Elysian House: Edge of the World (3)

Chapter 1: Missing In Action

For months, now, Riley has been missing. The day she came to me, with that look on her face, I knew something wasn't right. She had been off for several days beforehand. I don't even know how long she'd been planning to take on the Darkness as her own. To go after Snow by herself and stop her. I've been avoiding my house, because Red Knight was still there. I've just been sleeping in my car, driving during the day, and laying in the back seat all night. 

This can't be healthy.

Skylar and Del had been working frantically with Winter, discussing behind my back. But I wasn't even remotely interested in what they had to say. I removed myself from the Tower. My sister, Olivia, was constantly attempting to reach out to me, to talk me back to the world, but honestly, I didn't want to be back. I just wanted the world to vanish.

Days had gone by. Every single minute feels like a year has gone by. Riley is somewhere, possibly dying, maybe she's already dead, alone. And I can't reach her. 

The thought alone makes me colder. 

It's on a Wednesday night that I got the call. I was asleep in the back seat of my car, with a shiny black flashlight in my hand, clicking the light on and off, trying to banish the creature sitting in the front seat of the car. When the light illuminated the car up, from something else other than my flashlight, I sat up. I picked up the cell and inspected the ID.

It was from Edge.

I don't know what possessed me to finally take a call. But I did. I brought it up to my ear and spoke into the mouth piece, still aiming the flashlight at the passenger seat and seeing the creature in my head staring at me with black, beady eyes. 

"Hello?" 

Edge's sigh on the other end made me weary. "Jesus Christ, Viola. It's about damn time you picked up the phone."

The tone of his voice alarmed me even more, if it were possible. "What is it?" I ask, nervously. 

"You need to get down to the Elysian House right now, Viola. Shit's going down. I think you're gonna wanna see it," he said. Then, a second later, he added, "it's about Riley."

That gave me enough motivation alone to get my ass moving. I sat up in the back seat, shut off my phone and looked at the creature sitting in the passenger seat. I flashed the light once more at him, before crawling up into the front seat of the vehicle, turning the key and slamming on the gas. 

It didn't take me long to get to Elysian House with the speed I was going.

---

Edge was right. Shit was going down. 

The moment I came squealing into the parking lot, I could see what was happening. Counts and Countesses from different Elysian House's across the world were walking up the path, toward my Elysian House. I practically dived out of the front seat of the car and stood there for a good minute, simply watching as they walked up the path, and into the House. 

Students had gathered around the dormitories, curiously talking to one another and pointing. I rushed for the front of the Elysian House and before I could head inside, Olivia caught me by my shoulders, we both let out a startled yelp. 

"Viola!" Olivia gasped, still holding onto my shoulders. "Shit, when did you get back?"

"Just now," I answered, and then quickly turned back to the disappearing backs of the Count's. "What is happening?"

"A meeting," Olivia responded, somberly. "Skylar called upon the other Count's of the Houses across the world. They're going to discuss the plan for Riley."