Rot ━ Mal Oretsev ✓

𝟬𝟬𝟰 ticking time bomb

Zaria.

Thalia's mind is plagued with the image of Zaria's lifeless body. She cannot form a coherent thought. Zaria. She does not know what happened. She's not particularly sure that she wants to. All that Thalia knows now is that she cannot feel Zaria's heartbeat, and she cannot bring herself to focus on anything else.

She had learnt the pace of Zaria's heartrate as soon as she was able. She'd been hearing the same thrum, thrum, thrum almost every day since she was eleven. What was she supposed to do without that rhythm to guide her through the dark?

Her feet work of their own accord, stumbling over the blood soaked floor and lifeless bodies scattered by the Volcra who had taken off into the darkness once more. The skiff is moving back toward land, but Thalia cannot bring herself to care about where they are going. She needs Zaria wherever she goes.

"Zaria," Thalia chokes, falling over the girls body and onto her knees. She gives her a rough shake, a sob tearing from her throat when Zaria does not move. "Z, come on. Come on. This isn't funny. Please wake up. Come on!"

Zaria's body is deadweight. Thalia shakes her head, attempting to regulate her thoughts and form a plan. She attempts to locate her rapidly fading, barely traceable heartbeats, speeding them up as fast as she can with her remaining strength.

"Heartrender, stand back."

"No."

She's stuck to the floor, magnetised by Zaria's pull. She couldn't move even if she wanted to. Another desperate cry rips free from her throat as she tries to speed Zaria's heart faster, but she's tired. She just needs a boost. Just a minute to recuperate and then she can bring her back.

She has no choice but to bring her back.

Berezvosky's voice comes now. "Someone get her off and get this casualty to a Medik. Now!"

Before she can protest it, two arms are hooking themselves into Thalia's elbows and pressing her arms to her back, ceasing her ability to channel her magic. She's being dragged away by Saskia before she can fight back.

"She's gone," Saskia insists, hauling her off of the skiff as they reach land. Thalia continues to fight against her hold. "She's gone, okay? You can't do anything about it. She's gone."

Thalia shakes her head, eyes stinging as she attempts to push past, "She's not gone. I can save her. Saskia, I can—" She feels her heartrate slow, and is frozen in place. She raises her head, meeting Saskia's gaze. "Stop it. Let me go."

"You don't wanna do that," Saskia apprises, still keeping Thalia's heart at a slow pace. "I know she's your friend—"

"She's all I have!" Thalia cries, pleading. "She's my sister. I can't let her go, not without trying to save her."

Saskia clenches her fists, her bottom lip trembling. "We have to report to Kirigan. He will want a full run down on what happened."

"Saskia—"

"Now."

With a final glance back at the last place she saw Zaria alive, Thalia follows after Saskia on unsteady feet. She feels as though she's in a strangers body. She has been dealing with loss since she was a child and had found her Grandpa's deceased body in his bed. But this. . . this was another thing entirely.

This was like losing half of her heart. Zaria had been half of Thalia's heart. Half of her being. She had been there since Thalia arrived at the Little Palace, welcoming her with open arms and an open heart. Ready to take in a girl who had done such wrong.