Shadows of the Night | BOOK 2 DRAFT

36

36. 

Light dances at the edge of my vision. Aches throb across my body as I shift, silky sheets against my tender skin. I squint my eyes open, sunlight piercing through the open window and momentarily blinding me. The warmth, the silk sheets, the golden glow of the sun—for a brief moment, I think I'm dead. But then I notice the lace trim of the bedsheet, the gentle breeze wafting through the window, the thick, beaded mat. I'm in a room in the castle.

My mind feels groggy as I sit up, the sheets falling to my waist. I'm fully clothed, my shirt grubby and torn at the sleeves. I look around the room, catching a glimpse of myself in the vanity mirror. My hair is a frizzy mess, littered with twigs and dirt, clumps of dried blood straggling the ends. A wave of nausea hits me as I rub my temples.

What happened?

The last thing I remember is those dreaded delusions—Charles killing me in the tunnels, Darius and Flo's painful screams. Cynthia murdering Eric, Cassia, and Elias. Then Cynthia on the ground... I shoot up from the bed, almost immediately tumbling back down, head dizzy.

Malik stabbed Cynthia.

I rest against the mattress, holding my head when the door creaks open.

Deep, blue eyes meet mine. "You're awake." I grip the sheet as I stare at him, wary. My mind is a mess of mismatched memories. I don't know what's real and what's part of Cynthia's hallucinations. "How are you feeling?"

He looks freshly showered, his midnight hair pushed off his forehead and face freshly shaven, meanwhile, I feel like I've walked through hell and back. When I don't answer, he starts to walk towards me.

"G-get away from me." Hurt glints in his eyes, as if I've offended him, but he stops moving. "Where's Elias? What's going on?"

"You're safe, Milena."

"Where's Elias?"

He inhales deeply before responding. "Elias is fine."

I stare at him, the image of Cynthia's machete plunging into Elias' chest playing on the back of my eyelids. I sway on my feet. "Where is he?"

Malik walks closer, settling on the edge of my bed before looking up at me. "Maybe you should sit down."

"I'm fine."

"You're gripping that bedpost for dear life," he says. Still, I don't move. Malik softens his voice. "You nearly died, Milena. Sit down."

Hesitantly, I perch on the edge of the bed, resting my back against the headboard, as far away from Malik as I can get. I don't understand what happened, all I know is that Malik betrayed us, teamed up with Cynthia, and then stabbed her. Only darkness follows.

"Cynthia—"

"She's dead." Malik watches my face, gauging my reaction.

"She... she's immortal."

"She was," he says.

Malik stands up and walks around the bed, settling on the same side as me, merely inches away. I feel conflicted as I stare at him. Part of me trusts him, the part that valued our friendship, the part that thrived off his compliments, and the way he validated me. But the other side of me rages with fury.

"Do you remember the day we first met? You found me in the library. I told you a story."

I scrape my memory. It feels like such a long time ago. We were still looking for Elias, and Malik felt like a beacon of hope. But was he fooling us all along?