The Passing Of Time: Chapter 17...

At the point of writing this chapter I'd just published chapter 12 and had a further 5 in beta because I'm so eager to get this story written. I love how excited I am to show you guys each new chapter :) There will be delays here and there but I will continue!

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Evadne spent a long time relaying what she knew to Skulduggery and Valkyrie. She never revealed her true name to them, but she did recount the horrible things Cray had put her through and the many people she'd been forced to feed on by him. She told them how she'd been starved for prolonged periods of time before being trapped in a room with the person he wanted dead. She'd been beaten and then experimented on by a mage that called himself Xero Strom. Doctor Strom specialised in advanced science magic. He'd been instructed to find a way to give Evadne magic and forced her to reveal her true name. He'd managed to improve her cognitive abilities to the same as that of a powerful Sensitive after a series of experiments, and in turn she'd been forced to terrorize Cray's enemies every time they fell asleep until eventually he was bored of playing with them and ordered them to be killed. She told them of the many symbols and spells Strom and Cray had used to finally figure out her true name in order to enslave her. She spoke of the other members of her species that had been broken and subjected to similar treatments. By the time she was done Valkyrie's face was pale and Skulduggery dropped his head into his hands in disbelief.

"All those people," he said softly. "All those innocent people subjected to such horrific things." He lifted his head a fraction. "You say he used the same spells to learn their true names as well?" Evadne nodded, tears drying on her cheeks. She kept her eyes on Eyren and Aster where they stood side by side at the back of the room. Aster was crying silently too. "How many do you recall in total?"

"Five," she answered. "Five slaves altered besides myself and used to kill people Cray wanted rid of. There were originally eight but three of them died during the experimentation process." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Were any of the survivors named Luther?" Skulduggery asked.

"Yes," she frowned. "Luther Ward. He was in the cell next to me."

"He was the person that shot Eyren while trying to kill Aster. His blood was on the stone."

"He'll be wherever Lyzen Myre is," Evadne said, her brow furrowing. "He was given to Myre as his own personal slave. It was a reward from Cray for killing and capturing so many of us."

"We need to find him then," Valkyrie said.

"That won't be easy. Cray keeps finding excuses not to bring Myre to us. Not to mention that in America the things he's doing aren't technically illegal where the Daevas are concerned. We need concrete proof that Luther was ordered to shoot Aster in Ireland by either Cray or Myre to be able to arrest either of them for that." Skulduggery took off his hat and laid it on the table. "What we can do is call Cray in for questioning on the murders he's ordered. If this statement is true he's organised countless assassinations, and that is a crime."

"So even if we can't arrest him for ordering the murder of Aster, we can get him for the people he forced you to kill," Valkyrie smiled. "You've been a huge help to us, Evadne. We've known Cray was dirty for years and never been able to pin him for anything. Now we know that we couldn't get him because he was getting others to do his dirty work."

"Thank you for cooperating. Is there anything else you'd like to add to your statement?" Skulduggery asked.

"Yes. I want to say that I would never willingly hurt Aster. He's my brother and the only family I have left. I love him and the only reason I confessed is because I was forced to by Remulus Cray." She smiled tentatively at Aster from her seat at the table. "Other than that, I've told you everything I know." Valkyrie finished writing the final part of the statement before sitting back and flexing her wrist.

"We have a lot of information to sort through. It looks like we might have to open a second case against Cray for the other assassinations. We'll likely need your help identifying the Daevas he's enslaved so we can order him to bring them to us."

"I'll be more than happy to help and to submit to an evaluation from a Sensitive once my true name is safe."

"Thank you. If you're finished with your statement then it's time to take you to Nye. The Dullahan is waiting to help you transition to a dead state and then Nye will make sure you're unconscious. It has everything prepped for the procedure to start as soon as you're ready," Skulduggery said. He stood and unfastened one of the cuffs around her wrist, passing it back through the metal loop on the desk so she could stand. She waited patiently for him to put the cuff back in place.

