Chapter 26 #2
He stills with a pained gasp, realizing Pesh has struck the dagger right into his stomach. “No—” he cries out, eyes widening to see his blood spilling across the stone cold floor. He grips his stomach as his body crashes to the ground like a meteorite to the earth.
And as he roars, Pesh’s eyes dim.
The sun fades. The moon vanishes. And Pesh faints.
My veins erupt in shock as everything in me rages.
No! Pesh! No! A guttural scream rips from my throat as Pesh lies unconscious on the cold, dark floor.
My eyes fly to see Shay is distracted, glaring at Londe in shock.
I use the opportunity to strike the idiot in the groin. And just as he loses control, I wrench the sword from his hands, hurling a dark wooden table to block his path. In his stagger, he reaches for the sword, so I let go, launching it to strike his blasted palms.
He jerks back with a screeching hiss, giving me the space to escape. In that instant, I sprint, my heart in my throat, my lungs burning, my soul panting.
“Peshhh!” I exclaim, sprinting toward him.
I fall to the ground, holding onto Pesh’s unconscious body. Please, please, please…
Terrified and unsure of what to do, I pull him away from Patron De Londe, who is yowling in pain, struggling to move.
“No, no, no, no, no!” I wail in uncontrollable grief, screaming, “Don’t go, please don’t go!” I beg, overwhelmed with sadness.
Sobbing overtakes me as I hold my Pesh, hoping he wakes up for me. But… he does not. My heart is grief-stricken, and I feel like I have been torn in two.
The world around me blurs as Shay runs to help Beatrice, who is struggling under the chandelier lights. I look down at Pesh and up to Shay, who is now pre-occupied with Beatrice.
This is it. Our opportunity to escape!
I hook my arms under Pesh and pull. Nothing. Crap!
I strain to lift him, but he collapses back to the ground.
I try again with everything in me. My muscles shake, burning, tearing. I can do this!
Just as I do, all three of them stand up—Beatrice, Shay, now Brik— their shadows waltzing toward us.
Crap! I’m running out of seconds.
My breath fractures as I try to haul him by the shoulders, nails scraping the floor—But I can’t.
I grunt, dragging him across the floor, arms shaking, lungs burning.
I hope I’m not making him worse.
I hope he’s still alive.
Oh God!
I need help!
Where do I go?
What do I do?
Who’s gonna help me around here?
I’m so sorry, Pesh.
My eyes shoot back to see them coming, anger burning through their eyes.
If I run, I might narrowly escape. But. I can’t run with Pesh.
I can barely carry the sheer weight of his muscles, let alone his body.
My arms scream as I drag him an inch, but they are almost here.
Urgh! Their footsteps pound closer. Crap, crap, crap!
I can’t take all three of them. And worse, Pesh doesn’t have the time!
I need help! Just as my mind panics, my gaze swings to the exit to see someone storm inside like a shadow.
Who’s that? I hold my breath, my heart threatening to leap out of my chest. And like a gust of wind, that shadow seems to disappear.
And another appears, now walking in. It’s Doctor Val. Oh, thank God.
“Doctor Val!” Shay jolts up in surprise, panicked eyes merging with her.
“Shay.” She eyes his sword. “I’m not here to fight you,” she asserts in an authoritative tone. “How about you focus on saving your people. And I’ll focus on saving mine.”
Shay looks at Londe on the floor, who is panting and struggling to stand with the dagger in his stomach. How on earth?
“Shay, help me.” Patron De Londe gasps for air.
“Truce, for now, so I can help him.” Shay pivots from Doctor Val and, with a bruised Beatrice beside him, rushes to help De Londe.
Doctor Val helps me carry Pesh down the elevator. And before long, we are in her car.
“Where are we going?” I ask, gripping onto Pesh’s limp body.
“My lab in The Commons.”
I watch as she frantically dials her lab assistants. “Who called for you?”
“Patron Lenon,” she responds, speeding off.
Lenon? What on earth…
Doctor Val’s assistants rush out of the Communique, intercepting the vehicle with an advanced gurney.
“Careful,” Doctor Val instructs.
Together, we lower Pesh onto it, quickly transferring him inside the lab, my pulse erratic.
“Can he be helped?” I ask just as we lay him on the bed.
“Oh God!” Doctor Val exclaims, checking for a pulse. “The blue venom kills in 45 minutes.”
“It’s been about 40. Is there an antidote?” I ask, worried.
“There’s none. I’d have to make one.” She rushes to the corner, grabbing some test tubes.
Terrified, I watch as she pours green fluid into a test tube, along with an orange and yellow bubbling substance. She shakes it.
