Who Is My Husband
Scene 21

Kailee looked up to Trey and Reggie. Her attention rested on Reggie with a small frown. “Are you okay? What happened to that thing?”

Reggie grinned. “Awe, look she is worried about me. Don’t worry little rabbit. The puny orc has been vanquished and I never broke a sweat.”

Trey walked up to Kailee and put his arms around her. “Tell me what is going on?”

Kailee leaned into him with a frown. “I feel like I don’t know anything. I saw some weird looking shadow creature. I guess my uncle is trying to revive it with something called sivium.” She felt Trey’s muscles tighten around her. “He is mining it off the land. I guess that must be what he traded me for then.” She looked up to see Trey and Reggie staring at one another. They seemed to be communicating. She could see Reggie’s arm’s flex as he squeezed his hand into a fist.

Trey sighed heavily. “So that is what all of this has been about… we were right.”

“Care to enlighten me?” Kailee asked quietly.

“That is a creature that can’t come back into existence. That is all.” Reggie said icily.

“You know what the creature is?” Kailee asked and snuggled deeper into Trey’s arms. She could feel his body was tense. And oddly enough, even though she should be the one needing comfort, she was trying to make him feel better. She was more focused on him.

“Yes. We know what the creature is… but I don’t understand why he showed himself to you….” Reggie said quietly as he studied Kailee.

Kailee shifted uncomfortably and bit her inner l*p. “Is there something wrong with me?” Her big brown doe eyes glance from Reggie and then up to the man in the mask. Was there something about her that made him show himself to her?

“It is probably because of her magic in this realm.” Trey sighed and rubbed his hand on Kailee. “Maybe I should take you away from here.”

“What do you mean?” Kailee stayed snuggled in Trey’s side as she furrowed her brows up at him.

“This part of the land doesn’t have magical creatures living here for a reason. That creature… is called Bane. His sealed tomb is in this area. Because of that most who are not normal humans do not live here. Bane is a creature that will try to claim the power of others and then get stronger from it. It might not be safe for you to remain here.” Trey sighed.

“Are you talking about coming with me or just sending me away?” She felt her chest knot up as a small lump began to form in her throat.

“I have business here. I can’t leave.” Trey said quietly.

“Well Sparks told me to stay with you because I would be safe, so I am not going anywhere.” Kailee said defiantly. She didn’t want to leave. Not when she was feeling so connected to Trey.

Behind his mask Trey smiled. “I’m glad that you don’t want to leave me. I also don’t want you to be away from my side. We will just have to wait and see. If Bane gets awakened though I am sending you far away from here.”

Kailee kept quiet. She wasn’t going to mention the part where Bane had said this time she won’t be able to stop him. It was weird. She stopped him before? When? Or was it just a general thing? Because he was stopped before. In either case, she was going to just keep that bit to herself for now. She needed more information about this Bane.

“How was Bane stopped before?” Kailee asked and watched as the two men exchanged looks with each other.

“By a force that no longer exists in this world.” Trey said solemnly.

“So, if he is freed, is there nothing that can be done?” Kailee turned around so that she was now facing Trey. His eyes looked a bit worried as he smoothed his hand through her hair.

“We would fight him off. If Bane returns… he will be met with resistance.” Trey ran his fingers through her caramel strands. “Don’t worry. I’ll always keep you safe.”

“Our best bet is to stop him from coming back. We need to replace those mines.” Reggie growled lowly.

Kailee sighed as her lips curled down. “This is my fault. You shouldn’t have traded your lands for me. Then he wouldn’t have what he needed.”

Trey’s strong hand landed on her shoulder, and he gripped it tightly. “This isn’t your fault. At all. This would have happened anyways. Your uncle would have found a way to get what he needed. Those mines must have been well hidden. I’ve been all over my lands and never saw anything. In either case, I still would have traded for you.”

Kailee looked out the window. “He probably killed my parents… and for this very reason. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t behind your father’s death as well.”

“He is behind it all.” Reggie said with a low snarl. “It just never made sense until now. He was searching for something and was trying to go unnoticed. He made a mistake though because he was not able to kill the son of Clover estates.” He lifted his eyes to Trey. “The boy lived. And because of that we were able to focus our attention on Fredrick.”

