The wailing once again increased in volume, causing Murder and Carnage to both wince in pain, and the grey shadows moved further up the tree.
Lily shivered in spite of the heat of the day, but her eyes were open now, and she was looking at the treetop surrounding her. Her little hand was petting the tree she laid upon.
The wailing gradually slowed to a scant cry on the wind. The branches of the massive tree, from the furthest height to ground level had taken on a dead, chalky, grey appearance. In fact the entire tree seemed to have died, except for the very center of the trunk, where the chest of the Dragon would be had it been a Dragon instead of a tree and its massive head-shaped dip that rested its chin on the ground. Those places were still a healthy brown. The leaves it wore so proudly before now littered the ground around its roots. The wailing stopped, the groaning of the tree stopped, and the silence of the swamps around them seemed to pay homage to some great change in its circle of life.
Lily struggled to sit up, and Lore went to her.
“Hello, my Lily. How do you feel?”
Her face skewed up and she started to cry but there was no coughing. In this case, a strong healthy cry was a good thing.
“Come, let’s get you to your mother,” he said, taking her in his arms.
Lore turned toward Carolena, who was already moving toward him with Carnage on her heels. Lore handed her Lily and turned back to the tree, laying his hand upon its mighty head. “I shall watch over her until a time you can again come to her. I will make all my wrongs right — I give you my word, no more battles. Thank you, my old friend.”
“Can I take them home now, Lore?” Enthrall asked.
Lore nodded, without looking back at them. “Yes. I will come shortly.”
Enthrall embraced Carnage, who hugged both Carolena and Lily to him, to ghost them away. Just before they left the clearing, Lore heard Lily speak through her cries. “Now I sad.”
Murder walked over to stand beside Lore, who was still beside the tree, his hand resting on its huge head. “Is it dead?” he asked Lore.
Lore shook his head. “No, but he is greatly weakened. He gave most of his strength to Lily to fight the illness that was taking over her body.”
“Can he not come to her any longer?”
“It will take him many years to gather his strength again.”
Chapter 16
Felicity did not even startle when Enthrall, his arms holding both Carolena and Carnage as they held Lily, appeared in the living room of Carnage and Carolena’s home. Lily was tightly holding on to her mother’s neck, and Carolena held her snugly against her chest. Carnage held Carolena with one hand and Enthrall with the other. As soon as they had their balance, Enthrall let go. Before he stepped away, he bent his head and placed a kiss on the back of Lily’s head, while looking Carolena meaningfully in the eye.
“Is she okay?” Felicity rushed out, hurrying toward them.
“She is,” Enthrall answered.
Carolena didn’t answer, just stepped around Enthrall and headed straight for Lily’s bedroom. Carnage looked accusingly at Felicity before stalking off to follow Carolena. His daughter had been gravely ill, and it was all because this new lady came to his house. He was not happy.
When he entered Lily’s bedroom he said, “‘Kay Leelee??”
Lily nodded from her place on the bed where Carolena had sat her. Carolena was kneeling in front of her, painstakingly checking Lily’s eyes, her fingers, toes, making sure that all was as it should be. “How do you feel? Is there any more soreness in your chest, baby?”
“No. I ‘kay now,” she said sadly.
Carolena placed a hand on Lily’s forehead, feeling for a temperature. “Why do you sound like you still don’t feel right?”
“I sad.”
“Why are you sad?” Carolena asked.
“Carrik sleeping.”
Carolena wasn’t sure what to ask next. She knew that Carrik was the Dragon, and supposedly he’d been visiting with her child in some form or another, but she wasn’t all that convinced until she’d seen the tree heal Lily with her own eyes. Carolena took a deep breath. “Is Carrik going to be okay?”
Lily’s lower lip trembled, and she looked like she was going to start crying again.
“It’s okay, it’s okay! We’ll make sure he’s okay. We’ll talk to Uncle Lore and find out how we can make sure he’s okay. Alright?” Carolena said, trying to console Lily.
