Page 107 of Anathema Codex

I want her to die.

Slowly, painfully, in a way that she’ll never try to harm me again by trying to make me remember who I was.

Trixie; that’s what Lakyn called me. That’s the name he shouted at me, the one that was supposed to make the ghost of the girl that hides in this room rise from the grave where I’ve been trying to bury the remnants.

I splay the palms of my hands on the table, my body hunching over as I tell myself that all will be well.

I have the one thing that Lakyn always wanted and he won’t come back again. He sees that I am, and always have been, better than him, and that put such a chink in his armor that only madness would drive him back to me.

Stop.

I blink rapidly a few times, feeling the pressure of those hidden memories pushing at the inside of my mind again.

I have to get out of this room.

It’s too dangerous to linger here. She’s becoming stronger, regaining her bearings, and if I’m not careful… she’ll take over me again.

“Daughter?”

I gasp loudly as Aftyn’s voice breaks my focus. Leaning forward, I quickly blow out the lone flame in the lantern and turn around to peer at the darkened room where I know he’s waiting.

I can only hope he didn’t see the insane scrawlings on the walls as I listen to the uncertain shuffling of footsteps as they make their way toward me, then the gentlethumpof a body colliding with mine.

“Sorry,” he says with a nervous laugh. “It’s kind of dark in here.”

“You shouldn’t be in here,” I reply quietly as I take his hand and lead him out of the room.

And neither should I.

* * *

“She’s gone?” I ask Sun Wolf in surprise.What could have possibly driven Little Star away from us?Anyone that joins us always feels loved, cared about, taken care of, and never wants to return to their former lives.

“Yes, I’m sorry. We only just noticed an hour ago,” he replies quietly as he lowers his eyes to the ground.

I reach forward and place a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Feel no shame. She was not yours to watch. Little Star came to us of her own free will and used the same to return to her life. It’s always been allowed, and you know this better than anyone.”

He nods, but I can see that he doesn’t know if he’ll be punished. However, what has happened does not warrant punishment. It should be rewarded because with Little Star gone, Aftyn will rapidly lose memories of his former self and surrender to the Light completely.

“I have a request of you, my friend,” I begin with a small smile. Sun Wolf raises his eyes from the ground to mine and when he sees no anger in me, I can see the relief wash over him almost instantly.

“Speak it and see it done,” he responds eagerly.

“Find Raindrop and Luminescence. I need the three of you to spread out on the Holy Grounds. There is a new Cactus of Ambrosia springing somewhere in the vastness of the love we’ve built here, and it must be brought to replace the one that’s dying.”

He straightens his shoulders, nods at me, and smiles at Aftyn before he turns around and goes dutifully to complete the mission I’ve charged him with.

When he returns, I’ll drink from the new spring and all will be well again.

It’ll make the old girl hidden beneath the Holy Ground finally die and I’ll never have a need to go into that room again.

SIX

Homecoming

DAPHNE

“Turn left here,” I say, pointing out the windshield as my eyes switch between the map on the phone and the road in front of me.

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