Why

Chapter Seventeen of Forgotten

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Devon staggered to his feet, his mind reeling and his whole body trembling. He gritted his teeth and staggered forward.

He had failed Keira.

As he sped up slowly to a jog, then a run, then a sprint, he racked his brain for answers. Why had he let him, whoever he was, shatter the stone? Why had he let Keira go?

Why?

Devon passed the gates of his fortress and ran as hard as he could up the path. He could see the light imprints of Keira’s footprints in the hard-packed dirt, and he followed them deep into the forest. Dawn was breaking over the horizon, and birds were twittering to the heavens joyously.

Devon cringed at the sound, so light and airy in contrast to the heavy fear and darkness constricting his heart. What if he lost Keira again? What if he lost her forever?

Up the path, he could see the form of a person turning in circles, looking intently into the trees. As he neared the person, his eyes made out the young man who had helped bring the stones back together, who had risked so much for this island.

Nathan.

Devon stopped beside him silently, and for some reason, Nathan didn’t notice him until he made a full revolution and stopped, staring at Devon.

Nathan started violently, “How did you get here so fast?”

“Where is Keira?” Devon asked, his voice low. He hated the way it trembled.

Nathan just stared at him.

He toed the dirt, “I’m sorry. I’m too late.”

“Again,” Nathan whispered.

Devon squeezed his eyes shut. He searched the jumble of memories that were slowly lining themselves up in order. Nathan…

He saw a young Nathan playing with a young Keira on the shore. He saw the mark of honesty in Nathan’s youthful features and the trust in Keira’s eyes as he walked her back home after a trip to the market. He watched as Keira grew into a beautiful, fiercely loyal young lady and as Nathan grew up by her side, the honesty in his heart leaking out into everything he did.

Trust and honesty. Both things he had lost in his hardened heart in the long year of watching the island.

He opened his eyes. Nathan was rubbing his nose uncomfortably.

Devon squeezed his shoulder, and Nathan flinched defensively.

Devon’s heart panged at that.

“It’s not your fault, Nathan.” He whispered, “I believe that.”

Nathan looked away.

Devon removed his hand from Nathan’s shoulder and scanned the ground for Keira’s footprints. His panic rose as he walked back and forth, back and forth, looking, searching.

Nothing.

“Did you see where she went?”

Nathan shook his head no, “I was too far behind. I tried looking for her footprints too, but there was nothing.”

“It’s all my fault.” Nathan choked.

“No, it’s not. That’s a lie.” Devon said.

Nathan looked up, a pained expression on his face. “No, it’s true. If I had been more careful, maybe we wouldn’t have been captured by you, maybe we would have sneaked into your fortress safely.”

He looked down at his scarred hands. “Maybe I wouldn’t have lost Keira at the last moment.

“Maybe I wouldn’t have been too late.”

“You did everything you could.” Devon took a sharp breath, “The stones led you to each other. You would have had to want it to lead you, and you let it. And it led you to her.”

Devon fingered his cloak, “I was right to trust you with the other half.”

Nathan’s eyes suddenly widened, “Wait…you gave me the stone?”

Devon knitted his brows in confusion, then a pinprick of a memory reformed in his mind.

“Yes…” He said, nodding as the memory grew stronger, “I made the message that appeared whenever the stones connected. I enchanted the stone to only break the curse when the three of us said those words buried deep in our memories…”

Na thymitho lethe.

“You’re braver than anyone I know,” Devon said, his mouth suddenly dry.

Nathan smirked, “Except maybe Keira?”

Devon couldn’t help but smile.

They heard a shout.

Nathan’s eyes grew horribly wide, and Devon whirled around, trying to find the sound. “Where’s it coming from?” Devon tried to keep the panic from his voice.

Nathan started spinning as well. Devon watched as Nathan paused, closed his eyes, and listened.

Nathan opened his eyes.

“There.” As soon as he pointed to the left, he took off racing.

Devon followed.

They crashed through the thick forest floor, branches whipping past Devon’s face. The shouting had stopped, and Devon’s heart pounded in his ears.

What if they were too late?

Nathan halted at a large clearing, and Devon stopped beside him.

Devon almost threw up there and then.

“Good to see you again, Devon.”

Keira had a knife at her throat. The man strangling her was alone, but there was no doubt that he had easily overtaken her, his huge bulk nearly three times her size.

Devon noted with satisfaction that he had a few cuts along his arms and a nasty gash on his face. Keira hadn’t gone down without a fight.

Keira’s eyes were narrowed in anger as she thrashed in his grasp. When she saw Nathan, she relaxed a little bit.

Her eyes landed on Devon and narrowed again.

“Let me go!” She growled, but the man smirked and pressed the knife into her neck harder.

“York.” Devon gritted his teeth.

“Glad to see you remember my name.” He narrowed his eyes, “Oh wait, I’m not. What did you do?” The gleam in York’s eyes was growing more and more dangerous, and Devon clenched his fists.

