searched Nyrielleâs face for the answers she so desperately needed. "I canât run away from this. I have to face it, I have to face her..."
"And you will, my love, you will," Nyrielle reassured her. "But first, you need to learn to fight through your pain. Tomorrow night, Thane will help you prepare to face Owain with a sword in hand and after that, I will entrust you to Sybyllâs care," she said.
"You need to make your pain and fury serve you instead of becoming a slave to them," Nyrielle said as she collected Ashlynnâs fallen hat before scooping her up off the cold, wet ground. "Thane and Sybyll can teach you how. Then, when youâre ready, you can bring the fight to Owainâs doorstep and take your sister back from him. Once youâve heard what she has to say, you can decide what to do with her."
"What if... what if Iâm not strong enough to do what needs to be done?" Ashlynn asked. "Owain will die by my hand but Jocey... I donât know if I can."
"If thatâs what your heart truly desires, then speak the words and I will do the deed," Nyrielle said. "But only when youâre certain. But first, deal with Owain. Your mind and your heart have long been clear about him and once heâs been dealt with, it wonât be too late to hear the truth from your sisterâs lips."
"All right," Ashlynn said, sinking into Nyrielleâs embrace as the vampire launched them both into the sky with a powerful flap of her dark wings. "Then, then for now, take me home," Ashlynn whispered as the power that had raged within her heart receded at last, leaving her drained and exhausted but safe in Nyrielleâs arms.