Lily nodded. “I visit him?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes. We’ll visit him. But not today. Today, I want you to take a bath, then we are going to stay in and rest until tomorrow. Then we’ll see how we all feel.”
“‘Kay, Mama,” Lily conceded.
“No mo’ here!” Carnage said, with a tone in his voice, stabbing his finger in the direction of the kitchen.
“Papa’s right, no more visitors here today. That’s enough for one day.”
Carnage was shaking his head. “Eber!” he insisted.
“Ever?” Carolena asked, “Really? Ever? You can’t say no one can ever come to our home again.”
“‘Es!” Then he pointed toward the living room. “Ick! Leelee ick!” he practically roared.
“She didn’t get Lily sick. Lily got Lily sick. She should not have tried to heal anyone. She’s a child. She shouldn’t have tried.”
Carnage glared at Carolena and pointed to the living room again. “Ick!” he said a little more quietly, but still firmly insisting that their visitor was sick and that was why Lily was sick.
“She was. But she had no idea Lily could heal her, nor that Lily would try to heal her. She was not contagious. It wasn’t her fault, Carnage. Lily was solely responsible for this, not Felicity.”
Carnage, in all reality knew that Carolena was right. But he still believed that if everyone else would just stay the hell away from his family and himself, they would be just fine. He glared at Carolena, who glared right back at him.
Lily knew even at her young age that a distraction was needed. “Papa bave me?” she asked sweetly, her eyebrows raised.
Carnage looked at Lily and nodded. “‘Mon, Leelee.” He picked her up and though he was irritated that Carolena didn’t see the simplicity of barring everyone from their home, he stooped over on his way out of Lily’s room to the bathroom and dropped a kiss on Carolena’s forehead before he took Lily for her bath.
When Carolena entered the living room, Enthrall and Felicity were deep in conversation. Felicity stood from the couch where she’d been sitting beside Enthrall, concern etched into her features. “Is she okay, Carolena? I’m so, so sorry.”
Carolena offered her a strained smile. “She’s okay. Just a little overwhelmed and tired. But she’s okay. And it’s not your fault, Felicity. Please don’t feel responsible.”
“I can’t help but feel like I could have prevented her from…”
“From what? From healing you? How could you know she even had the ability? It wasn’t your fault.”
The purple mist began to permeate the room, and Enthrall noticed it right away. “No, it wasn’t Lily’s fault. It’s his fault,” Enthrall said.
“Who?” Felicity asked.
Enthrall indicated the purple mist with a stab of his chin in its direction. “His. Lore. It’s Lore’s fault.”
Lore’s voice answered before even his body took shape. “How is it my fault?” Lore asked. “How is it anyone’s fault? Can’t it just be what happened?”
“You filled a little child's head with stories and ideas of all the wondrous things she can do, but never did you put a limit on her,” Enthrall accused.
“You have no idea what limits I did or didn’t put on her!” Lore defended.
“Apparently, you didn’t put enough. That much is apparent,” Enthrall countered.
Lore raised his eyebrows and rather than respond to Enthrall, he turned to Carolena. “Is this what you believe, Carolena?”
“No. I don’t. I believe that Lily is meant for g
reater things than any of us, except for maybe you, can even comprehend. And I’m glad she has you to help guide her.”
“And this incident today?” he asked.
“Was no one’s fault. It was just what happened. But I would appreciate it if you would help me make Lily understand that she is not to attempt anything that is not just a game she plays with you, unless you are here to help her and to guide her.”
Lore performed a short little bow. “Agreed and done. As soon as the excitement of today’s activities fade, I will speak with her in depth.”
“Thank you.”
“Where is she?” he asked, looking around the room.
“She wanted her Papa to bathe her. He tends to let her play in the water more than he bathes her. So, I’m guessing she’s splashing in the tub, pretending to be a mermaid.”
“Ah, such a fun thing to be. You should ask if she could accompany Serena and Seth on a swim one day. She’d be most welcome and completely enchanted with their abilities, I’m sure.”
