Meet Daniella Ellis, a 19-year-old, who reluctantly works in the City Hall library of Darres: The Dark City of Magic and Vampires because that's what's keeping food on the table. She chills aimlessly while remembering the agonizing dream she had the...
*Images not my own and used for the purpose of the story.
"You did it." Elijah's voice trembles with a mix of pride and relief as he pulls me into a tight embrace. "You actually did it."
Being this close to Elijah, knowing the torment he endured after he murdered Charlotte—or rather, me in my past life—feels surreal. My arms, which had been hanging limply by my sides, slowly rise to return his hug. The warmth of his body against mine is unexpectedly comforting, a stark contrast to the cold memories of our shared past.
Lady Agatha's voice cuts through the moment, sharp and commanding. "I think there are other things we need to discuss first."
The room's attention shifts to her, even Neo's dark, intense gaze flickers my way. He must have arrived just before Darryn and I opened our eyes, his presence a silent testament to the gravity of the situation. The air is thick with unspoken words and unresolved tensions, each of us bracing for the next revelation.
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We let go of each other, and Elijah steps back, creating a palpable distance between us. The room, dimly lit by flickering candles, feels colder and more foreboding.
Lady Agatha's voice slices through the silence, authoritative and unwavering. "Now that you know you don't need to become a vampire, and given that your knowledge of magic is still limited, you need to learn how to protect yourself."
Awkwardness seeps into my voice as I respond, "I don't think that would be necessary." The idea of someone like me, a fledgling in both combat and magic, learning to fight feels absurd. "I mean, I could learn how to use my magic."
"You can't. Not now, and maybe never."
"Why?"
"Because you're a Yang, and still alive after the spell."
"There we go again," I retort, my frustration bubbling over. "So, I should have died during the spell because I should have become an evil immortal that needs to be killed, is that right?"
She draws a deep breath, as if restraining herself. "Yes."
"Okay." I fold my arms defiantly, feeling the heat of anger rise in my chest. "Then why teach me how to fight? Why not just drop me off somewhere so that someone can kill me?"
"That's not what we stand for."
I let out a sarcastic laugh, the sound hollow and bitter. "That's not what you stand for. Yeah, I get it. You don't trust me. But I've never hurt anyone. I'd never intentionally hurt someone else."
Elijah steps in, placing himself between me and Lady Agatha, his presence a shield. "I know you won't intentionally hurt anyone, Daniella. But for now, you have to learn how to fight in order to protect yourself."
"I fought with you against that living dead, or did you forget? My magic helped all of us," I argue, my voice firm but not angry. "Even in that uneasy circumstance, I fought for my friends too."
