Lilly V

by Tiya Rayne

  “I happened.” She lifts one shoulder and drops it down. “He was perfect. He showed me a kind of love that I will never find again. A love that can sustain you through any obstacle. He loved my flaws, my quirks, he even loved the things about me that I hated.”

  “He sounds amazing!”

  She smiles but her eyes are so far away that she probably has no idea where she is.

  “He was. But he was a poor farmhand and a non-magical. And I was a conceited young witch. He wanted to marry me. I wanted riches, a title, and power. At the time I did not know the value in real love, I had no idea that in his arms I could find all that I wanted. So I let him go for bigger and better things. I later married a man that could offer me all the things that I could ever ask for, but he could not give me love. I paid for my bad decision with two decades of being beaten and abused.”

  I gasp and Medina’s eyes focus back on the bathroom. She smooths a hand down the front of her dress and clears her throat.

  “Don’t feel bad for me, Lilly. I told you once before I am a survivor. I paralyzed the bastard, cut off his flesh and fed it to him until he choked and died. I knew everyone hated me for what I did to him—of course they did not know the monster that he was, but I didn’t care. I was finally free of that abusive little prick. Of course my luck didn’t last long because his idiot brother placed this curse on me turning me into an old hag.”

  Hearing Medina’s story opened my eyes to her. So much of how she treats people and how she closes everyone off from her can be explained by what she’s been through.

  “Is that why you’re so cruel, because you’ve been hurt before?”

  Medina laughs so loud she startles poor Phoenix from his nap.

  “Is that what you think? You think I’m angry because some asshole beat me? Sweetie, I’ve always been cruel. At 12 years old I tried to kill my sister because she got a compliment and I didn’t. I’m a witch, Lilly. Cruelty is in my blood. Not everyone needs a reason to be evil, Human.”

  “But, you’ve been so nice lately.”

  She shrugs.

  “I have. But just because I’m a cruel bitch doesn’t mean I don’t know loyalty. Lilly, I will never be the friend that you want me to be. I can’t turn the other cheek and forgive everyone that wrongs me. I still won’t be going out of my way to help people. And I doubt I’ll ever be able to go a day without calling you an idiot. But I won’t kill you, and I won’t betray you. You have my word on that.”

  I can’t help the huge smile that cracks across my face. Medina is right, she will never be a sweet and kind person. And she would more than likely stab you than help you, but I can live with that.

  “Awwww, I like you too, Medina.” I reach up from my seat on the floor and grab Medina into a tight hug.

  “Ewwwww! You reek of vomit!” she squeals trying to pull out of my tight hold.

  I laugh as I let her go and stand to my feet.

  “So let me get this straight,” Drago says, finally speaking up. For a moment I forgot he was standing there. “All this time I’ve been trying to get ye’ woman, and all I had to do was grow some fucking produce? If that’s the case I’ll buy ye’ some land and I’ll grow whatever the bloody hell ye’ want to grow on it.”

  Medina groans and rolls her eyes. I burst out laughing. For the first time since last night, I’m doing something other than crying.

  “Anyway, Lilly.” Medina says turning her attention back to me. “You made a mistake. Give the assassin time. He will forgive you.”

  And just like that my happy mood turns into melancholy

  I shake my head.

  “He won’t. You didn’t see his face. I broke his heart, Medina. But I had no other choice, they were going to hurt my sons.”

  “Wait, what are ye’ talking about it?”

  I fill Medina and Drago in on everything that happened after they left my room. I do leave out a few details. I couldn’t imagine telling them exactly all the places Nevy had his tongue.

  Drago scratches at his chin, his head cocked to the side and eyes narrowed like he always does when he’s thinking.

  “We need to at least alert the assassin about the spy watching over your twins. That is the immediate threat.”

  “Not going to work. I hear the assassin is unreachable at the moment.” Drago explains.

  I groan at the thought that I may be the reason he is unreachable.

