Chapter Forty
I was relieved to see Aedus’ wounds were beginning to heal, although the process was a slow one. His skin had turned an unnatural gray and his heartbeat seemed slower than Liam’s. His mother sat silently by his bedside, his cool hand resting gently in hers, her face resigned and no longer hopeful. She lifted her deep purple eyes and I was surprised by the amount of anger I saw in her gaze. To his mother, I was the cause of his impending death. I was only a shifter—someone not worthy of his sacrifice. She was probably right, but it was too late to feel guilt. I sat across from her and took his right hand in mine. She almost told me to get out, I could see her lips start to move in anger, but she must have seen the determination in my eyes. His father had asked me to help Aedus, and I would do all I could.
Liam was the only fae with exceptional healing abilities among their faerie sidhe, and right now, Liam wasn’t conscious. His body was healing and would take whatever amount of time necessary to finish the job. When I’d checked on him I’d found his mind at peace and his healing energy strong.
Healers were not valued here in Faerie as they were elsewhere, because the fae were rarely injured to the point of needing medical attention. They could usually heal themselves instantly, or if the physical injuries were serious, over a period of a few days at the most. Because the fae were able to put up powerful shields to protect their minds, injuries of the mental variety were so rare that few had ever seen their effects.
Even though Aedus’ serious wounds seemed to be healing slowly on their own, the battle going on in his mind was draining his strength, and soon, his body would shut down completely. I knew firsthand the strength of Kennet’s ‘gift’. I’d seen it in Ethan’s mind and felt it in my own. I understood how convincing he could be and how impossible it was to pull out of the black hell he created. Kennet would root around, searching for your deepest fears, then make them all real, so real you tasted the blood that dripped into your mouth and smelled the blackened flesh of your mate as he burned in the sun. I would use every bit of my strength to pull Aedus back from the edge and then I would get my revenge on Kennet. I had special plans for him.
My brain was beeping out a warning, which I continued to ignore. My body and emotions were being fueled solely by my rage. It wouldn’t last, but I intended to use it for all it was worth for as long as I possibly could. When I crashed, it wouldn’t be pretty.
I focused back on Aedus, pulling in the magic and sending my healing energy into the turmoil of his mind, afraid of what I’d find there. Even though Kennet was on the run and no longer controlling his thoughts, Aedus was still lost in a loop of memories, not able to distinguish reality from dream. As I allowed myself to enter his vision, I was thrown into a dismal universe of bitter cold and darkness. I’d shielded my mind from the effects, but could still sense the intensity of the aching cold. I moved hesitantly through this gray world until I saw a dim light ahead and turned toward it. There was a building, similar to the one that the weres had used to hold their fae prisoners, so I walked toward it. Aedus, Liam, Caelen, Lady Silvus and a beautiful fae female were chained with iron to the outside wall, their flesh burning as they squirmed and cried out from the pain. Kennet appeared and offered Aedus his freedom if he would kill his family and his lover, and Aedus agreed without hesitation. He brutally slaughtered every one, until he stood alone, smiling, his feet planted in the river of their blood. Kennet laughed and disappeared. A moment later the same scene replayed again in Aedus’ mind.
If I hadn’t experienced the same kind of horror, I might have felt this was too obvious a trick, and that Aedus would wake up and realize the ruse soon. But ongoing scene was as real to him as any of his true-life experiences. It must seem to Aedus he had eagerly agreed to betray his loved ones to save his own life. Loss of honor was so much worse than death to the High Seelie Fae. I instinctively understood this about Liam and so assumed it was the same for Aedus as well. Kennet knew how to attack him where he was at his most vulnerable and he did his job exceptionally well. Aedus could have borne physical torture, but this was a shame of enormous proportions.
I’d helped Ethan by attacking Kennet, but couldn’t do that here. Kennet was already gone and the vision had taken on a life of its own. I pulled out of the warrior’s chaotic mind and turned to Lady Silvus. “Will you speak out loud to your son, please? He needs to know you’re alive and well. He believes he killed you to save his own life. If Aedus’ lady is around it would be good for her to speak to him also. Just keep telling him that you, Lord Caelen and Liam are fine. I’m going back in there to attempt to shake him up a little so he’ll see the vision isn’t real. If I might ask, I’ll need food at some point. This might take a while.”
She looked at me, first with shock and then understanding, moving quickly to the door to deliver the messages to someone outside. When she sat down again she brushed a strand of dark hair off her handsome son’s face and begin to speak softly to him in Fae, holding his hand to her heart so he would feel it beating. I nodded and returned to my work. A few minutes later two fae entered the room: a young man with a tray of food and a lovely woman, looking solemn and very nervous. When she saw Aedus’ face she gasped. I gestured for her to bring a chair next to mine and to sit and hold his hand. I scooted my chair up a little nearer to his head to make room for her and leaned over, placing my hand over his forehead. “Take turns talking out loud to him. Make him believe that you’re well and he didn’t hurt you.”
I took a breath and returned to Aedus’ personal horror, closing the door on my own horror with a resounding bang. At least for now.