Page 90 of Veiled

“You stupid girl, you think you could really do anything to stop Nici, you are nothing; a joke.” Alvor gasped as he crawled on the floor, with his protector gone, it looks like I was the better warrior after all.

“It looks like your god is gone Alvor, your people dead or retreating, and those forced to defend your bitch ass are no longer trapped.” I projected as much as I could, my body draining, the fluttering in my stomach, becoming further and further apart.

“He’ll be back,” he stumbled to his feet and backed away, disintegrating into thin air. All I heard was his voice. “Uranus hates you, his wife’s precious Seelies, just as much as we do.” He and that fake queen were idiots. I groaned; even I paid attention in fucking mythology, this idiot called down a god to a realm they weren’t supposed to be in so they could be stronger? There was using Gaia’s natural gifts and then there was asking favors from a God. We were so fucked if we couldn’t figure out what favors they asked for. More questions. Always more questions, and I had no time to get them answered.

“He hates you too, you fucking idiot.” I moaned out, using the last of my strength to take one more breath and pray that my mates will be okay, then the fluttering in my stomach stopped, but so did my breathing. So did my light.

“Empty your heart of its mortal dream.

The winds awaken, the leaves whirl round,

Cheeks pale, hair is unbound,

Breasts heaving, eyes agleam.

Spirit wavering, lips apart in a silent scream.

If eyes befall the rush of emotions,

Let the breeze come between and the hope in their hearts,

The soul, has spilled and is rushing ’twixt night and day and ‘twixt the in-between,

And where is there hope when no deed was as fair as the purity of the Seelie Queen?

My soul is now one with the breeze, no longer an instrument.

The only instrument played will be those that echo the screams of the unloyal.”

Zane

Everything was driftingin and out as it has been for the past several days while we collected our fallen dead. Thankfully, there weren’t many. Grayson and Ryder helped question those who were saved by Hudson’s net. In truth, what saved us was the knowledge that Uranus was helping the imposter queen and once Gaia realized he was there, they waged a battle above us. It was true what the stories say, 'gods don’t interfere unless other gods do.

I’m glad she interfered or wouldn’t be here at all. I sighed, well some of us.

I rubbed my face as Remi brought me another cup of tea. She was going around making sure everyone had what they needed. I think she needed to keep moving to stop herself from thinking.

In the end, nothing, and I mean nothing, affected everyone as hard as seeing Hudson laying on the floor, Kalen stretched out beside her, headless. Her body, despite the armor, had just felt so weightless. We carried her to the cabin to clean her up, her breath barely there, her skin from golden to yellow. That day, as we cleaned her up, Remi lost it when we saw the blood pour from between her legs. We cried as we lifted her up and laid her down in her bed. We showered and all laid down next to her, hoping she would wake up, but she didn't.

After a day, we had to have her hooked up to an IV. After a week, her curves started to disappear. We stood around her bed for hours, praying, holding hands, crying, trying so hard to just be together as a family without our one guiding force, the one that brought us all together. For days after, we played her favorite music, and we read to her. Ryder would lay down at night and read as many books as he could to her before falling asleep himself. I would smile as he would argue with her as if she was there, ranting about some characters in a series; yelling about how he was right about the serial killer in something he called the Harkwright trilogy by BC Morgan. He even went as far as to have shirts made that said, “I was Wright all along.” He made us laugh, despite the sadness, but even with Ryder trying, if it wasn't for Remi, I don't think any of us would have been eating.

After some time, Oberon took off, saying he needed to watch out for whispers or whatever the fuck that meant. It was right after we finally noticed a written note from Hudson none of us had noticed before. In truth, I just don't think he was able to be around; his grief almost too great, too palpable. But so was ours.

Hunter spent his time reading the prophecy and her letter over and over again. He would rage and cry, kissing Hudson’s pale hands apologizing over and over again for not being enough. Between all of us, Hunter was always so close to the edge, that his emotions went from that of anger to enraged in a second. Except that the snake coiled so tightly within him went from anger to that of despair in less time than that; I didn't recognize him.

After all the chaos, when Alvor retreated and we had yet to find two of the council members, Raedella and Eldon, no surprise there, we figured out they were the moles but that was nothing in the grand scheme of things, the damage was already done.

Kalen gave the last of his strength and his breath to try to keep her alive. I think it is exactly the way he pictured himself dying- next to Hudson, his life for hers, because despite just being her trainer he was her uncle and he loved her just as much as we did. We buried him near the house, after having a ceremony with the village and remaining council members. Shea made his presence felt by constantly coming over to check on Hudson while dealing with his guilt and grief. What made it tougher was that we had to bury Kalen without her there and it really set Hunter off. He threw himself into helping the town and was barely home unless it was to kiss her good morning and goodnight, his face always tracking tears.

Grayson went back to training and Ryder helped. Nothing felt like it was going to be normal again. Two weeks later, despite the IV, and healers, she didn’t wake up. Tears wouldn’t work, reading didn’t work, music didn’t work.

I spent my spare time at her bedside, reading the note she left out loud. It was a little poem she must have read, that much was clear. Try as I might, it was hard for me to make sense of it.

“Find what you love and let it kill you.

Let it drain you of your all. Let it cling onto your back and weigh

you down into eventual nothingness.

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