by Amy Cross
“Edgar,” Kate continued, pulling away from the kiss, “maybe we can do that later. Right now, I think we need to get down from here.”
Scooping her up into his arms, Edgar carried her back through the door and then began to take her down the stairs. With its foundations having been damaged while the locket was open, the lighthouse was tilting more and more, and piece of stonework and masonry were starting to fall away. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Edgar carried Kate out and shouted for Nixon, Madeleine to get back, and as they all hurried across the rocks they felt the ground rumbling beneath their feet. Turning, they watched in horror as the lighthouse collapsed, breaking apart as it crashed down against the rocks and into the sea.
“Did we do it?” Nixon asked, turning to Edgar. “Did we stop the rise of Ashalla?”
“For now,” Edgar replied, looking down at Kate and seeing that she'd lost consciousness. “There'll be time to worry about that later. We have other concerns for the moment.”
III
“It's not just one thing,” Nixon said as he continued to examine Kate's unconscious body on a table in the mansion's library. “With everything that happened at Raven's Briar, not to mention the crucifix piercing her skin and whatever injuries she sustained before she came back in time, Kate has been through a huge amount of punishment.”
Pulling her tattered shirt aside, he saw that the most recent wound was starting to fester, spreading through her skin like a kind of plague.
“Edgar, this is serious,” he continued. “I have no idea how to heal her.”
“You will find a way,” Edgar said darkly.
“But -”
“You will find a way!” Edgar shouted. “I don't care what you have to do, but after everything that she's been through, I will not let Kate die today!”
Turning, he looked across at the other table, where Benjamin's body had been set out. Stepping closer, he paused for a moment.
“Is there no way you can bring him back?” Jennifer asked, watching from the doorway. “He was a good man, he didn't deserve to die like that.”
“We don't always die the way we deserve,” Edgar muttered. “I'm worried that even though Quillian is gone, he might yet find a way back to this world through Benjamin's body, but there are ways to guard against that.” He turned to her. “You should go. Find your daughter and look after her. There is no need for you to concern yourself with the world of the Le Comptes any further.”
“But -”
“You will die if you do,” he added. “If I have learned anything today, it is that humans always suffer if they spend too much time around my family. Please, Ms. Kazakos, for your sake and for your daughter's, you must go now. If Kate recovers, I will let you know. Otherwise, you must heed my warning.”
“Keep her safe,” Jennifer replied, with tears in her eyes as she watched Nixon working on Kate's body. “Please, do whatever you can.”
“I will not rest until she is healthy again,” Edgar muttered as Jennifer ran from the room. He paused for a moment, before turning to Nixon. “Continue your efforts. I will be back soon, but there is another matter to which I must attend.”
***
Stopping at the top of the cliff, Estella looked back and watched the rustling grass. She was certain she'd heard something catching up to her, yet now there seemed to be nothing but the wind.
Still, Edgar was close. She knew that now.
“Help me,” she whispered, looking down at her hands as she tried to remember some of the magic she'd learned from the books at the mansion. She had no time to experiment; she needed cold, hard methods to defend herself, but her mind was filled with fear and finally she began to make her way down the rough path that led to the beach. When she reached the bottom, she took a few steps forward before stopping and looking out at the sea.
For a moment, a sense of calm and peace seemed to descend on the scene.
“I could run,” she said out loud, trying to reason with her own conflicted thoughts. “I could run and run and run, and never look back. Edgar wouldn't pursue me, not forever, he...” Pausing, she realized that perhaps she was wrong. “He'd hunt me to the ends of the earth,” she continued. “His love for me has become an all-consuming rage. He'll realize how he feels eventually, but first he'll have to break through the anger and...”
She stopped suddenly, as she realized she could hear something moving behind her. She didn't dare to turn, not even as she felt a familiar presence settling as if it had fallen from the sky.
“You're here, aren't you?” she whispered, as tears ran down her face. “I can't run, can I?”
Slowly, she turned and saw Edgar standing just a few feet away, with the afternoon breeze ruffling his hair. His eyes were dark and unblinking, fixing her with an expression of pure hatred.
“Edgar...”
“I had hoped,” he said firmly, “to deal with you by ignoring you. That seemed, once, to be the fairest approach.”
“Ignoring me? How can you possibly ignore me? You love me.”
“Is that what you think?”
“I -”
“Truly? Deep down, beyond the hysteria and the panic, do you think I love you, Estella? Answer carefully.”
“I think you did love me,” she told him, taking a step back, “and I think you could love me again. I think right now, there are a few too many complications in the way.”
“You're deluded.”
“One of us certainly is.”
“What are you going to do?” she asked. “Hurt me? Kill me? Don't you think we're passed that point now?”
“I honestly haven't decided yet,” he replied.
She took another step back. “As if it's your decision to make,” she sneered finally. “You don't control every living thing, Edgar, not even on this godforsaken island. There are still those of us who can stand against you and defy your will.”
“There are many who try,” he said calmly. “Very few succeed.”
“Very few have my powers,” she pointed out.