"I...I want to hug my brother. Am I allowed to?" Eva's voice was thick with fresh tears and her hands trembled. "I've been working hard to remember the truth about our lives together. I think I've reached a point where I'm ready to approach him."

"Of course," Skulduggery said, stepping aside to let her pass. She shot across the room and slammed into Aster hard enough to make him stagger, but his arms came around her and held her as tight and as close as he could and he buried his face in her hair. Her hands were crushed against his chest because of the shackles but she didn't care.

"I missed you so much, Yli," she sobbed. "All I wanted was to see you again. They took my happy memories of us and twisted them. I can't tell what's real anymore."

"I'm here. We'll fix it together. I'm here now." His voice cracked as he spoke. The two detectives and Eyren smiled gently at the reunited siblings, waiting patiently until they finally parted.

"I'm sorry for kissing your boyfriend in his dream," she sniffled, wiping away her tears. Aster laughed abruptly, grinning at her.

"You're not sorry for stabbing him then?"

"That too," she nodded. She turned to Eyren sheepishly and smiled. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. And thank you for not exploiting my true name. I'm glad I chose to trust you."

"I'm glad you did too." He put a gloved hand on her shoulder, concern in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? It's a pretty gruesome procedure."

"I have to," she said, squaring her shoulders. "It's the only way I can guarantee my freedom from slavery."

"Alright then. Let's go."

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Eyren swallowed the sick feeling rising in his throat as Nye cracked it's way through Eva's rib cage. At Valkyrie's request, Nye had kept Eva unconscious for the procedure. Watching her get pulled into the Dullahan's carriage by those horrific pale arms was terrifying. Watching her step out as a walking corpse was even worse. Now Nye was cutting it's way through her with what looked like a pair of hedge clippers. Eyren could only imagine how horrifying it had been for Valkyrie to be awake the whole time. His parents stood at the edge of the room side by side and Valkyrie kept her eyes averted. Aster had chosen to wait outside until it was over. Eyren sat by Eva's head with his gloves off, his hands resting gently against either side of her face. Despite the fact that her body was essentially dead, her brain was active. He could sense that she was dreaming through the physical contact. As long as her mind remained peaceful he was happy to sit there for as long as it took to keep her safe, even with the insistent pain behind his eyes.

Nye continued its work, burrowing it's way down to her heart before pulling out one of the weird scalpel-like pens Eyren had seen Emma use countless times. He brought his gaze back down to Eva's sleeping face as it went to carve her heart, lifting the organ out of her in the palm of its hand. It took a long, long time to draw the symbols. By the time it started putting Eva back together Eyren's entire body was stiff and Valkyrie had moved to sit on the floor. Nye and Skulduggery were unfazed by the hours of standing.

"It is done," Nye said as it finished the final stitch in her skin and carefully covered her with the hospital gown. As it spoke, Skulduggery crossed the room and tapped the four sealing sigils carved in to the walls. They glowed a sickly green and then Eva took her first breath in many hours, the colour beginning to return to her skin immediately. "She will wake up in an hour or so and her stitches will heal within the next two days. There will be no scarring."

"Thank you," Skulduggery said.

"I will take her to the Infirmary. The Sensitives will arrive when she awakes." Nye wheeled the hospital bed out of the room before they could say anything further, so they followed it down the corridor and into the Medical Bay of the Infirmary. Aster saw them leave and walked with them in silence. Nye left before they could say anything else and Valkyrie raised an eyebrow.

"Leave it to a Crenga to have the worst bedside manner ever," she muttered.

"At least it didn't try to experiment on Eva like it did you," Skulduggery answered.

"Don't." Valkyrie wrinkled her nose. "I feel sick every time I think about it."

"Will she be alright?" Aster asked.

"She will. The surgery went well and I was in physical contact with her the whole time," Eyren reassured him. "She was perfectly calm. Nye says she'll wake up within the hour." Aster's shoulders sagged with relief.

