The Zodiac Cycle

NO 3.28 I'm Sorry, and I Forgive You

Sakura could hear her heart beating in her ears, looking at the still body lying in front of her. Olive had asked if she had done what she needed to do, and Sakura had only been able to nod in response.

She knew what was expected of her.

She knew her responsibility.

But that didn't mean she hadn't felt remorse. Not after the conversation she had with Zach.

I knew you looked familiar.

She shuddered, remembering his voice echoing through her skull.

How old are you, child?

she shook her head, closing her eyes shut. that didn't help as his face flashed across her mind. what could have been if he'd known before? If she had known before?

"Sakura?" Sakura was jolted back to reality at the icy hand that touched her shoulder. she opened her eyes to see Olive's orange eyes looking into her pink ones.

"what?"

"are you okay?" Sakura swallowed, pressing her lips together, then shaking her head. "What's wrong?"

Sakuras eyes wandered to Vel, who was with the other Zodiacs. Alex was helping a disoriented Rebecca sit down as Vel turned to face where Olive and Sakura were.

"Sakura?" Olive repeated "Hey, talk to me."

Sakura shook her head again and stood up. her knees nearly buckled, but Olive caught her, pulling her the rest of the way to her feet. Sakura walked over to Vel, and Olive released her arm, standing halfway between where they were and where they were going, shock written all over her face.

she knew now too.

"Vel." the Pegasus turned to the distressed teen when she spoke.

"yes?"

"did you know?" Sakura's voice trembled a bit when she spoke.

"know what?"

"that he-" Sakura pointed at Zach, but a lump formed in her throat. she didn't want the words to come out of her mouth. she didn't want them to be true.

Vel visibly stiffened, clasping her hands in front of her and rubbing her thumbs over each other nervously. "yes."

"why didn't you tell me?" Sakura snapped, making the Zodiacs around her flinch a bit.

Vel sighed. "Miriam asked me not to tell you."

"Miriam is dead!" Sakura shouted. "what does it matter what she asked? I deserved to know that that monster-" she felt hot, angry tears stream down her face. "-that he was my father!"

the Zodiacs made several noises, those of surprise and those of disapproval.

"Sakura, would you have been able to do the right thing if you had known?"

"I knew before I killed him, asshole!" Sakura growled.

she paused, waiting for the scolding from Olive, but it never came. she turned to look at the vampire, who seemed to be looking at her oddly.

the doors to the room opened and a group of vampires and citizens entered, conversing with surprise and worry at the state of their king. the gathered toward the group slowly, with expressions that gave Sakura a feeling of dread.

Amber summoned her bow and moved to step in front of Sakura, but Vel put a hand on her arm. "That will not be necessary."

Amber gave her a look of confusion as Olive made her way to the front of the crowd, directly in front of Sakura.