Chapter Twenty:
Glorfindel sat in a chair and watched Gilorn play his video game. It was an odd pastime, but his son-in-law favored it, particularly when he killed some evil creature. Glorfindel supposed it was the closest he could get to being a warrior in this world.
A wistful smile on his face, Glorfindel glanced down the hall. Lyla and Elhael had returned from Washington, D.C. yesterday. Over the past week, Glorfindel worked hard to learn some of his wife's dances. Diane helped him practice, and he even took a few private lessons at the studio where Lyla taught. While by no means an expert, he grasped them fairly well. Diane told him the Martin's hosted a party for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary next weekend, which presented him with the perfect opportunity to surprise Lyla. Hopefully she would be pleased.
Darkness invaded his thoughts. The tension between him and Lyla had not eased; if anything, it had intensified. Lyla seemed more withdrawn from him than ever, and he couldn't deny his increased unease when in her presence. The need to distance himself from her was strong, but he tried to resist it. If they stood a chance of fixing their marriage, he must stop isolating himself from her.
Remembering Elhael's vague description of their findings regarding the strange box, Glorfindel frowned. What was this entity? How had it traveled from this world to Valinor? Lyla said little during the discussion, making Glorfindel wonder if they discovered more than Elhael revealed.
Lyla emerged from the hallway, followed by Caleniel who dragged Elhael along by the arm. A giggling Meredith trailed behind them.
"You promised, Elhael," Caleniel said.
"But—"
"No excuses, Salsa King." Lyla grinned. "I've seen you in action."
"And now I wish to see it," Caleniel said.
Meredith pulled Gilorn off the couch. "Mother's going to give us dance lessons, so we're prepared for the Martin's anniversary party next week."
Gilorn kissed her cheek. "Of course, my love. Anything you desire."
Caleniel crossed her arms and glared at Elhael. "Your son is willing to learn without complaint to make his wife happy, and I have to drag you to a lesson?"
"Yes, dear," Elhael said. "Sorry, dear."
Lyla laughed. "Come on. We can use the event room downstairs."
Her gaze flickered to Glorfindel for a brief second before she looked away and led everyone out the front door. Although not ready to reveal his secret about dancing to his wife, he wanted to go with them to watch, to be close to Lyla and see her do something she loved. But he couldn't. The unwelcome, yet all-too-familiar dark melancholy captured him once again, wounding him to the point where he couldn't endure being in the same room with her.
With a growl, he slammed his fist on the armrest. This must end. He couldn't bear it any longer. The separation from her tore at his soul. But why did he feel this way? And more importantly, how did he stop?
*/~
After applying her dark red lipstick, Lyla surveyed her reflection in the dresser mirror. Her black dress, dusky makeup, and modern, yet classy up-do seemed appropriate for the Martin's anniversary celebration. She slipped on her black heels, feeling pretty for the first time in a while. It was amazing the negative effect Glorfindel's rejection had on her self-esteem.
A knocked sounded on her door, making her heart pound. Was it her husband? "Come in."
When Meredith and Caleniel stepped inside, Lyla breathed a sigh of relief. They both wore the party dresses they purchased during their first trip to the mall—Meredith in deep blue and Caleniel in dark green. "You both look lovely. I bet your husbands will agree."
Meredith blushed. "Do you think so?" Her gaze swept over Lyla. "You look so beautiful, Mama. Your dress is very, um, sexy."
Lyla kissed Meredith's cheek. "Thanks, sweetie. I needed a bit of a confidence boost."
A question glimmered in her daughter's eyes, but she didn't voice it. The three of them left Lyla's bedroom and strode down the hallway. Gilorn in a black suit and Elhael in a dark grey, both ellons' eyes widened when they saw their wives.
"You are breathtaking." Gilorn kissed Meredith.
Elhael wrapped his arms around Caleniel's waist. "As are you." He whispered something in her ear, and she reddened and giggled.
Lyla's smiled at the exchange. The four of them were adorable. She sighed. At least someone was happy being together. She forced herself to look at Glorfindel. Devastatingly handsome in a black suit, he stared at her, his brilliant blue eyes dark. She gazed back at him for a moment, then looked away, her emotions in turmoil. He still had the power to steal her heart or rip it out with a word.
Mischief in her eyes, Diane handed Lyla one of three neckties. "They weren't sure what to do with them. I'll help Gilorn and Elhael. Why don't you assist Glorfindel?"
