Chapter 20

The sudden stinging of the skin on her face, neck and hands woke up Nuala in a leap. She removed herself from the bed and sat at the border, alert to her surroundings. She switched on the lamp on her nightstand. She felt the daylight burn her skin. She clenched her teeth and eyes. Nuada. Her heart skipped a beat. She opened her eyes and swallowed hard. She rubbed her cheeks and the back of her hands, desperate to scratch. The piercing diminished slowly. Her brother had exposed himself to the sunlight. What was he doing? Nuala tried to focus and connect with his thoughts. She called him time and again. Something had changed. There, where before she only felt darkness in his heart, there was now a blinding light that stopped her from reaching him. The burning ceased. She exhaled tiredly and let herself fall back on the bed.

Days and nights living in the B.P.R.D. facilities didn't differ much from the New York sewers. More than a month after having arrived at the agency, Nuala still hadn't found a single window to show the outdoors. Her skin and eyes were thankful for it, yet with bitterness she had to accept the irony of living on the surface of the Earth but unable to spot, at least from the indoors, a bit of flora and landscape. Sun rays through a glass could also hurt her. It was better this way. She spent hours in the superb library where Abraham lived. They shared afternoons and evenings reading together, listening to music and talking. Agent Hellboy and his partner Agent Sherman had moved to a bigger dwelling inside the building, awaiting their firstborn. They would be twins. Since the time she had witnessed the Pyrokinesis power of Agent Sherman, the couple hadn't been heard arguing. They checked furniture catalogues for babies, debated options for names and wondered how they'd look like being the fruit of the love between a demon and a human with supernatural powers.

The black-suited human agents also had the team of scientists and professionals continue their ordinary labor. Having destroyed the last crown piece of Bethmoora, she had neutralized the threat her brother represented. She knew nothing about him. She didn't hear him in her thoughts. Absent. There, where her dearest and happiest memories growing up together were, invaded now a sickly nostalgia and melancholy that burdened her chest as soon as she remembered. She missed him. She didn't know whether he was fine, she only knew he was still alive, for she also was. Every night she begged the gods on his behalf. She said pleas to Mother Earth, protector and matriarch of the elves, in Nuada's name. Still now when she closed her eyes, she could still see him bloodshot with rage and pain at the moment Nuala gave her crown piece to the fire-enwrapped hands of Agent Sherman. Keeping the peace with the human world was costing her the despise of her own brother, her only living family.

She was talking one afternoon with Abraham in the library as she felt his presence again. She feared the worst when the sudden piercing of millions of needles on her skin made her hunch and tear in pain. She called him with all her strength. Nuada! Abraham hurried to her aid. Nuala barely stood up. Abraham imitated her and asked once and again whether she was fine. She heard his voice in her mind as clearly as yesterday. Nuala. The Princess supported herself on the furniture and walked towards the aisle. Abraham walked behind her. Leaning on walls, Nuala fought against the constant burning of her skin and barely dodged the corners and turns until arriving at the door separating her from the exterior. She stretched her hand forwards with an open palm and closed her eyes.

"Nuada is close, he's coming this way," she said with a shaky thread of voice.

Immediately she heard the deafening whistle of the emergency alarm. She turned and faced Abraham. She didn't blame him for having pressed it. The agency still considered her brother an imminent threat. Agents Hellboy, Sherman and Krauss arrived at the entrance and asked what was going on. Abraham updated them.

"But it's not even 5 pm!," Agent Hellboy noted in a loud remark, "What does he want? To roast out there?"

What was her brother doing out there at plain daylight? Was he actually suicidal? They heard the impact coming from the roof, both the human agents as the special ones prepared their guns. Abraham arrived to her side and with his body as he protected her like a shield. She clung to his arm and rested on him with all the weight of her body. Her face burned as much as her neck and hands. Another impact in the background let them know the noise came from the elevator. Everybody ran towards that direction. There he was. Nuada. Nuala gasped as she saw him as did everyone else. The elevator doors were open ajar, and he had fallen down on the floor halfway between the cabin and the ground floor tiles. Nuala ran to his aid. Abraham shouted at her to come back and tried to restrain her, but she let loose with the little strength left. She landed by his side on her knees, and sobbing, she took him in her arms. She called his name. The strength was abandoning her; she lost balance and collapsed on her brother. From somewhere she felt herself being lifted. Abraham and Agent Sherman took her by the arms and separated her from her brother. Nuada twisted on the floor. All agents pointed their guns at him. Nuala broke in tears. His pain was killing her inside. It was killing them both. She let go of Abraham once again and ran to his side just as Nuada was picking himself up on his feet. She caught him and hugged him tight.

"Sister," he whispered, faltering and leaned on her with all his weight.

Her legs shook, almost incapable of supporting his weight, yet she managed to hold him and look him in the eyes. Nuada faced her and leaned his forehead on hers. They both closed their eyes.

I come in peace. Help me, Nuala. Loreto is dying.

The Princess turned towards the agents.

"Do not shoot! My brother comes in peace!," she pleaded sobbing.

Dubious, the agents lowered their guns but didn't yet holster them, instead they held them tight in their hands. Nuada straightened up slowly until he could stand firmly on his feet. The stinging in her skin began to slowly wear out.

"What are you searching for here, Prince?," Agent Hellboy demanded with a dry voice and took a step forward.

Nuala held him by the waist and gave him a hand as support.

"It's Loreto Clair. Her cancer has returned," he said with effort, still gasping for air and his face shrunk in pain. "For the last hours she has been under the care of my druids but they fear our medicine may not be enough to heal her. She told me Agent Abraham Sapien first detected her disease, and that she was operated here by human specialists."

Abraham walked towards the twins, Agent Sherman gave a step closer to him and lit her hands on fire.

"That's right," Abraham said.

Nuada let loose from his sister and walked towards the agent. He hadn't completely recovered yet.

"Please, come with me and bring your team of human medics. Loreto is dying. I myself felt the disease in her abdomen," his voice broke.

Nuala shook from head to toes. A warm and overwhelming sensation hugged her chest and made her eyes overflow with tears. She walked towards her brother and uttering no words, she took his hand and connected it with hers. She closed her eyes. He loved her. Nuada loved the human Loreto Clair. He had traveled under the fall sun to the agency to beg for help for her. Nuala connected her free hand with Abraham. The three created a telepathic chain. Her new friend read the same as she. He blinked several times and tilted his head. He turned towards Agent Hellboy.

"Brother Red, the Prince is being honest," he said.

"It seems like a trap," the Agent mumbled and triggered his gun.

"What for, demon?," Nuada said and let go of Nuala, "I don't scheme, I always fight face to face."

"If what he says is true," Agent Sherman intervened, "wouldn't it be better to bring her here along with the Elven druids? Here we have the medical equipment to examine her."

The twins and Abraham exchanged looks. Agent Krauss gave a step forward. Nuala felt in her core the nauseating dread of her brother when facing him. He was guilty of having tortured both of them for almost an entire month. Nuada produced the lance from his back and took distance.

"My apologies, Your Highnesses," the German Agent said in a chilling metallic voice. "I must make up somehow the damage I caused and I believe I know the way to do so."

He walked towards the elevator.

"Aren't you all coming along to Brooklyn? A patient awaits us."