Chapter 38

Kiara sat on the edge of her balcony with her eyes glued on Killian. She watched him pace the garden back and forth with Lyla in his arms. A strange dog who never stood still enough for Kiara to get a good look at played in the garden beside them as the father and daughter carried on their daily walk.

Every time Killian turned and walked back to where the blanket was laid out, his eyes would look up to the balcony. Kiara would catch his gaze and immediately her heart would leap up into her throat. A few times she smiled at him and even waved, but the look of dread never faded from the boy's eyes. He would wave back as if he was looking out at the sea, saying goodbye to a ship that would never return home.

"Kiara," Posey's voice made the girl jump in her seat.

"I'm so sorry," Posey laughed. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright," Kiara lowered her legs and pushed her hair out of her face.

"It's a beautiful day," Posey shifted her weight. "I was wondering if you wanted to come out on a walk with me."

"Oh..." Kiara looked over her shoulder at Killian below. "Yes. I would like that very much."

Posey seemed to visibly relax. She smiled and stepped back for Kiara to approach her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I feel fine," Kiara said, following the woman out of the room.

"You must be bored in the house," Posey looked over her shoulder. "We can plan a trip somewhere. Maybe to the beach? Or a museum?"

Kiara nodded. She was in no mood to talk or even make an effort to be polite to the sweet woman. Her mind and heart felt like a hollow jar with stains of a longing she couldn't understand. Her heart yearned for something she couldn't name. And every time she was around Posey, Tobias or Killian, the feeling just intensified.

"What's the matter?" Posey asked as she noticed Kiara's gloomy mood.

"I was just thinking," Kiara looked around at the empty walls as they began to descend the stairwell. "This is a very big house."

"Yes, it is," Posey laughed. "I always wanted a big house. Your dad called me dramatic when I first told him about my day dreams of running down the halls in a long silk robe. He used to tease me so much about it. But I know deep down he loved every bit of my drama. He won't ever admit it, but he lives for my drama. He likes how extra I am and he enables me. I mean look at the size of this house!"

"Doesn't it get lonely?"

Posey shrugged, "Sometimes."

"So why didn't you have more children?"

"It was a miracle we had you," Posey let out a deep sign. "We had begun to lose all hope of ever having a child. It just didn't seem possi-"

"So I am an only child?" Kiara slowed down.

"Yes," Posey nodded, stopping a step below Kiara.

"And I always have been?" Kiara arched her brow.

"Yes...." Posey said. "Unless your dad has demigod that I don't know about."

"Demigods?" Kiara's eyes narrowed.

"Kids," Posey shook her head. "I meant kids."

"What are demigods?"

"Just a funny nickname," Posey waved her hand.

"A bit too specific for a nickname."

"Is it?" Posey laughed.

"Is Kia a demigod?"

The smile on Posey's lips vanished in an instant. Her eyes grew a bit wide and her skin paled, "What?"

"Kia..." Kiara said slowly. "Lyla's mother. Where is she? Is she a demigod?"

"Lyla's mother...." Posey's voice was almost a whisper.

She stood with her eyes wide and her heart pounding in her chest. Kiara waited for her to answer, never lifting her gaze from the woman's face. She had so many questions and all she wanted was just a few answers.

"What happened to Lyla's mother?" Kiara asked, tilting her head to one side.

"She....." Posey's lips moved. "She's....."

Kiara waited patiently.

"She passed away," Posey blurted out.

"That's not what Killian said," Kiara frowned. "He said she left."

"Isn't that just another way to say someone passed?"

"It didn't seem like that's what he meant."

Posey slowly took in a deep breath and pulled on a smile, "I think I should get started on dinner."

"What about our walk?" Kiara looked at the open french doors.

"I just remembered we invited a few friends over for dinner," Posey began to head for the kitchen. "I need to let the kitchen staff know."

"Alright," Kiara said from where she stood on the stairs.

The house grew silent once more as Posey disappeared around the corner. Kiara watched her until she could no longer see her. She took a step down and shifted her attention to the garden. Killian was still outside with Lyla. If she went out, she could see the baby. But she would also have to say something to Killian. Kiara had no idea what she would say to him. He made her so nervous and she didn't understand why.

So instead of enjoying a stroll in the garden with the bees and the baby, Kiara turned on her heels and rushed back upstairs. Her heart strings tugged and begged for her to walk out into the garden, but Kiara couldn't think past the loud beats of that same heart. She felt overwhelmed with emotions as Posey's behavior ran through her mind over and over again.