Lyla glared at her, but her mother just grinned and turned to Gilorn. Taking a deep, measured breath, Lyla approached her husband. She felt his gaze on her as she lifted his collar and slid the tie around his neck, yet she couldn't look into his eyes. Courage failed her at his closeness. Her heart slammed against her chest, and she finished tying his necktie as quickly as possible. When she fixed his collar, her gaze traveled up to meet his.
"You look very beautiful," he said softly.
She blinked, shocked at the compliment. It was so unexpected, but it made her heart flutter. "I… thank you. You look handsome as well."
A small smile graced his lips, but he said nothing else. Several minutes later they were on their way to the banquet hall. Upon arrival, they greeted Shana and Doug.
Lyla hugged them both. "Congratulations, you two. I can't believe it's been twenty-five years."
"I know. It's hard to believe I put up with him for this long," Shana teased.
"Who put up with whom?" Doug slid an arm around his wife, pressing an affectionate kiss to her cheek.
Lyla's mouth curved into a sad smile. It was good to see that her friends' love had not waned during their marriage. After three thousand years, she had expected her passionate love with Glorfindel to last forever. She bit her lip. If only that were true.
She led her family to a table, wishing she could wall off her heart and stop loving him. But she couldn't. No matter how much he had hurt her, he still owned her heart.
Lyla, Diane, and Glorfindel sat in chairs around the circular table, while Meredith, Gilorn, Elhael, and Caleniel headed for the dance floor. Lyla watched them with interest, eager to see if they remembered everything from their hectic week of dance lessons. After a moment, she knew they did. She shook her head. They were Elves, after all.
Will and Estella, who danced together, waved at her, as did Kendra and Nick. Lyla returned the gesture, then cast a surreptitious glance at Glorfindel. She wished he would ask her to dance, for she wanted to be close to him, yet he made no move to do so. The thought of asking him crossed her mind, but the image of his likely rejection banished it.
Rick approached her, a shy smile on his face. "Want to dance, Lyla?"
Frustrated by her husband's lack of interest, Lyla steeled her nerves against any possibility of pain. She refused to allow him to ruin tonight. If he didn't want to dance with her, then so be it. But she intended to have a good time. "Sure."
Lyla engaged in a high-school-style fast dance with Rick, then Elhael claimed her for a waltz.
"Did I see you and Caleniel doing salsa?" Lyla asked.
Elhael grinned. "Well, we tried. I don't know if we succeeded."
"You both did great."
Concern lined his features. "Are you all right? You seem sad."
Lyla heaved a sigh. "Just wishing things were different than they are."
His brows knitted together. "Ignore him. Try to enjoy yourself tonight."
"I wish it was that easy."
The waltz ended, and Lyla found herself dancing with Gilorn, followed by Doug, then Nick. It was nice that they danced with her, but the only partner she wanted was Glorfindel, who seemed completely uninterested. Depressed, Lyla started for her table, but stopped when tango music played and a strong hand tapped her shoulder.
Will gave her a wicked grin. "You know you're going to tango with me."
Lyla arched a brow. "Think you can keep up with me, old man?"
"Who are you calling old, nerd?"
Laughter welled inside her, soothing her troubled spirit. "All right, geek. But let's not do anything too ambitious. Wouldn't want you to throw out your back."
"Oh, you are so funny."
As she tangoed with Will, pleasant memories from her childhood washed over her, which temporarily banished the dark thoughts from her mind. For a few brief moments, she wanted to forget about her damaged marriage, Valinor, and the endless researching and remember happier, less burdened times.
*/~
Get up. Go dance with her, Glorfindel ordered himself. His body refused to obey, remaining frozen in his chair. Swearing silently, he watched Lyla waltz with Nick, whose fiancée Kendra danced with Rick. If Glorfindel didn't know the man had only one leg, he would never have guessed, so smoothly did he glide across the floor with Lyla.
That should be me out there with her. While his wife was away, Glorfindel had worked incredibly hard to learn her dances so he could surprise her, but now his courage failed him. He wanted to pull her into his arms and make her forget about everything but the two of them together. Like it used to be.
Glorfindel started to rise, then slumped back in his seat. A heavy sigh escaped him. Why was this so difficult? Coward.
"Now's your chance," Diane said. "Get out there and show her your new moves."