Carolena regarded Lore with a slightly confused look on her face. “Is that what they are? Mer-people?”
“Not exactly. But they are quite at home in the water.” Lore turned his attention to Felicity — he could feel the guilt and remorse pouring from her. “You should not punish yourself so. Was not of your doing.”
Felicity gave a slight nod. “I was so worried.”
“As were we all. But all is well, danger was averted, and perhaps we are all a bit more attuned to the things our Lily can and shouldn’t do — at least not yet. Perhaps it was a good thing, so we can be sure to prevent any such occurrences in the future.”
Enthrall slipped his arm around Felicity’s waist, kissing her temple.
“Will you not introduce us, Vampire?” Lore asked, with a snark in his tone.
“My mate, Felicity,” he said with pride and love clearly showing in his eyes. “Felicity, this is Lore. He is one of my closest friends. Though I would dearly love to strangle him at times.”
“Likewise,” Lore said to Enthrall with a dry snarky tone to his voice before facing Felicity. “Enchanted, my dear,” Lore said, taking her hand in the wisps of his and kissing it soundly.
“Hello, Lore,” Felicity stammered. She was unsure of exactly what creature he was.
Lore held her hand a bit longer, trying to see into her thoughts while she regarded him, searching her memories for any tales of beings such as he, so she could put a name to him. She was very practical that way — everything had a name, a purpose and a description that it fit into.
Lore allowed her to search her mind for a moment longer before finally smiling at her indulgently. “You will not find a match. There is none quite like me. At least not that you’ve heard tell of.”
Surprised that he knew where her thoughts led, her mouth opened in shock. “Then what? I mean, how did you? I… Never mind,” she finally said, realizing that none of her instinctive responses were very polite.
He chuckled. “I am not a what, I am Lore.”
“But, what is a Lore?”
“Me.”
Felicity thought about it for a moment. “You mean like legend or a fairytale?”
“Somewhat.”
“You are legendary, is that why you are named Lore?
“Lore is named after me. No one named me. I just am.”
“Am what?”
“Lore,” he said with a curious smile on his face. He knew full well he was talking in circles. He didn’t care.
“Lore is an ancient,” Enthrall said softly at her side. “Better to just accept him as he is and not get into the what’s and how’s of it.”
“I am thrilled you have been found, and you are now well, my dear. Love him well, there is none more devoted,” Lore advised Felicity.
“Leenah!” Carnage shouted from the bathroom.
“Is there a problem?” she called back and started that way. But before she could make it to the hallway to even go toward the bathroom, Carnage came toward them with a wet Lily wrapped in a towel. He moved Lily to his other arm so that her back was to Carolena and used his free hand to very gently lift her wet hair, exposing her neck and shoulders.
“See?!” Carnage demanded.
Carolena saw immediately what he was trying to show her. “What is on her neck?” she asked, hurrying closer to get a better look. “Oh, my gosh! It’s a Dragon! She’s got a Dragon on her neck!”
Lore and Enthrall both moved closer to get a good look. Sure enough, on the back of her neck, near her right shoulder was the small, dark unmistakable shape of a dragon in flight. Any who were not familiar with Dragons would think it just an oddly-shaped birthmark, but this being Whispers, they all immediately knew it for what it was. Carrik had marked Lily. He’d healed her, and in so doing left his own Dragon’s Mark upon her skin.
“What does this mean?” Carolena asked.
Carnage spit on his finger and tried again for the umpteenth time to wipe it away. When it wouldn’t come off, he lifted the corner of his lip, displaying a fang to Lore with an implied snarl. He didn’t actually snarl — he didn’t want to upset Lily any further than she’d already been upset today.
Lore spoke in calming tones when he addressed Lily. “Did Carrik speak to you when he made you feel better, Lily?”
She nodded, paying more attention to the soggy doll in her hands than to Lore — she’d apparently bathed the doll, too.
“What did he say?” Lore pressed.
“Him said, ‘Don’t forget.’”
Lore smiled.