What were they hiding? Where was Kia? Was she really dead? Was that why Killian's eyes had no light?

A lump began to form in Kiara's throat as each question rose in her mind. She rubbed her forehead in hopes of relieving some of the pain, but it didn't do much. With each beat of her heart, the throbbing grew and grew, making Kiara feel lightheaded. There was an odd restlessness in her, as if she had to be somewhere. She felt as if she was running late, but she had no idea where she had to be.

As Kiara walked around the halls aimlessly, she found herself in front of Killian's room. Her body stilled as she looked up and lowered her hand.

The door was slightly ajar. Kiara could see hints of a bed and a few bookshelves inside. Sunlight poured in through the balcony as the curtains blew in the wind. Taking a small step forward, Kiara placed a hand against the door and pushed it open. She looked down the hall and up the hall to make sure no one was around as she slipped inside and closed the door behind her.

The room carried Killian's scent of his soap and cologne. The bed was neatly made with empty photo frames on the nightstand table. A small bassinet was set up to the side of the night Lyla stayed in with her father. But other than that, there was nothing in the room to give away who the boy was.

Curiously, Kiara walked into the room, ignoring the way her head swayed. She walked over to the bed and ran her hand along the soft sheets before turning and walking over to the desk. She read the book titles on the shelves and examined the empty notebook he had tossed aside. Her curious fingers ran over the wood and came to a smooth stop on the handle of the drawers.

Kiara bit down on her bottom lip and looked over her shoulder. She knew she should not be snooping around. But she wanted to know more about the boy who made her heart skip beats every time he looked at her. She needed to know more about him. With a small inhale, Kiara pulled the drawer open.

Something rattles inside, making Kiara's heart beat faster. She looked over her shoulder at the door once more before turning back and looking inside the drawers.

Her eyes caught on the small blue box that slid around the large drawer. A stack of old photographs laid underneath. Kiara picked up the box and peaked inside to find two necklaces with wings hanging from them. She ran her finger over them, admiring the craftsmanship. As she stood holding the large pair of wings in between her fingers, her eyes landed on the photographs in the drawer.

Kiara put the blue box away and picked up the photos. Her eyes ran over the small girl in the photograph with wild curly hair and a crazy smile. For a few seconds she thought it was Lyla, but that couldn't be possible.

Beside the girl, a young boy sat with his arms around the girl as if he was pulling her towards himself. He too had the carefree smile, only possible for innocent children to produce. His dark blue eyes looked straight into the camera as if someone had called his name. Kiara couldn't help but smile as she pulled the photo closer.

Suddenly, the door knob to the room turned and the door opened without a warning. Kiara gasped and whirled around to find Killian walking in. He stilled immediately and looked up at her in alarm.

"What..." he began slowly. "What are you doing here?"

"I..." Kiara's throat dried up and her ears began to ring. "I...."

Killian waited for Kiara to answer as her cheeks began to heat up. She hid the photo behind herself and looked around the room for something that might be able to help explain why she was there. But her head was already spinning. She couldn't make sense of anything.

"I..." Kiara tried to speak again. "I was just...."

Just then, Kiara felt her body tingle and grow as heavy as led. She felt the wind be knocked out of her as something pulled her back and she began to fly through the air. The last thing she remembered before hitting the hot pavement in the middle of a small town was Killian's voice yelling out.

"Kia!" he had said.

Kiara barely had time to understand what was going one when a loud explosion erupted behind her. She lifted herself off the pavement and looked around in the darkness as the gas station in front of her caught on fire. People began to scream and run in all sorts of directions. Some ran right past Kiara as if they couldn't see her sitting on the road with her brown eyes wide and full of fear.

"Kiara."

Kiara screamed as a pair of warm hands wrapped around her arm and pulled her up to her feet.

"It's okay," Killian turned her around to face him. "It's okay. It's me. It's okay."

"How..." Kiara looked at the fire over Killian's shoulder. "How did I...."

Before Killian could answer, there was another explosion. The air around them soaked up the heat from the fire, blowing back Kiara's hair. Her cheeks turned red from the amber as her eyes reflected the raging blaze.

"There are people still inside," Kiara's eyes widened.

"I know," Killian said, his voice defeated and soft.

"We have to help them!" Kiara tried to move away.

"We can't," Killian pulled her closer.

"They will die!" Kiara felt her eyes release the tears she had been holding.

"We can't help them," Killian shook his head. He raised his hand and cupped Kiara's face, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "Let's go home."

"We have to do something," Kiara shook her head and looked at the fire. "We can't just leave."

