Chapter 60 – Axl
Chapter
Sixty
AXL
I swear my heart feels like it’s being physically torn from my chest. The moment the chains slipped from our wrists, we ran here faster than we’ve ever moved before in our lives, ignoring the searing pain in our limbs despite knowing it wasn’t caused by the burns from the silver.
Ophelia is gone.
Yet still, we refuse to admit it. This is different from when we thought we lost the professor. More visceral in some ways, yet oddly less somehow.
I stare at her lifeless body cradled in his arms. How have I not turned to dust at her loss? This numbness must be some sort of defense mechanism. My body’s way of protecting me. My brain won’t let me feel all the pain at once because it would spell my destruction.
Malachi and Xavier are on either side of me, their shock bleeding into mine. She can’t be gone. I won’t let her go. I call out for her, and my heart cracks wide open when she doesn’t reply.
“Take me instead!” I scream into the night sky. Surely someone will hear. Someone will take pity on her. She—of all creatures—doesn’t deserve to die. “Just bring her back.” I stare at Alexandros, memories of past conversations sending sparks of hope flickering to life. “Deals can be made with Death, right? I’ve heard you say it. So make him a fucking deal, Alexandros. Bring her back to us.”
He drops his head, his shoulders slumped in defeat. I wish I could, only it was not Death who came for Ophelia, but Lucifer himself.
My blood is pounding so loudly in my ears that I’m sure I didn’t hear him right. Because the devil doesn’t fucking exist. Does he? If he does, he’d better give us our fucking girl back.
“Lucifer?” Malachi cries. “You’re telling me the fucking devil has our girl?”
“No, for if he did, I would follow her to the netherworld and take her back from him. The devil does not take pure souls; he sets them free.” The voice, so strained, doesn’t sound like it belongs to Alexandros. He tilts his face to the sky.
What the fuck is this? Is he giving up? Letting her go?
“Alexandros!” Xavier yells, letting out a mere particle of the pain we’re all feeling. “Do something!”
Alexandros returns from his trance and, gently lifting her, presses his face close to hers. My fangs ache. Maybe there’s a chance. Maybe her soul still lingers close by, waiting to be tethered back to something. Back to us.
Alexandros can bring her back. He can save her if he’d just fucking try.
He places his hand over her heart. I cannot hear it beat, but I urge him anyway. “Do it.”