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Kierran

The name came into my mind, breaking through the mist clouding me. No, I had already lived this. This wasn't real.

The scene before me was blurry again, I leaned against the lockers for support and closed my eyes, trying to remember from the beginning.

My name's Summer

My father is Robin Goodfellow, he's a faery.

My Mom is a human, and she died.

I went to the Nevernever and I was poisoned, Grim showed up and told us there was an antidote.

Kierran is helping me, he's real, and he's around somewhere. He hasn't left me.

I pried my eyes open and I swear I had never felt so happy in my life to be in a cave than in that moment. I inhaled sharply and fell to my knees with my head spinning and coughing.

"Summer?" Kierran gently gathered me in his arms "It'll be okay" He whispered soothingly "You looked through the glamour and now you're safe"

What had just happened? How could I have forgotten him?

"I know, I know" I gripped his shirt tightly, trying to organize my thoughts. This is the real world. That was just an illusion.

"You made it, Summer" I frowned at him, confused. "You led us to the way out of this thing"

Glancing around, I got a glimpse of light ahead, and knew that was our exit. The smile in Kierran's face gave me a sense of triumph and I smiled too.

But then my heart sank. We had found it, we would get the tear, and then... I'd have to die.

Kierran helped me up and we headed towards the exit, wary of what we might find.

The light grew brighter as we approached the end of the cave. Squinting, I could make out trees and lots of vegetation.

"It was about time" An irritating voice purred.

I blinked several times and grinned when I saw Grim and my father safe in front of us. There was someone else there too, he stepped forward.

"My name is Arthan" He spoke with a deep voice that had almost a British accent to it. It was familiar "The cait sith already told me why you're here. I hope you didn't have many problems with my maze"

Click

"It was you!" I was relieved I wasn't insane "The one I heard in my head. You helped us"

He fixed his brown gaze on me "Yes, I did"

Grim huffed "Humans have this annoying habit of stating the obvious"

Arthan turned around and walked towards a tree that looked exactly like the one on the other side of the cave "I know you're here for the tear, which I've already given to the cat. The antidote is ready"

Now? I looked at my Dad, who had been quiet during the whole time, and looking at him almost brought tears to my eyes. He wasn't grinning and he wasn't looking at me. In that instant I just knew Grim had told him everything, and even though I had planned to tell him myself, I was a bit relieved. And that made me downright coward.

"Dad" He turned to me then, his eyes glistened with tears, and it broke my heart to see him like that. I ran towards him and hugged him as if my life depended on it.

"I'm sorry, Summer. I wish... I wish things had been different. This was all my fault. I shouldn't have done that contract" His words came out muffled.

"It's not your fault Dad, don't say that" I smiled weakly at him.

"What's happening?" Kierran asked from behind. I closed my eyes. Now I'd have to face him.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him when... the time comes" Dad whispered, his voice breaking at the end.

"Thanks"

I pulled away from Dad and looked at Grim and Arthan.

"Can I talk to him in private, please?"

Grim vanished and Arthan walked away. Dad just wiped his eyes and mumbled something, leaving us alone.

Kierran frowned "Summer, tell me what's going on. I don't understand anything"

I stared into his mesmerazing blue eyes and braced myself. "The tree, is special. It also holds power, a power that is necessary for the world to keep spinning"

He took a few steps forward "Okaay"

"But the tree was also poisoned, and we have to save it. There's only enough antidote for one"

His eyes widened when he finally got it. Kierran shook his head. "No, no, no No" He gripped my shoulders "You won't!"

How could I make him understand that this was the only way? I didn't want to do it, but it was the right thing to do. "Don't you see? We don't have any choice. This is bigger than any of us. I can trasfer my energy to the tree. My body will die, but... at least everything will be good for you all"

And now I sounded like a freaking martyr.

Kierran's hands moved to cradle my face and rested his forehead against mine "Please don't, don't do it. We can find another way."

I shook my head. "There's no time. This is the last day. I would never be able to live with myself knowing I could've done something to help you and I didn't. Besides, wasn't this the point? Saving the Nevernever?"

He stumbled back "Yes! BUT NOT LIKE THIS! I never told you to sacrifice yourself like this!"

"I didn't choose this! I have no choice! What am I supposed to do?"

"You could stay with me" He stared at me, breathing heavily.

"What would happen with Meghan, and Ash, and the Courts...? How would we be together if the Nevernever doesn't exist?"

He opened his mouth and then closed it. I knew I had hit a soft spot, with his parents, but he needed to see that as much as I wanted to ran away with him saying screw the Courts, we couldn't.

"Ready?" Arthan asked out of nowhere.

I nodded. If we continued this, maybe he would end up convincing me.

Kierran unsheathed his sword and was about to lunge at Arthan when Dad tackled him, pinning him to the ground. I had no idea how he could do it, when inside, he wanted to stop the whole thing too.

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS, SUMMER!"

Arthan had a little flask in his hand and he poured its content at the base of the tree. There went the antidote.

"Why there are two trees of life?" I pointed to the sick tree.

Grim appeared next to me "It's the same tree, but... in a different dimension, you would call it"

"Ahhh" That was my only answer. I knew I should be sad, but I'd never felt more alive. I was helping others, and I wouldn't be useless anymore.

Kierran kept struggling with Dad, but Dad had the upper hand and didn't let him move. After giving the antidote to the tree, Arthan came in front of me.

"What now?" I asked.

"Now, you'll transfer your energy to the tree, you might pass out and in a couple of minutes, without your vital energy, your body will stop working"

Before, I hadn't been sure of how to do the energy-trasfer thing, but now the knowledge flowed through me, and I knew the source. Arthan. I looked at him gratefully and knelt next to the already healed tree.

"I'LL KILL YOU ALL IF YOU TOUCH HER!"

I glanced back at Kierran one last time. Dad had put branches around his wrists and ankles with Summer glamour, anchoring him. Kierran also could use his glamour but Dad was an old faery, more powerful.

"I'm sorry, Kierran. I hope you can forgive me" Watching him like that, was too much. Tears gathered in my eyes and began streaming down my face. We had just started to know each other, there were so much things I wanted to do. And I couldn't even go to him and give him a proper goodbye, I didn't trust myself to do this if I did.

"Please, Summer..." He sounded defeated, holding on to the last straw of hope.

I shook my head and closed my eyes, pressing my hand to the trunk of the tree. I allowed my energy, my essence to leave me. I felt it coursing though me, at first reluctant to go, then, realizing my body was damaged, it started flowing through my arm, towards the tree.

I peeked, because I was human, and I knew I wouldn't seem him again, but I instantly regretted it.

There were no words to describe the agony that I saw in Kierran's eyes as he screamed and screamed for me to stop killing myself.

I didn't have a chance to say anything, because next thing I knew, everything was darkness.

Not the end guys! =D Two more chapters I think