Page 77 of Eboenia

“This is your father, Ean,” my mother said.

Tears glistened in his eyes as he embraced me. “I never got the chance to meet you. I’m sorry you had to find me this way, but here, there is no pain, no death, no corruption—only paradise,” he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

I hugged him tightly, my heart overflowing. “I’m here now,” I sobbed, and my mother joined us, wrapping her arms around us both. Other fairies gathered, expanding our circle, welcoming me with open arms.

“That’s your grandmother, Lily,” my mother said as a short, stout, curvy woman approached, her high ponytail adorned with a hummingbird clasp. She reached up and caressed my cheek—she was so adorable, barely four-foot-eight.

“Welcome home, Eboenia,” she smirked.

“Come sing with us,” my mother said, reaching her hand out to me.

I grasped her hand, ready to join them at the waterfall, but I couldn’t move. My family stared at me, confusion flickering across their faces. I tried to step forward again, but I was rooted in place—War’s chain was wrapped around me, pulling me back. I turned, but there was no one there, only his never-ending chain.

“He won’t let you go. You belong to him. Go home, Eboenia,” my mother said.

I reached out to her, and she squeezed my hand. “I’m dead, Mother. It’s impossible to go back.”

My father rubbed her back as she wept. She missed me, and I missed her, too. As happy as I was to see her—them—I wasn’t ready to leave War. He needed me, and I needed him. Our bond ran deeper than the surface.

“We’ll see you again, but not too soon. We don’t deserve you just yet,” my father said.

The chain tightened around me in a possessive hold. “I love all of you. Please, watch over me,” I pleaded.

“We will always be with you in spirit,” my mother promised.

Suddenly, the chain yanked me, tearing me away from the waterfall so fast that I felt whiplash. It dragged me through a world of darkness…

I opened my eyes gasping for air, staring at the ceiling inside of War’s room at his tower. My body was still sore from the thorns that exploded inside of my body. War was peering over me, caressing my cheek. He looked clean and refreshed, his scent filled my nostrils. “I’m alive,” I cried and War wiped a tear away from my eye.

“I told you that you’re stuck with me. I wasn’t bluffing when I said that,” he said.

I tried to sit up, but it was painful. War helped me up and propped pillows behind my back. His locs fell down his shoulders and he looked so handsome with them. “I like this look on you,” I groaned.

“I cut them off and they came right back. Drink this,” he said.

He grabbed a cup off the table and it was dandelion tea. I took a sip of it with my eyes still glued on War. His physique had change, more defined, ridges in all the necessary places and his silk black lounging pants sagged below his “V” print, his body etched with more markings. The tea was hot and it cleared my throat some.

“Is Hoax really dead?” I asked. I faintly remember the battle, it all seemed like a blur, like a dream.

War sat back in the chair next to the bed. “Yeah, he’s gone. His army is also dead. The only Charmdens left are a small village of fairies,” he said.

“Where is Jinx and Blair?”

“Training with my clan,” he responded.

“Ohhh really? Did you force them, War?”

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, his chest muscles flexed. He smirked at me. “Not really, I told them they couldn’t stay here rent free, and needed to do something instead of smoking my damn kush. They said they’ll learn our tradition if I let them stay in my forest room. They’ve been coming to visit you,” War replied.

“How long have I been asleep for?”

“A week in a half,” he replied.

War’s face got serious. “You know you died on me, right?”he asked.

“Yes, I saw my parents, and ancestors. I don’t know how I’m sitting here with you. Did your magic bring me back to life?”

“I gave you a new heart, someone who matched your blood,” he said.

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