The Shadow of Beauty

Ch 22- Home

The Parliel Realm...

The last thing Twillow saw before her brother Elmry pulled her through the portal was Kendrick reaching for her. Then through the light of the portal she saw his immense silhouette vanish. She wasn't sure what happened but she and Elmry fell down into an open field of glistening grass. Around them she could see the distinct white trees that soared into the brightly lit sky. And above the trees she could see the floating villages and cities of the fae, hovering majestically over everything. It was the Parliel Realm; her home.

Very shortly her eldest brother Gillam flew through the portal as it winked shut.

Gillam landed roughly, almost staggering to the ground where he took off his combat mask with a heaving sigh. The spot just above his ear was bleeding a bit and the edges of it looked burned against his whitish green flesh.

"Oh, gods that was close." He gasped, wiping sweat from his lean, attractive face.

Twillow felt Elmry hug her from the back, putting his cheek over her ear, "We found you! I can't believe we got you back!"

Gillam all but crawled on his hands and knees over to where Elmry and Twillow sat on the ground, "Twillow! Are you hurt? Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine." She managed to say, shock still evident in her tone.

Twillow was the baby of the family but Elmry was the youngest of her three brothers. He had deep, red-violet eyes that were their mother's. Elmry was the shortest of the siblings and had a stocky build like their father; an odd stature for a fae considering most were tall and lithe. Like all the members of their family his skin was a green color but his was the darkest, complimented by his short white hair which spiked up a bit from his forehead. Elmry had large wings for his shorter stature which gave him the most power when it came to flying with extra weight in tow. That lent itself well for his job as a courier. He wore a simple blue tunic and brown cropped breaches.

Gillam was her eldest brother. He was the tallest and arguably the most attractive brother with piercing purple eyes and bluish white hair. His skin was very light green, almost white with green highlights. He was the fighter of the brothers and the one most likely to protect any of his younger siblings from harm. He was a hired bodyguard for some influential members of fae society and was classically trained in multiple forms of defensive combat.

Twillow was overcome with disbelief as her two brothers sat in front of her, "Wh-What are you two doing? How did you find me? How did you open the portal?" she began but Gillam interrupted.

"That doesn't matter now. What matters is you're home and you're safe." He concluded.

Elmry, who had pulled away from her and moved around to her front, seemed baffled she was even asking, "We had to rescue you."

Twillow blinked, "Rescue me?"

Gillam pulled her to him and embraced her too, "We've been trying to get you back since we learned you had been banished to the Lower Realm." His hands began moving all over her, searching for injuries, "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, "I told you I'm fine." She pointed to his cut, knowing Helia had given him that with her sword.

Gillam shook his head, "I'm ok. Just burns. I think that human's sword had iron in it."

Elmry shook his head with a relieved sigh upon seeing the cut and a piece of his brother's hair missing, "Geez, Gillam, and that giant almost got you too. Did that defensive talisman work?"

Gillam nodded, "Yeah. I got him."

"What did you do to Kendrick?!" Twillow's tone was that of worry and anger.