The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 32

Onyx dragged me through the streets of a nearby village, Merlin in tow behind us. Shaking my head, I yanked against her pull. Her wings flared for traction, halting us in place. I scowled with defeat.

"I just don't think it seems appropriate to go get wasted in a tavern after the kind of day we had," I huffed.

Merlin clicked his tongue, strolling ahead and kicking a pebble down the dimly lit pathway. "Would you rather sit in that castle and wallow with our buddies? Captain and Hawk sure do make good company."

I rolled my eyes. "People died today."

"People die everyday. That doesn't mean you have to with them. It's important to live our lives in the simplest ways," Onyx narrowed her eyes, tugging me once more with a whine.

"Is this tavern accepting of pirates? You look like you're ready to loot the place dry," I raised a brow to Merlin, looking him once over as I shoved my way out of Onyx's grip and began to stroll forward.

Merlin chuckled. "I will have you know that this tavern is Death Bringer and I's favorite spot. It's where we were when you aimlessly wandered through his spell and weaseled onto our ship."

I gasped. "It was spelled? I didn't even notice!"

Onyx smirked knowingly, "Of course you didn't. It practically mistook you for Death Bringer himself."

"What? How?"

"Onyx," Merlin lowered his voice in warning.

She scoffed in reply. "Oh, hush. I'm not some gossip," she shoved Merlin in the shoulder abruptly, causing him to stumble. "Helena, you and Death Bringer are likely two of few of your kind. Wherever you both came from, it was the same place. Perhaps that is why his magic mistook you for him and let you onto the ship like it was nothing."

Death Bringer's magic recognized me? Nothing made any sense anymore. Part of me wanted to know what I was and where I came from, but the other part of me was afraid. Was anyone meant to know where they really came from? Perhaps other souls were from other places as well. Why would it just be Death Bringer and I?

"We will figure out the specifics later. There's no sense in looking for answers that aren't there," Merlin seemed to read my mind.

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The tavern was in the middle of a busy town square, lit by the flames of various torches and a large fire in the center of the room. Orbs of entrapped lightning bugs lined the ceiling to mimic the string lights I once saw in a book about the human lands and all of their little trinkets. Various faerie folk danced around the room, twirling and jigging around tables. Others sat on barstools sipping different forms of faerie magic-infused alcoholic drinks. Gold flecks of magic floated through the air like dust in a beam of sunlight, radiating off of the various magic-wielders. A merry instrumental sounded from the stage, a familiar face revealing itself behind the humming harmonica. Davey Dark-Skull twirled around the stage, clicking his boots to the beat as he danced with a female fae with translucent wings and wavy blonde hair. She locked arms with him and they spun in a circle with joyous cheers.

I gaped in awe at the liveliness existing in this room, blocking out the darkness and grief of war as if we could exist in this small moment and forget about all of the rest. As if before and after was something entirely separate.

"You deserve to be happy, too, you know?" Merlin flashed a white smile in the flickering light of a flame as he extended a shot in my direction.

The music crawled beneath the soles of my shoes, tracing a rhythmic path over my feet with encouragement. The joy in the room was almost palpable and the magic was grand enough to drown out the presence of my own as various creatures of all shapes and sizes danced around. I couldn't hear my thoughts over the music anymore as I accepted Merlin's gift and downed it in an instant. The magic swirled in my stomach, warming me with a glittery feeling. My eyelids fluttered as a smile warmed my cheeks. The effects of whatever this place was serving was instantaneous. Moments turned into flashes of gold and flame as I found myself lost on the dance floor with my hands linked with Merlin.