The Light Within Her - Book Nine

Ch. 15- Broken Promises

"The rain fell; and, falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood." –Edgar Allan Poe

My eyes widened, turning towards Nyra on the screen. "I'll speak with you soon. I love you, Ny." She nodded once and I ended the call, facing the young Goddess of Death now. "Where?" I demanded.

"On the corner of Rue de la Republique, in front of Irin Hotel." she confessed, her knuckles white as she gazed at the floor below. "She was younger than you, Sor, around fifteen as she attended the local Anais Academy in the fall as a Fae. Her name was Charlotte Gatlin."

I gulped, shaking my head at the thought of the dead girl. "Show me, Lyssa. I need to give her a proper Fae burial. We need to speak to her parents." These shadows were out for blood and they will do anything to get to it, to me. These creatures steal our powers and once they're done, kill us and leave us for dead. It's what happened to Henri. To Bella Rutherford and now Charlotte Gatlin. They were all victims of this fight to steal my power away from me. How many people have to die for me? Lyssa looked around the house where the shield held firmly, protecting us. She was the only one I allowed to get in without the warning going off. However, getting out is a different issue because it rang any time one of us left the house. "I'll let them know later. We need to go right now." Then, when Lyssa de Blaire did not move an inch I asked, "What?"

"A blood oath? Seriously?" she questioned.

My jaw clenched as I glared at her. "Now is not the time to talk about that, Lyssa. Time to go." I snapped. I quickly opened the door to my balcony as Lyssa quietly followed behind. Both of us jumped down at the same time and hurriedly left the house, the shield humming a little as I did, warning me not to leave. I ignored it, just as I did with everything else. "Show me where she is, Lyssa."

She pointed to the left of the street. "Her corpse is that way, at least ten miles from where we were standing." I nodded as I followed Lyssa, both using our speed to get to Charlotte. After a few minutes, Lyssa stopped and I almost ran into her at full speed. Luckily, my senses were semi-sober so I can see left from right. Within seconds, vomit formed at the base of my throat and I leaned to the ground quickly, hacking up most of my insentines. Gods, if my day could get any worse. When I was done, I stood up straight and wiped leftover vomit from my mouth as Lyssa narrowed her eyes at me. "What's wrong with you?"

"Still a little bit drunk and high, that's all." I admitted. I ignored her gaze as I walked in front of Irin Hotel, where the body lay untouched. Charlotte Gatlin was a young girl with wavy, blonde locks and she wore blue eyeshadow with jeans the same color. Her top was white with her own blood spilled all over it. Her neck was sliced ear to ear and her mouth lay open in shock while her blue eyes, I assumed, were staring at the gloomy sky up above. What must it be like to lay dying and see mere clouds, I thought?

I let out an uneven breath, frustration growing in my bones as I let myself think of what Charlotte would've been if she survived. Would she be more like myself, a mess of a woman? Or would she be more civilized like the rest of my family and best friends? So many possibilities that would go nowhere because she is now dead. And it's all my fault. I leaned down beside her, closing her eyes with the palm of my hand and kissed her forehead goodbye. "From death to life, from winter to spring, you are loved, Charlotte Gatlin. You will now rest in the meadows of Faylinn with flowers surrounding you." Magic seeped out of both of my hands now, a beautiful golden color unlike many Fae's. When she lands into the Kingdom of Faylinn, she will automatically rest in the cemetery there, where Fae healers will bury her there and notify her family.

As I watched Charlotte's body disappear from sight, I did nothing but let a tear slide down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly as Lyssa de Blaire only stared at me, a question in her eyes. Then her dark eyes roamed to my dirty black tank top and sweatpants, only wearing cheap flip flops at my feet that were probably ruined now. She probably noticed the bags under my eyes or the lack of showers I've been taking, but oh well. To her, I did not like her assessment of me at all. "If you have something to say, then do it." I snapped.