Skulls and Bones

Epilogue

I never got to find out what happened when Skulls died. I never got to find out where they went or if they still existed. I was happy I didn't get to find out.

When I opened my eyes, I was back in my room. Not the room that I grew up in for seventeen years, but the room that became mine when I figured out who I really was. I thought that after being through a traumatic experience, I would experience amnesia. I thought that I wouldn't remember who I was or where I was. Hell, I wasn't even suppose to be alive. The ritual should have killed Gabriel along with myself. I remembered the pain I felt and feeling the sense of my death coming. I remembered all of it.

But I was still here. I was still alive. I was in my room surrounded by the people I was trying to protect. Their faces filled my vision, Cornelius and my mother the closest followed by Marc and Rick with Hazel hanging around near the door. Lori was in the corner with her arms crossed and her face a scowl.

When I looked at my mother, she burst into tears and rested her shoulder on Cornelius. He rubbed her shoulder soothingly and smiled.

"Thought we lost you there," he said. "Welcome back."

My mom moved from Cornelius and threw herself at me. "Oh baby," she sobbed. I slowly hugged her back wondering what the hell was going on. I could feel her tears soaking through the thin fabric I was wearing and finally realized I wasn't in the coronation dress but in a silver gown.

Her tear stricken face looked at me with a scowl. "Don't you ever scare me like that again," she scolded. "I thought you were dead! I thought I lost my little girl. I did not spend my life protecting you for me to lose you. Do you hear me? Amelia, say something. You're staring at me like I'm a complete stranger."

"I'm sorry mom," I said and stared at her with confusion. "I just don't understand how I'm here. The ritual should have killed me."

"You can thank me for that." Lori stepped foward from her spot with a big grin on her face. It was anything but sincere. "Lucky I got to you in time. You were hanging on to life when I came to and if it wasn't for me-"

"Just like you to take all the credit," Rick scoffed but I could see the smile on his face as he looked at me. "Almost lost you sweetheart but a spell in that demon book brought you back. All Lori did was hold the book."

"And find the spell," she added and rolled her eyes. "You're welcome."

"It doesn't matter how you came back," my mom said and placed her hands on my cheeks. "All I know is that I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

"We're not," Cornelius corrected and my mom looked at him with a smile.

I couldn't stop the smile that formed on my own face. My mom could finally be happy with the man she still clearly loved. She enveloped me in a hug and I held out one hand for Cornelius to join in. He was my dad after all. He hesitated before joining and I was filled with happiness as I felt the love from both of my parents. But it ended quickly. The happiness disappeared and was replaced by emptiness. I couldn't feel anything as the hug continued.

My mom frowned when she pulled away. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"She's probably overwhelmed," Marc answered. His green eyes held worry and his hand ran through his black hair. "It's alright Amelia, you're safe. Everything's fine."

"No it's not," I said. "Where's Zain?" I finally realized that my best friend wasn't in the room with us. It all came back to me. He was a Manick B. But he was able to get my dad out of his prison. He had to be around here somewhere.

Everyone remained quiet and avoided my gaze. And even though I wanted to be sad, I still couldn't feel anything. Unlocking the darkness inside changed me into this person that just didn't feel. But I was going to find a way to bring Zain back to the person he was. It wasn't over for me.