Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(138)

The members of the Council did not know that, however. My words got them moving with admirable alacrity, considering their age. Casting frightened glances at the thrak I held, they shuffled quickly from the room.

When they were gone at last with the door slammed shut behind them, I turned to Gwendolyn.

“Mon ange,” I said, unable to help using my old nickname for her. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said and then burst into tears.

“Gwendolyn…” I knew I had no right to comfort her but I couldn’t help myself. I drew her into my arms and held her close to my chest, feeling the connection between us throb with her emotion. It was a connection I would have to give up soon enough but I couldn’t bring myself to do it now—not yet. Not when she was trembling and crying in my arms.

“Oh, Laish,” she whispered at last. “I thought you were dead.”

“I was, for a time,” I told her truthfully enough. “But listen, mon ange, this is not the best place to talk. Tell me, are you ready to go home?”

“Yes,” she whispered, wiping her eyes. “Oh, yes—please, Laish. Take me home!”

“With pleasure,” I said.

With a wave of my hand, I opened a door to the Mortal Realm. Then, taking her by the arm, I pulled her through, back to her home and to safety, fulfilling my promise though it broke my heart to do so. My betrayal had been too great for her to forgive—of that I was certain. Once her tears had run their course, she would remember how cruelly I had treated her and want nothing more to do with me.

She would be well rid of me, I told myself stoically. I had caused her nothing but pain and grief and if I didn’t wish to hurt her any more, I had to let her go.

Though I loved my little witch more than I could express, it was time to say goodbye.

* * * * *

Gwendolyn





We came back right in front of Grams’ small, neat front lawn in the middle of the night. At least, I think it was the middle of the night. I wasn’t wearing a watch but it was dark and the air had that still, cold feeling it gets in the early morning hours just after midnight.

Even in Florida it gets a little chilly sometimes. I shivered and tried to pull my torn shirt closer around myself.

“Are you cold?” Laish looked at me, his ruby eyes filled with anxiety and something else—some emotion I couldn’t quite read.

“A little,” I admitted. “Too bad I didn’t think to grab that fur coat you gave me right before they dragged me down to the…to the trial.”

I could hear the break in my own voice as I said the words but I tried to cover it up by clearing my throat. The events of the last few minutes were just beginning to sink in. Being handed over to Druaga…almost being raped…and then the incredible mixture of relief and disbelief I felt when I saw Laish standing there and knowing everything would be okay. Then the horror of seeing the boar-demon incinerated before my eyes…I could still smell the stink like burning pork and hear his squealing screams echoing in my ears…

Ugh—stop! Just stop! I told myself but somehow I couldn’t. The memories were on a loop inside my brain, playing over and over, making me feel sick and weak and shaky.

“Here,” Laish murmured. Taking off his immaculate charcoal gray suit jacket, he put it around my shoulders.

“Thanks.” I slipped my arms into the sleeves and looked down at the ground, unable to meet his eyes. I had so much I wanted to ask him, so much I wanted to say, but somehow the words wouldn’t come. Or maybe I was just afraid if I started talking too much, I would start crying again.

“Well…” His voice had a briskness to it that made me look up. “You are home safely, the door to the Abyss is shut, and you have no more to fear from the HellSpawn or any other creature of the Infernal Realm.”

“Thank you,” I said again because my stupid brain couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“So I suppose it is time to leave you with your beloved grandmother and let you get on with your mortal life.” He nodded at the trim yellow bungalow where I knew Grams was probably sleeping right this minute.

Suddenly I realized he was saying goodbye to me. And it didn’t sound like he was coming back.

“Laish,” I said beginning to panic. “Wait, I—”

“Gwendy? Gwendy is that you?”

The soft familiar voice came from the vicinity of the front porch. As I watched, a shape detached itself from the mass of shadows and came towards me. The moon was full and in its light, I could see the haggard face of my little sister.

“Keisha?” I left Laish standing there and ran to meet her. The last time I’d seen her in the Mirror of the Eye, she’d looked like a real mess. She didn’t look much better now but at least I could tell she was clean. There was no drug haze in her dark brown eyes when she looked at me, though they did shine with tears.


“Gwendy,” she whispered and then she was in my arms and we were hugging and kissing and holding each other for the first time in ages.

“What’s this? What’s going on out here?” another voice declared and Grams came out the front door in her pink quilted house robe looking ready to shoot whoever was trespassing on her property. Grams doesn’t play when it comes to intruders. But when she saw who it was, she ran forward and encircled both Keisha and me in her arms.