Kane’s Wish

This is the 15th Chapter of “The House in The Lake”.

You can find the complete list of chapters here.

This is the last chapter of the main story of “The House in The Lake”, but “The Demon of the Three Rivers” completes the book. The first chapter is already on WordPress. Soon on Wattpad, too.

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After then, things were brilliant. The clouds from my mind and heart had dispersed and I could focus on loving him and keep on showing him every single moment that I do love him.

I believe Lugh has understood that something has changed. I don’t think, though, he has realised why. I wish I could say that it was my love and trust that actually convinced me of his innocence, but you and I know very well that this isn’t the truth. If his tongue hadn’t slipped, I would probably have continued being uncertain as to whether he is a demon or a god, so to speak.

I should have known, though. I should have known from the first moment I looked into his eyes. How could these eyes belong to a merciless, cold murderer? So, yes, now that I know better, I’m ashamed I didn’t know from the start.

But don’t get me wrong. The love I’ve been giving him is the real thing. Imperfect? Well, yes. I admit it. Then again, I’m an imperfect human. Nevertheless, it is real. And I’m glad I had already started giving this love to him before I found out he is indeed innocent.

As for Lugh? I’m sure he knows I’m not going to kill him, although he hasn’t said so. I would say he doesn’t seem to worry about it, but he hadn’t shown any concern about it even when I was certain I would kill him. And he still takes good care of me, in every possible way.

I can see he is happier, but this is probably because I tell him I love him all the time, and show him I mean it, and try to take the best care of him I can. Well… How do you take good care of a god who can do anything just by willing it?

Exactly! There isn’t much to do. So, what I mostly do is hugging him, and kissing him, and caressing him and making love with him. He seems pleased, and I’m happy for that. I am! But I would love to do more for him.

Once, I thought I would try to wake up before him and prepare his breakfast. Silly, right? In more ways than you think, in fact. I mean, for one, he doesn’t eat breakfast, or anything. Then, I haven’t seen a refrigerator, a cupboard, or anything where food and dishes would be found. And finally, waking up before him is impossible! I really think he doesn’t sleep the way we, humans, do.

So, yes, there isn’t much for me to do for him other than showing my love to him, in every possible way. Which isn’t something to be disregarded, probably. I mean, were he the one in my place, I would be more than happy receiving his love. But he deserves so much more.

Other than this, everything has been perfect. Until last night. I was in his hug, after we had made love, and I was almost asleep, when I felt a pain in my chest. The month has passed. And this thought scared me. A lot!

So, now, I’m clinging onto him, pretending I haven’t woken up yet, although I’m sure he knows very well I have, terrified to open my eyes. Is this our end?

And he, in return, hugs me warmly and kisses me softly, without saying anything. Without implying anyhow that he knows what I know he does. Usually, he says, “Good morning”, or something, the moment I wake up. And then, he smiles at me brightly, looking at me admiringly, while I open my eyes. And I don’t really know what he admires when he sees me in my worst possible condition.

But today, he is silent.

In fact, it’s this unusual silence of his that finally made me open my eyes, to look into his. He smiles at me right away and softly says, “Good morning, my love”, but something is different.

He doesn’t shine. Not at all. It’s like the dark winter clouds have covered my Sun, and it’s dusky, although it’s late in the morning. The actual sun shining in the room through the window doesn’t help at all. It’s like a candle’s flame fighting against the gloominess of a rainy day.

I raise my lips to find his in a kiss. I want to make him brilliant again, but I don’t feel confident I can do that. After all, how can the moon illuminate the sun?

So, in this not so pleasant atmosphere, we hug and kiss for a while, and, then, as usual, we go to the porch for me to have my breakfast, which is already there, waiting for me.

He lies in my lap, looking at me, adoringly, smilingly, but still not brightly. And as for me? I can’t find a word to say. Were I to sense any hint of fear in his eyes, that maybe he was afraid of me killing him, I would reassure him right away that this wouldn’t happen. But I feel nothing of the kind. He is sad. Not scared. Just sad. So, he is the one who breaks the silence, after I finished my coffee.

