36. Chapter 36
Lennox
T he white halls were quiet as everyone in the school had gone to the cafeteria for dinner. It was a bad time to be alone and she knew that. However, after the events of the last few days, anxiety of staying still too long took over. I’ve made this walk for years. Quickly, Lennox made her way down a hardly used side hall to get to the closest exit by Omega Alpha. Her eyes fixed on the posters that had been hung above the dark wood wainscoting over the last couple of weeks. Pictured was a silhouette of a person with words over their head. See something suspicious? Call The Security Team. A scoff escaped her as she tore her eyes from the words.
Her footsteps were quiet as she passed by closed classroom doors. Lennox pulled her green knit sweater closer around her in preparation to go outside. Suddenly, the announcement speaker echoed down the halls and declared everyone to head back to their rooms in two hours. While she walked down the hall, she felt the buzz of her phone in her pocket followed by one on her wrist. Lennox’s hand slipped into her pocket as she passed the last corner to the exit. Her eyes went to her phone and found a message from Rosalyn with an invitation out. Before she could finish reading, she noticed a figure just over the top of her phone. With a quick glance up she was met with Eden Miller.
She jumped but relaxed when she saw it was her housemate. Eden leaned against the doorframe of an empty room with her arms folded over her chest. Lennox couldn’t read her face but laughed at herself when she jumped. She shook her head and took a few steps toward the elf. Slowly, her amethyst eyes darkened with every step. When she was a few feet from her, Eden pushed off the doorframe and took a few steps to the right.
“Sorry, I didn’t expect anyone to be here.” She apologized while her heart sank into her stomach as she realized she was blocking the exit. “Is- Everything okay?”
“No, it’s not. I have been waiting all year to talk to you about this, Lennox.” The girl said in an even, dark tone making her hair stand on end. There was anger in her eyes and venom leaked into her voice.
“You can always talk to me-”
“No, I couldn’t. Why would you want to listen to the girl you left at an orphanage?” Eden shot back with a raised eyebrow.
Her violet eyes went wide as her gaze shot back to Eden’s amethyst iris, frozen to the spot. She… She’s Gemma? Goosebumps trailed up her arms. For the first time since she came to the school, Lennox saw who Eden was. Every inch of her felt like static as her nerves lit like wildfire. Her gaze darted over her every feature and finally she saw the small face of the daughter she had given up to protect so long ago. Their eyes were so close she should have put it together. What Eden didn’t know was she looked just like most Cade women did. Black hair, narrow face, and high cheekbones. How did I never see it?
Lennox’s gaze softened slightly as the two stood there in silence. She had spent years praying to Xemos to somehow allow her to find out what had happened to her daughter. Though this wasn’t what she had imagined, she wanted nothing more than to hug her. However, the look on Eden’s face sent a strange shiver down her spine. Internally, she gripped the vine and felt her arms heat. With every passing moment, the woman’s face brightened redder with anger. I don’t blame her, she never knew why I had to leave her there.
“Gemma? Let me just-”
“No, I’m a Miller, and you… You’re the gum on the bottom of my shoe.” Eden snapped.
“You have every reason to hate me,” Lennox told her calmly. However, something wasn’t right. “Please let me just explain.”
“No, Lennox. We are doing this my way… I am going to ask the questions and if I don’t like the answer, I will kill you right away. If I do, you live for a few extra minutes.” She took a few steps towards Lennox and dropped her crossed arms. A flash of metal in the daylight caught her attention. Every nerve in her body lit like wildfire. The demon took a few steps back when she recognized what it was. Mors Pugio, Death Dagger.
Eden closed the distance with the weapon poised for the attack. With a tug on the vine of magic it sprang to life. The dim green glow sparked behind her eyes. Lennox had put two and two together the night of the attack. She wasn’t here to talk about what had happened or why she had left her. Eden was here to kill her for revenge. Eden was a hunter. She had spent last semester getting to know everyone and this semester carrying out her plans. A surge of betrayal shot through her as she faced Eden.
Eden had killed Felix and the Elder.
Eden had killed Rue in the bathroom.
Eden had vanished from the party multiple times the night Octavious went missing.
“It was you, this whole time?” The words came out broken as her heart shattered.
