Whispers of the Diamond: A Romance of Memory and Desire

Chapter 26 - Terra

It was a hell of a revelation—Abigail was Alice's sister, and I'd sat in stunned silence for nearly an hour. I could only imagine how Alex felt, knowing that psycho was the one who almost got me killed. And technically, she was the one who got him killed.

"She's the one who's been feeding us information—just enough to plan and mount these operations without revealing her identity. She was trying to eliminate Alex because she thinks he won't let this go," I said softly.

"Abigail cares for Alex, but he has no desire for anyone but you. So yes, she's upset. It's shallow, really. Imagine living with that—knowing you put the man you want on the path to the woman he killed for," Alice replied.

I felt my heart twinge at the thought of Alex being with anyone else. If I was truly honest, I hated the idea. I could only imagine he would feel the same if he knew the things I'd done for the resistance. Not everything I did was about violence; some of it was more subtle—extracting information, finding the right mark, and wooing him until he gave us every detail we needed without ever realising it was all one big setup. I was never ashamed of what I did until now. I sighed and looked at Alice.

"He won't burn her; it's not his style. But he will join us," I said with a smile before making my way out of the room. Truth be told, I needed some air. As I reached the long-abandoned platform, I sat on the edge, letting the cool breeze wash over me. Despite the tunnels being blocked, air still found its way down through the cracks in long-collapsed sections, mostly due to the lack of maintenance. Surprisingly, the London Underground was well-built, surviving over a hundred years with barely any upkeep. Of course, we did what was necessary to protect our home and secure our entrance and escape routes.

My mind raced with thoughts of Alice and Abigail being so distant; it was hard to understand why. Alice had been the one to bring me back, to nurture and guide me—all because she said I reminded her of someone she had lost. Could she have meant Abigail? Was the person she missed her sister? Alice and I had a close relationship, almost reminiscent of sisters. If I'm being honest, the resistance has long been the closest thing I've had to a family since my death.

The hardest part of what we did was the isolation. It was hard to get emotionally involved with someone when your death could be just moments away. I hated it, but I had made peace with it—until I ran into Alex again. This had changed everything for me. In truth, at this moment, I just wanted to run away with him, as far from all this as we could get. He had given me everything, and I could never replace that. And yet, here he was, on the opposite side of the field, and we were a heartbeat away from being together again.

I sighed softly, lost in thought, and didn't notice anyone approaching until I heard the shuffle of someone sitting beside me.

"You okay?" came the ever-sweet sound of Rebbis' voice.

"It's a lot. Today is proving difficult," I replied softly with a sad sigh.

"You have faced harder trials," Rebbi said, her voice a gentle breeze. I had always admired that about her. She was as intelligent as she was caring. "But then, not every day does one's lost love return."

"I didn't think..." My voice trailed off, unable to find the right words to express the whirlwind of emotions I was feeling. I stared down at the tracks, wondering what people in the mid-2000s would have thought as they watched the trains rush past. Truth be told, I'd never seen a working train. Travel was either by car or ground tram, which, I suppose, are a kind of train? Though in truth, they were more like large buses, usually three or four carriages long, running the length and breadth of the country. Smaller ones operated on local routes.

Rebbi watched me for a few minutes before placing her hand on my shoulder and smiling softly.

"Go get him," she motioned around. "Perhaps this fight, this noble cause... it is an illusion we cling to, a way to avoid the truth of our hearts." She shrugged. Rebbi was never one to pull her punches, and of course, she was a hopeless romantic, which made me wonder if my need for Alex was the fantasy.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" I said finally, deciding to redirect my thoughts to the job at hand before the feelings swirling in my gut overwhelmed me, leaving me on the verge of tears from confusion and frustration.

"For now, we can only wait," she replied, her voice serene. "The backup was successful, so the system checks itself. The next soul seeking refuge from death—we must not endanger." As ever, her words were wise, and with that same sing-song quality that was in itself relaxing. I could listen to Rebbi talk all day; some days, we had.

I smiled in reply and nodded, watching the tracks for a moment before looking back at her. I'm sure there was so much reflected in my eyes. She simply watched me in response before standing and brushing herself down.

"Trust your heart's compass, Terra. It will guide you true." And with that, she headed off back to her lab.

In that moment, I was grateful for the solitude, a tear sliding down my cheek, hot like lava, burning its path down my face. This whole thing had become far more complicated than I ever imagined it could. In trying to help others, I had pushed myself down a path I never thought possible. I yearned for more than just fighting for equality—I wanted my home, my life, my world. I wanted Alex.