  “Well we have to do something. As long as that elf has his spy around Lilly’s boys he can make her do anything he wants.”

  I shudder at the thought.

  Before either of us can come up with a game plan, the wall behind my tub slides open and Karima pops out.

  “Lilly,” She says the moment she spots me. “You have to see this. You have to come quick.”

  I barely had time to brush my teeth and get dressed before Karima had me through my bathroom wall and down the tunnels to the hidden entrance of the Orphan’s hideaway.

  What I found there had me still standing in the same spot in total confusion five minutes later.

  Padimé is up and running around. She has no signs of the sickness.

  “Maybe that last potion worked.” I say to the others around me, but never take my eyes off the little girl that was just yesterday knocking at death’s door.

  “I gave five other kids that same potion. One of them was in that wheel barrel full of dead bodies we passed on the way in here.”

  It wasn’t Medina’s potions, and it surely wasn’t my suggestions because twelve more children died since I had them moved out of the room. So, how was Padimé cured?

  “Drago, did you ever talk to that source you wanted to speak to?”

  Drago shakes his head, even he seems frozen by this miracle.

  “I have not. It seems I am still not in good standing with my Ex.”

  He cringes as he speaks about the goddess daughter. Despite him coming to terms with his actions in what happened to his people, it seems he still isn’t quite over his love affair with the goddess. And apparently neither is she.

  “Something different had to happen to Padimé that didn’t happen to the others.” Oden states. “She is the only one that seems to be recovering.”

  “Well, did she tell you anything when you asked her?” Medina questions.

  Oden and Karima both look at each other and smile.

  “Padimé is young, she still doesn’t know how the world works.” Oden explains.

  I try not to roll my eyes when he talks as if he is so grown.

  “She thinks Lilly saved her.” Karima shakes her head as she relays her sister’s words. “She believes that because Lilly said she would be healed, she is.”

  Oden and Karima laugh. But I don’t, I’m too busy watching the look between Drago and Medina. They know something.

  “What? What is it?”

  “I can’t believe I didn’t think of this.” Medina throws her hands up in frustration.

  “Can someone please tell us what’s going on?” Karima huffs.

  “Lilly is a pure.”

  I cringe at Drago’s words. The last time someone called me that I was being slowly bled to death.

  “What’s a pure?” Oden asks.

  “But I didn’t give her any of my blood.” I completely ignore Oden’s question.

  Medina laughs. “We are so use to taking what we want, no one ever thought to just ask.”

  “Will someone please explain to us what is going on?” Karima stomps her foot acting just like the child she is.

  Drago briefly explains what a pure is.

  “So ye’ will understand how this information cannot go out pass the five of us.”

  Oden and Karima both nod.

  “This still doesn’t explain how I helped her. Medina had to use my blood for weeks just to stay young for a day.”

  “That is because I took it from you.” Medina explains. “It also answers the questions of why the Dark King hasn’t taken you yet. I couldn’t figure out how, as
bad as the Dark King wants his heirs, why hasn’t he just taken what he wanted? He’s had plenty of opportunity.”

  “I like to think it is because he values my feelings.”

  Medina laughs waving a hand at my reply. “No, it’s because his father’s curse can’t be broken unless you give him permission. As potent as your blood was, it only broke my curse for 24 hours. The goddess daughter knew that everyone would take from you. It’s why the unicorns are damn near extinct. She embedded your powers in your kindness. Your abilities only work if you freely give them away.”

  Medina smiles proudly as if she has just solved the world’s greatest problem. I was still in shock by what she was saying. I didn’t feel powerful or gifted. I just felt like me.

  “So you can help us, Lilly. You can cure the children.”

  I look from Oden’s hopeful face and then out to the mass of sad children. I didn’t know any magic words or spells. I wasn’t even sure what I had done to cure Padimé, but I was determined to redo it for about 200 more kids.

  I pull my hair up into a ponytail and wrap it into a ball.