“I couldn’t go for you right away. Mother said it was better to slowly take what you loved. She was right, it was much sweeter than going straight for you but then you slipped through Alaric’s fingers… Now it’s my turn and I won’t miss Lenny-Boo.” Almost a few feet away, Eden raised the dagger and aimed right for her throat.
“You’re a hunter…” The statement lingered in the air.
The weight of the situation overshadowed any thoughts of a peaceful mother-daughter reunion. This was life and death. I don’t want to do this- With another tug, Lennox opened the floodgate of her powers with her hands in front of her. Glass shattered behind the hunter as vines broke through the door and shot through the frame to grab her. The plant life wound its way around her wrists and knees and stopped Eden in her tracks. With a motion of her fingers, she directed them to pull her back a few feet as she reached with her other hand to her phone to call Aron.
A frustrated yell echoed along the halls as Eden failed to dodge them. In their grip she struggled to cut them from her limbs which only caused them to tighten. Lennox’s phone caught in her pocket and forced her to glance away from the hunter. With the momentary lapse, she felt her pull and cut the vines on her left arm. Piercing pain shot through the demon and she returned her attention to her attacker. Eden forced a hand free and silver glowed along her arms. Her eyes now illuminated bright blue while between her hands an orb of water formed and went right for her. Just before it hit, the water turned to ice as it collided with her hand.
Lennox cursed as her hand was crushed, the magic was cut off. The vines dropped and she continued to back away. She only stopped to try and read the name carved onto the metal but noticed something was different from the dagger Alaric had been armed with. As she attempted to get a better look, Eden grabbed ahold of the plant with her free hand and froze it. The frost snaked and slowly extended to the base outside which rendered them useless.
With a pause, she locked eyes with the girl once more and stood her ground. No one else will be harmed today. She tugged on her magic once more and stepped toward Eden. However, before she could even put her foot down, the floor beneath turned to ice. She placed her foot down but was taken to the ground. Lennox’s head bounced off the floor. The hunter closed the distance easily and kicked her in the ribs. Lennox curled her knees in after the audible snap as her foot met bone. She groaned and yelled out in pain. Before she could attempt to stand she felt the cold metal of the dagger against her neck, her daughter knelt beside her.
“Now- Mommy dearest. Did you really not want me? Or was there something more going on?”
“Of course I wanted you! It was only till I was sure the curse was broken.” Lennox coughed with the strain and felt a few ribs were at least fractured, one definitely broken. She’s a lot stronger than she looks.
“Don’t lie to me!” Eden’s eyes bore into hers, it almost seemed she was fighting tears. She seemed conflicted and unsure of what she would do next. “You never had to make that crossroads deal! Look what happened because of what you did!”
“I’m not. Eden- You don’t have to do this. I will tell you everything.”
The dagger was removed from her neck. For only a moment, she thought that maybe it was enough to get her to listen to sense. However, something seemed to snap in Eden as Lennox spoke. Her eyes went wild with anger and her face went bright red as the tears spilled over.
“I- I wish I could believe you cared… I just don’t. You lie, you made that deal when Xemos told you the curse was broken. You didn’t have to do that! You could have just kept living happily… You could have- We could have. Instead, you’re here still trying to save your own ass. I knew Eloise was right, deep down.” Eden’s voice broke.
She knew what was about to happen. If I go down, everyone will know who did it. She had to find some way to get Aron’s attention. With one last pull at her already weakened magic she closed her eyes. In her mind’s eye she imagined an ivy leaf with the code word, dildo on it. With every ounce she had left she willed it to grow out of Aron’s bright red headband. In the same moment with a flash of silver, the dagger was driven up into her ribcage.
The area burned hotter than any fire Lennox had felt before. An ear-piercing scream escaped her and was quickly muffled by Eden’s hand over her face. As the burning intensified Lennox locked eyes and struggled against the woman’s grip. This was it. This would be how she would die. The others would have to find a way to stop Eden. The faces of everyone she loved filled her vision. As the fire spread, she listed off their names in her mind in goodbye. Andy, Celia, Remi, Wyatt, Rosalyn, Aron, Felix, Rue. With the final two faces, Lennox leaned into the fire and pain. I’m on my way to find you two, wait for me.
