Light of Stars [2]

Chapter Seventy-Four

♕ A Debt Unpaid ♕

The door to Layla's home was locked. Nova had made sure to wait in the alley for them to walk by before allowing them inside.

Raven had said nothing, had not turned to her, stared directly onto her eyes, had not even tried to hide her relief as Vereena told her what they had found hidden inside the small painter's house. Laying in the bed of the friend they had shared. A friend who'd never had a true chance.

She stepped aside, as the last person walked over to the bridge and the two rushed to the memoir plaza. Raven had rushed upstairs, two steps at a time, and had not looked back to her as they both stared at Deirdre's beaten up body and face, at the veins on her forehead popping, the bruises all over her arms, the almost dead skin of her fingers.

Vereena tried her best not to turn around and puke as she watched Raven slowly take her clothes away to stare at the wound on her abdomen. The flesh tore apart a bloody knife on the cupboard next to them.

"Why the hell did you take it out?" Raven almost yelled as she placed her hands over the wound, even if blood was not pouring from it.

Deirdre groaned, her eyes blinking. "Can't die" she said. "Can't die until the curse is ripped from inside of me, by her"

Her eyes closed as Raven placed more pressure. "Damn it"

"Raven..."

"What?" She said, finally turning to her, her eyes flashing in panic. Vereena could not help but feel her heart shatter inside her chest. Jealousy, that's what she felt , overflowing inside her chest, so blinding it made her want to put the knife back into Deirdre herself. Raven cared for her, cared deeply, more than just one simple conversation could have caused. Even when she hadn't thought about it before, it was clear as daylight now, the two of them had been talking for longer than a few weeks. Much longer than Vereena had realized that day at the bridge.

"Maybe we should just..."

"I won't leave her." Raven said shaking her head. "I owe her that much."

"Go you idiot" Deirdre muttered, but her words were barely distinguishable.

"No ass I won't" Raven said. "Vee. Please. Please help me. I can't heal her without you."

"Nova can..."

Raven shook her head. "No she can't. You're the only one, as our leader you are the only one than can do it"

Vereena felt her stomach turn. "No." She said. "No. I won't turn her. She doesn't deserve it. She doesn't... the thing inside of her will suck the stardust it'll... "

"Exactly" Raven said. "It'll be enough strength for her body to heal itself. I'm not asking her to give her your own. I'm asking you to give her mine."

Vereena blinked shaking her head. "No. You won't be an Aureum anymore if I... I can't do that."

"Vee, I'm not... I lost my place with you all. I lost it. And now I can use it for something good again." She whispered calmly.

"Let her suck it out from you then why have me help" Vereena said, her voice high and breaking. Nova stepped into the room, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"The marked will make rounds soon, whatever you're going to do we have to do it now." She said.

"Vereena please." Raven said. "Let me do this. I owe her my life. Please."

Vereena stared inside her eyes, at the truth hidden in them, the desperation to pay a life debt back. Vereena sighed, touching her hand, Deirdre's stomach, watching as she seemed to become paler as the seconds went by.