  “Alright,” I say placing my hand on my hips. “Let’s do this.”

  Turns out, it didn’t take much to cure sick children. Just a touch and belief that they would be fine. In the end, healing the children was just a temporary fix. As long as Nevy continues to use his Dark Magic, more kids can be infected. I had to talk to Nevy tonight.

  “Lilly, we can’t thank you enough.” Karima says as she escorts us back through the zigzag underground tunnels.

  “Yes, Lilly. Anything you need, you just need to ask.”

  “Thanks, guys!”

  “Actually, Oden,” Drago says stopping the young man as Medina and I continue through the tunnels.

  We step out of the dark tunnels and into Orphan Alley. It’s a completely different spot than we usually come out. I swear those tunnels have to run everywhere. A few short minutes later, Oden and Drago steps out behind us.

  “Thanks again, Lilly.” Karima wraps her arms around me in a tight hug.

  I squeeze the young girl back. She buries her face in my chest, and again I am reminded of how young she really is. Karima has had to grow up extremely too fast. She was responsible for herself and her three younger siblings when her parents abandoned them. Now all that is left out of the four kids are Karima and little Padimé. I’m thankful that she has Oden. I give him a hard time for trying to be so grown up, but he really does take care of all them. And he is madly in love with Karima.

  Oden walks over to where Karima is still holding me, and places his hand on her back. She finally lets go of me, her beautiful brown eyes are wet with tears.

  “I thought I would find you here.”

  Nevy’s voice startles us. Karima jumps and Oden steps in front of her. Nevy and a few of his trusted soldiers walk down the narrow alley towards us. Nevy has been doing so well lately with his temper, but I never knew with him. I step forward, standing between Nevy and my friends.

  The moment Nevy gets close enough to me he wraps his arms around my waist and buries his face in the top of my head.

  “I missed you this morning.” He mumbles to me before placing a kiss on my forehead.

  Only for a second did I let myself enjoy being in Nevy’s arms. I’ll admit, I cared for Nevy. Maybe I even loved him. He has shown me the real Nevy, the one no one else gets to see. He is funny, easily angered, a great listener, determined, and when he loves something he truly commits to it. He went against his nature, even though it chafed, just to make me more comfortable. For all of those reasons I fell in love with Nevy. At first I was confused about those feelings. However, now I know that it is ok to love him. I can admit it, because no matter how much I love Nevy, it is nothing compared to how I feel about Assassin. It is because of how much I love Assassin that I step away from Nevy’s embrace.

  I smile up at him to soften my actions.

  “What are you doing out here?” I ask him.

  “I was looking for you, but I am glad I ran into your friends.” He turns to Oden and Karima and I don’t judge them from shrinking under his gaze. Not only is Nevy intimidating, he did nearly kill them last time they met.

  “I am throwing Lilly a ball tonight, and I would appreciate it if you two came.”

  Oden and Karima both look as shocked as I feel. I wasn’t shocked to find out that Nevy was throwing me a ball, he’s been doing little things like this for me for the last two weeks. I was more shocked that he is asking someone to do something. Nevy has been exceptionally nice to me, but he struggles when it comes to others. He has the tendency to demand rather than ask. So it really warms my heart to hear him asking Oden and Karima.

  “Please.” Nevy says and even Medina gasp.

  “We would be honored to attend a ball in honor of Lilly.” Oden replies.

  Nevy nods then takes my hand and places it over his arm.

  “Drago and Medina, you may go back to the castle now. I have something to show Lilly.” He calls the sentence over his shoulder as he leads me out of Orphan Alley.

  Nevy shortened our walk by what he said would have taken a day, by creating a portal. It seems moving through portals is a little like tracing, only without the dizzy feeling afterwards.

  We walk through a dense forest before coming out at a group of small cottages. They were worn and old, reminding me of those old prairie shows mama liked to watch. A few people busied themselves in their fields. They looked up at us when we appeared and immediately fell to their knees. Nevy ignored them, taking me further pass the group of homes. The further we walked, the more the homes begin to get scarce. Suddenly we walk through a short row of trees to find a small white cottage.