He stared at his water glass. "I-I will."
"Are you afraid she'll turn you down? Because she won't. I can tell she wants to dance with you."
His gaze darted to hers. "How do you know?"
Patting his hand, his mother-in-law gave him a kind smile. "With the looks she keeps giving you, it's fairly obvious, honey. Now, I see an old friend of mine I must talk to. Don't miss your opportunity."
Once Diane left the table, a frustrated Glorfindel returned his gaze to Lyla. You slayed a Balrog. A Balrog! And you're afraid of your own wife? She doesn't bite. Heat flooded him. Well, sometimes she did.
Lyla's waltz with Nick ended, and she started to leave the dance floor. The music changed to a sultry song. Glorfindel forced himself to his feet, but Will intercepted Lyla before he could take a step. They shared a brief conversation, then engaged in the seductive tango, a dance Glorfindel had hoped to do with her.
Jealousy surged through Glorfindel, his blood boiling. The sensual way they moved together, the possessive way Will held her, all of it made Glorfindel's vision flare red. Scowling, he plunked into his chair. Asking her to dance now would be pointless. Lyla was with the man she wanted.
*/~
The next day, Lyla sat in the study with Elhael, staring blankly at a book. She had enjoyed herself to some degree at the party, but Glorfindel's sulking and constant glaring at her for most of the night confused and depressed her. What had she done now? Smiled too much? Dared to have an evening away from research?
Heaving a sigh, she tossed her pencil on the desk. Her mind spun with a confused mess of half-thoughts and desperate hopes. What she wouldn't give for some time alone. She snorted. The chance of that happening was as slim as Glorfindel suddenly begging her forgiveness.
Diane appeared at the door. "I'm taking everyone to the zoo. Do you want to come?"
When had her mother decided to do that? "I've got too much to do." Elhael looked crestfallen, and, smiling, Lyla seized her chance for a few hours of freedom. "Go with them, Elhael. You'll enjoy it. I can research by myself for one day."
His face lit up. "Thank you. I've wanted to see the animals since I first read about zoos on my tablet."
"Speaking of your tablet," Diane said, "make sure you bring it with you."
"Why?" he asked.
She chuckled. "Because I'm sure you all will have dozens of questions, and I don't know everything about animals." She winked at Lyla. "Have fun."
Grinning like an excited child, Elhael picked up the device, waved, and followed Diane out the door. A few minutes later, Lyla heard the front door open and close. Silence reigned throughout the apartment.
Lyla leaned back in her chair, reveling in the quiet. Finally, she had some time to sort through her convoluted emotions and really think about what to do concerning her marriage. Or what was left of it. Was there any hope for her and Glorfindel? She wanted to reconcile with him so desperately, to find love with him again, but she seriously doubted he felt the same.
She headed for the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, but froze when she saw Glorfindel sitting in a chair in the living room. He stared at her in surprise. Lyla's heart dropped into her stomach. Had her mother left them alone together on purpose?
"You didn't want to go to the zoo with everyone else?" Lyla asked.
"The what? I was on the balcony, and when I came inside, everyone was gone. I thought I was alone."
Lyla swore silently. Her mother had set her up. She intended to have a discussion with that devious old woman when she returned home.
Walking into the kitchen, Lyla snatched a water bottle from the refrigerator, tempted to grab a beer instead. She took a long drink, her emotions in turmoil. What should she do? Hide in the office and futilely attempt to research? Run away to the library? Or swallow the few remaining shreds of her pride and talk to her husband? She groaned. It was time. Putting it off did nothing but cause more damage.
Her heart slamming against her chest, Lyla forced her emotions under control. She needed to remain as calm as possible. She left the kitchen and slowly approached Glorfindel. Their gazes locked; Lyla's voice froze in her throat. She steeled her nerves. This torment had to end.
Lyla inhaled deeply. "Glorfindel, I can't do this anymore. We can't keep avoiding each other. We need to talk."
His expression remained unreadable. "Very well."
Uncomfortable, she perched on the edge of the couch. "What's going on? We've been together for three thousand years. We were happy. And now… I don't understand. What's wrong?"
"This place is not my home. I despise being here. I want to return to Valinor. Now."
She sighed. "I know you hate it here. Everyone knows. I'm doing the best I can."
"It's not good enough."