“Even though we were suspicious of his intentions we are still trying to piece everything together. The why’s…” Trey said quietly.

Kailee quietly looked between the two men. “Why didn’t he kill me as well? Why would my uncle want to bring back Bane? What is in it for him? This doesn’t make sense… Who is he really?”

“He isn’t a normal person. I can tell you that much.” Trey said quietly. “But I don’t know exactly what it is he wants or what he would be gaining. And I don’t think he is working alone. Which is why we are still stuck. We need to figure out everyone who is involved. Stopping your uncle means nothing when there is someone else to take his place.”

“Is this what you are doing? Is this the reason for the mask?” Kailee looked at Trey curiously. He stared at her behind his mask quietly. “Well, if that is the case then why couldn’t you tell me that? You think my alliance runs with him…” Kailee’s eyes widened, and she looked over to Reggie. “You don’t trust me because of my uncle… do you?”

“It isn’t quite that. But he is your uncle and…” Trey’s voice was gentle, but he could feel Kailee step away from him abruptly.

She laughed quietly with bitterness. “I’m supposed to trust you. But you guys don’t trust me.”

“Now wait it isn’t like that.” Trey said again this time more forcefully. That wasn’t what he was saying at all.

“Enlighten me then.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared back at Trey.

Trey sighed. “There is a lot going on. And we honestly don’t know how deep it goes and who all is involved. It isn’t that I don’t trust you Kailee. I do. I just didn’t want to cause you pain. I know that he is still your family even though he didn’t treat you kindly. I just didn’t want to involve you with something like this.”

“Something like what?” She said, still pinning her gaze on him.

“Something like killing your uncle.” Reggie said as he stared back at Kailee.

She turned her head and looked at Reggie. “You are planning to kill him? And you think this might cause me pain? My uncle is probably the reason my parents are no longer with me. The reason why my aunt is also gone. I don’t have any feelings for that man. His death would not even make me shed a tear.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Reggie said with a small smile. “We would have hated to cause you any more pain. We know he is the last family you have left. However, even what must be done can’t be avoided regardless if it would hurt you or not.”

“I didn’t want you to have to bear that type of knowledge, Kailee. I do trust you completely. I told you that already. If you insisted, I would take the mask off too. I’m just trying to keep you safe. And to not get discovered yet. And accidents happen. I don’t want you to see something one day and come running to me. If you know my face… It is even hard for Lance and Grum. I don’t want that burden on you as well.” Trey looked at her. Her hands had dropped back to her side and her brown eyes were capturing his eyes. “My mask is just another level of safety.”

She searched through her feelings and there was nothing there when it came to her uncle. It was as if he was an existence with no value to her. That was odd to her. She had lived with him but did not have any feelings for him… except dislike. She felt like she had been guarding herself against him. She had always been guarding herself after her parents died. But for some reason her walls were being shattered by her husband. Even now, looking at his eyes she felt like she was being pulled in. As if she was attached to an end of a string that was constantly being reeled into him.

She was certain that he was not a normal human. So, what was he? Maybe he had put a spell on her which was making her desire him? Her weird pains never happened until she married him. Of course, it did all happen around her birthday so that could have been the real reason. But the more she thought about it, there was something unnatural about the way she was feeling for Trey.

She looked away from him and studied Reggie. Both men were watching her intently as she had not spoken yet. She was comfortable and felt safe with Reggie, but it wasn’t like how she felt with Trey. Even on her wedding night she easily gave herself over to him. She had convinced herself it was because it was her duty, but the truth is she had wanted him. And she was certain her attachment was because he was the man who took her virginity. But these were things she was telling herself to try to make sense of what wasn’t making sense.

The feeling inside of her had only continued to grow. It was creeping over her entire body where now she recognized him. She could recognize his scent. Scent. Her eyes locked onto Reggie as she took a curious step over towards him. She wondered… did they all have a scent? Maybe it wasn’t something that was just special to Trey but to whatever they all were.