“Your powers are weak and ill-disciplined. You have potential, but you don't know how to develop your abilities.”
“Is that right?” Turning, she hurried across the beach until she reached the shore, at which point she stared at the water for a moment before glancing back at him. “Do you want me to show you what I can do, Edgar? Do you dare to dare me?”
“I dare.”
She paused, trembling with fear. Even though she knew she held vast power in her soul, she had no understanding of how best to tap that power.
“Hurry,” Edgar continued, taking a step closer. “You don't have all the time in the world.”
“You should be careful,” she replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Keep issuing threats like that, and I might react.”
“I hope you do.”
“Edgar -”
“Hurry,” he said again, taking another step toward her.
Holding her right hand out, she tried to summon strength from deep in her mind, but all that happened was that her trembling hand made her seem weaker still.
“Impressive,” Edgar said with a faint smile, still approaching. “Do you have an encore planned?”
“Don't provoke me,” she stammered.
“On the contrary,” he replied, “I am trying to provoke you. I want to see what you're capable of, Estella. I want to see what you can do in your final form.”
“Final form?” She stared at him for a moment, feeling a sense of cold fear spreading through her chest. “My God, you really do intend to kill me.”
“You're too dangerous to be left alive.”
“Why?” she asked, with her hand still reaching out toward him. “Because I might hurt your precious Kate Langley?”
“You have form in that department.”
“You'd kill for her?” she continued, with fresh tears in her eyes. “It's almost...” She paused, as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. “You love her,” she whispered finally. “You lo
ve her in a way that you could never love me.”
“My love is not everything,” he replied. “There is a vast world out there, Estella, and there are other worlds too, if you know how to reach them. You have been given a great gift and you could have used it to live an extraordinary life. Instead, you wasted your time, pining away for a love that could never draw breath.” He made his way toward her. “I pity you, Estella. I despise you. I am angered by you. But no, I have never loved you and I never could.”
“But you love her,” she sneered, as her hand began to tremble even more violently.
“With all my heart.”
“You fool,” she whispered. “You absolute fool. I never thought I'd say this, Edgar, but there's a part of you that seems drawn to disaster and damage. People always say that about me, but it's true of you too. I think it's time you faced the truth. Anyone who gets drawn into the world of the Le Comptes is going to end up dead, unless they know how to defend themselves. Benjamin died and so did Kate, even if you're doing everything in your power to keep her alive. Admit it, you've got Nixon working desperately to patch her up, haven't you?”
“He'll succeed,” Edgar said darkly.
“Maybe, maybe not. Even if he does, it'll only be until the next time. She'll go the same way as all the others, Edgar. She'll die eventually, because that's what happens to people who get mixed up with you and Madeleine. Your only hope...” She paused, before taking a step toward him. “Your only hope is to be practical, and to see that if you're to have any kind of lasting love, it needs to be with someone who's strong enough to live in your world. For better or for worse, Edgar, that's me. You've seen my powers, and you know I haven't even begun to tap my potential. Forget about Kate, let her die now rather than forcing her to suffer on, and embrace your perfect match. We were made for each other, Edgar.”
He stared at her, as if he was actually starting to consider her words.
“Don't you feel it?” she continued, with tears in her eyes. “I know you're not an idiot. I know you understand that I'm right. Make the right choice. You need someone like me, especially if you hope to ever have children.”
She waited for a reply, before daring to go closer.
“You love Kate,” she added. “Fine, I accept that. But it's a love that can't last, and in the long run, you'll be better off with me. Think of those children you created in that fantasy world, Edgar. Portia and the rest, they can be real, and in juts a few years' time too. Don't you want that? Don't you want strong children who are fit for purpose? After all, the Le Compte name needs to live on, does it not? If you and Kate have children, they'll have all her weaknesses, so...” Another step toward him. “Choose me.”
He stared at her for a moment. “Is this how you choose to die?” he asked finally. “Still making the same old mistakes?”
“You won't kill me,” she replied, her voice tense with fear. “You can't.”
“You sound so certain,” he continued, reaching out toward her neck. “Do you really have such faith?”
Staring at his hand, she began to tremble, but she held firm as his fingers brushed against her flesh.
“You won't,” she whispered, as much to strengthen her own resolve as to answer him. “I know you won't.”
“Goodbye, Estella.”
“I -”
Suddenly she pulled away, just as he began to close his hand around her throat. Her eyes filled with fear, she stepped back, unable to stifle the sense of panic.
“Make this easy,” he said firmly, stepping toward her.
“No!” she shouted, turning and starting to run, hurrying away from him until she stopped and realized that there was no way off the beach without going back past him. Spotting a cave ahead, set into the cliff-face, she made her way to the entrance and then ducked down, scurrying into the shadows. She was hoping for some other way up to the top of the cliff, but after a moment she stopped, teetering on the brink of a deep, dark chasm. Her feet almost slipped on the wet surface, and she had to grab onto the side to keep from falling over the edge. She turned to run back, only to find that Edgar had already followed her inside.
