Wingless ~Book Two of Winged~

Signs

Etheriel doesn't let me help them pack at all. He tells me to just lie down and rest so I can recover from the blood loss. Everyone is acting strange and I know it's because of what Flora told them. I'm going to die and they can't stop it. I have an empty feeling in my chest and I can't help but wonder exactly how long do I have left. She said that I don't have any of the symptoms, but her face she made told me, definitely, a mass had already developed on my brain.

I sit up and bring my hand to my temple and slowly feel around my head. I suddenly feel stupid because I wouldn't be able feel it through my skull. Dominic comes into the room and picks up a bag. When he turns to take it, he sees me sitting up.

"You should lay back down and rest." Dominic says with concern in his eyes.

"I feel fine." I whisper and get out of bed.

"Hey, hey, hey! Lay back down." Dominic drops the bag and starts toward me. He reaches out to me.

"Dominic, I said I'm fine!" I raise my voice more than I wanted to and he stands shocked. I stare up at him before walking past him briskly. I need fresh air. I reach out toward the door handle and freeze when I see my hand trembling. Is this what Flora was checking for? I hear Dominic move in the room behind me and I quickly open the door and leave. I go to the elevator and while I am waiting, I look down at my trembling hands. I step into the elevator and while it is descending I start feeling a pressure in my head that quickly turns into a head splitting headache. When the elevator opens, I am leaning against the wall of the elevator. I stumble out slightly, my headache intensifying. I take a few deep breaths and straighten up, walking across the lobby and out the glass doors. I walk down the sidewalk some, away from the people going in and out of the hotel, and lean against the brick. I feel like there are a million knifes stabbing my brain over and over again. I slide down the rough brick and feel like I am in this position for ten minutes before the pressure lessens and I am able to move again. I get back up and dust myself off before heading back toward the entrance where I bump into Etheriel.

"Where have you been? I was worried. You shouldn't be up and moving around you need to heal from what happened with Dominic and Eli." Etheriel wraps an arm around me and guides me back into the hotel. I stop walking and he turns and looks at me, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you treating me like I am sick? And why are you lying? I know that you are treating me this way because of what Flora said about those tumors." He looks defeated as he stares at me. "You can treat me like this when I am actually sick." He stares for a long time before slowly nodding.

"Why were you outside?" Etheriel asks.

"I just needed some fresh air." I say and smile. He nods and we walk halfway across the lobby before the elevator opens and Dominic comes out carrying a bag. He comes up to us and his eyes scan me.

"Ready?" he asks.

"Yeah, Nathan should be back with the car, fully fueled, soon." Etheriel responds and we walk out of the hotel just as Nathan pulls up. He pops the trunk and Dominic takes the bag and puts it with the rest. I get in the backseat and Etheriel gets in the front, which confuses me because that means Dominic is sitting back with me. I see Dominic walk into a passage away from people and then Nathan pulls away from the sidewalk.

I must have fallen asleep because when I open my eyes its pitch dark outside. I'm still extremely groggy and I can barely keep my eyes open.

"What do you plan on doing?" Nathan asks Etheriel in the passenger seat.

"I am going to search for a way to help her. I don't want to lose her." Etheriel responds and stares out the window.

"Etheriel..." Nathan says quietly and Etheriel looks over at him.