"Thank God for that. The last few hours have been way too stressful for me."

"Tell me about it. I feel like my head's about to burst," Eyren answered, rubbing his temples. "And I've only got more of a headache to come when I try to learn how Eva visits me in my dreams."

"If you're learning from her won't you also struggle to visit other Daevas?"

"No. I already have Sensitive abilities. What I learn from her will help me with the technique she uses to visit the dreams. I can figure out the rest myself with a little practice. What I'm concerned about is how to wake the people I contact once I've spoken to them." His brow puckered at the memory of having his throat torn out. "Eva always had to cause me incredible pain to shock me out of the dreams."

"You can practice on me if it makes things easier," Aster shrugged.

"Actually it would. Are you sure you don't mind? It hurts like it's really happening."

"Sure. I've had my fair share of horrible experiences. What's a few more?" he grinned.

"Dork," Eyren chuckled. They continued chatting quietly while they waited for Eva to wake up. Eventually she opened her eyes and looked around.

"Did it work?" she asked.

"We don't know," Skulduggery replied. "Nye said the procedure went well but we need to test it to know for sure."

"I have an idea," Eyren said. He moved closer and bent to whisper in her ear, careful to keep her true name a secret from the others just in case. "Sayla, sing me your favourite song," he said softly. He straightened up and a wide smile cracked her lips.

"No," she grinned. "No I won't." Eyren's answering smile was bright as he turned to his parents.

"It worked."

"I'm free," she whispered. "I'm not a slave anymore."

"Technically you're still shackled to the bed which is the opposite of free," Skulduggery said, but there was a smile in his voice. "You are correct in saying that you're no longer a slave. Nobody will ever use your true name against you again." Eva burst into happy tears. Aster moved to stand beside her and pulled her into hug while she cried. She couldn't cling to him because her hands were shackled to the rails on the sides of the bed, but she seemed to appreciate it all the same.

By the time she stopped crying the Sensitives sent to verify her statement had arrived. They entered cautiously and looked at the odd group. The first of them was a small woman with greying hair and kind blue eyes. The second woman was taller and stockier with shaved blonde hair and long legs.

"Arval Morrigan," she said, smiling. Her lips were painted bright red and a spiked cuff edged her right ear. "Nice to meet you." She turned to the detectives. "Skulduggery, Valkyrie. Nice to see you again."

"You too Arval," Val grinned. Skulduggery inclined his head in greeting.

"I don't believe we've met yet," the smaller woman said, sticking out a hand to each of them. "Kestrel Minnow. You can call me Kes." She paused when she reached Eva. "From what I've heard there's a strong chance you're innocent. I'd very much like to prove that today. I need your full cooperation if we're going to help you. I know you've just had major surgery but it's imperative we get answers soon so that we can release you and give you the best chance at a comfortable recovery."

"I'll do whatever I can," Eva answered.

"You don't need to do anything other than relax. I'll check your mind first and then Arval will do the same to verify what I find." Kes offered her a reassuring smile. "The more relaxed you are the easier it will be. It'll feel uncomfortable but we'll be as gentle as we can." Eva nodded and closed her eyes, settling back against the cushions.

"Can I hold Eyren's hand?" she asked, opening her eyes again almost immediately.

"What's wrong with my hand?" Aster asked.

"Nothing," she said gently. "Nothing at all. It's more of a comfort thing for me, if I'm honest. It made me feel calm during the surgery to know he was there and I feel like it'll help me relax. I still have awful memories of us, Aster. Whether they're real or not they still frighten me and being around you makes me nervous." She turned her gaze to the Sensitives. "If it's alright I think it would help."

"The connection you felt with me during your surgery was because I wasn't wearing my gloves," Eyren said. "Touching you without them might make it harder for them to search your thoughts because of my abilities."

"Can we at least try?" she asked. She looked scared.

"I don't see why it would hurt," Arval shrugged. "If it doesn't work you can always let go."

