Chapter 23

No Rest for the Wicked

Eight months later…

Ciela walked down the steps of the Brante household. As she went for the kitchen, she re-read her wedding notes made in the journal held within her hand. She smiled at the notes made three days previous, detailing her receiving her wedding dress and where she had hid it so Linebeck couldn't find it.

The house around her was silent. Linebeck and Linette had traveled to the Trading Post over two months previous, as to give Beck a break from watching the shop after so long. As well, the anniversary of Ruby's death had again passed. Thus, the young man had traveled to again visit Ruby's grave.

Ciela volunteered to stay back, saying that she would keep the house in order, and finish up the last few tasks for cleaning the house.

In a way, this suited Ciela just fine. Oh, she missed Linebeck and Linette, but as Ciela picked up a mug of coffee, both it and her journal trembled in her grip. Reflective surfaces she still avoided, too afraid of what may be showing within. The bags under her eyes signified sleepless nights for the ex-fairy, as her dreams were haunted by Jolon's body. The fighting of Bellumbeck and her imprisonment two years ago also began to recur, with more tragic endings instead.

Upon remembering the dreams plaguing her, Ciela took a deep breath, and set both the journal and mug on the kitchen's island counter. She stared at the marble pattern, trying to empty her mind before things became worse.

Too late, and Ciela felt herself struggling to breathe as flashes of Jolon's body appeared before her eyes, his last words echoing, with sick laughter following. One hand found its way to her left shoulder, pressing into the scar. While the wound had healed to where it no longer bled and Ciela could use her arm properly again, from Ciela forcing it to work and messing with the injury as a way to distract her, she has times where her entire left arm would lock up or spasm with pain. As well, pressing into the scar just right, rewarded Ciela with a now familiar ache.

As it spiked, Ciela took deep breaths, gathering back her thoughts and shoving any thoughts of Jolon into a chest deep within the recesses of her mind. She let out a trembling breath hand dropping from her shoulder to land on the rough sketch of her gown.

At that moment, Ciela heard the front door unlocking. Looking up, Ciela could see Linette standing on the porch, hands shoved in her coat pockets as she waited for Linebeck to unlock the door.

Ciela found the edge of her journal and slammed it shut, before tearing for the living room. She shoved the wedding journal deep into the cushions, hoping that Linebeck nor Linette would find it before she would get the chance to properly stash it away.

As she started making her way back to the kitchen, Linebeck and Linette rounded the corner. Linebeck with a slight limp, a sign, along with the scar, of the night Jolon put them through. Linette however, was looking much better, cheeks and body filling out more, giving her a healthier look about her. She wore a white shirt with navy bands along the neck, bottom and ends of the sleeves and a light tan pair of pants. A headband of red fabric held back her hair. Also, much like her brother, she was wearing her sky-blue jacket.

"Back so soon, Moron?" Ciela called, smiling as she felt warmth blossom in her chest at seeing Linebeck again. While the separation was mutually agreed, it had been the longest they went for seeing each other since they first began dating, when Ciela had traveled with the exploration crews for about two months. This was after her scar from Bellum healed.

"It has been over two months since we left, a week shy from three." Linebeck countered, raising an eyebrow.

Ciela snorted, keeping her smile from faltering. "Well, the days did seem to just blend together when I was busy with cleaning the last few rooms." "Also, when you don't sleep, you tend to lose track of what day it would be."

Ciela smiled at Linette. "Hello, Linette. It's nice to see you again."

"It's good to be home again." Linette returned, giving Ciela a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"So how was the Trading Post? Any good trades?" Ciela inquired, finishing her route to retrieve her coffee. Linebeck and Linette followed her.

"A few good ones. Other than those, it was the same as ever. Tetra had taken the train over once to formally meet 'Net." Linebeck said. "And for you?"

"Same as ever. I have begun planning for our wedding. Just minor details though." Ciela returned.

"Oh, joy. So that stress begins." Linebeck rolled his eyes, before focusing his gaze on Ciela. As the many times he's looked at her over the past six months before he and Linette had left, he noted the bruised colored bags under her eyes and the too fake tones to her voice. "Goddesses… she's turning into me… If she starts drinking, I'm putting my foot down on her evasive bullshit. Repercussions be damned."

Ciela looked at the papers Linebeck laid on the counter. "Mail?" She inquired, leaning on the table.

Linebeck nodded, pushing the less important letters before spotting one with a familiar name. "Oh, there's one from Beck." He picked it up, ripping it open.

Ciela perked. "What does he have to say?"

"I'm getting to it, Sparkles." Linebeck said, unfolding the paper. He began reading the first few sentences. His face immediately darkened.

Upon the change in Linebeck's demeanor, Ciela felt a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach form. "What's wrong?"

"Little Bro…?"

Linebeck didn't answer her, finishing the letter. He instead turned to Linette, the letter getting crumpled in his grip. "Linette, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave you for some time."

"What the hell? No!" Linette countered, placing her hands on her hips, face set in defiance.

"What the hell is going on?" Ciela demanded at the same time.

Again, Linebeck ignored Ciela. "Linette, please. Something has happened, and I don't know who has done it, nor why. But the list of suspects are pretty, and they're people I don't want them to know about you!"

Linette pursed her lips, walking up to Linebeck. "That only makes me want to go with you more. You're not leaving me behind, and you are not going alone!"

"He won't exactly be alone." Ciela thought, furrowing her brow at Linette's choice of words, a shot of unknown anger running through her and quickly burning out.

Linebeck pinched the bridge of his nose, tipping his head forward, gritting his teeth. "Fine. Fine. You join Ciela and me. But the moment. Moment, things start looking like they are going to go south. You are getting on a boat back home."

"I'm not leaving you." Linette finished. It wasn't an agreement, but Linebeck sensed that was about as good as he was going to get with her.

Ciela, however…

"Will you stop ignoring me and tell me what the fuck is going on with Beck?!" Ciela shouted, growing more and more frustrated.

Linebeck handed the crumple letter to Ciela, taking ahold of her hands before she could take the paper. He took a breath to begin explaining.

"Beck is summoning us both, Aryll, and Link to Outset. When he had arrived, he found Ruby's grave destroyed and her body gone."

"Make preparations. Be ready for being gone a long time. We sail for Outset tonight."

The End

Final Author's note next.