So hehadbeen sent here. By someone–apowerfulsomeone–who had taken him to this place that was not an afterlife, but a Hell all the same.
“Why did she do that? What is le Voile?”
“It is evidence of her hubris. And why? I cannot say.”
His voice was low, somber, and her heart felt like it was breaking into pieces.
“And that’s why you created Rul.”
“I needed someone. I was here alone for so many years. This was before I found a way to travel earthbound, so I hadn’t even seen another living being… other than le Voile.”
He squeezed her tighter, like he was afraid to let go. They stayed enwrapped in silence for a long while, before she worked up the courage to speak.
“Just because bad things happened doesn’t mean they will happen again.”
Easy for her to say, of course, when she always felt a cloud of dread hovering over her, like she was a moment away from destruction. Destruction which, at times, she would have gladly accepted. But maybe those feelings had passed a bit, the guilt she felt from enjoying her time here lessening with each day.
“Perhaps that’s true,” Bellinor said, placing his hand on her cheek and pulling her up to face him. “Perhaps we can… try again. Try to remember what we both deserve.”
His expression was so sincere she wanted to cry. Not least of all because this was what she had hoped for, even though she was happy spending her days with Rul. The incubus had said once that they were more alike than she’d thought, and she was starting to believe him.
“You should tell him,” she said, and he pulled away, giving her a quizzical look. “Rul. You should tell him you love him.”
Bellinor narrowed his eyes.
“He knows…”
“I’m not sure he does. And he deserves to hear it from you. He wants you to love him.”
“Will it make you happy if I tell him?”
The smirk on his face made her stomach flutter, and she gave him a sweet smile.
“It would make me very happy.”
Bellinor hugged her tighter, and she sighed into the embrace, feeling for once like everything might turn out alright.
CHAPTER 17
“DO YOU KNOW WHAT it is?” Isabelle asked as Rul escorted her down the endless hallway, clasping her hand tightly.
“Of course, I do. But I’m not telling you.”
She grumbled her displeasure, though a smile still beamed from her face.
WhateversurpriseBellinor had been working on was finally ready, and she was eager to find out why he’d been hiding from them for so long.
Rul led her up to a new door, one that she hadn’t recalled from her original tour or the preceding explorations they’d done. It was simple, and made of knotted wood, and he gave her a wink before turning the knob.
They entered into a space that looked suspiciously like the main room of her cottage. It didn’t justlooklike it, though, itwasher cottage. There was the wooden chess set her father had crafted, the kitchen filled with fresh fruit and vegetables from themarket, and Bellinor sitting in the same chair he had when he had first followed her home.
Before she could question what was happening, he explained.
“I hope I made an adequate replica.”
“Youmadeall this?”
She was dumbfounded, especially when it seemed to take all of Rul’s energy to make a simple meal or dress for her.
