Chapter 34: Saying Goodbye

Adelie

“You’re an Angel of Death, just like your father. That’s why you can manipulate nature the way you do. You’re still a nymph, and always will be, just as you’re a werewolf.

“The souls you saw were lost. They chose you, stayed with you, so you could bring them peace and guide them to Death, who would place them where they belong. They wander this earth aimlessly, burdened with the sorrows of their past lives.”

That’s what Jasmin told me. Despite her betrayal, Jasmin has always been honest about who I am. Could this be a good thing? These souls chose me, they’re with me. Could this darkness within me be a blessing?

What if I could use them to my advantage? The box was in my grasp. I glanced at the security screen displaying the ongoing fight, our wolves were badly injured. Then I looked at Jasmin, lying in a pool of her own blood. She was watching me, but didn’t attempt to speak. I could still save her.

I had to act quickly. I closed my eyes and focused on the box. Suddenly, the box appeared in my vision, floating. I felt capable of opening it. It seemed so simple now.

I could open it without exerting any energy. But I didn’t. If my next move failed, I might kill everyone here. Oddly enough, I’d rather do that than let Aldred merge with the Angel of Death.

I snapped out of my vision but kept my eyes closed. If Kairos could send me a mind link, maybe I could do the same. I reached out to my wolf, Madeline, and thought of Kairos. ‘I’m so sorry if this doesn’t work. I love you.’ I sent him a mind link and knew it worked when Kairos responded.

‘I love you.’ He didn’t question me, he just said what I needed to hear.

I struggled to concentrate on my task, but I forced myself to do it. I focused on my dominant side and thought about the lost souls with me. Suddenly, hundreds of voices filled my mind and I saw silhouettes of hundreds of people running around.

‘Help me!’ I called out. They fell silent immediately. I didn’t need to tell them what to do, they were in my mind and knew what I wanted.

I opened my eyes but kept the lost souls close. I looked at Aldred, who was staring at me in shock. “Didn’t it work?” he asked, sounding disappointed.

“I need to merge you with it. Either way, it will escape. I’ll open it when you’re ready.” I lied to him.

Aldred didn’t hesitate and began to prepare. He pulled a potion from his cabinet and drank it down to the last drop. Then he held a sharp, pitch-black blade in his hand.

He unbuttoned his shirt and cut an open wound over his heart. Bold of him to assume he even has a heart.

“Go,” he said, closing his eyes and chanting some spell.

If this doesn’t work... I’m sorry, for the love of everything I hold dear.

I thought about my darkness, about everything that I am. I felt something radiating around me. I opened my eyes and saw black smoke swirling around me.

Electricity radiated from my palms. I reached out to Aldred and transferred the lost souls into him. I no longer felt them within me. But Aldred did.

He writhed on the floor, screaming in agony. I tossed the box aside and ran to Aldred. I picked up the blade he used to cut himself. Without hesitation, I plunged the blade into his stomach, enough to kill him, but to keep him alive for a while. He screamed and cried in pain.

“Give me the code,” I demanded.

“Just kill me already,” he managed to say through his screams and cries.

“Give me the code or I’ll make you suffer this pain for all eternity,” I threatened, anger seeping into my voice.

“No! Please, no!” He begged, clutching my hand in terror.

“Enter the code! Now!” I demanded again.

“50403, then hit the symbol key, then 110420,” he managed to choke out, blood bubbling from his lips.

I sprinted to the keypad, punching in the numbers. A beep echoed through the room as the door locked, trapping the rogues on the other side. Suddenly, the lights flickered out and a massive fireball erupted. I glanced back at the fight, fire spreading in every direction. The ground beneath me trembled. I had to escape.

I rushed back to Aldred. “Why would you do that!” I yelled, but I didn’t hesitate to place my hand on him, absorbing the lost souls. His screams gradually faded until he was left lying there, helpless and bleeding out. “Why did you need all of this?” I asked him.

He coughed, more blood staining his lips. “How do you think I felt being the only one in my family without wizard powers?” A tear slipped from his eye as he smiled weakly.

“I could finally be someone,” he whispered, his gaze locking onto mine. His stare lingered, then faded. I gently closed his eyes. “Rest in peace,” I murmured, then turned to Jasmin. She was watching everything, a blade clutched in her hand.

I knelt beside her. “Let me help you,” I offered, reaching out to heal her, but she stopped me.

“Don’t,” she insisted. “I’m so sorry, Adelie,” she sobbed.

Tears welled in my own eyes. “I don’t want you to die.”

I tried to reason with her, tried to reach her again, but she stopped me.

“If you keep me alive, you’ll never see your father again. I made an unbreakable deal with the devil. Death will only return to earth over my dead body,” she confessed. “I’ve lived a long life, seen two human world wars. I can’t live through another war. It’s too much.”

“Jasmin!” I cried, desperate for her to live. “Please stay!” I begged, my voice choked with tears.

She shook her head. “I’ve only loved once in my life. He was my everything—my sun, my moon, my world. My heart only has room for him. Aldred promised he could bring my love back. I would have destroyed so much more for him.”

My heart ached at the thought of how much Kairos meant to me. “I’m so sorry you got caught up in this, Adelie,” she said, smiling at me through her tears and blood.

“I don’t know what comes after death, but I hope you meet him there,” I told her.

Jasmin gave me the sweetest smile I’d ever seen. “Me too.”

She closed her eyes, then spoke. “Love is such a beautiful tragedy. No matter how innocent it seems, it can destroy anything. I know that you and Kairos would do anything for each other. Hold onto that love.”

She opened her eyes again, staring into the distance as a single tear trickled down her cheek. “I’ve always envied werewolves and their mates. You live to find your mate, and there’s no love like that. You know he’s the one the moment you see him, and suddenly everything in life starts to make sense. You can feel his pain, you become one with him. I’m so jealous that werewolves have that,” she confessed, then plunged the blade into her stomach. “Take the book from the drawer in his desk,” she instructed, then slipped into an eternal sleep.

“No...” I sobbed beside her, but I had to leave. I stood, grabbing the cursed book. My vision blurred with tears as I stumbled out of the room and down the stairs. Fire surrounded me, but everyone seemed to be outside. That was good.

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my chest, so intense it stole my breath. I heard someone calling my name. It was someone from my pack, but the pain was too overwhelming to recognize who. He scooped me up, carrying me outside as I clutched the book, using the pain to keep me conscious.

The sensation of being lowered to the ground was oddly comforting. It was as if the earth's energy was seeping into me, quenching my thirst like a refreshing glass of water on a sweltering summer day.

But the pain was still there, gnawing at me. My eyes scanned the area and landed on Kairos. He was sprawled out, unmoving, his eyes shut tight. The sight of him intensified my pain. I dragged myself towards him, not even bothering to stand. “Kairos! KAIROS!” I cried out. He was just lying there, so still. His body was marred with wounds, and I could smell the distinct scent of silver. He had been attacked with silver, I was certain of it.

“I’ll heal you,” I muttered to myself, panic creeping into my voice. “I’ll take away the pain,” I promised, placing my trembling hands on him. I tried to draw his pain into myself, but it was futile. “No! Come on!” I yelled in frustration.

I attempted again, but it was as if my healing touch was being rejected. That couldn’t be right. My healing always worked. The only time it didn’t was when...when the person was...dead.

“No! No! No!” I chanted, refusing to accept the possibility. I reached out to touch Kairos’ face. “Please wake up...please,” I begged.