Ryan left the tavern, his arm still slung around me. Looking behind, I noticed several faeries staring at us, but for what reason? I did not know.

Squinting at the darkness covered figures, I rummaged my thoughts to remember why was I at that tavern or how I got there. I tried to remember why Ryan was holding me like he was afraid to let me go, like I would fall, I would shatter if he did not hold my already broken pieces together. My body was trembling--I knew it was not because of the cold--but the actual reason, I did not know.

My mind was void. My body was numb. I looked at myself, at the numerous cuts on my stomach. My hand was starting to swell and there was a tightness on my neck. Physically, they did not hurt much, however, mentally it hurt--it hurt trying to find the pieces of the puzzle, scattered in the unending shadows of my mind. I swayed a bit overcome by a sudden dizziness.

"You shouldn't have come here alone," Ryan's voice was firm yet gentle.

Groaning, I looked up at him and found his soft eyes gazing over my wounds. A frown marked his face.

"I didn't," my voice came out raspy, "Myra---Myra," Myra! Where was she? I became frantic with fear and I was sure it showed in my eyes too. Some fae had put heavy stone over Myra's tail--yes, I remembered it, but anything else....

"What happened to her?" Ryan asked, shifting me so that I was facing him.

"I- I saw some fae pin her to the sea-floor at the...," I sighed, holding my forehead and tried to think. Finally I admitted, "I don't remember at which tunnel."

"You don't," he angled his head, then said, "You won't remember. You did not know them."

"What?" Who were the 'they'? Were they the reason we were inside that tavern?

"Nothing," his finger feathered over a cut on my shoulder. "We should find Myra."

He should tell me what happened, I thought, but was unable to voice it. The feeling of not knowing was really terrifying, especially when I was aching all over, and had cuts on my skin, that burned when touched.

Myra had said that the fae liked when they did not remember what they talked about, or what they did after coming to The Obsidian. At that time, I had also thought that it provided an anonymity and a sense of detachment in a world where everyone lived for ages, but now, my own situation forfed to me wonder, was not remembering anything really good? What had happened in those tunnels--what had been done to some in those tunnels?

I shivered thinking about it--thinking that someone, after killing his victim in one of these tunnels, would forget about his deeds, or a victim after having survived, would forget what was done to him, except he would have his wounds and cuts as a reminder.

Would they not want to know what had happened? Would one be any less a killer if he did not remember what he did? Maybe I was again overthinking things--maybe whatever happened with me was because I was a human, maybe the fae were cordial towards each other. Although they did harm Myra, but maybe that was because she was a mermaid who was trying to help a human--I did not know. A whirlwind of questions were surfacing inside me.

"What are you thinking, Venus?" I realized I was staring at Ryan, and that we were too close to each other. I moved back and brought my braid to the front so that it rested on my shoulder. I had the oddest feeling that someone was going to hold my braid from behind and drag me to the floor.

"I was thinking about what might have happened with me, since I don't think you are going to tell me anything," I snapped.

Ryan had the decency to flinch back a little. He cleared his throat before mumbling, more to himself than to me, "I think it'll be better if you don't know."

"Right." I brushed off some damp moss from my arms and chest and swam upwards leaving him standing there. I certainly could find Myra on my own.

I stumbled back when I saw Ryan infront of me. I had not gone too far, then how did he come infront of me so fast? He looked different too--more elegant, and he had a pale blue glow on his skin. My eyes travelled down his body--from his hair, to his face, to his light brown shirt, to his blue tail.

Tail? I was sure he was having legs before. Blinking, I looked again.

Ryan had somehow grown a tail in place of his legs--a tail bigger and wider than any of the mers I saw since coming to Kingdom of Water, a tail of the same cornflower blue colour of his eyes.

"You have a tail," I said, still gaping at it.

"I thought you knew that." I knew? I raised my brows and he returned back my expression, except he had a smirk on his face. I was annoyed and hoping to actually remember something this time, I tried to piece out the reasons why he would think I knew.

