Twenty-Nine
CHAPTER
Gelia led us into an abandoned cabin out in the middle of nowhere. We weren’t far from the village, but it was far enough that no one would come looking. At least, that’s what she kept telling us. I hoped that she was right, but I didn’t trust her.
Everything still seemed to be too effortless. As if no one would come looking simply because they were told not to. It was hard to trust anyone, let alone her. After everything, the pit in my stomach remained. Something was very, very wrong about this.
Sitting at the edge of the porch with my knees to my chest, I gazed out at the waterfalls that cascaded down the cloudy cliffside, wondering how far the Wall really was from us given I couldn’t see it from here.
Pulling my knees closer to my chest, I wrapped my arms around the fabric of my tattered dress skirt.
I found myself lost in thought. Lost in memories.
Memories of everything that led up to this, to today. The pain. The sorrow. The lies.
Deus.
What Neil did to me.
For a place that was meant to be light, to me, the Realm of Clouds felt dark. Heavy. A weight that I could not see but I could undeniably feel.
I shivered at the thought.
“Hey.” Zathrian’s voice called out to me. He sat down, his knee touching mine.
“Hey,” I replied softly.
“Are you… doing okay?” he asked. “You’ve been out here by yourself for a while now. The sun’s going to set soon, and I don’t want you to get a cold.” He pulled off his blood-stained jacket, wrapping it around me.
“I’m… okay, just lost in my thoughts, I guess. Still trying to wrap my head around everything that’s happened… happening.” I let out a soft breath, lifting my hands to pull his jacket closer around my shoulders. “Thank you.” I hesitated for a moment before leaning my head on his shoulder.
He shifted to wrap his arm around me.
“We’ll figure it out.” He let out a deep exhale.
“Right.”
“I mean it. If Acheron and Gelia ever stop arguing about how to get stardust. But…” Zathrian trailed off.
“But?” I raised a brow.
“Gelia belongs here.” His hand rubbed my back.
I clenched my jaw. “Yeah, I don’t know what she’s doing here.”
He nodded. “I don’t know… Something seems off. I don’t like it. We’re sitting ducks out here, and she seems too certain by her choices as if it was already planned. It was too easy to escape. And the fact that no one has come for us yet… I don’t trust her.”
“Where are we supposed to get stardust? And how are we meant to stop him? If we make one little mistake, it’s over. It might already be over.” My voice cracked upon admitting that harsh truth.
He went quiet for a moment. “It’s not over until we stop fighting, and I won’t stop fighting. For them. For us… For you.”
Silence lingered, neither of us seeming to know what to say anymore.
Zathrian shifted. “There is something I have been meaning to tell you, but I haven’t managed to find the right moment to…” He trailed off, acting as if he was about to expose some big secret.
I tilted my head, slightly concerned. I couldn’t quite figure out what it was that he wanted to say.
“What do yo—” I began to ask until Deus appeared in front of me quicker than I could initially react.
“Aerilyn?!” Zathrian’s voice called to me. I could feel him shaking my shoulders, but I couldn’t see him. He was right there in front of me.
“They’re coming,” Deus whispered in my ear.
I was pulled elsewhere, forcefully. I could see the Wall from the eyes of another.
The barrier was down, the stone wall cracked and chipped.
I could feel the anxiety of whoever’s eyes I was looking out of.
Neil was there, speaking to his guards. Speaking of Gelia. Speaking of—
As quick as the vision came, it was gone, and I was forcefully pulled back into the moment.
I slumped forward into Zathrian’s arms. He looked terrified.
Pale and wide-eyed. One arm wrapped firmly around the front of me, his other hand stroking my hair.
My nose was bleeding to the extent that I spat blood onto the clouds beneath our feet.
I was dizzy. So dizzy.
“Hey, hey, look at me.” Zathrian gently nudged my head for me to look at him.
“Mm?” I muttered.
“Shit, it happened again, didn’t it? What did you see?” he asked.
I leaned my head back into him. “She played us,” I whispered.
“What?” His eyes darkened.
“It’s already too late.” My voice faded.
“What are you saying?” Zathrian said with urgency.
“They’re already on their way,” I replied, my heavy eyes closing.
“Who? Who is on their way? Who did you see?!” Zathrian gently shook me, trying to keep my eyes open.
“Neil’s guards,” I whispered.