“Thank you, Kane! Thank you for all your time you shared with me. Thank you for the wonderful month you gave me. So, tell me Kane, what’s your wish? Do you want me to tell you what happened five thousand years ago, or do you want me to die?”

I would have thanked him for everything he had done for me all this time. I would have thanked him for loving me, instead of hating me, despite everything I had done and said to him all these years. I would have told him that I’m the one who should offer thanks for everything and not him. But! The way he phrased his question, I swear to Gods, I could tell he is hoping I’m going to kill him!

“There is no fucking way I’m going to kill you, Lugh! No way, at all! I love you!”

He smiles, and for the first time today, I can see a ray of light.

“I love you, too, Kane. So, then, I guess I should tell you the story?”

“I so much want to know what really happened, and I so much want to see what is in your box, but I have just one wish, so… if it’s alright with you, if I even have the right to ask for that, then I wish, God of the Lake, I wish I’ll stay by your side for ever.”

“What?”

I needed to shut my eyes, tightly, for he beamed blindingly. And before I could open them again, I somehow was sitting in his hug, him sitting on the couch, looking at me, bright like the sun, smiling at me happily.

“Are you sure?” he asked the moment I managed to look at him again. “Think carefully, Kane. I have taken an oath. I’ll make your wish come true, whether you like it or not. So, think carefully about what you are asking for. Think carefully, and then state your wish.”

I had had some scruples before seeing his reaction, to be honest. What if my egotistic wish were to become a burden to him? But the way he acts now, the way he smiles and shines, I have no doubt at all. He is happy!

“I wish I’ll be by your side for ever!”

And he kisses me, more passionately than he had ever before kissed me.

“Thank you, Kane! Thank you!” And he kisses me again.

And I’m in heaven! Is he the one who should be giving the thanks? I assure you: No!

And when his enthusiasm calms a little, but his brightness not at all – thank Gods! – while holding me warmly, and looking into my eyes so happily, he says something I wasn’t expecting.

“You, mortals, say ‘forever’ and you mean for a short while. Until you die, that is. But we, immortals, when we say ‘forever’, we mean forever. So, Kane, now you’ll be by my side forever. This can’t be undone. It’s beyond my power to turn you to an immortal, so, if your ‘forever’ is meant in the way of the mortals, I’ll die when you’ll die. But, I can also ask my grandfather to turn you to an immortal. But then, you’ll have to stay with me forever, the way we mean it.”

Holy shit!

“I don’t want you to die, Lugh. Ever! I want you to be forever happy. I can be by your side forever as your servant, or… well… you can turn me into a stone and keep me in your room, if you get bored of me, but please don’t die!”

And he laughs, and he squeezes me against him, and he kisses me, and he laughs again!

“There is no way I’ll ever get bored of you, Kane! I’ve been waiting for you for so very long, and when you came to me, you were more perfect than I had ever imagined!”

And then we went to my room, and made love. And then again. And then again. And somehow like that, the morning became evening. And we were, still, on the bed, in each other’s hug.

And that’s when I asked something that had been bugging me for so long, but not all this time we had been making love.

“Lugh? Will you ever tell me what is in your box? You don’t have to. I simply ask.”

He smiles softly and caresses my face with the back of his fingers.

“It’s my most valuable possession and my source of joy. Well, it has been, until you came here. And it belongs to you as much as it belongs to me, Kane. So, if you want to look in the box, be my guest. I’m yours, forever, now! So, my belongings are yours as well.”

I would have asked if he really meant what he said, but the way he said it? I couldn’t doubt it. So, I went to get the box, and returned to the bed, and sat on top of him.

I looked into his eyes, and he nodded, “Yes”. So, I opened the box. I saw a bunch of papers. I looked back at him.

“Read them.”

And I started reading them, and got red all over with shame. They were placed in reverse chronological order, with the older ones at the bottom. And when I reached the end, something felt like it was exploding in my mind.

How could I have ever forgotten this?

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So, that’s it! Hope you’ve enjoyed it. Thank you for the support, too!

If all goes well, “The Demon of the Three Rivers” will have regular updates without huge breaks in between. Fingers crossed!