“This has never been done before. That was a new experimental drug, meant to kill within minutes.”
“Please, try!” I plead.
“Just keep the cold compress on his head,” she cautions.
I nod, holding it steadily on his head. My tears drop on his face, and I wipe them clean, sniffling, trying to be strong, to be hopeful, to have faith.
But he is on the verge of death.
Pesh couldn’t die. Could he?
Doctor Val holds up a syringe with a pink substance, and time seems to stand still. My breath is caught in my throat. Every fiber of my being is consumed by fear as I hold onto Pesh with my all.
“Please, hurry. I can’t feel a pulse,” I sob as warmth slips away from his palms and coldness breaks into my heart—the same coldness I felt the day Levon left me. Now Pesh is leaving, sending haunting chills through me. Pesh, please… please don’t die.
“If I strike this through him and the pink flows through his body like the blue did, he has a chance. If it does not, then he really is dead.” Her voice cracks as she lowers the needle, striking it to his neck.
I watch, my soul trembling.
And to my utter horror, Pesh gets more pale.
I am stricken with fear. I hold his hands tightly, as though his life depends on it, hoping... He still has no reaction. God, please!
I never thought of what it would feel like to watch someone I love die before my eyes.
I have never felt this amount of excruciating soreness in my heart, like with each stab he feels in his physical body, I feel a piece of my heart ripped off.
I and Pesh—we had forever. We were supposed to live forever… we were…
“Sometimes this world is too wicked for a Commoner to live in. I can’t change his fate.”
“No, Pesh. You can’t die. Please! We had forever, you promised! You promised 300 years. Please… please, don’t leave me, don’t leave me! I love you. I love you. We just met… we just… you’re so young… you’re so…”
My Pesh. He did nothing to this wicked, wicked world but be born into the hands of a deadly man such as Londe. My face rests on him, sobbing, as Doctor Val looks down, sober.
I remember the first time he said hi to me with his powerful, piercing gaze and his obnoxiously commanding presence.
I remember the first time I challenged him and locked eyes with him.
I remember the first time he kissed me and his breath touched my lips.
I remember the first time he told me he loved me and his soul crossed my heart.
I remember his gentleness was golden, it was never lacking.
His confidence was unshaken, it was never failing.
His generosity was grand, it was always sacrificial.
His kindness was constant, it was always present for me and for the entire world.
He was an ambassador of love in a corrupt system.
He was one who conformed only to help those less privileged than himself.
He was a consul of sacrifice, one who would give his entire life for his friends.
Greater love had no man than this than one who lays down his life for his friend.
Pesh’s soul was the greatest one of all. And… now… he was gone…
What kind of world did I live in?
I can’t breathe.
My heart. My chest. I feel like it is choking me.
I feel like I can’t contain this pain. My heart is suffocating itself.
I’m whispering his name, crying. “We had 300 years… we had 300 years…”
Then, like a dream from heaven, or like a voice in the clouds, like a susurration of every hope culminating in one tiny sound, a voice whispers.
“300 years and a day. We’ll live forever even after death, into eternity.”
It is Pesh. Oh my God!
I rise in shock, watching as the pink drug flows through his body. He shudders, a deep screech ripping from his throat as it flows through his veins.
Doctor Val rushes to hold him. “Oh my! My world. Take deep breaths, deep breaths,” she exclaims, stopping him from moving.
I hold his hands tightly as he fights the pain, trying to be still. Then suddenly, he exhales a huge sigh of relief. After a few seconds, Doctor Val lets go of him.
I turn to him and notice a smile in his eyes. “You came back!” I say as tears stream down my eyes.
“I’d never leave you. I only went to protect you. I didn’t realize you’d come for me,” he says.
“Why would I not do that? I love you. If you go, I’m going. If you stay, I’m staying. I’d never leave you. Because I plan on knowing you for a very long time.”
His eyes light up. I embrace him instantly. I tighten my grip, holding him tighter and tighter. I let go of him with a smile. He looks at me and gently puts his hand on my hair, in sweet, silent adoration.
He begins to stand, but Doctor Val prevents him. “Stop. You can’t stand yet. I recommend bed rest for at least a week. Any strenuous movements could be fatal.”
He ignores her, signaling for her to move back, and she does, keeping her head down. I watch as he removes the equipment Doctor Val had previously placed on his body.
He strikes his finger against his golden ring, and it lights up. In the same instant, a box appears on the floor. Wow. Doctor Val’s eyes widen, seemingly intrigued, but she stays silent, moving farther back to the distant corner.