He stopped talking and looked out the window at the dark world before him. Helina could see his reflection, could see his glossy eyes and knew what was coming next was the tragedy. “Come over here, Ryce.” She patted the seat next to her and watched as surprise flickered in his features. She patted the seat again and waited for him to sit. When he finally did, she turned in her seat, showing him that her full attention was on him.
“I went away on a mission, the last mission I was going to attend because we planned on leaving. When I returned, I went straight to our room, ready to leave right then and there. I smelled the blood before I even reached the landing. The bed had been covered in blood, so much that I actually became sick. The room smelled of her, smelled of her sweet lavender scent, but was now void of the life she once held.”
He didn’t say anything else and Helina could see the struggle inside of him. She moved closer to him, could see his fists clenched and his jaw tight. “Oh, Ryce, I’m so very sorry.” She laid her hand on his thigh, the muscle beneath strong and unyielding. He looked up at her. There were so many emotions raging war inside of him. “What happened after that?”
He took a long, steadying breath. “They had prepared her body for burial while I was away, kept her in a gold casket and stored it in the sanctuary until my return. The king and queen didn’t want to show me the body, said it was beyond recognition. She had worn the red silk gown I had given her before my departure. White satin had covered her face. I wanted to see her lovely face, but I didn’t have the strength to pull it away. Her blond curls were just as I had remembered, so soft and vibrant even though her heart no longer beat.”
Helina covered her mouth, sorrow and shock coursing through her. “Who did it?” He looked over at her, his eyes blank and lifeless.
“I don’t know.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks and her own problems were temporarily pushed to the side. She stared at him, his face hard and cold, his eyes unfocused as he was no doubt remembering his past. She placed her hand over his much larger one, hoping to convey what strength she had left. He looked at her hand, his eyebrows knitted together. He lifted his head and stared at her.
“Gaijryc is an idiot for letting you go. You truly are a treasure.”
“I truly am sorry for your loss, Ryce. I can see how much you loved her. What was her name?”
“Seaunna.” His voice was strained, slightly crackling as he said her name.
She gave his hand a squeeze, her heart aching for his loss. Removing her hand, she looked down at the evening gown she still wore. “You wouldn’t happen to have something else for me to wear, would you? This dress is making me feel uncomfortable, and to be honest, I would really just like to go to sleep.”
Helina followed Ryce up the stairs, her heels clicking against the hardwood. When they reached the landing, he walked to a closed door right in front of them. He opened the door and turned on the light. Helina followed him inside, her eyes taking in every delicate piece of lace and silk that adorned the room. “Is this your room?” She looked at him, her face completely serious. He stared at her, shock reflecting on his features before a smile crossed it. He cleared his throat before stepping out of the room. He came back a moment later with a shirt draped over his arm.
“I’m sorry I don’t have a proper nightgown for you to wear.” He held out the shirt. “This is the only thing I could find.” When she took it he turned to leave. He stopped right before he stepped into the hallway and turned back around. “You aren’t hungry, are you?”
“No, thank you.”
“Okay. I’ll be right next door if you need anything.”
He left the room and shut the door on his way out. Helina stared at the closed door for several moments. Stripping out of the dress, she tossed it over a nearby chair and slipped on the shirt. The shirt was clearly one of Ryce’s, the white cotton falling well past her knees and the sleeves reaching her forearms. She made her way toward the massive yet feminine bed and pulled the blue silk comforter. The sheets were cool and smooth, like butter soft satin. Goosebumps popped along her flesh. Turning the bedside lamp off, she balled herself up, throwing the comforter over her head and immersing herself in total darkness. She was too tried to cry, too tired to do much of anything. All she wanted to do was slip into the dream world where nothing was real and where nothing could touch her.
Desperation
Ryce sat on the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees, his shoulders slumped forward. He hadn’t realized how much it would hurt to talk about Seaunna. He could hear Helina’s small heartbeat through the walls and her slow and steady breathing as she drifted off to sleep. He saw Seaunna when he looked at Helina, saw a small and vulnerable human that had once been his love. Helina’s very essence, her very aura reminded him of what he no longer had. He thought about Helina’s sister, about what he done to her. He should have told her the truth, should have told Helina what was really going on, but he couldn’t; he had promised.