Jay rose from his seat and pulled the blanket over the sleeping fey. He contemplated Isellta’s face. “You poor kid.”
He returned to the rocker and picked up his journal.
He wrote:
Well. That was interesting. I just taught a fey how to kiss. Given their reputation for playing mind games and tricking us humans into kissing them, I wonder if I did the right thing. But Isellta…He isn’t like that. Yeah. So, he turned into Maelin, but he did it for me. Not for some sick fey prank.
………..
Isellta. I want him to find happiness. Obviously not with me. I don’t turn that way. But I wish him all of the happiness in the world. And, if that happiness means him winding up with Robin………….
Robin. Will he be kind to Isellta? Doesn’t sound like it, but I’m not blind. I saw him on the monitors. I saw how he looked at Isellta. Maybe. Maybe he’ll be able to make him happy. I hope so. Isellta has his little fey heart pinned to Robin’s chest. I don’t want him to be hurt. Or disappointed.
Mae. I hold you in my heart. In its every beat. I can’t wait to hold you again. I wish you could teleport the way that fey can. You’d be here just like that. That would be so awesome. But you are on your way here. And then you’ll be here. And then…… *smiles for miles* Oh, Mae. Then.
Later.
***
Robin walked down the sidewalk with Antioch following close behind. “You got a problem? Is that why you’re ducklin’ after me?”
“I don’t want to run into my lord.”
Robin scoffed. “Raven’s probably lollygaggin’ with Missy. So, I wouldn’t get your white hair all in a tangle about him.”
“Who is your lord?”
“Ain’t got one. I got a lady. Don’t know her name. She just bit me, changed me, and left me.”
“Could you stop for a minute?”
“Not really. I got things I wanna do.”
“I want to talk to you.”
“Well. I ain’t stoppin’ you.”
“Just stop.”
Robin sighed. “Fine.” He stopped and turned to face the older man. “See? I stopped. What do you want from me?”
“I want to know. How can I make amends with you?”
Robin’s expression hardened. “You can’t.”
“Robin—”
“Robin.” Isellta flapped his wings.
“Robin.” His mother wiped her eyes.
“Robin.” His father hugged him.
“Robin!” Ambrose snarled at him.
He clenched his teeth. Not again.
Their voices swirled inside his head in an ever increasing crescendo.
He opened his mouth and their voices merged with his. “ROBIN. ROBIN. ROBIN.” He unsheathed his claws.
And just like that, the voices stopped.
Robin rubbed his throat. “What the flamin’, freakin’, ever burnin’ levels of HECK?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why or how that happens.”
“It happens because you say my name. Easy fix: Don’t say my name. Not ever again.”
Antioch clammed up and walked away from him.
“Hey! Where are you goin’?”
“Back to The Institute. I have work to do.”
“So, what? You dumpin’ me again?”
Antioch stopped and glared at him. “Don’t play victim with me, boy. You’re the one pushing me away.”
Robin stood in stunned silence.
Is that all I do?
Am I always pushin’ people away from me?
Isellta.
Antioch.
Who else have I done it to?
Antioch turned forward and walked away.
Isellta.
If I hadn’t pushed you away, where would you be right now? Where would we be?
Isellta.
He ran after his father’s clone. “Wait!”
Antioch didn’t turn around or stop or anything. He just kept on going.
Robin caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder. “I told you to wait.”
Antioch favored him with a cold, heartless glare.
“You want to make amends? Okay. Fine. Let me in The Institute’s control room without any troubles. Which means no siccin’ any XQ wannabes at me.”
“Is there a reason why I should help you?”
“Amends.” Robin’s expression softened. “For both of us.”
Antioch smiled, a gentle, caring smile. “My boy. Come.”
ambroseandelsie 