Ridley was right. Lena thought as she ran far away from the cardinal. Away from Ethan. Away from the girl he seem so happy with. Someone he can touch freely. A girl who is normal.
A mortal girl. A voice told her. He’s much better off with her.
“Who are you?” Lena said in a trembling voice, the trees around her seem to be closing in. Various branches snapping and leaves crackling from a sudden cool breeze.
Someone…
Suddenly, Lena felt as a strong wind pushed her down to the ground and roots from beneath her wrap themselves around her wrist, ankles and waist in a tight grip. She tried yell out but her throat became dry and sore. The more she struggled against the roots, the tighter its grip on her became.
Ethan! ETHAN! HELP! Lena began Kelting, hoping he would sense her in distress. But there was no answer from him.
You honestly believe that he’s gonna come? A familiar female voice taunts.
Who are you? Lena questions.
You…well the Dark side. She continues to struggle. It won’t make a difference.
What do you mean? Lena demands.
You struggling. Ethan’s not coming. I don’t blame him. Dark Lena said as she materialized and stood at Lena. Her golden Dark Caster eyes staring down at her. "You did ditched him for a Caster boy."
“You’re not real!” Lena yells.
Dark Lena only laughs, sounding so much like their mother, Sarafine. “I’m very much real. Ridley is right…you’re closer to the Dark than she was…”
“I’m not going Dark-”
“Don’t you get it. I’m you, Lena.” She snaps. “You let the Mortal get in the way of our true power…”
“Indeed Cataclyst are more powerful than a Natural.” Sarafine said as she emerges from the darkness.
“Sarafine.” Lena said.
“Oh Lena.” Sarafine said looking down at her. “That boy made you sick. He made you weak…”
“You’re wrong.” Lena said. “Loving Ethan made me stronger. He-”
“Thought you weren’t gonna go Dark.” Dark Lena interrupted. “Wel I hate to shatter your dreams but…what would you call me?”
“This-no you can’t be me. Sarafine is messin with my reality.” Lena tries to convince herself. “This is her way of trying to get me to go Dark.”
Sarafine laughs at Lena. “No Lena. This isn’t my doin. This is who you really are.”
Dark Lena reaches her hand out towards Lena. She raised it a bit and the roots that was holding Lena down was vaporized. Then she was lifted up to her feet by her dark self.
“Embrace me.” Dark Lena said.
“No I’m a good person-”
“Macon lied to you.” Dark Lena said. “All those years, he said that our mother was dead. He made us believe we didn’t have a choice on our Claiming. If you just chosen Dark…maybe…just maybe…he would still be alive.”
“I didn’t mean to kill him.”
“You chose a mortal over your family.” accused Sarafine.
As much as Lena didn’t want to admit, Sarafine was right. She chose to save Ethan over the closest thing she had to a father. But she didn’t know Macon would be the needed sacrifice.
“You made a deal with the ‘Book of Moons’ and you didn’t expect it didn’t want something back?” Dark Lena questions. “Haven’t you learned from Genevieve?”
“And look what she done to our family. Over a mere mortal.” Sarafine adds. “Mortals makes us weak…”
Lena suddenly collapsed onto the grass, gasping for breath. Dark Lena stares down at her with a sadistic smile.
“Don’t worry…” Sarafine spoken in a soft calming voice, kneeling down to Lena. She reaches out to stroke her daughter’s curly black. “…we’ll help you out…”
Lena stares up at her mother, her dark green eyes filled with malice and hatred. “No. I rather be dead.”
Dark Lena narrows her eyes as she raises her hands into the air. As she did, the sky was slowly being consumed by thousands of black moths. Lena felt herself slipping away as the moth began to cover her body.
“Yellow for yes and Green for no.”
