We Go Down Together [ ENGLISH VERSION ]

5. It'll be Okay

Jade's plans have all gone up in smoke.

Not only with Kit and her futile attempt to get away from the woman, but also with her failed attempt to cover her tracks in the forest.

Apparently the police arrived in time to prevent the cabin from burning to the ground.

And now the news that a crime has taken place inside it has reached everywhere.

The population of Tir Asleen is in a panic, it has been years since such a violent murder has taken place there.

Luckily for Jade, the police were unable to find Himani's body and nothing that could point to Jade being involved in any way.

But they did know that someone had died, and that the killer had burned down the cabin to cover their tracks.

Great idea Jade, you really are a genius.

Jade stops the car, Graydon had given her his address a few days before, but Jade had no idea that he lived so far away from the city.

It was almost a three hour drive, Jade has no idea how he and Elora kept their jobs at the institution.

She gets out of the car, Graydon and Elora's house is all made of stone, in the old style of Tir Asleen's buildings.

She goes to the entrance and knocks on the door, suddenly feeling anxious.

Elora is the one who answers the door, the woman is holding an old book in her hands and her wand in the other, the same one Willow had given her many years ago.

And she is wearing pajamas, with her red hair in a very messy bun.

- Jade - she smiles - come in, make yourself at home.

Jade follows her inside, the inside of the house is exactly what Jade expected, full of books and plants and the furniture is all old.

- Graydon is still in town - Elora says sitting on the wine-colored sofa - Would you like anything to eat?

- No thanks- Jade sits down, she watches Elora turn the pages of her book for a few minutes before turning to Jade.

- So, what do I owe your visit? - she asks.

Jade takes a deep breath.

- I wanted to apologize- she says -For having disappeared after what happened...

Elora's gaze softens and she approaches Jade.

- Hey, I know it was hard for you, you loved her so much, we all understand why you walked away, though I really wished for an explanation as the years went by - Elora laughs, she looks at Jade - Don't worry about it

Jade nods.

- But - Elora looks at her firmly - I think it's pass time for a more detailed explanation of what's going on - She says - And how is it possible that Kit is alive and walking around the institution I work in and I never found out before, or any of us, for that matter.

Jade sighs, she looks at Elora.

- Okay-  she says and looks away -I'm so used to doing this alone that it's a little hard to find an explanation now that you're with me. - She looks at Elora - Before I begin, I think you should call the others.

+++

Jade finally gets up, everyone is already in the room, Boorman, Airk, Graydon and Elora, they arrived half an hour ago, but Jade was trying to find the right words to explain everything, it was a very long story.

- Okay, where do I start... - Jade says, putting her hands behind her back - The information I gave you a few days ago is... A little too superficial, so I agreed to tell you the whole story. - She looks at Boorman - I know you have many questions and I will try to answer them all - Jade takes a deep breath - well...  I was born in Gallador, a few centuries ago, and at least forty years before Bavmorda was born, I won't exactly go into detail about my old life, but... Basically I can't die, ever, and I also don't age -Jade says quickly -But that's not the important part, the important part is when I met Kit, in her first life, Kit was a peasant girl who was engaged to a man she didn't love, I met her in a marketplace -She looks at Graydon -You can assume that we fell in love and ran away, We lived in Wildwood for a few years before we met Bavmorda, at that time, she was young, and for some reason unknown to me, she was obsessed with Kit, and tried to convince us to join the order of the Wyrm, and once we rejected her, she devoted two whole years chasing us all over the continent, she wanted Kit to join her by any means, and when she realized that she would never succeed, she . .. - Jade pauses for a long moment, the memories gushing like open wounds - She cast some kind of spell on me, but Kit stepped in to protect me... She was fatally wounded, which caused Bavmorda to panic - Jade looks down - And then she cast another spell, a curse, that Kit would return in another life, with the same face and the same name, but no memories, and this cycle would repeat itself until ... - Jade sighs and closes her eyes - Until Kit made the decision to join the Order of the Wyrm, that was... the first time I witnessed Kit die - She opens her eyes, looking directly at Elora - Years later, I was in Wildwoods when I found her, Bavmorda's curse had worked, Kit had come back in another life, with the exact same face and name, but she didn't remember me, and she didn't remember what happened, that was the day I decided I would protect her from absolutely anything, so that Bavmorda would never find her - Jade looks away, ashamed - But I failed, Bavmorda found Kit, and again she died, and then again and again, until I found her for a fourth time, in Tir Asleen, as Princess Kit Tanthalos - Jade looks at Airk - An irony that this time she would return as Bavmorda's granddaughter, isn't it? - Jade shakes her head, tears filling her eyes - And I failed to protect Kit, again.

Airk closes his eyes, his hands trembling in his lap.

- But ...- Elora says - Bavmorda died, Willow killed her.

Jade shakes her head.

- Bavmorda's body may have perished, but never her spirit, it was inside Sorcha and Kit and ... - Again her eyes turn to Airk - You, Kit and Sorcha are dead, but the spirit of Bavmorda is still alive in you, and it's only a matter of time before the Wyrm sends another of its soldiers after Kit, last time it was Crone, but this time... It could be anyone.

- Do you think she could use me to find Kit?- Airk asks slowly.

Jade takes a deep breath, exhaling heavily.

- Maybe- she says -I don't know.

- Okay but... - Graydon speaks up - If that's the case, why are we all still here?

- I don't know- Jade says sincerely -I don't understand why the Crone cursed you with eternal life, it's a stupid move, because now Kit's chances of joining the Order are even smaller.

Silence falls in the room like a veil, everyone trapped too much in their own thoughts.

Boorman frowns.

- Uh... Wait a minute, if you were born centuries ago, how is it possible that Scorpia was your sister?

Jade closes her eyes, oh that was the part she was avoiding.

- Actually... Scorpia is not my sister, I just... I let her believe I was - Jade is embarrassed - I needed a story to not look so suspicious, and I... I'm sorry

They all stare at her in shock.

- You what?- Boorman repeats.

- Oh don't worry- Jade says suddenly nervous -I already apologized to her, and she already forgave me for that, and... - she sighs - Argh, she asked me not to reveal this to anyone, but I guess it doesn't count when it's you guys... - She looks at Boorman - I sort of... I saved her from a fatal death and now she's... Is also immortal...?

- What?- Boorman exclaims, he stands up and advances against Jade, he looks deep into the young woman's eyes and says with an extremely serious tone - Take me to her, Jade.

- She hasn't been very friendly the last few years Boorman...

- Please - Boorman's voice falters, and Jade is shocked when tears fill his eyes, she's never seen him cry before - I need to see her Jade.

Jade sighs.

- Very well - Jade says and looks at the others - We can finish our conversation inside the car then