Page 125 of My Eternal Light

Meryn walked in and immediately went to Aiden. She didn’t know what he saw on her face, but he pulled her close. Smiling she recognized his favorite way of holding her. In his lap, arms wrapped around her, his chin on her head. Him covering her as much as possible. She looked over to where her boys watched, looking worried. ‘Later’, she mouthed. They nodded.

Across the room Oron sat with the queen looking pissed. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. Would he hate her? Would her Auntie?

“Meryn, what can you tell us?” her Uncle Brennus asked gently.

“Meryn did you want me to tell them?” Kendrick offered.

She shook her head and began. “The Eirson men were frozen in place, paralyzed really, at a large table. While everyone discussed what would be an appropriate punishment, I wanted to find out more about what had been going on in the house. I went up to the woman who let us in and walked us to the ballroom. She was… empty, for lack of a better term. She kept asking to be set free. When I told her we could take her with us, she led me and Ryuu down to a large cellar.” She grabbed Aiden’s hand. “He tried to keep me from the room Aiden, he really did.”

She felt Aiden’s arms tighten.

“Oron’s dad was a scalpel to me. She said that was his gift, he was able to isolate things like sanity, magic… life. It’s how they remained sane.” She took a deep breath. “He had removed their wombs and parts and was keeping them in large glass tubes. I think that is where they grew the children. The women, they moved like robots, vacant expressions. They said that the men would take their babies, then put them back. I don’t think their minds would allow them to realize that they kept losing children, it was easier to think that the same baby was being taken out and put back in the tube.” She paused. “I think they knew on some level though. One of the women said that eventually the men would decay and rot, she then looked back at the tubes. I think they knew the children were being harvested for their light.”

The queen covered her mouth with her hand, looking like she was about to be sick.

“They kept asking to be set free.” She looked at Kendrick. “He would have tried, but, that’s not what they wanted.”

Her Aunt Lily reached over and took her hand. “I would have done it for you, if I could have.”

The queen looked at her. “You killed them?”

Meryn nodded.

Oron stood and stumbled over to her on trembling legs. He collapsed in front of where she sat in Aiden’s lap. “You?” He took her hands and pulled her forward so that he could rest his face on her shoulder. “Was she there? My mother?” he asked, brokenly.

“I have to assume she was. I couldn’t let you see. I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He broke down into heaving sobs. Not knowing what else to do she held him while he wept. Darian knelt down and held his brother from one side.

When his tears abated, he looked up. “You shielded me? I was supposed to be protecting you.”

“You don’t hate me?” she asked, feeling tears burn her eyes.

“How could I? I will never know what you saw, what you will carry with you, because you kept it from me. Seeing my father being eaten by that shadow entity was nothing to me. Seeing my mother like that would have broken something inside of me that I don’t think could have been fixed.” He touched his chest. “Fulfilling her request to set her free would have changed me.”

“I was scared you’d hate me,” she confessed, wiping the snot off her nose.

“You saved them. You gave them peace and mercy. You made the decision, so I didn’t have to. I swear it on my life, I will be the best big brother to you that I can be.” He kissed her hands. “I will spend the rest of my life healing the scars my family has inflicted.”

“I just need food and like some guns,” she said. Oron blinked. “Maybe some older brother stuff like roller coasters and keg stands.”

Oron stared. “What are you basing this on?”

“Television.”

“How about this? While you are here, we ask Cord to teach us a new recipe every week. I can show you how to beat Darian with foam swords and I treat you to something different at the Brick Oven whenever you want?”

Meryn couldn’t help but smile. “That sounds even better than keg stands.”

Darian frowned. “One, I will not lose in sword fighting and two, Meryn I don’t think you could get upside down for a keg stand.”

“Amelia, Darian is being mean to me,” Meryn complained.

“Darian! You know she just went through something horrible. How could you be like that?” Amelia demanded.

Darian’s mouth dropped. “I…”

Oron winked at her then turned on his brother. “So harsh.”

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