I wanted to run after Alexei.
To chase him down.
Make him listen.
But I struggled with my own sorrow, too deep to be buried with a shake of my head. No, it crawled inside my chest, making me choke on every breath I took. Just as I decided to lay on the bed to pretend I wasn't grieving, I paused, alarmed to find pain everywhere in my body.
Whimpering, I took one step only to fall on the floor with a crash.
"5132!"
My scream didn't take long to reach the younger one as not a second longer, she was rushing through the door with a panicked look on her face. "God! What happened!?"
"I can't..." My voice broke. "Pain, I can't breathe!"
"Hold on, just hold on to me, ok?" She pulled me up, grabbing the wall to keep her balance. As soon as my head touched the pillow, she was asking for help.
"Allegra! Come here, quickly!"
Surprisingly, it took Allegra noticeably more time than 5132 to creep inside the room. I was just ready to tear my own skin off when I felt the presence of the Volkios. Even then, my vision blurred, past memories replacing the reality of my present.
"Gema, you don't look good. What happened?"
Gema looked up at me, her eyes filled with pure fear. "I tried everything I could. Yet they are going along with it."
My breath hitched. Gema didn't have to elaborate to let me know what it really meant. I was doomed. "W-We knew it was a long due. Hey, you did try and that's what matters."
"No, it doesn't!" Gema shook her head in despair. "Nothing about it is right! I don't believe it, it's just a silly prophesy. They are going to outright kill you. Why can't you see that? We need to fight, if we send letters to the Coven, they can help us!"
"A silly prophesy which I've been hearing about my whole life. The clan would never let us speak to the Coven." I scoffed, barely holding my tears at bay.
"Emie, open your eyes!" I felt someone tap my cheeks, forcing me to acknowledge where I was. Pain still very much apparent in my body, I was surprised to see now both Allegra and Mikhail along with 5132 hovering over me with concern.
"What is he-"
5132 looked at me then, like she was the one in pain. "You passed out, Emie. Why do you love scaring us? After what happened, I can't bear any more loss. Definitely not you."
"It's not her fault, 5132." Mikhail came to my defense. "Besides, Lex has been in the same position. Must be the bond that's making her sick."
What?
My eyes widened. "What do you mean by Lex has been in the same position? Where is he!?"
Ignoring my misery, I tried to stand up but Allegra stopped me. "As long as I don't know what's wrong with you, I can't allow you to leave."
"It's Lex."
"I know. It's exactly why I don't think it's a good idea for you to meet him. He's acting a bit...strange." From her tone, it seemed like he wasn't acting strange, he just needed me beside him. Despite the warning, I wanted to run back to him. But the thought didn't linger too long before I was collapsing again.
"I want to talk to the Coven."
"You want to do what now?" The High Priest laughed, the other members in the meeting joining him. "I think my old age caught up to me. Say what you just said again, child."
Gritting my teeth, I curled my fists. By God, if only he wasn't a priest... "I want to plead for my life and if I don't find justice here, I will go to the higher-ups, namely the Coven."
Before the Priest could say anything, my step-father cut in. "Careful, Emeline. This meeting was not held for you to share any silly ideas. We are trying to find a date close to your birthday. Let the Priest do his job."
"It's alright, she's young." The Priest smiled but I could find no warmth in that show of emotion, only terror. "We don't want to scold our pure soul, she's the only one to help us in this time."
Pure soul?
"What if you're wrong?" I snapped. "What if this Darkness doesn't even exist and he's just a myth. What happens to me then?"
"I agree with her." Only one person raised their hand, sharing the same anger I was trying hard to hide. "This is the twenty-first century. We should evolve with the humans, not think as our ancestors did centuries ago."
"Coen, my child, you don't understand-"
"I don't have to." Coen's shoulder tensed. "There's been too many things that we should change in our clan. Why don't we start with ditching this prophesy crap?"
I wanted to hug him so badly but my step-father wasn't one to be shoved down. His nostril flared as he stood up. "I said, enough! Priest, I say we sacrifice her on the day of her birthday. It's a full moon and we will have the moon's blessing."
"Father, no!"
My eyes opened abruptly, making me gasp. What I imagined to be still near my sister and friends, to my surprise, it was Lex who was sitting beside me. He looked no worse than I did but at least the pain seemed to be gone for the time being.
"What? Where are they?"
"Allegra is busy burying the bodies of her Coven members and Lana went to look for Jonathan after Allegra went off of her. They had a pretty nasty argument but she will get over it."
Shit.
"When did you-"
"Three days. It's been three days since you've been unconscious." He sounded angry where I couldn't stop freaking out. It only seemed like a minute to me. How could it have been that long?
"It didn't feel that long. What happened to you?"
"You tell me first." His hands raised to touch me but in the end, he changed his mind, deciding to ignore my question filled gaze. "I woke up only to feel our connection almost severed. I thought I was finally put to rest."
It took everything in me to not slap him. He was doing that on purpose, baiting me. Making me feel guilty? No, he wouldn't dare. Not after everything.
"I was actually dreaming. No, not dreaming. I was having flashbacks of the time I was supposed to be sacrificed." My body shuddered just by saying the words. "I think that's my way of grieving. Maybe I didn't want the present to remember."
He should look insulted, not slightly terrified. So, when he finally grasped my hands, it was anything but gentle. "Answer me one thing, Emie, are you hungry?"
I stiffened, not because of the question. Because of the reality crashing down. After going through hell, literally, I should have been hungry for souls, my body should demand it normally. But now I felt nothing but a dull ache where my heart was supposed to be.
"Little soul?"
"I-I am not." We both shared the fear and he jerked away from me. "How is that possible? Lex?"
In my panic, I didn't notice it before but now? I could certainly tell why Allegra mentioned there was something strange about him. His dark eyes looked more like greenish and where he should have been healed by now, he looked more sickened. And, so angry.
"You don't look good. Your shadows...they didn't heal you? What about Allegra? You should let her help you."
Like I never even spoke, Lex started laughing. "I think something is wrong here, I have been reliving the same memories right before I was buried. It's starting to haunt me and my shadows? They never returned. Not even when I begged them to."
Shocked, I inched closer to him but he flinched, halting my advance. "I-I think it's best if I stay away for a while."
"What are you saying?"
He looked guilty but determination won over. "I was frustrated and so freaking angry, I didn't realize I've hurt Zach until he had to go to the healers. I am not going to risk hurting you too."
"No, stay." He had to listen to me, wasn't he? So, why was he backing up like he wanted to leave?
"I can't. Not until I figure out something."
With that, he left before I could beg for more. But at the back of my mind, the same fear intensified, making me stricken to the core.
Something was changing.
For good or bad.