Nathan was clenching and unclenching his fists, and Devon thrust a hand in front of him to keep him from doing anything rash.

“I’m waiting.” York sneered.

Devon stilled his breath as he tried to think. York’s evil grin as he smashed the stone flooded his thoughts for a moment, and he had to shake his head to clear his mind.

“We fixed the stone. And there’s nothing you can do about it.” Devon hesitated, watching as York contemplated the words, his knife tickling Keira’s throat.

“And where is the stone now?”

Devon frowned.

Of course, Nathan’s hand went instinctively to his chest, where he clutched the stone hidden beneath.

York dropped Keira and was by Nathan’s side in a whirl.

“This boy has it?” York shook his head, “I expected better from you.”

York took Nathan by the collar and shook him. Nathan made a choking noise.

“Get your hands off him.” Anger filled Devon’s lungs, and he spat with rage.

York put a thick hand into Nathan’s collar and ripped the stone from Nathan’s neck. Devon thrust his hands out. Surely enough of his power could thrust York away?

But nothing happened. Devon pushed at the air again.

York tsked. “Don’t you remember anything? You don’t have powers.”

York’s smirk filled Devon’s vision as he approached him, the stone glistening in his palm. Nathan was trying to sneak up on him from behind, but Devon gave a small shake of his head.

“Give the stone back, York.” Devon lowered his voice.

“And why would I do that, Devon?” He sneered, “You’re powerless. Soon, I’ll kill everything that’s left of your family and friends. A curse can’t undo that.”

“Why?” Devon clenched his fists, analyzing York’s face for the weakest spot. He decided on the temple, or the jaw.

York stepped closer, “You really don’t remember? My son, Ike, nearly died because of you.”

Devon scrunched his eyebrows as the memories came back stronger. He choked, “I tried saving him.”

Devon had been practicing his magic on the pier, where Ike was fishing nearby. An accident–Devon winced–Ike was gravely injured, and Devon had tried everything he could to save him.

“You tried, but you just made things worse.”

“There was nothing I could do!” Devon looked down at his hands, loathing the way they trembled.

He had had to take some of Ike’s memories to fully heal him, just small, insignificant ones. He shut his eyes against the look of hatred that filled York’s face when Devon had told him.

“I hate magic. It doesn’t do anything good for the world.” York stared at the stone with the purest hatred, “When you put all your magic into this thing to keep the island from outside knowledge, I couldn’t bear it. Everyone agreed to lend their happiest, deepest memories to the stone for safety.”

“How did they like it when their memories were turned off with one simple motion?” York looked about ready to throw the stone and shatter it again.

“Why?” Devon breathed.

“Why did I do it?” York gave a wry smile, “To get rid of magic once and for all.”

Devon frowned down at his hands again.

“How does it feel to be powerless? Unable to harm again?”

Before Devon could think, York had slammed a fist into his gut. Stars blinked in his vision, and he gasped for air.

York’s fist went back to strike again, and Devon slumped in submission.

Devon clenched his eyes shut against the whoosh of air as York’s fist rushed toward his chin.

Devon’s chest seemed to rip in two before York’s fist even touched him. His eyes burned, shame pulsing in every vein in his body.

A whoosh of air, larger, faster, stronger than the knuckles about to smash into his stomach.

“Let her go!” Nathan thrust his body in front of Devon’s.

Devon’s breath caught in his throat.

Nathan was holding York’s knuckles in his hands, pushing back with all his might. Nathan’s body trembled with the effort.

York frowned, his grip on Keira only tightening. Keira squirmed harder than before.

“Get out of my way, boy,” York growled dangerously, pushing his fist into Nathan’s palms even harder than before.

Tears streamed from Nathan’s eyes, “Let. Her. Go.”

Devon’s head swirled. Nathan was risking his life for him. For her.

York pushed harder. Nathan’s feet dug up dirt as he slid backward, still resisting York’s hand.

Devon wasted no time. He launched himself in between the two, dealing a heavy blow to York’s skull. York stumbled back, clutching his head. Keira dropped out of his grasp, and she launched another blow to his temple immediately.

Nathan forced York to the ground, and Devon caught him in a chokehold.

York groaned. His eyes were aflame.

“You’re not going to hurt anyone again!” Nathan kicked him in the side. He kicked him again.

Devon gave Nathan a look, and Nathan stopped.

Devon snatched the stone out of York’s palm. He looked down at York, then at the glittering stone.

Nathan was looking down at him, his eyes set and hard, his jaw trembling.

Devon held the stone up to Nathan.

Nathan paused for a moment, then, with delicate fingers, grasped the stone. He clutched it to his chest.

“You’re going to be locked away for a very long time,” Devon growled, unsuccessfully attempting to lift the half-conscious York up.

Devon decided to drag him.

He wiped the sweat from his brow. That wouldn’t work.

A rush of golden hair swept past his and grasped York’s collar with a firm grasp. Keira’s stone grey eyes met his.

She smiled, just a little bit.