“Estella -”
“Keep back!” she shouted. “If you come any closer, I'll...”
“You'll what? Fight me? I think you know how that would end. Even you, Estella, are not so deluded that you believe you could get away from me if I decide to use force.”
“Then I'll...” She paused, trying desperately to think of something she could use against him. “I'll curse you!” she hissed finally. “You and Kate, and your precious children! If you come one step closer, I'll put a curse on you that you'll never be able to break!”
“You don't have that power,” he replied, taking another step toward her.
“Fine,” she continued, “then there's no reason for you to worry, is there? I place a curse on your first-born child with Kate. If you and she have any offspring at all, the first of them will be doomed to die a hideous and painful death before he or she turns eighteen.”
He stepped closer, reaching out once again for her neck.
“And that curse,” she added, “will outlast my life if necessary.” She froze as he gripped her throat. “Edgar,” she continued, “you know this is a mistake. Killing me -”
“I'm not going to kill you,” he replied, interrupting her. “I am, however, going to get you out of the way. For as long as I am on this island, Estella, you shall be consigned to the depths of this pit.”
“Edgar -”
“Never to see the light of day.”
“Edgar, please...”
“And with no hope of escape.”
“Edgar!”
Without saying another word, he pushed her away while letting go of her throat. She reached out to grab him, but it was too late, and she fell backward, screaming as she plummeted into the darkness. Standing at the edge of the precipice, Edgar looked down, but he knew the cave's pit was deep, deeper than any other on the island, and that she would be falling for some considerable time to come. Finally, once her scream could no longer be heard, he turned and headed back out to the beach.
IV
“What else would you have me do?” Edgar asked as he held Kate's lifeless body in his arms. “Leave her on the dining room table for a few decades?”
“But putting her down here...” Nixon's voice trailed off as he approached the stone altar in the chamber beneath the stones. “Edgar, there has to be another way.”
“I can't sit with her all day and all night for the next century,” Edgar continued. “Once she's in the altar, I'll make some changes so that it's completely secure. She'll be fine here until the day comes when something can be done to revive her. We know that day will eventually arrive, we just don't know when or how.”
“But Edgar -”
“Open the top.”
Realizing that there was no point arguing, Nixon took hold of edge of the altar and began to pull. It took a moment, but finally he was able to slid the lid aside, revealing the empty space within.
“When the time comes,” Edgar said, looking down at Kate's bruised and bloodied face, “I will be here to welcome you back to the world.” He stepped forward, but he still couldn't bring himself to set her down inside the altar and let go of her. “I can barely recognize her,” he added finally. “Nixon, she's so badly hurt, she looks more like some kind of tortured beast.”
“I tried, Edgar...”
“Anyone can try to save someone,” he said darkly. “I needed you to succeed. You put her in danger and now she's in this state.”
“If I hadn't done something, you'd still be down there with Quillian.”
“And Kate would be alive.”
“She'll live again. We both know that, Edgar. There'll come a time when she can be revived, when she can heal. For now -”
“Silence.”
“When she -”
“Silence!” Edgar sneered, turning to him. “Do you never tire of speaking? I'll deal with you in
a moment, first I have to...” He paused, before stepping closer to the altar and finally leaning down, settling Kate's damaged body inside. “I will be here when you wake up,” he whispered, “I swear to you. And then... That is when we can start to build a future. I don't know what that future will look like, but you will be there and I will be there, and that is all that matters. For now, I must do something I have never done before. I must be patient, and I must wait.”
He waited a moment longer, before standing and taking a step back.
“Should I close it?” Nixon asked.
Edgar stared down at Kate's face for a moment longer.
“Edgar -”
“Do it.”
Nixon took a moment to push the lid back into place.
“I will create a lock,” Edgar muttered, examining the side of the altar, “some way of securing this thing, so that only I can get it open.” He turned and looked at the carvings on the walls, showing scenes from the vampire war. “And I shall leave Quillian's pathetic artwork as a reminder of what has happened here in recent months. I will also create a passage that runs directly from this place to my house. I will dig through the stones myself.” Turning, he headed to the exit.
“Edgar...” Nixon said again, before watching as Edgar made his way back out of the chamber. “I'm so sorry, Kate,” he continued, turning to look at the altar. “One day I'll work out how to save you, I swear. You might even heal by yourself, given time. There...” He paused. “There'll be a way, I promise.”
Making his way back out of the chamber, he finally reached the grass at the edge of the stone circle, where he found Edgar waiting for him.
“Now what, Edgar?” he asked. “I know we won, in a way, but why does it feel as if we lost too much in the process?”
“Lost?” Edgar paused, staring at him with a growing sense of anger. “Tell me, Nixon, what did you lose? Your pride?” He took a step closer. “I lost Kate. Kate lost her life. I lost my sister, more or less, and she lost Benjamin. Even Estella, as pitiful as she is, lost everything. And you? Here you stand, telling me over and over again how sorry you are, but what does that really mean? What do your apologies actually achieve?”
