IN ANOTHER LIFE , josie saltzman ✔️

59. The Other Girl on Alpha

My eyes fluttered open as I finally regained consciousness.
Sitting up slowly, I saw that I was alone. And I was back in my room.
The window was open, allowing fresh cold air in.
There were suitcases and boxes packed at the door, making the room seem much emptier now that almost all my belongings were packed up.
It was almost a harrowing sight and I wondered who packed it all. I also wondered where everyone was.
Too quiet, my mind yelled at me. It was too quiet. And from past experiences I knew that couldn't mean anything good.
I got to my feet and saw as I looked down that I was barefoot and in a white nightgown, looking like the princess only I thought I was. For the first time in months, I felt refreshed and alive. I could still hardly believe it's been eight months.
Looking into the mirror, I could finally say that I recognized myself, even though there was a tiny, tiny voice that regretted doing what I have done. But it would be for the best. I had to believe that. I had to start knowing that.
I walked up to the door and opened it, only to find no one in the corridor as I peeked out.
Furrowing my brows and wrinkling my nose, I turned around, grabbed the envelope from my drawer and made a motion with my hands to open a portal.
When no crystals appeared, I stood there, dumbfounded when I remembered.
I could roll my eyes at that, but I didn't. Instead, I walked back into the room, put the envelope down and closed the door and made myself ready by showering first, drying myself and then putting on fresh clothes, fit for the weather outside.
With the heavy envelope in my hands, I ended up in the courtyard where it was also void of people.
For a moment, I believed I was dreaming or trapped in some kind of spell. But maybe, everyone who usually went in and out of the castle, was ordered to halt their actions of doing so. It was weird, being completely alone when I was usually not.
But I sat down on the bench with the envelope in my hands, and instead of reading it, I pressed the envelope to my chest, closing my eyes and took a deep breath, wishing she was here.
    „Is that seat taken?" A light voice, a voice I thought I'd never hear again sounded from before me. I opened my eyes and looked up.
    And there she stood, in boots and jeans and a dark green shirt under a cream colored cardigan with her hair down in light waves.
    „Josie?" I whispered and she smiled, nodding at my remark. I must be dreaming now, or be under some spell.
    Then I remembered her question and scooted over to the right side of the bench and watched as she sat down.
    „Is this real?" I whispered and touched her arm which earned me a laugh.
    „Yes," She ran a hand through her hair and turned around to me after bringing up her legs on the bench and sitting cross-legged next to me with her upper body leaned toward me. „Um, I think her name was Raven. She, um, she brought me after seeking me out a few months ago."
    „You've been here a few months?" I asked with wide eyes but she shook her head.
    „No, um, I came here this morning. Raven, she, um, tracked me down three months ago. Gave me this." She pulled out a plastic chip with one single, red button. „She told me that you were in pretty bad shape and I, I couldn't bring myself to, to see you like this after what she said."
    „And what did she say?" I was confused as to why Raven never told me she was looking for Josie, much less inviting her here. „You were in some kind of coma, that no one had any idea when you would wake up, if you would wake up. She thought that if I came here, talked to you while you were-" She broke off and shook her head. „She thought I could help. But when I pushed the button this morning and to be honest, I kind of forgot about it, she told me you were already back. But you'd changed and, um, she wouldn't, she couldn't really explain it, so I asked her to take me to you."
    Furrowing my brows and fumbling with the letter in my hand, „And where is everyone now?" I asked more myself and looked away to the closed gate of the courtyard, the blue skies and the sun.
    „Raven told me she and Sophia and the brothers and Astoria would be dealing with Cassius now. That if you asked, James is with someone named Evelyn and every capital would be secured. She was sorry not to be here, but relieved, I think, when she send me here."
    I shook my head and almost smiled. „Thank you, Josie, you have no idea how much it means to me that they're somewhat alright."
    Setting my gaze back on her, she was fumbling with the chip before putting it back into the pocket of her jeans.
    „What happened to you?" She was quieter now and she seemed almost ill at ease before she looked down at her hands. My eyes set back on the clouds in the sky.
    „I was in a coma for eight months. Meanwhile, I believed I was sitting just mere hours in a courtyard just like this one with Cassius, son of the first of our kind. He recently woke up from a five hundred year old sleep in order to drain me of part my magic. He's a dick. He put me to sleep in the first place, at least I believe that. A week ago, I woke up from the sleep. Four days later, he and I raced against one another. If he won, he could have my magic. If I did, all my revilas magic would be going back to the very source of it - revilar lupus."
„And you won?" She whispered and I looked at her then. I nodded and smiled, „Yes, I won."
„You're no longer a revilas?" Her voice was quiet, tinged with something else. An emotion I couldn't quite deduct at first.
„An Elder named Thomas broke our soulbond a few months ago." Then I furrowed my brows and tilted my head, „Like ten, eleven months ago."
She nodded then, as if I answered some of the biggest questions of the universe.
„Almost a year ago, I woke up in the middle of the night in unimaginable agony. I felt as if I was burning from the inside out. And then it stopped. I thought I was dying."
„I am so sorry." My voice was low but she shook her head.
„Are you happy here?"
I looked out at the gate and the sky and the birds flying through the air and the sun and Josie. Josie.
I didn't tell her that I had already a plan in motion to come back, move to New Orleans and be with Raven. I didn't tell her that I would always love her. I didn't tell her that I missed the school and Lizzie and MG and Kaleb and Hope. Hope. Hope who was a vampire now. Hope who was a vampire with her humanity off. I didn't tell her that my mother and I had one of the biggest fights in history that ended with her in a coma. I didn't tell her of my complete and utter affection for Raven. That I was in love with her. That I wanted to be a vampire and a witch and a werewolf for the rest of my immortal life. That I wanted to come back to Earth.
„I am happy." I told her and I meant it.
„I am not happy here, but with the right people, I would be happy anywhere." I looked at her then as she took my hand, pressed a kiss on my cheek and stood up, letting go of my hand in the process.
    „Are you?" I asked quickly and got on my feet as well, tucking the letter back into the envelope and into my pocket of the jacket. „Happy." I whispered.
    She looked at me for a long time before she shook her head.
    „No." She told me and I took a deep breath.
    „I miss Lizzie and the school and Hope and..." She trailed off and looked at me again.
    „But I am close to helping Hope."
    I nodded and exhaled.
    Then, I sped behind her, looking towards the gate for a long time before I saw the faint shimmer. The illusion.
    „Josie?" I whispered and she turned to move but I grabbed her hand and turned only my upper body half around to her.
    „Run." I exhaled and she looked at me for too long before she nodded, turned to the double door that lead inside and ran toward it as my gaze was directed toward Thomas.
    „Amaya." He said nonchalantly and I walked up to him slowly.
    „Let me guess?" I said and hoped to buy enough time for Josie to find somewhere to hide, „Thomas?"
    „As clever as you're beautiful." He stepped forward.
    Then I could only see the flick in his wrist as he summoned and jumped to the side as he attacked that was when he said, „Maybe not quite as clever."
    Somewhere on the stone floor, I had cut my wrist and could only see the smear of blood as the wound was already closed again.
    „Why do we have to fight?" I asked loudly as I evaded another attack and saw magic biting itself into a statue in the garden. „Can't we just chat and have a cup of tea?" I asked and he laughed out loud.
    „You think you can evade us but that is where you're mistaken, Miss Hale. You will never be able to run. To hide. You forget that we can find you even on Earth."
    „And what a wild few years it has been. Let's not do it again." I told him after jumping out of the way. I had no idea how to defend myself and I couldn't run in circles forever.