“Well, I’m glad you think it’s great that my daughter has a Dragon tattoo!” Carolena snarked.
“It’s not a tattoo, Carolena.”
Carnage again tried to rub it off and glared at Lore.
“It’s simply a Dragon’s Mark. To ensure that all who see it know that she…” He hesitated, searching for the right words, “is… protected by a Dragon.”
Enthrall waited to see if Lore would volunteer the rest. When he didn’t, Enthrall decided full disclosure was best. “It’s also an intention of claim. He’s placed his mark on her so that no other could possibly claim her, but him.”
“She’s five!” Carolena protested.
“In this life. You forget, Carolena, the people of Whispers have lived, some of them, for centuries. It was common place in many ages to promise children at birth to be wed upon reaching what they considered adulthood. This is simply all he’s done. He claimed her for his own upon her reaching adulthood.”
“And if she chooses otherwise.”
“Then I shall stand beside her as she refuses him. But I hardly think it will come to that.”
“You have no way to know that,” Carolena insisted.
“Nor do you,” he replied simply. Lore paused for a moment, then smiled sadly as though reflecting. When finally he met Carolena’s eyes, it was with a resolution in his own, as though he knew it was not to be avoided. “Every life, no matter the name, no matter the location, no matter who she was - he’s found her. And she him. I doubt that anything anyone does can ever keep them apart, once he is fully restored.”
“Wanna bave!” Lily complained to her papa.
Carnage looked to Carolena for an answer. She shrugged. “At least she’s got another layer of protection. And she won’t have to worry about it until she’s an adult. And she’ll be stronger by then, right?” she looked to Lore for confirmation.
Lore didn’t smile, at all. “She’ll be all that I am and more.”
Carnage lightly touched the shape of the dragon on the back of Lily’s neck. “Huuurrtt?” he asked.
Lily finally looked up from her doll and smiled at Carnage. “Nope.”
He kissed her forehead and gave Lore a final, soft snarl for good measure, then, took Lily to finish playing in the bathtub.
“I think that perhaps tonight’s party should be postponed until a much less eventful day. What say you?” Enthrall asked Lore.
Lore didn’t answe
r, he seemed to be listening to something that only he could hear — head cocked to the side, ear angled just so, an intent look on his face.
“I think so, too. We just want to have a few very quiet days to ourselves,” Carolena answered instead.
“So it will be,” Enthrall answered. “I’ll let everyone know.”
“Thank you, Enthrall. For everything.”
“You’re welcome, Carolena. And I’m so very sorry.”
“Couldn’t have been helped. It’s not your fault.” Carolena looked at Felicity, pinning her with a sincere look. “Or yours. Please don’t let today stop you from coming back to visit. You’re welcome anytime.”
A loud gravelly voice boomed from the back of the house. “Noooo ‘ick!”
“Unless you’re sick. If anyone is sick, I’m not sure he’ll ever let them in again,” Carolena explained. “Seriously, though. I’m very, very happy you’re well and healthy again. Enjoy it. Lily only healed you because she wanted you to be happy and healthy for Enthrall. Don’t let this morning’s event be for naught.”
Felicity hugged Carolena. “I won’t. And I’m so, so thankful and grateful. She’s given me a whole new future. I know she’s had enough people for one day, but please make sure she understands what an amazing thing she’s done for me and my life. I’ll always, always be grateful to her, and anything she ever needs, I will bend over backwards to get for her.”
Carolena hugged her back. “I’ll make sure she knows how much you appreciate her.”
“Can you hear that?” Lore whispered, looking off into nothingness.
“What?” Enthrall asked.
“It breaks my heart. The weeping. The desolation. Why must they torment her? Just free her! It is me who bears punishment, not her! She is but an innocent led astray!” he finished on a rumbling growl.
Enthrall took a step toward Lore. “Who, Lore?”
“I must go to her. I’ll be extra vigilant so they won’t feel me this time. I shall try to console her, perhaps she will laugh for me again,” he said, his entire face brightening.
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