Ever Lost

33

Stella led us through the dark with her dim light. All around us, monsters, figures groaned and moved around. They filled the empty space echoing out to us. Stella told me it was because we were close to the tear, they were all looking for an out. She dimmed her light, gripping my hand as we crossed through what a city, the large expanse of whatever could be called a sky became darker and more confining. "We're getting close." She whispered. "When we get there, don't speak a word. They're territorial. The sky will open, that's when you get us out of here." Stella instructed. "I'll tap your hand twice when we're there, then we wait." She led us over a bridge and then we passed through a forest, forcing me to realize that there was more to this world than just the empty space I fell on. I hadn't considered there would be more. When the space felt less suffocating I knew we were out of the woods. It was colder and the air was thicker. She tapped my hand twice and the fear set in.

Mason and I found a tavern to dock for the night. The paid them nearly half of each of our coins for the room- and their discretion. We dropped our belongings on the floor and Mason collapsed on his bed. The room was average. I was used to nice things, my parents were nobles and Alluredry was far from parsimonious, but it was what we had to work with so I kept my complaints to myself. I dumped all the files I found from the offices of the floor. Mason peaked over and tossed me the ring. "Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked. I pulled open the file, tossing out Audrey and Apollo. My interest lied in Nia. Her file was short. When she joined the student body she was only twelve, it would've been her second year but she died before the school year could start. Her teachers listed her as a bright student, impulsive and adventurous. She loved to read and she loved more hands on assignments but she was more resigned to not using magic than her other angel peers. It made perfect sense to me, the angels had all mourned her passing over the summer. Silas's file was a polar opposite to his sister's. His teachers listed him as smart but he had many behavioral issues. Multiple times over the years his teachers had submitted tickets for his expulsion which didn't fall through until Silas himself left the school and never returned. I remembered him, or at least this version of him. I couldn't recognize this person he was now, but the image in my hands was just a kid who wanted attention. I remembered him from my year eight pre-algebra course. I dropped his file and slid it away. Beneath his, another file slid out. One I had missed before. It was Alice's, Audrey's missing roommate. I flipped through her file, she should've been reported missing as Audrey had gone to multiple administrators about it but her file was empty of any and all legal concerns. I set it aside for later, pulling out the last and final file. Stella's. She was, as expected, incredibly smart. But all records of her dropped six years ago, when, according to her file she was pulled from school by the goddesses but the reasoning wasn't mentioned. She was listed as incredibly smart and observant. Her teachers had no complaints and at one point she had even helped judge the yearly Spell-Caster's Fair. Mason swiped up Apollo's file and flipped through it, stopping on a page. His brow creased, "Victoria did you read this?"

"What?" I asked, reaching for the file. "Their parents... Victoria they aren't angels. They're Gods."

The sun was started to come up now. Guards were issued to dispatch invitations along with messengers for the ball they'd be hosting the following evening. The Queen and General were stuck in meetings all day of the safety of the visitors and the castle and I couldn't bring myself to join or even listen in. All they would've spoken of was "how will you kill your brother? The plan must be foolproof and guaranteed to work." But the truth was, I didn't want to think of it. I had a day longer to prepare myself and even then I felt I'd need a century. Lady Elizabeth supplied me with calming teas and blessed my head with holy water, nothing she gave me made me feel better. It was laughable they thought it would. She came and went so often I began to assume everyone who entered the room was her. "Apollo," she called out. "You're needed in the meeting room." I turned to face her and looked away. "I'm not going."

She stepped closer towards me. "Apollo it's your ball, you have to-"

"I said I'm not going." I snapped. She quieted, wiping her hands on her robe. She came closer again, "I know you all think I'm heartless since I killed Nia, but I'm not. I didn't mean to. I loved my sister I never wanted to hurt her, and I loved Silas too."

She sat on the bed beside me. "I know it's cruel. If we knew any other way, I promise you wouldn't have to do this. But we don't. You're the only one who can." She pulled me into her. "I'm sorry, child. Mümeyæk Luna bübi wæksaytüthæs yækoyu." She prayed over me. I accepted her prayer though it wouldn't be answered. I doubted motherly instincts again, my mother loved all but he own children. For a moment, I understood why Silas wanted to meet him. Why he's done all he has to meet our father. Because at least we didn't know if Felix loved us, but we knew for sure Luna did not. I pulled away from her. "I don't need a stupid meeting. Audrey's coming and so is Victoria, all his accomplices and I'll have what I need to kill him. Rest assured, he'll die tomorrow night." Lady Elizabeth looked into me sadly and nodded, leaving the room to go relay the message to the royals. I leaned back on my bed and prayed to my aunt to save my brother when he came to her.