buy honesty from you.”
“Touché.”
He walked over to me where I
stood soaking in the sun. The sunlight wasn’t any more real than in Fairy, but
in the dreamscape felt a hundred times better.
I studied him as he got closer
because there was something different about him. Then, I realized I could see
fine lines on his face as if he’d aged since the last time I saw him.
He cupped my cheek and for a
second I allowed myself to nuzzle into the warmth of his hand. “Ah, little one,
there are so many things you deserve to know.”
His words only reminded me of how
in the dark I still was. Irritation leaped like hives to the surface of my
skin. I pushed his hand away, frustrated by all the secrets. “Then tell me,” I
shouted.
His eyes lacked the vibrancy of
life. They were dull and sad around the edges and created pity I didn’t want to
feel. “I deserve that.”
I wanted more than anything to
believe in him. Perhaps the idea of having a grandfather like normal people was
a bit of a fantasy for me. But I knew better. “Are you going to tell me
something or let me out of this nightmare?”
“Mercy,” he whispered with such
remorse, I didn’t know if it was my name or the word he uttered.
“Did you bring me here to torcher
me?”
Sadly, he shook his head no. “I’m
the one’s that being tortured, love.” He closed his eyes tight, before focusing
his gaze back on me. “And there isn’t time for you to berate me about my
tactics. You need to know—”
Suddenly, the ocean view
disappeared, and darkness overtook everything. Ryck was no longer the handsome
rock star. Instead, he diminished before my eyes into a glowing ember that
resembled humanoid shape.
A crushing weight pressed on me,
forcing me to my knees. The pain of loss made my eyes burn, but no tears came
to cool the fire. I pulled at my hair trying to stop the ache deep in my chest
that made me want to slit my wrist to stop the pain. Luke’s dull eyes turned
from summer blue to black as a vision filled my head. NO, I screamed over and
over for what felt like eternity.
“Mercy, Go!” Ryck yelled.
I was barely able to turn my head
with grief like a tangible force. Ryck lifted his hand as he moaned out his
personal agony. And I saw him. Sebastian. I shot up in bed gasping for air.
The door crashed opened, and
Flynn jogged in. I jumped off the bed and flung myself in at him. His hands
were slow to take me in. I didn’t care. I clung onto him making him my anchor.
“What. Happened. Now? I heard
screaming.”
I burrowed in tighter not saying
anything yet. Had I been in hell? It sure felt like it.
“Ryck,” I stammered. “My
grandfather. He… he was trying to tell me something.”
“Okay,” Flynn said, not sounding
at all convinced I should be so freaked out.
“I think he took me to hell.”
“Mercy,” Flynn sighed.
“No, I mean it. He dreamwalked
me. But there was something different about him. He wasn’t as young as he was
the last time I saw him,” I babbled.
“The guy’s like ancient.”
I couldn’t see his expression,
but I heard his skepticism. Miming climbing a tree with Flynn being the
Redwood, I continued to keep hold of him like I might end up back in hell if I
let go.
“No, but demons are like the Fey.
There perfect on the outside. And he wasn’t. Then we weren’t at the beach house
anymore. We were in hell. And I felt it. I was there,” I implored, trying to
get him to believe me.
He tried to pry me off of him but
locked my arms around his neck in a near choke hold. “Mercy, how can he
dreamwalk you to hell? It’s a dream.” His doubt was tangible.
“You don’t believe me… do you?”
It hurt. At that moment, I knew I always assumed he’d believe in me. And
something broke inside when he didn’t. I let him go and stepped back. And there
was definitely cynicism in his expression. His lips were pursed as if ready to
give me another reason why I couldn’t be right.
He held up his hands.
“Touché.”
He walked over to me where I
stood soaking in the sun. The sunlight wasn’t any more real than in Fairy, but
in the dreamscape felt a hundred times better.
I studied him as he got closer
because there was something different about him. Then, I realized I could see
fine lines on his face as if he’d aged since the last time I saw him.
He cupped my cheek and for a
second I allowed myself to nuzzle into the warmth of his hand. “Ah, little one,
there are so many things you deserve to know.”
His words only reminded me of how
in the dark I still was. Irritation leaped like hives to the surface of my
skin. I pushed his hand away, frustrated by all the secrets. “Then tell me,” I
shouted.
His eyes lacked the vibrancy of
life. They were dull and sad around the edges and created pity I didn’t want to
feel. “I deserve that.”
I wanted more than anything to
believe in him. Perhaps the idea of having a grandfather like normal people was
a bit of a fantasy for me. But I knew better. “Are you going to tell me
something or let me out of this nightmare?”
“Mercy,” he whispered with such
remorse, I didn’t know if it was my name or the word he uttered.
“Did you bring me here to torcher
me?”
Sadly, he shook his head no. “I’m
the one’s that being tortured, love.” He closed his eyes tight, before focusing
his gaze back on me. “And there isn’t time for you to berate me about my
tactics. You need to know—”
Suddenly, the ocean view
disappeared, and darkness overtook everything. Ryck was no longer the handsome
rock star. Instead, he diminished before my eyes into a glowing ember that
resembled humanoid shape.
A crushing weight pressed on me,
forcing me to my knees. The pain of loss made my eyes burn, but no tears came
to cool the fire. I pulled at my hair trying to stop the ache deep in my chest
that made me want to slit my wrist to stop the pain. Luke’s dull eyes turned
from summer blue to black as a vision filled my head. NO, I screamed over and
over for what felt like eternity.
“Mercy, Go!” Ryck yelled.
I was barely able to turn my head
with grief like a tangible force. Ryck lifted his hand as he moaned out his
personal agony. And I saw him. Sebastian. I shot up in bed gasping for air.
The door crashed opened, and
Flynn jogged in. I jumped off the bed and flung myself in at him. His hands
were slow to take me in. I didn’t care. I clung onto him making him my anchor.
“What. Happened. Now? I heard
screaming.”
I burrowed in tighter not saying
anything yet. Had I been in hell? It sure felt like it.
“Ryck,” I stammered. “My
grandfather. He… he was trying to tell me something.”
“Okay,” Flynn said, not sounding
at all convinced I should be so freaked out.
“I think he took me to hell.”
“Mercy,” Flynn sighed.
“No, I mean it. He dreamwalked
me. But there was something different about him. He wasn’t as young as he was
the last time I saw him,” I babbled.
“The guy’s like ancient.”
I couldn’t see his expression,
but I heard his skepticism. Miming climbing a tree with Flynn being the
Redwood, I continued to keep hold of him like I might end up back in hell if I
let go.
“No, but demons are like the Fey.
There perfect on the outside. And he wasn’t. Then we weren’t at the beach house
anymore. We were in hell. And I felt it. I was there,” I implored, trying to
get him to believe me.
He tried to pry me off of him but
locked my arms around his neck in a near choke hold. “Mercy, how can he
dreamwalk you to hell? It’s a dream.” His doubt was tangible.
“You don’t believe me… do you?”
It hurt. At that moment, I knew I always assumed he’d believe in me. And
something broke inside when he didn’t. I let him go and stepped back. And there
was definitely cynicism in his expression. His lips were pursed as if ready to
give me another reason why I couldn’t be right.
He held up his hands.
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