Fate

20

Chapter 20

I walked out of the bathroom and rubbed my eyes. I was having trouble sleeping, unlike Aryan. Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling just wasn't cutting it.

I was standing in the hallway when I heard Lucy's voice coming from the bedroom she and Kellan were sharing.

"Do you think it's our fault she's feeling this way?"

I stood near the door, hoping to hear what was being said. She had to have been talking about me.

"She's got every right to feel this way. I wouldn't blame her if she hates us." Kellan said, hurt in his voice.

"She's right. She never made the decision to go through all of this and I... I hate that my own father is going after her. This is all my fault."

"Luce, come on. This is not your fault. Andreas would be after someone else if it wasn't her."

"I've spent my entire life trying to protect her. And for what? She resents me, and you, and everything I'd envisioned for her is shot to hell."

"She doesn't hate you, Lucy. Don't be ridiculous." I didn't hate Lucy or Kellan. Lucy wouldn't have been so scared and worried over nothing. She wouldn't have faked it.

"How can you honestly say that?"

"Because you've shown her time and time again that you're doing everything in your power for her. You love her and she knows that."

I hovered in the hallway for another few seconds before I walked out into the living room. I went to one of the windows and pushed the curtain aside. The city was wide awake, even at 3 in the morning. There were lights on everywhere and cars honking their horns on the streets below. The sky was a dark blue yet it looked alive. There were no stars but it was still beautiful.

I wanted to be one of the thousands of people on the street below. I wanted to be hanging out with friends and staying out late and doing things I'd only seen in movies. I didn't want my current life. But I couldn't leave Aryan or Lucy and Kellan.

Near me, the phone lit up red. Not wanting anyone to know I was awake, I quickly grabbed it and answered it before it could ring.

"Hello?"

"Julia? What are you doing up?"

"Holden? What did you find?" I asked, my shoulders relaxing and my toes uncurling. I was so relieved it was him.

"Well you're not dying so you can relax. I know you've been so stressed out lately-"

"Holden, what else?"

He sighed before responding. "Right. Well the scan showed nothing. It wouldn't, in cases like yours. I found, however, that after my brother removed your wings, he gave you a drug that stalled the growth of your new wings. You're like a jellyfish that can't grow its arms back because a drug is preventing it."

"So they'll come back?"

"Yes. I anticipate sometime soon."

I sighed. "Thank goodness."

"I'm coming over with an antidote that will flush the remainder of the drug from your system. A detox of sorts."

"Do I have angel blood in my system?"

"I will need to test your blood. What I have is several days old."

"Okay. Hurry."

"Yes, yes, of course. I will be there shortly."

I hung up the phone and, once again, I started pacing.