Shattered Souls

Chapter 3

Ghostly faces appear out of the corner of my eye, gazes hungry and vengeful. Their words are pointed, barbed, and filled with venom.

"It's all your fault." "He's dead because of you." "You did this." "You left him to suffer, and now he paid the price for your mistakes." Somehow, my worst fear—my most profound insecurity—has been laid bare for all to see.

Losing the other half of my heart and soul and being unable to do anything to save him. After everything we've been through, I wouldn't survive that. Anguish swells inside me, so powerful that I must clutch my chest as I cry out. "Please!" I shout, my voice ragged and broken. "Haven't I suffered enough?"

I hear a shimmering sound behind me, then whirl around with a sharp gasp. At first glance, I can almost dismiss it as the light shining down from the surface. But when a face slowly comes into view, followed by familiar red hair, I choke on a gasp. Her warm brown eyes—eyes permanently etched in my mind—fasten on my own, widening as a soft gasp escapes her mouth.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Clearing my throat, I try again, managing a hoarse whisper. "H-how are you here?" I squeeze my eyes shut, count to three, then open them again. She's still there, her image fading and flickering slightly before reappearing. Her eyes are filled with tears as they scan me from head to tail.

I feel my own eyes well up again as I rush towards her. When I reach for her, I crumple as my hand goes through her own instead of making contact. "Oh, my sweet girl," she says, her voice slicing into my heart like a dagger through flesh. "I'm not. I'm in your mind. I feel your hopelessness and heaviness like they're my own. Your heart is so heavy—burdened by your past mistakes and failures. You're so tired—of being strong, suffering, and simply feeling."

She rests a ghostly hand on my cheek—yet I don't feel the contact. A sob breaks from my chest as I cover my face. A single tear drips onto her cheek, and I must fight the urge to brush it away. "But you are so strong—so much stronger than you think. Keep your loved ones close; they will center and guide you. But always be on guard for those who will trick and deceive you. They may come disguised as a friend, and it will be your job to reveal them as a foe.

"You have already been through so much, yet you still fear losing your loved ones. Don't fight that fear—embrace it. Let it be your strength."

Her image begins to fade, drawing a sharp cry from my throat. "N-No!" I choke out, my heart cleaving in half yet again. "Please! I—I just need a few more minutes!"

She gives me a sad smile as her image fades completely. I jerked awake with a sharp cry, my chest heaving as I struggled to breathe through the violent, painful sobs wracking my body. Swaying, I put a hand on the wall, steadying myself. How long had it been since I'd eaten last? Or drank? Everything after Waverly was a haze.

I blinked at my surroundings. From the sunlight streaming in through our windows, I could tell it was mid-morning. A strong, warm hand found my back seconds later, rubbing soothing circles. "Faye. It was just a nightmare. You're safe, honey. I'm right here."

Through the haze of grief and pain, I managed to identify the voice, my heartbeat calming slightly. Jonah. My fiancé. All it took was one glance to break down all over again. He sighed as I fell into his arms, the sound full of compassion.

"I feel so... heavy," I breathed, voice breaking. It was the only word I could think of to describe the weight pulling me down with every breath. It'd started when we'd left Waverly's house, getting worse the further we swam. When we'd arrived back at the palace, I'd barely been able to find the strength to swim to our suite.

I'd drifted in and out of sleep the previous night—waking to darkness, the feeling of blankets surrounding my body, and the sounds of low voices rising and falling like the waves. At the sound of those voices, I'd wanted to wake up, get out of that pit of pain, heaviness, and grief.