Oh.

That book he gave me to read about Odalis and his kingdom. I looked at his tail once again--so graceful and bright against the dark water of The Obsidian. Ryan had royal blood running through his veins, and every fae in Kingdom of Water with royal blood in them had a pale blue glow on their skin, and a tail like the mers, though unlike the mers, they were able to hide it in favour of legs--like Ryan had been doing until now.

Sometimes, I forgot that Ryan was a royal and despite his uncle's taking over all the kingdoms of Odalis, he was still a prince of the Kingdom of Water. I wondered if he knew how Aeron defeated the Kings and took over the kingdoms. He had to know--I was sure Myra had informed him.

Myra.

I should have been looking for her instead of chatting with Ryan and staring at his tail. I knew he would not move, so I swam sideways, going past him.

Ryan was again infront of me.

"What is your problem?" I asked, very annoyed.

"Why won't you let me go with you? Heck, why are you so adamant on swimming through these tunnels, all alone?" his tail was swishing back and forth, and despite of being irritated at him, I found it very fascinating.

I crossed my arms infront of me, and gritted my teeth at the pain caused by the simple action. "And why do you think I should not swim all alone in these tunnels?" I flashed that sweet smile of mine.

Ryan stared at me for what seemed like an eternity, and then motioned at my body with his fingers, indicating at the layers of moss and filth and cuts. He was really stupid to think he could point at the cuts and filth covering me and not tell me the reason behind those getting there.

"Maybe I should ask, why are you so adamant on me not knowing what happened to myself?" At that point, I was not even sure how I felt--I was angry, I was sad and I had a sudden desire of leaving everything behind.

"I don't understand, Spark. Why--why would you like to know what happened when you can let go of it? You don't remember, so why would you want to remember? You are safe and to me, it's all that matters." Ryan's voice was desperate and had an edge to it. But he was so wrong.

I huffed. "To let go is not an answer, atleast not in this case, Ryan," I said, "Not remembering what was done to me is less a blessing than a curse to me, especially where I can very well understand that whatever done was detestable enough to have these," I gestured at the cuts on my stomach.

Ryan remained silent.

I went on, "I had to go through the torture or humiliation--I don't know what--but I had to go through it, and so it is my right to know," I felt a drop of tear on my cheek, "I am a human, Ryan. Maybe your kind can not remember things and pretend it had never happened, but I can't. I need to know." I felt more tears, each drop laden with emotions, feelings and an odd desperation.

"I cannot tell you Venus. Don't ask me to relive that dreadful moment, so soon. Yes, you had to bear the pain, the torture, the humiliation, but you need to know, Spark, that as soon as I saw you there--on the sea-floor, surrounded by all those faeries, my whole being froze. But then you bit that fae-"

"-I did?" I asked, cutting him off.

"Yes," he said, a small smile tugging on his lips, "But that is all I am telling you."

I thought for a moment. "I assume I can do with that," I finally said, though I definitely was going to ask him afterwards, why I was being surrounded by faeries.

"So...we can go together to find Myra, and not spend any more time in this tunnel?"

"If you are so adamant on us going together, then I suppose yes," I said and went forward. Ryan was quick to come to my side. He swam silently beside me until I said, "I hope I don't have to come to these tunnels--to The Obsidian, ever again."

"You don't need to." He looked at me. "The reason you are here now is still beyond my understanding."

I scowled. "I didn't want to be alone."

______________

Sooo...Venus does not remember anything. The magic of The Obsidian does not seem so great right now, at least not to me.

Oh and, Ryan has a tail. 🌝😉
And Venus likes that tail.😂
Hope you all like it too. I shall be happy If you do xD.

Do not forget to vote/comment/share if you enjoyed CHAPTER 24 of 'A World of Treason and Tides'.

Also, double update today.💫🎊