The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 20

"Where did you get your ring?" I was still trembling, my knees pulled to my chest.

Death Bringer sighed and slid the ruby off of his finger, motioning with his other hand for mine. I hesitantly extended it out for him to gently place the ring in my palm and aid to curl my fingers around it. I just stared at him like a moth to a flame.

"It was always yours," he pushed himself to his feet and pocketed his hands, strolling over to the cave wall to lean and stare out into the ravine.

I stared at the strange object, two worlds merging into one. "You know him?"

"You could say that," Death Bringer shrugged.

I ran my thumb over the ruby and a million shattered dreams gleamed within. "You didn't tell me..."

"You want me to be the bad guy, Helena... I'll be the bad guy," his voice was low and far away.

"Keep the ring," I shook my head and tossed it to him.

He caught it effortlessly without even looking in my direction. "Why don't you want it?"

"If he's alive... He gave it to you instead of me. I would be a fool to think he may still want to marry me," I sighed and felt my heart ache for the boy I grieved whilst he walked in the very same world as me. Away from me. "This was to be my wedding ring. Surely he changed his mind. I'm no fool."

Death Bringer pushed himself to his feet and strode over to me, his hand sliding under my jaw and angling my head toward him with his fingers lightly gripping either side of my face. "No you are not."

I didn't fight it. Didn't fight his touch or his dominant grip, despite the urge to make a power move in return. I peered up at him innocently through my lashes and stared at him with all of the things I would never say swirling through my pupils.

He tensed and sucked in a breath, removing his rough hand from my face and pocketing it. "Never do that again. From now on, we only go together. You have no idea the condition you were in when I finally got to you... I'm still not certain how you're alive. Perhaps the gods have decided to be generous for the day."

"I saw them... the wraiths, they tore me apart, didn't they?" I felt the shiver creep up my spine as I tried to block out the memories.

He nodded with a clench of his jaw. "Helena." There was a hint of desperation in the way he said my name.

I peered up at him, my hair wet and wavy around my shoulders. "Yeah?"

"Get up," his voice was void of motion, "please."

I pushed myself to my feet, my bones and muscles aching from head to toe. Just as I was about to stumble, Death Bringer whizzed through the air. I practically fell into his embrace again as he held me upright. When I regained myself, his hands combed through my wavy hair as if he weren't yet convinced I was real. Our eyes darted between one another. He wasn't my mate. My mate was alive. So was his. But in this moment, none of it mattered to me. Mates be damned. Maybe that would be the beauty of it; picking each-other over fate. It was in this moment that my feelings for him cemented in and took root like a virus spreading within. Yet he had so many secrets... How could I allow myself to fall for someone I barely knew? I wasn't sure what skeletons he had rotting in his closet.

"Are you from the Kingdom of Faerie then? Or my kingdom?" I could barely get the words out with the lack of space between us. I wanted to be closer and it terrified me.

Death Bringer swallowed, his sharp jaw clenching. "Kingdom of Faerie is where I originate. I..." he hesitated, "I helped the prince flea his kingdom. He gave me that ring in return. I haven't seen him since."