Page 71 of Runaway Magic
“Yessssss…” the nightmare hissed. It wrapped around Hester’s hand and crawled up her arm, burrowing into her skin.
Cym couldn’t watch this; he couldn’t let this happen. Logically he knew it already had happened, and any actions he took here weren’t likely to affect the present, but he couldn’t just stand there, so he leaped forward and sunk his hands into the nightmare.
His hands felt like they had been plunged into nitroglycerin. The cold sank into him so quickly he lost all feeling in his hands and his heart began to slow. Brutal, unforgiving brightness flowed through him, racing through his veins and invading every inch of his body. His thoughts became vague and indistinct.
Where was he? What was he doing? He could feel no connection to his physical form, so there was nothing to anchor his mind as it spiraled into white nothingness.
Cymbeline, you naughty fox, I can’t wait to play with him once I’m you.
Oh no she fucking would not. Cym would tear Hester into a million pieces before she laid a hand onhissoldier.
Pink fire blossomed at the center of his fading consciousness, dragging his mind back together. As he solidified, he felt the fire permeate his entire being, racing to the edges of his mind, giving it a shield between him and the never-ending white void he’d nearly succumbed to.
He became aware of his body again and saw he was still latched onto Hester, feeding pink fire into the twisted creature the woman had become. Hester wailed and pulled, trying to break free, but Cym clung to her, energized by the strength pouring through his body.
It continued for what felt like three eternities—long enough for Cym to decide over and over again that he’d had enough and needed to let go. Then he remembered what would happen to Fourteen if he did, and continued to hang on like his world depended on it.
His body protested loudly, informing him it was done with how he’d been treating it. The initial boost he’d received had long faded, and he was finding it difficult to ignore his dislocated shoulder, the many and varied lacerations he’d picked up in the past two days, and the fact that he was losing blood much faster than he was comfortable with.
He dug deep trying to find some hidden reservoir of strength to hold on and was reminded of the story of Tam Lin, of the bravery of Janet as she clung to her lover even when he turned into a fiery brand in order to win him away from the fairy queen.
He could do it. He could be Janet, or at least channel Janet and hold on, despite the damage Hester was doing to him as she flailed around trying to break free. Though Janet got a hot guy at the end of her troubles, and all Cym would get would be… what?
What was Cym expecting to happen with Fourteen?
His vision was dull and sparkly at the edges, and he was barely clinging to consciousness when the woman in his arms let out an unearthly howl and collapsed. Cym was barely aware of the billowing white smoke that rose from Hester and raced away through the open door.
Dizzily, he released the motionless body in front of him and flopped over onto his side. He panted and twitched as his body struggled to come to terms with what had happened. He felt empty and terribly, heartbreakingly alone inside, and he wanted nothing more than to give up, go to sleep, and hopefully never wake again.
The sound of metal hitting bone forced Cym from his lethargy, and he raised his head to see that Fourteen had gotten his hands free and was holding off two mercenaries with a pipe, nimbly dancing around the bodies of the other two. The vicious smile on Fourteen’s face made Cym laugh wearily. It looked as though Cym had gravely underestimated his soldier.
“Cymbeline.” His brother Sterling’s voice chased Cym’s laughter away.
With the speed of a sloth, Cym sat up as much as he could and noticed one of his legs was still trapped in the hole he’d tried to make earlier. “Please, don’t. Please… just go, okay? We only want to leave. Fourteen won’t hurt you if you leave right now.”His eyes pleading, Cym reached up a shaky hand as if to hold off the violence he already anticipated.
“What the hell was that thing inside of Mother?” Visibly shaken, Sterling stepped closer, but he stopped when a bucket of paint thinner sailed past his face, clipping his nose as it went. Sterling jerked his head back and clutched his bleeding nose in shock.
They both whipped their heads to look at Fourteen, who gave Sterling a narrow look that clearly said,That’s close enough. Cym’s brother’s face grew pale, and he took a step back, rubbing his nose. Fourteen nodded sharply and stabbed one of the mercenaries in the back with a well-thrown screwdriver.
Sterling took three more steps backward but persisted with his questioning even though he had the appearance of someone who was about to throw up and pass out from fear. Whether it was from witnessing a monster coming out of his mother’s body, or fear of Fourteen was even odds. “Tell me what’s happening! Please.” He shot a nervous look at Fourteen, and his hands began to shake.
Yeah, it was definitely Fourteen who had Sterling close to shitting himself. Good. That’s what he got for being such a raging crap bag earlier.
Grudgingly, Cym related what Hester had told him, examining his brother for any sign of disbelief. When he had finished, Sterling looked decidedly green around the edges.
“You didn’t know then?” Cym held his breath, aching for it to be true.
“I knew there was something wrong. But not this! How could I have guessed something like this? Gods, Cymbeline, I thought… I thought it was you making everything so awful. I’m sorry.” Sterling’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Any time something shady happened, Mother said it was your influence that was the cause. She claimed you were twisting people’shearts and making them into monsters because you thought it was fun.”
Stricken, Cym looked down at his hands, intently studying the contrast between the mangled one and the relatively uninjured one. “Was that why you didn’t visit me again?”
“She wouldn’t let me. The only time I managed to get in, I had to sneak to do it. She caught me after I left.” He shuddered in remembrance. “I was punished so badly I never tried again… I’m so sorry.” Sterling’s voice had become so faint Cym had to strain to hear it from across the room.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He itched to hold his little brother and make it all better like he had when they were young. “You were just a kid. There wasn’t anything you could have done. If you’d tried, Hester probably would have let her monster eat you.”
Sterling’s eyes darted toward Fourteen before inching forward. “When I heard you’d escaped, I was so ashamed. I should have done more than just send you a crappy letter. I should have gone with you, but I was scared.”
“Of me?” Cym tried not to feel hurt, but it didn’t do him any good. That his baby brother could be afraid of him, yet still take so much blame on his shoulders for his sake? His heart twisted. “Wait,yousent the letter?”