His words stung, but she tried to ignore the pain. "Not good enough? I've been researching for months, even before you arrived here. Elhael and I practically live in the study and the library. We traveled halfway across the country to chase down a lead. What more do you want?"
"Open the portal."
"I'm not a wizard. I can't just conjure it open. If I could, I would've done it months ago."
His gaze turned to ice. "Perhaps if you didn't spend all of your time with Will and others, you would've devised a solution by now."
The fragile hold she had on her temper wavered. Her tattoo began to burn. "If I don't get out of that room on occasion, I'll go mad. I don't see you getting angry with Elhael for taking a break. As for Will, he's my friend, and he's gone out of his way to help us. He's the only contact I have who has connections to people and resources that might be able to help us."
"Friend?" he snarled. "Don't make me laugh."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I see the way he looks at you."
Lyla gaped at him. He was jealous of Will? "He's like my brother, Glorfindel."
"Don't lie to me. I watched you dance with him last night. You're in love with him."
If she hadn't been so hurt by the accusation, she would've laughed. The thought was incredulous. "I most certainly am not. He's my friend and nothing more."
"After the way you danced with him and how you act when he's around, you expect me to believe that?"
Lyla threw up her hands. "It was a stupid dance. It meant nothing. We were dance partners for ten years, and he asked me to tango to relive old times. Besides, if it bothered you so much, why didn't you ask me to dance?"
Glorfindel crossed his arms and glared at her. "With all of your other partners, when did I have the opportunity?"
She wanted to shake him. "Who? Elhael? Gilorn? My married and engaged friends? A teenage boy? Are you jealous of them too?"
"Stop lying to me. You want to divorce me and marry Will."
She leapt up from the couch. "Have you lost your mind?"
His face twisted into a scowl, he surged to his feet. "I'm seeing clearly for the first time in a long while. Now, tell me the truth."
"The only truth I know is that you're delusional." She turned away and raked her hands through her hair. Was this actually happening?
His strong hand locked onto her elbow. "Admit it. You stole the spell books and came back here on purpose. You left me and our daughter so you could return to this world and be with Will. All of this is your fault."
There it was: the unforgiveable. Bitter coldness coursed through her veins, then disappeared as both her blood and anger boiled. The dull burn in her tattoo escalated until her entire body raged with fire.
Lyla slowly faced him. "How dare you," she growled, her voice low and dangerous.
Glorfindel jerked his hand away, pain flickering in his gaze. Regret glimmered in his eyes, but she didn't care. It was far too late for that.
"After everything I've done to get us back, you have the gall to accuse me of leaving Valinor on purpose? Of abandoning my daughter? You bastard!"
Lyla stalked down the hall, her vision flaring red. It was over. She was done with researching, with him, with everything. She picked up a large stack of notes and stomped back into the living room. "Maybe your precious spell books are in here!" She flung them at Glorfindel's head. "No?" She grabbed another pile and threw it at him. "How about here?"
Notebooks, binders, papers, and books sailed through the air at him until they littered every corner of the living room. Throughout the ordeal Glorfindel just stared at her with sad, remorseful eyes. But she was so far beyond caring. He would never hurt her again.
Lyla snatched up her purse and keys, pain shattering her heart. She had to get away from him. "You know what, I'm done. I quit. I have my daughter with me, my family, and my friends. And you can go to hell."
She stormed out of the apartment. Upon reaching the parking garage, she hopped into her mother's convertible and drove onto the road heading out of town. As tears flowed down her cheeks, the burning in her tattoo ceased. How could this have happened? Three thousand years of marriage and happiness dissolved into nothingness. Glorfindel had ripped her heart and soul to shreds.
Lyla reached the final stoplight at the edge of the city and halted the vehicle at the line. She didn't know where she was going, but she couldn't return to the apartment right now. Not while he was there.
While she waited for the light to change, her tattoo suddenly raged with fire, and she yelped. What on earth was wrong with the blasted thing? Ice curled in the pit of her stomach. A cold sweat broke out on her body. Her heart slammed against her ribs like a caged bird.
The stoplight flashed green. Lyla hesitated for a brief moment, then pulled into the intersection. Heavy rumbling sounded to her left. She stared in horror at the dump truck hurtling toward her at breakneck speed. An unfamiliar chant left her lips.
The truck slammed into the convertible. Blinding pain spiked into her for only a second before blackness rushed in and claimed her soul.