She waited for the darkness to overtake her and in that moment she hoped it would. Every bone in her body was exhausted, and at night her dreams had become darker. The loneliness that filled her had finally dragged her down. She had missed Rue every day since her death and some nights she waited for someone to reunite them. We need you. Wyatt’s voice interrupted her as the fire stopped moving within her.
“Fight damnit!” Eden yelled. “Fight or I’ll take out as many people I can before I leave.”
Lennox didn’t move as suddenly the heat in her chest moved to her spin where it was white hot. She kicked and screamed against Eden who held her down with a grimace. An overwhelming amount of fear crushed her as the grounds of the school filled her vision. She may never see you again if not like this. A deep voice rumbled within her mind and shattered past her mental shields. The voice made her hair stand on end as she struggled to breathe and the corners of her vision started to blur slightly. The world started to fall quiet.
In the distance, a familiar raw pained scream broke through the silence of her demise. Lennox’s attention shot toward the sound and she fought against her grip to stand once more. Her face went pale as the sound of his echoing scream took her breath away. Aro n. The primal sound twisted her stomach, they had gotten to him too and now he would be just like the others. Gone, another hole in her heart. Another person to mourn every day. Another name on the headstones she visited almost daily. Her vision blurred as tears sprang to her eyes. She would never see him bounce up to the chapter house. His bright red bandanna would be laid on his casket as they buried him too.
Every muscle coiled and readied for a fight as she took her hand off the dagger. In her rage, Lennox gripped Eden’s wrist and forced it away from her mouth. For a moment, she could see the flash of confusion cross the woman’s face at the sound of the faraway scream. This is my fault, I didn’t warn him fast enough.
“ARON!” She lifted her head from the ground and let out a scream, her body still shaking with the pain of the fire in her back.
As she fought harder to get free she could feel the metal sink deeper into her side. No… I have to get to him. He can’t die alone. Something deep within her stirred at the thought of his last view of the world being his killer. A stranger. Just as she had.
Lennox blinked away her tears and she looked back to Eden as she grabbed the rose bud hilt and pushed it deeper into the demon’s chest. She didn’t see her daughter, instead a woman who had killed three people she cared for. She wanted revenge almost as much as she wanted to beg for her forgiveness. With as much strength as she could muster she clawed at Eden. When her hands met her shoulders, she shoved back as far as she could. The hunter stumbled back and Lennox stood and tried to run. However, Eden was still faster as she was grabbed and forced back against the wall as the hunter put all of her strength into keeping her there.
The girl had made the mistake leaving Lennox’s hands free; she still had a chance. She grimaced from the pain of movement as she turned under her. As she reached around her side, her eyes fell to the hidden weapons belt and saw a second dagger that stuck out of the side. In a last attempt to win, she reached for it and a spark of hope lit when her hand found the handle. Lennox swiftly pulled it from her sheath and held it directly under Eden’s jaw above her.
“You’ve done what you needed to do, now it’s my turn.” She gripped the thread of magic but her hand slipped, a wall blocked her and her face shifted in pained confusion.
Eden smiled, “Not while that’s doing its job you won’t. You’re as fragile as me right now.”
A sharp pain flared as Eden reached and twisted the dagger. At the same time the wind was knocked out of her an elbow was slammed into her stomach and then again into her ribs where two shattered. With a soundless scream, Lennox’s grip loosened on the dagger in her hands where the hunter took the chance to snatch it back from her. As she coughed, a hand grabbed her collar and pulled her to her feet.
“Why won’t you die!” Eden gritted her teeth and looked at the blade in her hand.
Suddenly, Lennox felt her grip loosen and vanish as bright orange flames erupted on both sides of her. Without the support of Eden, she started to fall back as her leg gave out. While stumbling back she saw her daughter’s gaze fixed over her head with true fear in her eyes. She could feel the heat of the fire behind her but within a matter of seconds, the orange glow dimmed when a large set of tattered black wings sheltered her. Familiar arms pulled her into their body as she fell, a shot of pain wracked her body when the dagger brushed against a black suit jacket. An arm slid under her knees and another gripped her by the shoulder as they eased the momentum of her fall as if she was nothing more than a rag doll.
She hadn’t looked up to see who had saved her, but through a small gap in the wings in front of her she could see Eden’s face. She sat against the opposite wall and stared at the person in shock. The second dagger had clattered to the floor a few feet away from her and there was a small trail of blood dripping down the side of her head. She dropped her gaze to the weapon where she saw her own name flash in the light. If that’s mine, whose is this? The hunter held up her hands and attempted to sputter words out but couldn’t seem to find them.
