From the Flames- Book Six

Ch. 13- Painful Memories

Elora

I lay next to Kalama, holding her hand in mine. I used my powers to take away her pain and heal her slowly. It took most of my energy but I did not care. She was getting better. A warm blanket was placed on top of her and her head rested on a pillow. Sebastian was sitting next to me on a chair, one leg over the other and reading a book. He was silent ever since we came back and I wanted so badly to talk to him. I had to, I thought. It was better than this agonizing silence. 

I glanced up at my husband, trying my hardest to keep my emotions to myself. "Are you just not going to talk ever again?" I questioned. "Or do I have to scream at you to actually look my way?"

He raised his head and blinked. "What do you want me to say, Elora?" 

"That you understand why I let her go," I paused. "You know better than anyone why I couldn't do it. I could not kill my mother yesterday. Not yet." 

Sebastian straightened in his chair, closing the book on his lap. His black eyes stared into mine with so much intensity it sometimes hurt to look at. "I do understand. Believe me, I understand why you had to let her go. But I see my daughter unconscious with injuries that would have killed her and my son is--"

"Ace is sleeping it off," I interrupted. "He will be okay. And so will Kalama."

"That's the thing, Elora," he said. "They should have never been caught in the crossfire. We should have protected them more."

"Both of them were already caught in the crossfire the moment they were born." I replied. "Sebastian, I will kill her. But I have to confess something. Something that has been on my mind for a while now and terrifies me to the very core." He blinked again but said nothing. I continued. "I am probably the worst person to say this to their mother, but I want her to suffer. I want her to feel the same pain I felt all those times I suffered. All the times I was poisoned, stabbed, beaten, and killed. I want her to feel my rage and sadness I felt when my best friend died in my arms. I want to make sure Eva suffers thoroughly for what she did to our daughter." 

"No quick deaths, then?" he asked as a smile curling on his lips. 

I shook my head. "Our past enemies have had quick deaths. But not her. I think a painful and slow death is what is in store for her." I could not help but think about my father, whom she slaughtered because he was weak. And he was for not standing up to her. For me. There was a tiny hint of sadness when I thought of him and how he died. I did not show it, though. 

For the longest time, neither of us spoke. Sebastian stared at me as if he saw me in a new light. "Who knew my sunlight would have such a dark side to her?"

I tilted my head to the side, narrowing my eyes slightly. "How would you forget that very important detail? You must be forgetting a lot in your old age."

He barked out a laugh. "I am not old. I have experience."

"Yeah, I know that all too well." I blurted out. Within seconds, I felt cool fingers wrap around mine. I whirled and saw Kala's eyes were open but were not the normal golden hue. It was blazing red. Her powers were back, I realized too late. My hands burned so I whipped it out of hers at full speed. 

Sebastian stood up and was not sitting next to me, looking from me to Kalama. "Where is she?" Kala breathed. "Where is Vivienne? She saved my life and I want to talk to her." My husband and I looked at each other with confusion. Our daughter was talking about the girl that told me where she was located. Vivienne was sleeping in the room next to us, unable of what to do with her. 

She was a Witch and yet, she helped us. So I do not think she should be confined to the dungeons.  "Darling, you need to get some rest." Sebastian said to Kala. "Your mother is still healing you." 

At the next moment, Kalama started sobbing. I did not care if I got burnt one bit. I placed both arms around my daughter and squeezed. "Vivi told me that you were coming for me. And the moment I was warm again, I had hope. Mama, I fought. Father, I used what you taught me. Please do not be mad at me."

"Why would we be angry with you, sweetheart?" Sebastian asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

It was difficult to hear her for my hair muffled out her voice. "I trusted Jesse. I let him in our home and he betrayed me. But I knew all along that he was on her side and I still thought he was a good person. So I brought him where I thought it would be safe so I could talk to him."

"We would never be mad at you for that, Kala." I whispered. "No matter what, we understand what it's like when someone betrays us." Hugging her seemed to calm her down because I was not burning anymore. "I promise, Kalama. I promise I will kill her for hurting you. Your father and I... we will do everything in our power to find her. No matter what."

"Jesse did not want to do any of it," she confessed. "Eva threatened his family. If we find him, we could get him on our side. I know it." Kalama and I pulled apart as she looked at both me and Sebastian with wide eyes. "I read his thoughts and he is good. We have to save him."

Sebastian who was next to me still, curled his lips into a smile. "Like mother, like daughter."

I faced him now, eyebrow raised. "Hey, now."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kalama questioned. 

We both turned toward her. "You so happen to have the same attraction towards bad boys as I do." I said finally, trying to sound serious but failing. "That is why your father said that."

Kalama clenched her jaw tightly, then rolled her eyes. "Jesse is different. It's hard to explain." she said finally. "And I do not particularly like talking about my relationship drama to my parents, who is terrifying sometimes."

"That's my daughter." Sebastian said. "I am sure that your mother is scarier than I am. I mean, she did kill the Devil with her bare hands." I blushed a little but I did not let it show. Sebastian always seems to talk about me when I am not in the room. I fear sometimes that maybe this is all a dream. That Mab did not help me save him from death. That he is not really here and I am just dreaming. No, fate is not that cruel. 

"No," she said. "You both are. Everyone that knows about our world, knows that the infamous Sebastian and Elora Breevort can cause nightmares. And Ace and I, well we all know how others see us."

"You should get some sleep." I said finally. "We will be here if you need us."

"I'm not tired." she responded. "You two go sleep. I will be okay." I raised an eyebrow, wondering if she was lying or not. But then Kalama nodded and shooed us away and out of her room. She was okay, I realized. But is she? 

As Kalama closed the door on us, Sebastian and I stood in the hallway alone. Without expecting it, Sebastian picked me up bridal style and I let out a giggle. "What are you doing?" 

"What does it look like?" he asked. "I am taking you to our chambers."

"To do what, exactly?"

My arms held onto his neck as he looked at me with wickedness. "To sleep? That is, if you would like to sleep."

I yawned. "I like the sound of that." My eyes closed slightly as he carried me to our room with gentleness. "One of these days, you will need to actually take me to bed. I miss you." I murmured. He chuckled and it was the best sound in the world. I love it. 

"I miss you, too."

All the painful memories that we suffer from seep into our souls. It will always be there, no matter how we try to drown it. But the happy ones just like this one, that is what I like to remember the most. The memories that make my life worth living. That makes me want to keep going. 

Our pain is what makes it worth it. So that we can be happy. 

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