The Last Hope

41 - Souls

SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER - Hang on a little longer, UNSECRET, Ruelle. Linked above!

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The next morning, Mercy sat in the altar room with Mona, tucked away from the others, whilst Mona flipped through books looking for any information. Mercy had been trying to help, but each time she turned the page, the words became blurry and unfocused as she forced the tears in. Felix, who had given her an ultimatum, sat across the room chatting with Keenan and Ariah like nothing was wrong. How had it become her decision? How has any of this her decision? All she was good for was a sacrifice - she was no better than one of those pickled creatures in the jars of Mona's shop, waiting to be used in a spell. How did it all boil down to her?

More than ever, Mercy wished for a normal life.

Lincoln was nowhere to be seen this morning, and Sebastian had gone back to doing what Sebastian did best - brooding in the corner surrounded by books. Not that Mercy was paying him any attention. Just thinking about him made her scowl.

"You are getting your aura all over me." Mercy looked up sharply at Mona's words, pulled from her stupor, into Mona's compassionate expression. "Sorry." Mercy shrugged; she didn't particularly know how to clean up an aura. Instead, she scowled at her left arm, at the markings that remained despite the removal of the central rune again, crawling up her arm like a permanent shackle.

She was angry. Furious. With Sebastian, for lying. With Felix, for refusing to do what was best for himself. But also, with herself, for not seeing it until it was too late. She was angry at all the secrets the clouded the room like a thick fog.

"Maybe you should go lie down - take your mind off it all for a bit."

"I can't. If I sleep, I dream and if I dream-"
Mercy couldn't finish the words so instead she lowered her mental shield just enough for Mona to slip inside and see. "Ah," Mona's lips formed into an 'O' shape, "you are seeing things again?"

Mercy nodded silently, twisting the pearl at the nape of her neck. The dreams had been plaguing her for days, ever since she'd read the words etched onto the stone altar in the alcove. Not that Mercy could make any sense of them.

Swirling mist, and a chess board. That was all she could see. As her unusual dreams went, it was tame, but also annoyingly cryptic. What was she supposed to make of it? She explained this to Mona, who pursed her lips, looking just as frustrated as Mercy felt.

"Do you feel any emotional connection to this place?" Mona asked curiously. Mercy considered the question, then shook her head. "And nothing else happens? It's just the mist and the chess board?" Mona questioned, Mercy nodded in answer.

"Have you tried using that?" Mona pointed to the pearl around Mercy's neck. The one gifted to her by Heleyna. The one she'd been fiddling with nonstop all day. Mercy immediately dropped it, feeling the cool hum as it once again rested between her collar bones. She shook her head, "no."

"Why not?"
Mercy couldn't tell her the truth. That the last time she'd used the pearl, things had gone horribly, horribly wrong. And that she'd been scared to use it ever since, but equally scared to take it off. "I just hadn't thought to, I guess."

Mona's suspicious expression told Mercy her lie wasn't very convincing. "Well, try now."

There was no way to get out of it. No lie she could tell that would make sense. So, with a sigh, Mercy undid the delicate clasp around her neck and palmed the small pearl. So tiny, yet capable of wreaking such havoc.

"Show me the place in my dreams." Mercy whispered quietly to the pearl.

All too eager to please, she felt it hum with excitement, and the room melted away. She could feel the wooden seat beneath her, and the cool metal of the chain in her hand, but beyond that, her surroundings ceased to exit. It had been this way before when she'd used the pearl at the Miran palace. It had sucked her into a vision, making her live through it.