After a quick kiss, Renny coaxed him into a run. When they arrived, the room was barred which was highly unusual. Without hesitation, Rorie banged his fist heavily on the door. “Drekkoril, let me in.”
“My senses are unreliable,” Drekkoril called out. “Is there anyone in the hall besides you and Renny?”
“It is just us.”
Drekkoril allowed them to enter, then used his magic to seal it. “Weeks have passed according to the date, yet I have no memory of this.”
“I do not recall the change in our realm.”
“It is making my magic untrustworthy. I can cast, but I do not feel the pulse of the people the same. There’s a grayness.”
Rorie opened his mouth to say something, but there was a thundering sound at the door. “Renny? Are you in there?” Brogan bellowed.
“It is Dra’Kaedan and Brogan,” Rorie told Drekkoril.
Drekkoril removed his spell and allowed the pair entry. “Is something ailing you as well?” the bemollo inquired once he’d barred them inside again.
“I am not feeling over-amped like before,” Dra’Kaedan replied. “Is something going on?”
“It is what we’re trying to figure out,” Renny told his warlock, getting a hug from him and Brogan. Rorie was delighted at being embraced as well, and even Drekkoril appeared pleased to be offered the same affection.
“How much time has passed?” Brogan demanded.
“Weeks,” Drekkoril answered.
“Neither my bemollo nor I have any memory of the strangeness of our realm. It has altered something enormous in our people’s lives for such a change. But what?”
Drekkoril’s face was pained. “I changed the laws.”
“What?” Rorie asked.
“The sioskallos have demanded that I make many decisions. We needed to move forward in this era. I fear I have made an enormous mistake, though. I removed the laws which protected v’airsell niolls.”
For a split second, Rorie was so mute with rage he could not find words. His magic reached out to strike Drekkoril, but it was impossible for him to do anything to his bemollo, though he wanted to smash him into pieces. If his magic could harm him, he would not have squashed the impulse to do it. “Why would you do such a thing?” Rorie shouted.
“You sought to protect the dasllerel tíeka and told me that the council does not have such protections. They only require tradition to keep their relationships safe. The sioskallos argued that it was what the fairies wanted, and your parents had convinced them they did not need such laws. I decided to please them and follow the example of the council. Like the shifters there, they can have relations outside their matebond, and I sought to give them choices. I apologize, I must have been gravely wrong. Our realm is most displeased.”
“I have no words to say to you right now,” Rorie managed.
“It is worth noting that there aren’t extensive laws protecting matebonds, but if someone interferes, thatcanbe prosecuted. If found guilty, the person can be sentenced to death,” Brogan said quietly.
“Not helping, mate,” Dra’Kaedan muttered.
“No, I should have asked for better information before lifting all laws. It did not feel right in my gut, but I have been oft accused of not doing enough to listen to fairies. I must rebalance the realm.”
“Weeks have passed with the new laws in effect, Drekkoril,” Rorie yelled. “How much damage have you already inflicted upon the Fae?”
“I can only apologize and put the old laws in place. It was impossible to know that it would have such a profound effect upon the land and our people.”
“Was it in your memory that you did that?” Dra’Kaedan asked.
“No,” Drekkoril answered. “I went to bed that night believing that it would either have no effect as it was not a part of history or that we would awaken since I had no memory of that decision. Clearly, I made it in the past, or it would not have taken hold on the Fae.”
“Do either of you have memories of anything past the last day we were awake?” Renny inquired.
“The strangeness of it is that my memory is twisted,” Rorie answered softly, refusing to look at Drekkoril any longer although he understood and could sense his guilt. A voice inside reminded him of his contribution to their problem. Although he’d given Drekkoril the information about how the council handled things, he did not fully appreciate the difference in their worlds, but his mind discounted that easily.
There was nothing of Renny’s world or the council in his past. However, he’d acknowledged that fairies might require laws because of their rash natures, and he’d kept silent on the matter. That was something he’d learned in childhood, and it was a failure on his part not to reiterate the point with Drekkoril to aid his decision. “There were no weeks spent in the library or any moments with you.”
