Shattered Heart's Plea

Chapter 19: Worlds

Chapter 19: Worlds

***

All attempts to fall asleep seemed impossible as Zoe found herself drifting not into slumber, but into the familiar dark, cold, and lonely abyss that often consumed her during times of turmoil. Her mind churned with a relentless storm of thoughts, pulling her deeper into the void.

However this time, the abyss did not really claim her. Instead, Zoe found herself in the cold confines of her bedroom, sprawled across the bed as she gazed blankly at the ceiling. The room was still and silent, the air heavy with an unspoken tension. As the first light of dawn seeped through the thin curtains, casting soft, pale beams across the room, she stirred. With a sigh, she rose from the bed and moved languidly towards the bathroom, her steps echoing softly in the quiet morning.

"The event will not begin until the first stroke of the evening,"

Zoe stepped out of her bedroom, dressed casually for the day. Ethaniel's voice reached her from the dining area, where he and Nicholas sat in quiet conversation. The sound of her door closing drew their attention. Raising an inquisitive brow, she walked to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

"What's that? A super-secret spy plan of action?" Zoe asked as she approached the table.

Zoe's eyes narrowed as she spotted the laptop in front of Nicholas, a document open on the screen. Just as she was about to sneak a peek, he snapped it shut and removed it from the table. She rolled her eyes and took a seat at the end of the table, resting her elbow and chin on her palm, listening indolently to the conversation before her.

"Wouldn't you recognize a spy's plan when you see one?" Ethaniel asked eyebrow arched. "After all, aren't you Ivy's top spy?"

Zoe scoffed. "And where did you hear that?" She rolled her eyes. "I'm not even an agent of Ivy, let alone a spy. Anyway, besides Khlea's birthday party, what brings you two here?"

"Does everything have to have two meanings?" Ethaniel chuckled.

"Well, until about a month ago, I didn't even know you guys or Eternity existed," Zoe shrugged. "Now you're out and exposed, attending high-class social gatherings. Can't blame me for asking."

From the corner of her eye, Zoe noticed Nicholas shifting in his seat. She turned her head slowly, catching the brief, elusive glance he threw her way. Her gaze narrowed as she locked her gaze on him, daring him to look back.

"Come on," Zoe said, her tone both challenging and expectant. "Tell me the plan, boys."

"Fine," Ethaniel relented, his shoulders dropping in surrender. "The elders have tasked us with a few errands while we're here."

"Elders?" Zoe scoffed, her tone dripping with skepticism. "You mean your mother and her cult?"

"First off, her name is Sage," Ethaniel said, a note of defensiveness in his voice. "And these orders aren't about you or their obsession with your powers. So, you can ease up on the paranoia."

"I wasn't even going to talk about it," Zoe glared at him. "So, what are these errands? Can I help?"

The eagerness in her voice surprised even Zoe as she spoke. Startled by her own curiosity, she glanced away from Nicholas' furrowed brow and redirected her gaze to Ethaniel.

An uneasy silence settled over them, thick with the weight of unspoken tension. Zoe's eyes flicked between them, her hope for some hint of clarity palpable in the charged air. She waited, her breath held, for an explanation or any shred of insight that might pierce through the foreboding gloom of the situation.