Elysian House: Edge of the World (3)

Chapter 2: On the Brink of Destruction

Viola

I burst through Winter's door only hours after the meeting was adjourned. With Olivia and Jasmin hot on my heels, I zeroed in on Winter and was already speaking before she had the chance to ask me what I was doing in here at all when I hadn't shown up to work in four months. 

"What the hell! They can't be serious, we're letting Riley do this now?" I demanded, while my sister stood to my left, patting my back and trying to ease me down. It wasn't working at all. 

Winter sighed, seemingly hearing the news and agreeing to it. She sits herself down at the desk and laces her fingers together on the surface. "They make a good point, Viola. We have to think about the greater majority. Riley would understand if we--"

"Bullshit!" I yelled. "You can't do this, Winter. They can't let this happen."

"Viola, I can't change their minds. They are the bosses, the Counts of this world. Next to the High Council, they are the biggest Vampires in this world." 

"No. Winter, this is a person. Not an object. You can't do this."

She looks up at me and I saw an actual pain behind her eyes. I recalled that Winter was Rowan's "aunt" in a way in Riley's past life. I remembered Riley telling me she was harsh on her and always telling her to run away. Maybe Winter wasn't as bad as Riley had thought she was. "Do you think I want to do this? Riley made a choice. She knows how the prophecy goes, Viola. You're the one that has to end her."

I shake my head and lean back into my sister's supporting hand. 

Jasmin pipes up next to me. "Winter, ma'am, there has to be some other way--"

"The prophecy has spoken," she says, looking down, with a clenched jaw and signing some document on the desk. "Starting today, we will be aiding Riley Jackson in the assassination of Snow Horux. Anybody who opposes," she looks up, straight at me, "will be terminated."

The door flung open behind us and in came Red Knight. He saw me and immediately came over to me and held a hand over my shoulder, giving me that sincere stare he used to always give me as a kid. Then he looked up at Winter, sitting behind the desk. "Winter, tell me you didn't sign off on the agreement."

She rolled up the document and began to tie a ribbon around it. "I did, Edge." 

"Winter!"

"It's out of my hands, Edge," she stood up, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. "I can't do or say anything to change their minds. I follow my orders given to me by my captains."

She left the room and slammed the door behind her. 

I moved to the chair and sat down, burying my face into my hands. I couldn't believe this. There was no way that this was happening. I had to figure out a way to stop this. If not with Winter, then without her. I would not let Riley die to stop Snow. I would not be the one to end her. 

Red set his hand on my shoulder again and Olivia was bending down in front of me, holding onto my wrists as I held my face in my hands. 

Jasmin was standing next to me and she said to Olivia, "We can't let this happen."

"How?" Olivia whispered back to her, as if I couldn't hear her. "Winter is in charge around here, Jazz. We can't compete against the rest of the Guards."

"Why the hell not?"

"Guys," Red tightened his grip on me. "Can we talk about this later?"

"No," I lifted my face and looked up at my sister's green eyes. "I'm not letting this happen, Olivia. No matter what, Riley's not dying."