"It's better if we do," Killian said. "I promise."

"But..."

"Look," Killian looked down the road at the fire trucks rushing forward. "Help is already here."

Kiara looked over her shoulder as the swarm of fire trucks came forward and men began to jump out. There was a mad dash as the water hose came on and someone started to shout out instructions. The red flashing light of the trucks added extra brightness to the flames as firefighters rushed forward to see who they could get out.

As Kiara watched one young man in particular, her heart began to race faster. The dread that came over her made her knees feel weak. Her palm began to sweat as a silent scream came out of her lips. She pushed away from Killian and ran towards the firefighter just as a barrel in front of him exploded and sent him flying into a nearby parked car.

"No, no," Kiara dropped to her knees in front of the man as he began to choke on the blood that was pouring out of his mouth.

Killian rushed over to her side and wrapped his arms around her, trying his best to be gentle and move her away.

"No, Killian. Stop!" Kiara pushed him off.

She stared at the firefighter helplessly, not knowing what to do. She tried to reach for him but stopped when his eyes widened with fear and he began to cry.

"I want to help you," Kiara sobbed along with the man. "I'm going to get you help."

Kiara was about to jump to her feet and go find someone who could help the man when she suddenly realized there was a little girl sitting beside her. She gasped and pulled back.

"Give me your hand," the young girl with long curly hair and big brown eyes said.

Kiara sat in shock. She looked at Killian who stood behind the girl, nothing saying a word.

"You can help him," the little girl said, taking Kiara's hand.

Shell shock, Kiara starred as the girl took her hand and placed it over the screaming man's hand.

"Tell him it will all be alright," the girl urged Kiara. "They all need to be reassured. This is new to them. They are scared. You can lessen their pain."

"H-how?" Kiara asked.

"Be their guide," the little girl held Kiara and the man's hand together. "They are in pain but you can give them some peace in their last few seconds."

Kiara didn't know what came over her as she turned to the man and tightened her fingers around his hand. She moved a bit closer to him and reached out for his face with her other hand.

"I don't want to die," the man cried. "Please....this hurts."

"It's going to be okay," Kiara said. "I promise...."

"Please," the man said through his teeth.

"It's not working," Kiara looked at the little girl.

"You can do this," the girl pushed. "You are the daughter of the underworld. Invite them into your home. Tell them you will take care of them."

"I'm....what?" Kiara's breathing labored. "What are you saying?"

"Kiara..." the girl reached up and touched Kiara's face. "You were destined for this. You can control the magic and teach it love and compassion. You may not remember this but all those days you spent on Charon's boat, guiding souls to the underworld....that was all you. You can give them the hope and peace they need."

"I....I don't.....what...." Kiara looked up at Killian.

"Be the soul's solace," the girl said. "Your magic does not have to be heartless and painful....choose solace, Kiara."

Kiara's head ache as she sat listening to the girl. She felt as if she was in a dream....no, a nightmare. She wanted to ask so many questions but the dying man's whimpers stopped her. She turned to him with fat tears rolling down her face and neck. Their eyes locked and she reached for him once more.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Corbin," the man said through his tears and pain.

"I'm Kiara," Kiara moved a bit closer. "You're going to be okay, Corbin. I'm going to take you to my home."

"Where is your home?" Corbin asked.

"It's......" Kiara's voice wandered off. "I don't know...."

Corbin held back a painful groan.

"But you're going to be okay," Kiara took his hands and promised. "Look at me."

Corbin lifted his lashes and looked up at the girl with the big doe eyes.

"I'm here," she said. "And I promise everything will be okay. You can rest now."

"I...." Corbin held Kiara's hand tightly. "Who are you?"

"I don't know," Kiara said, honestly. "But whoever I am, I want you to know I am not going to let anything happen to you. I'm going to sit right here with you."

Corbin pulled Kiara closer. He stared into her eyes as his breathing began to slow. His muscles relaxed and his pain started to alleviate.

"Don't go," he said when he thought Kiara might move away.

"I won't," Kiara said.

And she didn't.

She sat with the man as he took his last breath and closed his eyes. His hand fell on her lap as she reached up and touched the edge of his face to make sure he knew she was with him until the very last second.

"You may bring violent death," the little girl said as she began to rise to her feet. "But you do not have to leave them to suffer alone in fear and pain. You can choose to be good."

Kiara slowly looked up at the girl. She felt her stomach twist and her heart shrivel up. Her body felt exhausted as a powerful hum danced through her veins.

"Killian," the girl looked at the boy. "Take her home now."   

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