Darkness & Light: Book 2: Shatter Our Hope

9 - Hayley

Emmeranne and I fall through a tunnel of light, shimmering energies swirl and dance around us. Emmeranne screams, and I am about to join her, when we suddenly hit the grassy ground of a forest. She coughs and heaves, puking into the grass.

"What the fuck?"

I open my eyes and lift my cane and head, readying to fight whoever is here. But I stop when I see Tiber, Dax, Lilith, and some guy who looks a bit like Emmeranne. And Poppy, kneeling in the grass, her eyes glazed over.

Tiber stares at me, eyes wide. "Hayley? Is that really you?"

But the second he asks that, I realize that Drecca saved us by sacrificing himself. He let his father take him, and now, he is likely trapped. Maybe even cursed, like he was before.

Tiber rushes to my side, but I can't feel him touching my arm. I can't hear his worried words. I look away from him, and a sob escapes my throat. I turn to him.

"He's gone," I whisper. "He sacrificed himself for me.... for Emmeranne and I."

Corvo looks at me, as he stands beside Emmeranne. "You saved my sister?"

"She helped the demon who saved us," she says.

"A demon saved you?"

"Uh, guys? Shouldn't we pay attention to the fucking werebear and fae that we have captured here?" Dax asks.

Tiber faces the two captives.

"They have Drecca, don't they, Hayley?" Lilith asks me. I nod. "Then we keep them here. They are our prisoners for now, and when they give back Drecca, they will be returned themselves."

"No," I whisper. "I ... think he's...."

"He's fine," Lilith says sternly.  "You .... didn't see him die, did you?"

I shake my head. "No, but .... he shoved us through the portal and then didn't go through it himself. I think he ... he must have.... oh..." Tears stream down my face and Tiber hugs me.

"We will avenge him," he says.

"Nothing to avenge," says Lilith.  "Because Drecca is not dead."

"Okay, uh, we can discuss this later," says Dax, his tone worried. "We need to get back to the mansion. Before whoever else is searching for these two finds us and kills us.  Or worse."

"Fates worse than death suck," mutters Corvo. He chuckles. "I was going to ask what's worse than death, but then I remembered we live in a fucked up world."

"Yes, Espynn is particularly fucked up," says Tiber. He turns to Lilith.  "Let's portal back."

She nods. "Alright. But they must know that we have them, otherwise we won't see Drecca again. So, let's make sure they know what we have done. I suggest that the werebear here goes back to the other demons. He can tell them what we have done. That we have their precious Poppy."

"And if they retaliate with full force?" Emmeranne asks.

"They won't," says Lilith.  "Because they are not going to get the chance. I have an idea...."