Chapter Eight
Irfin remained suspended between worlds, seeing the threat against Pandimora had lessened for the moment, but in truth his first concern was locating the lost crystal. He frowned, wondering how the faerie realm had become so twisted and dangerous. In ancient times all one had to worry about were the battles and skirmishes fought in the open and with weapons he could easily disarm.
Now, Pandimora was exiled from her home and her family missing, possibly forever. He frowned. Kirklas was lost and perhaps still immortal, his soul burning bright with anger and a thirst for revenge, but as to where he might be ...
Irfin's mission to restore the lost crystal burned deeply. He could not predict the outcome for Pandimora. He knew the power Lukais held and he had no wish to go against the elder.
Pandimora could triumph and survive or just as easily be crushed and he knew if she and her siblings were crushed, the faerie realms would soon also cease to exist. The strength of their souls, Kirklas being the last in line as the lord of the faeries, could well determine the outcome for all faerie realms.
This night, Irfin turned to his earth family, watching them, his dear Mary with barely enough life force pulsing to keep her alive. He allowed time's memory to slip into the past when he first knew her. Only in the rich dreaming state could he go back to that time and interact with her as she used to be.
Regret caught Irfin by surprise. If only he had lived his long, eventful life more wisely. He thought of Drew's words that his wife merely wanted him home, not hunting for a cure. Irfin closed his eyes. He'd gone too far in this quest, there was no turning back. When they found the lost crystal, everything would change.