“I- Ar-” Her eyes darted between Lennox and the fallen dagger, seeming to debate going back to get the weapon.
“If you don't get out of here in the next three seconds I will make sure you don’t walk out alive.” A combination of two very familiar voices echoed from above her head which sent a shiver down her spine.
Her attention shifted to the wings that shielded her. The relief she had felt vanished as her gaze traced the edges of the massive shadows. Long charcoal black feathers were perfectly full at the shoulders but toward the tips they had started to thin out and fall off to reveal a more bat-like bottom edge. Her heart stopped at the sight of the very wings she had seen in her nightmares. Lennox forced her eyes away from her daughter and peered to the side to see who had rescued her. Her breath caught in her throat as a knot formed, as she saw who the wings belonged to.
She let out an audible gasp as her eyes moved up to his face. The person who looked back at her looked like Aron but with the wings and clothes of Armaros. His face had remained the same however his once green eyes were now the same pitch black with a ring of green in the center that haunted her. His expression softened under his red bandanna as their eyes met. Lennox’s eyes drifted away from his face as her hand found its way to his jacket. She hadn’t noticed until now that it wasn’t the usual denim material and instead found a black suit jacket and midnight button-up.
She felt her magic pull at her in an attempt to defend herself against a new enemy as the smell of smoke on his body completely filled her senses. A loud scream reverberated in her mind as everything inside her told her to run. The memories from her nightmares had become so vivid, it was as if she was still there at times and now she had two people who didn’t like her in the same place. Panic filled her chest and caused her heart to race but her body wouldn’t move. Yet, she didn’t fight against him as the realization he was protecting her settled her desire to run.
Lennox recoiled as their eyes met once more, she had expected to see the same merciless glare from Hell. However, it wasn't the same as when he did in her nightmares. This time she found worry and fear written all over his face. His eyes fell on the dagger that was still in her chest and understanding flashed as sparks sprang to life inside them.
“Aron?” His name came out as no more than a whisper of disbelief. He wasn’t dead but he also wasn’t just Aron.
“Len…I-I can explain... Just…” The voices softened before the sound of metal scratching on the floor caught his attention. He roared in anger as his body heated up around her. “WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!”
By the time Lennox shot a glance over Eden had already picked up the dagger and was gone before he could finish his sentence. The demon turned his attention back to her with a grimace as his demeanor and voice shifted slightly.
“Lennox, dear. It’s been so long you look good-” Armaros’s deep voice came from his lips which caused her to flinch. His demeanor shifted drastically again as Aron’s regular voice came out once more. “HEY- I’m still in control here.”
She couldn’t look away from him as she shook slightly from the fear and pain in her side. Once she was sure Eden was gone, Lennox let go of his suit jacket as her eyes trailed to his clothes. It’s all just how I remembered . The hall was utterly silent as she took everything in, still encircled by his grip. She attempted to pull herself together once more and tried to find words but failed. Lennox focused on his red bandanna and used it to slow her heart rate. I’m still in control here. His words sent a small wave of comfort over her despite how upset she was. Not realizing in the silence she was just staring at him, she attempted to mask the lingering fear in her eyes as he spoke.
“You saw that dagger had her name on it, right?” Aron’s voice questioned.
“I see everything you see- So yes I did. If that was her Death Dagger... Where is ours?” Armaros asked with their combined voices.
“I think I know…” Aron replied.
Gently, he shifted her in his arms as he moved from his knees to his feet. She winced a little as every movement caused the dagger to shift and dig deeper. Lennox saw him flinch and guilt fill his eyes as he walked them away from the broken glass on the floor to a small set of stairs about ten feet away. She watched as he scanned the area with every step and only glanced down when her body tensed and the fire burned from within.
The pain kindled rage as she looked into the face of the man she had come to trust. I was right to hate him at the beginning of the year? Does Aron still exist, or was that just a front to get into the school?Is he here for Rosalyn? The faded edges of her vision turned red hot as she tried again and again to pull at the thread of magic but failed. Gently, he placed her on the stairs and his hands drifted over the rose bud handle. However, when she was released Lennox shrunk away from him and her eyes flashed green in a silent threat.
