Once there was Darkness

Chapter 44

Part 1

Kol had asked Kessa if he could be alone tonight. She gave him his space. His mind was pulling him in a million different directions.

With a shaking hand, he pulled a bottle of wine from the cellar wall. It was covered with a thick layer of dust. Kessa would be heart broken if she knew. He just sat staring at the bottle for a long time. This day needed to go away. “Talk to me, Max.” Max stepped from the shadows. “Does Kessa know about today?”

“We’ve never talked about it, my king. But I’m sure she does.”

“Why does it have to hurt?”

“All of the events that cause you so much turmoil happened a long time ago.”

“Are you suggesting that I should be over them?”

“I’m not sure what I’m saying, my king. Just talking.”

He let out a long sigh. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Let me get Kessa. Don’t be alone tonight. Talk this through with her.”

Kol stood, hurling the bottle through the air. It hit the back wall of the cellar, shattering. He walked to the barracks with his heart in his hand. General Marcus was the first person he saw. “Do you know where Kessa could be?”

“My king, she is in the temple.”

Kol nodded and left. He found Kessa. She bowed her head, “my husband.”

“Frego informed me that for years I have been getting flowers. What do you know of it?”

She stepped very close to him. “We are not alone. Do you wish to continue this conversation?”

He whispered, “Get rid of the flowers.”

“Done.” She was gone.

A week had gone by before he had any interaction with the Bejhar. When he gave the signal, a Bejhar answered that he didn’t know. “Who are you?”

He bowed his head, “Arron my king.”

“Where is my queen?”

“No one knows.”

Kol was startled, “asked Max to come see me.”

“My king.” He bowed and left.

Arron was telling the truth, no one knew where she was. Kol walked up to her house. Beth and Petro were still there but no Kessa. “It’s as if she was never here.” Beth said sadly. Taking the king to the back of the house. There was a pile of ash. “Everything in the house that had anything to do with her is gone.” Beth left Kol alone with the pile of ash that represented a live well lived. What did this mean? Kessa was gone.