THE UNBREAKABLE PIECE (FIRST BOOK OF THE HIDDEN WORLD) English version

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: GUILT

I woke up with my cheek warm, the sound of his heart pumping, again and again, calm and assertive, because in his mind, he believed he was right, he believed what he was doing was right. The scent of lavender quickly filled the air as the sun set on the horizon of the Eternal Sea. We had appeared on the Albus dock, just below the lavender field. Some boats were moored there, from families coming from the other side of the island, or from Axis. There were no guards around, only the sound of the wind hitting the water. Quiet and constant.

For a moment, I thought I had died, that the rest of the world had forgotten me, and it was Drahceb leading me to the world of the dead. But Alma snorted, bored with having to walk through the lavender to reach the castle. In the distance, I could hear the sound of the party taking place, probably not realizing that I had escaped, or maybe they did and were trying to be as diplomatic as possible about the situation. Violins and the delicate yet powerful sounds of the piano, its fragile keys being caressed over and over. I remembered my dream, the one I had the first time I dreamed of Alba. And Eamon was there, protecting me, even when I didn't yet know who he was.

The first to encounter the presence of that dark prince returning from exile were a couple of soldiers from the castle's royal guard, their impeccable blue jackets and total confusion in their eyes. Alma raised her hand and uttered the Latin words that her father had admitted minutes ago that he believed were useless.

"Aufer iram et dolorem."

In that moment frozen in time, as those words left her mouth, I realized that those were the same words she had spoken when she stripped me of my dagger. Making sure to use her gift again, as with the touch of our skin, I returned to my natural state. I had to make sure she touched me again to free myself from her clutches, and perhaps use her gift against her.

Desperation tinged their faces, just as it had happened to me, but probably for the guards, it was even more terrible since I had only learned about my gift last month. They had carried it with them throughout their lives. One of the guards raised his hand and absurdly tried to throw flames in Alma's direction, but nothing happened. Before they could scream to alert the others, Drahceb clouded their eyes, leaving them lying on the ground motionless like rocks. Oblivious to the outside world, screaming into their own dark and vast void. A shiver ran down my spine; I recognized myself in their faces. At least I could be thankful that he hadn't cut their throats.

Alma opened one of the doors to the gallery, those of the east wing, where vines mixed with the walls. My head fell back once again as we moved slowly and confidently.

"It feels good to be back," Drahceb inhaled the magical air of Albus melancholically, as if he had really missed the structure after years in exile. "Damn smell of white roses. My mother keeps insisting on them, doesn't she?"

I didn't want to answer his question, so I just kept sobbing; terror had taken hold of my bones more than Drahceb's gift. If anything happened to my parents, I would lose my composure and destroy everything in my path. No matter who was in that castle, no matter how bound I was to Drahceb's gift. I had led him here. The weight of a thousand stones compressed my chest, the weight of guilt.

"Oh, for Gael's sake, Amy, you're a killjoy. We're going to a family gathering," he lifted my head with his elbow, smiling at me. "You should lighten up a bit. At least pretend that we care, like everyone else does in this damn family."

"Albus will never lead you to them."

"Don't be so sure about that," he replied, grinding his teeth. "I know how to manipulate this stupid stone. And I know perfectly well where we're heading."

The harmonious and constant sound of the music announced how close we were to arriving; the piano continued its rhythm, and the violins seemed to predict the tragedy that could happen. Laughter, the thick and penetrating aroma of food, also made itself felt; the party continued just as I had left it an hour ago. My mother had managed to distract them as planned.