Our Demons {Kai Parker Book 1}

chapter forty-three: In Which There's a Realization

There was static in the air. 

Ria stared into the woods, hesitating, wondering why a part of her was almost afraid to track down the path?

Chills were running up and down her back as moths danced in her stomach. There was something deep in the forest, something dark.

"Are you okay?" Stefan voiced concern.

"I'm fine," she responded with a smile. Ria locked her fingers with Stefan's and guided him into the woods. She ignored everything, instead, she closed her eyes and allowed for nature, the energy, to guide her.

But this energy was unlike anything she had ever felt before and she forced her eyes to remain shut, despite every nerve screaming at her to turn the opposite way.

This energy had no colour, it was an odd and unsettling mixture of tainted shadows and strokes of grey.

Danger and comfort, truth, deception, revenge, hate, and admiration raced in a whirlwind.

If the three young witches were here, why was their energy conflicting with so many emotions and feelings?

When Ria sent their souls from earth, she aimed to send them to a haven where they shouldn't be feeling scared or confused.

Ria stopped.

Her eyes snapped open.

Three hooded figures stood before her.

"Ria Emerson, at long last."

She stood stupefied, her breaths quickening. Her initial thought was confusion but then she remembered what these three entities did to her. The horrors she faced and the people she lost. She remembered Stefan and what the Trinity could do to him.

Reading the fear and worry on her face, Wuji answered in a powerful voice that shook her.

"Relax, we aren't here to hurt the vampire."

"Then why are you here?" she spat out. "Why am I here?"

Stefan turned to the direction Ria faced but didn't see anyone. He hesitated against telling her there was no one here with them but remembered that her powers were far more advanced than his concerning spirits and creatures invisible to the eye.

Wuji stepped forward holding his hands out in a motion of peace. Ying and Yang held their tongues from retaliating.

"We are here to lift your curse."

"My curse?"

"You see Ria, the balance must be restored at all costs. Life is only possible with balance. You fought against our power over your free will and quite impressively so. But tampering with the scales of life is not a forgivable rebellious act. You broke free from our hold, yes, but we cursed you for doing so."

Ria's gaze hardened as she pushed back her insecurities. "What did you do to me?"

Yang ignored the hate lacing her voice, "You are an Addonexus. You are able to use light and darkness to do your bidding. Able to heal any person using energy. But as you refused to imprison Kai Parker, refused to imprison a prisoner, our curse would imprison any person you aimed to free. Does this make sense?"

At the mention of his name she clenched her jaw, "What did you do to me?"

"What is the most sacred possession of every creature Ria? That which, without, would result in the most pain and the most severe loss?"

"My humanity..." she felt a tingle of electricity between her fingers, "I was cursed to hurt those I tried to help?"

"Yes."