I kept fighting after Tallis left to save the Attic from the Shadows. Where were Lolia and Hunter?
However I could feel my strength draining. From the healing and from the fighting. And the Shadows seemed to realise it, because they began fighting more viciously than before.
I didn't know where Hestia and Lilly were, only that they were fighting loads of Shadows on their own anyway. We were strictly outnumbered. And I knew I was losing the battle.
A Shadow leaned down and tried to snatch me up out of the air. I danced out of the way and pelted it with rocks. "Go away!" I shrieked. Another Shadow shot a ball of murky purplish black liquid at me from behind. It grazed my arm as I flew around trying to avoid it.
And then I heard the oddest thing.
The Shadow seemed to be talking.
Thalia Moon. A breathy, Darth Vader-ish voice came out of the shapeless Shadow. We have seen inside your heart and your mind.
"No you haven't!" I yelled. My heart pounded and I sent a volley of rocks and gravel into the Shadow. It barely flinched.
We grow stronger with the return of our leaders. It breathed. And we have decided to give you one warning and one chance.
I stood paralysed. "Return of your leaders? Do you mean Yuchi? But it was plural... there are more shadow elementals?"
The Shadow ignored me. You could join us and avoid the mess. Or you could stay here and wilt away under the power of Shadow. hissed the voice. I realised that all the Shadows were talking in unison now.
"I'll join you when earth dies!" I spat.
The Shadows chuckled. Interesting. As the earth elemental, you should know the power of your words. Well that leaves your warning.
"Get it over with." I snarled, leaning on my sword in exhaustion.
The boy you love is more vulnerable than before.
"What do you mean?" I demanded. "What about Tallis?"
That is your warning. The Shadows chanted. Now we fight.
Oh god no. I couldn't fight anymore.
I managed to parry the first wave of shadowy liquid. But the next one...
I squeezed my eyes shut and prepared for the sting. But it never came.
"Thalia, Thalia, are you all right?" Tallis shook me.
I opened my eyes and glared at him. "Get your filthy hands off me."
Tallis looked puzzled. "Thalia..."
"WATCH OUT!" I yelled. He barely managed to dodge the wall of black shadow.
Suddenly, the Shadows froze. I could see Lilly and Hestia again, looking wide eyed at the spectacle. And the Shadows retreated, melting into a blackish-purplish sort of soup, then disappearing.
Lilly and Hestia ran over. "Are you all right, Tallis? Thalia?" Lilly asked.
Tallis glared at her. "No thanks to you, Lilly. And Thalia's pretty much exhausted herself out because you had to go and have your stupid shoulder wounded."
I started. "No, Tallis, it isn't Lilly's fault--"
"Of course it is!" he yelled, setting off toward the library area. Lilly looked hurt.
"What's up with Tallis?" Hestia asked, wide-eyed and confused.
Lilly glared at me, and I could see confused and angry tears forming in the corners of her beautiful blue eyes. "I don't know, but I'll bet anything it had to do with that little witch." she muttered under her breath.
I scrambled up, my legs shaking. "I don't know, I really don't, I'm sorry, Lilly--"
"I don't want to hear it." She stalked off. My knees gave way and I sank to the ground.
Hestia looked at me sadly. "Do you really not know?"
"No, I don't!" I cried, bursting into tears. "I never wanted to hurt Lilly! I don't know what I did!"
Hestia gave me a sharp, disbelieving look. "I'm going to go find her."
I stared after Hestia, my tears running down my face. "Hestia, please, I really..." I wailed.
Hestia ignored me and disappeared around the corner. A new wave of tears blinded me, and I sat in the dirt crying. Who would come down the stairs but Hunter, Lilly's brother.
"Are you all right?" Hunter gave me a pitying look. I glared at him fiercely.
"Go away."
"I never thought I'd meet someone as violent as me." He laughed, helping me up. "Thanks for healing Lilly back there."
"Where were you when the Shadows attacked us?" I demanded, pulling away from him and standing shakily my own.
He widened his eyes. "Shadows? Those creations of that little creep Yuchi?"
"They attacked us! All of them!" I yelled angrily.
"Shadows are indefinite! You couldn't have been attacked by all of them!" He protested.
"I don't care! A lot of them anyway! That's not the point! Where were you?!"
"I wasn't here! I was taking a walk! I'm sorry!" He backtracked quickly.
"I don't care! If you want to be part of our team then you have to act like a team member!" I ran away with the little strength I had to the library. Pulling the book about my family, I sank into a chair and began to read. Reading always helped me take my mind off things. In this case, however, it took my mind off things and put it onto more disturbing things.
The Moons were a family of three. Alexander Moon and Azalea Moon were married and had a baby, Thalia Viola Moon. Thalia was a very secretive little girl. She was pretty and clever, and loved to read.
Huh. Loved to read. Sounded like me. I continued reading.
Azalea owned a non-profit florist shop. Alexander was an author and a filmmaker. He was the maker of many popular movies that hit the record high list for the money that they made. Often times Thalia would help him with the filming. Sometimes she helped write the scripts. She was a very clever girl.
Thalia had a cousin named Emery Hazella Moon. Emery was Thalia's best friend, until catastrophe struck. Emery and Thalia, age thirteen and twelve, were celebrating Thalia's twelfth birthday when Emery offered to go and get the matches for the cake. Thalia followed her.
When the girls did not come down for several minutes, Azalea and Alexander became worried. They went upstairs and found Emery burning Thalia's body, seeming to be under a trance. Azalea went wild and kicked Emery out. Alexander tried to comfort her, but he couldn't have prevented the suicide that occurred two days later. He buried Thalia and Azalea together and was never heard from again.
I nearly screamed.
I should be dead.
Jamming the book back into the bookshelf, I took the steps two at a time, finally collapsing in an isolated chair in another room. Another thought occurred to me.
If I'm twelve, then how come I'm outside? I'm supposed to still be in the orphanage...
I thought I screamed, but I couldn't remember. I was too far gone into sleep...