“Len... I promise, it's me, Aron... I have a lot to explain but that dagger needs to come out now, I don’t know what that will do to you but it can’t stay there.” Aron’s voice wavered as he seemed to try to keep it more prominent over his counterpart.
“I can do it.” Lennox argued.
“Yes you can, but you don’t have to.”
“Why are you even here?”
“I promise, I’ll tell you everything. You can hate me after this but please, I can’t lose you because this stayed in too long.” His words came rushed as he eyed the hilt.
She drew in a deep breath and nodded in agreement as his hand reached for the dagger. Her gaze followed the same charred black hand that caused the scars on her back, the one that reached for her throat in her nightmares. The man moved slowly and watched her body closely, just as he had since the night Octavius had been stolen. His fingers wrapped around it which caused her to suck air through her teeth as it moved ever so slightly.
“This’ll only hurt a moment dear, I promise.” Armaros’s voice snuck out soft, almost calming.
In one swift motion, the dagger was plucked from her ribcage. Lennox yelled out as the fire burned and vanished. She leaned forward as a rush of magic and unfamiliar emotions raged inside of her. At the same time something long dormant snapped back into place in the back of her magical connections. I can’t believe it, only three times in history… It’s mine. A deep voice echoed in her mind though as she caught her breath she could hear Armaros mutter to himself. A strange underlying sensation of curiosity, dismay, and sadness entered her mind.
“Oh... oh this is interesting. This will be very interesting indeed.”
Her gaze dropped to his hand as it moved the dagger around in the light. Her body tensed as the name magically carved into the blade shone brightly. Armaros, Eden knew exactly who Aron was. Lennox had never heard anything about a demon getting stabbed by a Demon Dagger meant for someone else. She pulled on the thread to test herself and found everything had returned to normal minus the still bleeding wound.
“It was meant for you… What does this mean?” She motioned to the blood still in shock at the situation they found themselves in.
“I don't know what it means... it seems he does though.” He looked back to her with Aron’s voice.
“It means an interesting road for the two... or I suppose three of us now…” Armaros hinted at the knowledge of something.
“What does that even mean?” Aron muttered to no avail. “Of course now you shut up.”
He held the dagger closer to himself, as the two stayed in silence for a few seconds. Internally she struggled to reconcile that the demon knelt in front of her was not only the person she had been working beside for months, but the one who tortured her and Rosalyn.
“Len... I promise I’m still me, but this… This is also me.” His voice filled with sorrow, still doubling with Armaros. He flipped the dagger and pointed the hilt gently to Lennox. “You keep this... It's the only way you’ll feel safe around me now.”
Within her mind, a war started to rage. It overshadowed the fear now that Armaros was quiet. As she took the dagger into the palm of her hand, she didn’t move from the stairs. The memories of hell took over again, only broken up by images of herself and Aron in her room as they discussed her nightmares.
Suddenly, it all made sense. Why after he brushed up against her he suddenly was almost nervous to be around her. The times she had confided in him. Did he know who I was talking about? How could he not, he’s the one who did it . The day she fixed his hand after the mirror accident. All the while her eyes stayed on the name on the dagger. Finally, her anger overpowered her to move and she shifted roughly a little further from him.
“How could you?” Was all that mustered out as her face started turning red and her blood boiled underneath while her voice began to raise. “I- I trusted you. I told you everything from my nightmares and you just let me tell you. As if you didn’t already know? Or was I just someone you forgot about? So insignificant that only twenty-one years later you can’t remember my face? How long were you planning on hiding this from me? Letting me be the fool you string along just as you used to.”
“How could I forget you, Dear? Aron had me packed away and hidden, all it took was a little jogging of the memory…” Armaros made a new appearance, a hand brushed her shoulder which caused her to recoil a little. He pulled his hand away and ran it through his hair forcing it to slick back a little.
She paused. “You remembered the night you touched my back… Saw the scars.”
“Yes, it was that moment we remembered. You even fixed Aron up from our little fight with each other... dreadful we didn’t tell you sooner-”
It was as if he had read her mind, but then she remembered the old mind link Armaros had created between them in Hell to discover her entire human past. Can he still? A smile crossed his lips briefly as Armaros was cut off by Aron wrapping his hands around his head and doubling over to fight for control.
