Page 105 of Malcolm

“Raijin, is that them.” Sabina entered the room, her eyes looking at him with worry. “Did they find Lanias and Eliza?”

He nodded. “They did, but…” he murmured, trailing off, unsure how he would tell Sabina the terrible news. He averted his eyes, gripping the phone tighter. He couldn’t look at her; for some reason, he felt the heavy weight of guilt fall on his shoulders.

“But, what?” Sabina demanded, fully entering the room. She searched his face, “Tell me.”

“It’s Lanias,” he said, finally looking at her. He watched her confusion grow. “She didn’t make it.”

He didn’t think she’d heard him for a second; then her knees crumpled from beneath her. Startled, he jumped forward, catching her before she hit the ground.

Sabina stared ahead blankly. “I’m sorry,” she said, pushing at him as she tried to rise. I-I—” She shook her head, looking at him with the confusion still there. “You must be wrong, my sister. She—she’s like a two-headed snake. She wouldn’t—she wouldn’t leave me.”

“Love, I—” What could he do for her? He dropped his head down. “I’m sorry.”

“You are lying,” she hollered as she continued to try to get back up, only for her knees to refuse to hold her, resulting in her collapsing into his arms once more. “You’re lying to me,” she accused, like a child lost. “She’s not gone,” she repeatedly said to herself, raising her voice more and more as if the louder she was, the less likely it would be true.

“She’s not,” she yelled once more

Over and over, she repeated this until, eventually, she broke down and wept.

The room was filled with her long and drawn-out sobbing as Raijin held on to her.

As it was all he could do for her.

Sabina couldn’t stop the emotional pain that was drowning her. There was nothing even as she tried to reach out to feel her sister’s magic. There was nothing.

Lanias was gone.

She started hyperventilating, and before she knew it, she could hear Raijin frantically calling her name, but it was too late. Sabina felt her consciousness slip away.

Her sister was dead.

Lanias, who’d been both a mother and sister to her, was dead.

Nothing the enemy could have done could have destroyed her more.

Till Next Time

Eliza

There was no body to bury.

Eliza stared at the casket being lowered into the ground. She and every Shade member had put something they treasured into the casket. No matter what anyone said, their ability to live a peaceful life as witches was because of Lanias.

She still hadn’t fully absorbed all her returning memories and what they meant for her future. She was a clone of Lanias, and so far, she hadn’t shared this information with anyone.

Eliza could barely look at Sabina without wanting to punish herself.

This wouldn't have happened if she’d just done as Lanias said.

Malcolm and the others had repeatedly told her it wasn’t her fault, and Sabina and Oye had not once accused her of anything.

If anything, they had allowed her to grieve with them.

Yet, Eliza wasn’t sure she could ever put the guilt aside. She’d tried to ask the goddess to help her, but the goddess was gone, her energy having been used up.

A heavy hand pressed against her back; she leaned over and pressed her cheek against Malcolm’s shoulder. The one reason she hadn’t completely lost herself to her guilt was the man next to her; she had to keep going for him.

She could only be grateful to Lanias for putting their demons to rest. At least now she could move on, but she would never forget. Never

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