  Until I was attacked by Ofilla, I didn’t believe in things I couldn’t see. Mama and Aunt Millie was always going to church and participating in church fundraisers, but they only did it for the latest gossip and because it was what you were supposed to do. Outside of church, other than mama asking God for patience when I’ve done something wrong, we didn’t really discuss faith. However, coming to this cottage, seeing its peeling white paint and rotting wood, I’m starting to believe in the supernatural. How else do I explain the feeling of sadness and darkness that shrouds this house? I shiver as if a cold breeze has blown over my body. At this house that heavy fog that surrounds the Northern Kingdom seems to be thicker.

  “Nevy, what is this place?”

  I look up at him and right away notice the tension in his body. I can see fear, disgust, and sadness in his eyes as he stares at the cottage.

  “This is where I grew up.” He simply explains.

  My heart quickens as I think of what it must have been like to grow up in this house. Just standing on the outside of it makes me depressed.

  “You asked me to show you the real me. I have done my best to do that. But, I can’t rightfully show you who I am, unless you truly see where I come from. You must see why I am the way I am.” His mismatched eyes turn to me. “At this place, I was vulnerable, weak, and afraid. You need to see this side of me. Come.” He grips my hand and tugs me towards the cottage.

  As bad as I don’t want to go in this house, I do it for him. I believe that facing his fears, forcing himself to relive this part of him, will help Nevy become the man I know he can be.

  He walks up the broken steps and towards the door. I can feel the heaviness of his childhood horrors weighing down on me the closer I get to the front door. Nevy pushes the door open and it swings back slowly with a loud whine. The smell of rot and mildew is pungent in the air. I can sniff those two scents out right away. Yet, there is another scent that mingles in with those I know. It is potent and wrinkles my nose.

  Nevy looks down at me. “It is pain.”

  “What?”

  “The smell…..it is pain and sadness. It’s hers.” He turns and walks into the house still holding my hand.

  The cottage is average size. It has an open floor plan. The front room has a fireplace in
the corner and at the opposite side an area that looks as if it was used for cooking. A small wooden table sits in the middle between each room. Even with most of the furniture missing, plant life growing up through the floors and running down the walls, you can still see the remnants of life that once lived here.

  “She was a terrible cook.” Nevy says as he stares at the wooden table.

  His hand tightens around mine. I place my other hand over his and stroke his skin. My touch seems to soothe him, yet he never takes his eyes away from the table.

  “She would always ask me how every meal tasted, I would always tell her it was good. When I was younger, I once told her that the food wasn’t good and I remembered how crushed she was. She tried so hard to be the best mother for me, even though she had no idea how to. She was so young, and never really had a role model. I had no right to complain about something as simple as food. So, I choked it down no matter how bad it was.” He finally pulls away from the kitchen table and leads me to the other side of the room. He takes me to a bundle of fabric near the fireplace. From this angle, I can see that on the other side of the wall into the kitchen is a closed door and across from the door is what looks like a pantry. And that was it. That was all there was to the small home. Nevy releases my hands and squats down to the pile of molded blankets.

  “This is where I slept.” He looks at the fire place, then turns to the door on the other side of the kitchen wall.

  “This is how close I laid to my mother being raped and beaten. I would huddle in my blankets trying to cover my ears as her screams of pain nearly shook the roof.”

  Of course my tears came along with the rain outside.

  He stands rising up to his massive height.

  “This was my hell.” He turns those beautiful eyes to me. “I am a cruel man, Lilly. I am quick to anger and even quicker to act on that anger. I understand that part of that is because of what happened to me in this place,” He waves his hand around the cottage. “But most of it is because of me.” Nevy grabs my hands and holds them between us. “I will never be perfect, but for you I will strive every day to be the best man I can be.”