“STOP- Stop, you’re making it so much worse.” He looked back up at Lennox, his eyes normal green again. “Lennox. I’m so sorry there’s no way to make this all up to you... I just- I- fuck I don’t even know what to say....”
“Of course I did, You’re- He’s my friend... Was my friend. I don’t know what to believe anymore. You’ve been behind my nightmares all along. ámpelos knew you were the bigger danger compared to Eden. You’ve spent weeks looking Rosalyn in the face or did you forget her too? Or is eight years not long enough to not need a refresh? If you’re here to drag her to hell, you’re going to have to go through me.” She accused while her eyes lit green as the magic drained her last bit of energy.
“I promise he- We’re not here for any of that... I could tell you the whole story but I feel like you’re not ready to talk about all that… Rosalyn’s story is something we both regret being a part of.” He added simply, Aramros’s voice layered evenly, showing they both felt the same way about it.
“Don’t say anything... I don't want to hear it, Aron… A- Armaros.” The name came out rough. “I- I can't do this.”
He bit his lip as she snapped at him and did exactly as she asked. Watching him she could see the hurt in his eyes though bound by her rage but in the moment she didn’t care. Lennox stood from where he had left her, and gasped since the wound hadn’t closed. She wanted nothing more than to get back to Omega Alpha. She wavered on one leg and her vision blurred for a moment. When she took a step forward, pain shot through her leg causing her to fall forward.
Lennox ended up back on all fours and from the corner of her eyes, she saw Aron had jumped up and reached out to try and catch her as she fell but hesitated to touch her. Her heart pounded in her ears as she gasped for breath. She heard him take a few steps toward her and carefully knelt beside her once again. His appearance slowly shifted back to Aron’s, first with the wings as they folded away into his back with a grunt of pain. The suit shifted back to his regular clothes and he was back to regular Aron as he offered a hand.
“That should make you more comfortable, dear.” Armaros’s voice and eyes flashed back.
“Dude- seriously not helping anytime you talk,” Aron shushed. “Let me help you get cleaned up and... And then you can never talk to either of us again.”
The final flash of black set her off once again and she flinched from his hand. “I don't want your help- Please, don’t touch me.”
He stayed perfectly still and kneeling next to Lennox but simply bore his palms to her in a surrendering position. Their voices came out simultaneously again. “As you wish.”
She struggled to her feet holding the dagger to her chest with a final tug on the magic she forced the shattered bones to snap into place enough to walk. She left him where he was knelt and with her back to him as she made her way towards the broken glass to go home. Lennox stepped over it and she heard the crunch beneath her feet, thankful for the noise as her breath hitched in her chest. Her vision blurring with angry tears she kept hidden from him. You will not see me break again. She wanted to promise herself but knew that wasn’t possible.
“I would never want to see you break. A part of me did not enjoy seeing it the first time, admittedly… ” Armaros’s voice came out crystal clear and gestured to the dagger that could take his life. “Just take care of yourself... Take care of that.”
The two of them spoke in unison and separated once again. However, when Armaros came alone she found her feet came to a halt in the doorway, gaze glued to the broken glass. She felt two tears spill over as she turned to face him. A knot had tied itself in her throat and made words hard to form. She drew a strangled deep breath in and her eyes filled with the betrayal she felt inside.
“Really? Because the look in your eyes all those years ago told me otherwise. I’ve spent the last few weeks seeing the joy it brought you to hurt Rosalyn and me.” Her voice was low, angry. She paused before her next words came out. “I don't know who you are anymore, Aron. Come to me when you’ve figured it out.”
She turned as she felt her chest tremble, unable to look at him at the moment. She took one last pause and looked down at the dagger in her hands, the name of the man she hated most flashed in the daylight. The threat over their lives was much more real now and she could either take care of it or protect the weapon that could kill the demon she hated all because he was inside of one she cared about. She turned it around as her thoughts raced before her eyes returned to the grounds. I can’t- I don’t think I could hurt him, even if he is Armaros.
“No one will be able to use this against you. Not even me…” She turned and made her way to the broken door frame as the two bickered again.
“I thought she'd be more grateful for us saving her life.” Armaros slipped through Aron’s mouth.
“Shut the fuck up, this is your... our fault... this is our fault she doesn't trust us anymore... we put that scar on her back and her soul.”