"Alright." Eyren slipped off his gloves and tucked them into his pocket before moving to stand beside her. She smiled gratefully and closed her eyes. Eyren took her small hand in his, resting his other close to her neck where the hospital gown didn't cover her shoulder.

"I'm ready," she said quietly. Eyren closed his eyes and concentrated on stopping himself from pulling any information from her, though the contact still made his head ache.

"How interesting," Kes murmured. "I can feel Eyren's consciousness but it's very clearly separate. Usually with that type of ability it's impossible to separate your thoughts from the person you're connected with."

"Eyren's abilities are...different," Skulduggery supplied. "He learns something new every day."

"Amazing," Kes breathed. She fell silent as she searched. Every now and then Eva's hand tensed in Eyren's grip, but she reached out and brushed against his consciousness and a moment later she was relaxed again. Eyren's headache was slowly getting worse but he stayed in contact with her until Kes was finished. "Alright, I'm done." He opened his eyes and found he was vaguely dizzy, so he let go of Eva to take a few deep breaths. The others watched him while Kes and Arval moved away to discuss what Kes had seen.

"Are you okay?" Eva asked.

"Yeah. I get a headache whenever I touch you without gloves," he replied. "I think it's because your magic isn't something you gained naturally. It plays havoc with my head."

"Sorry," she answered guiltily.

"Don't be," he smiled. "It's a small price to pay if I can help." She beamed up at him.

"I have some of those leaves with me," Aster said. "I keep them with me because of your headaches." The small gesture made Eyren's heart squeeze.

"You do?"

"Of course. I know you won't remember them because you're a scatter brain," Aster replied, shooting him an amused smile.

"I appreciate that," Eyren said quietly. Aster's eyebrows raised at Eyren's sincere reaction, but he smiled and touched the dark haired man's arm affectionately before Eyren took two leaves and chewed them. He was surprised when the ache dulled but didn't disappear.

"Right, my turn," Arval said, rubbing her hands together as she took Kes's place beside the bed. Eyren nodded and took Eva's hand again, laying his other against her shoulder. She sighed and relaxed against the pillows.

"Alright, I'm ready again." Arval nodded and Eyren closed his eyes to concentrate, ignoring the insistent, painful tapping in his skull as it began to intensify, neutralising the effects of the leaves immediately. He felt Arval prod his consciousness curiously, and the tapping turned into a sharp pain that almost buckled him. He braced himself against it, working hard to keep his muscles from tensing in case he clenched his fingers and disturbed Eva. Thankfully Arval withdrew fairly quickly. She was a lot rougher than Kes but she worked faster, withdrawing after only a minute or two.

"Everything in your statement checks out," Arval said. Eyren opened his eyes and saw white spots bursting in front of them. He let go of Eva and swayed a little on his feet.

"Here," Aster said quietly, handing him a tissue. "Your nose is bleeding again." Eyren dabbed at his face and sure enough the tissue came away red.

"I feel sick," he said weakly.

"Are you alright?" Skulduggery asked.

"I think so. I'm just dizzy. My head hurts."

"Here, sit down." Eva shifted to tuck her legs up and Aster helped Eyren sit down on the bottom edge of her bed. "Take these." Eyren took the leaves offered to him again and chewed them, relaxing a little when the pain subsided enough to see. Unfortunately it did nothing to ease the nausea.

"I'm going to be sick." Valkyrie snatched up one of the cardboard bowls from a pile on a small cabinet nearby and rushed round the bed just in time. The others waited in concerned silence until Eyren's stomach stopped heaving. Even after he was done being sick the dizziness was as overwhelming as the horrible ringing in his ears. He felt like a ship in a storm and he could still feel blood trickling slowly from his nose.

"Look, his ears are bleeding," Aster said, but he sounded far away. Eyren looked up in confusion and the movement tipped what was left of his equilibrium over the edge. For the first time in his life Eyren fainted.

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