To Raise the Dead- Book Three

Ch. 24- What Was Left

"I am bathed in tears of grief and despair."

***
Sebastian

"You have to bring him back!" Ellie yelled at me. "I need to tell him that I love him."

I closed my eyes. "I can't."

Fury and grief was in her violet eyes. "Why not? You brought Elora back, why can't you bring him back, too?"

Both of us were alone, where no one could hear us. At least, hopefully they couldn't. "Because you were right, El," I said to her at last. "I shouldn't have brought her back. She has became someone else when her heart started beating again."

"What do you mean?"

"Segovia," I murmured. "She's back."

She clenched her jaw. "You have got to be kidding me, Sebastian." I could tell that my sister has now turned her emotions into anger instead of feeling everything. Like always.

"Not at all," I confessed, feeling very tired and weak. "Elora is being possessed by Segovia and she doesn't know about it."

"And why haven't you told her?" she paused. "She has the right to know."

"It was Segovia who tried to kill you, if you must know. Not Elora." I told my sister.

"Well duh, Sebastian. I kinda figured that out when you told me she was being possessed." Ellie said bitterly.

"And one more thing," I said. I wondered if I was capable of admitting it out loud. This was all on me and my choices that led me here. Ellie stared at me intently, wondering what I was about to say next. Instead, I grabbed the knife that was laying on the table next to me, and sliced my wrist. Blood spilled and where my wound was supposed to heal instantaneously, it did not.

"Why isn't it healing?" she asked me with fear in her voice. "Sebastian, tell me why it's not healing!"

I took a deep breath. "You told me there would be consequences for bringing them back, I guess I am paying the price."

"No, you can't die, too," she cried. "I lost him and i'm going to lose you."

"I've lived for a long time, Eleanor. Might as well be my time. Don't tell her about me, okay?"

"Stop keeping secrets from her, brother." she told me. "It's not best when you know how she is."

"Please don't tell her or anyone else. I've still got time." I said. Truthfully, I did not know how I could. How could I tell Elora I could not live forever with her because I was slowly dying? That it was my own damn careless self who got into this situation in the first place? Ollie was the only person who knew, who knew everything from the start. And now he's dead. Someone in this castle murdered him...

A tear sled down from Ellie's violet eyes. "You cannot possibly keep this from everyone else. We need to figure out a way to stop the process."

I sighed. "There is nothing we can do, Ellie. I told Ollie about me before he died, and he said there is no way to stop it. He knew about me, and now he is not alive."

"You really think someone murdered him because of what he knew?" she questioned.

"Maybe," I said at last, holding a sad smile. "Now, I've got to see Elora. I must tell her about who is in her head."

I realize it too late that I should tell her because of what my sister said. I want her to know, even if she will be angry at me for it.

Walking into my room, which occupied Elora also, I saw her head on the pillow—crying. At least someone is grieving over my dead friend. "Hello, love," I said.

"How is Ellie?" she asked between sobs.

"Normal Ellie," I told her. "She thinks that not feeling all of it will make her feel better. But if just makes her angrier."

I sat beside her on the bed, letting her cry it out. How would she feel when I told her that I was slowly aging like a human. That sooner or later I will die. And I will leave her forever alone. How do I tell the love of my life that she will have to survive without me?

"Darling, I have to tell you something," I started to say. "Something I have been hiding from you."

Elora turned toward me, staring right in my eyes with a questionable look. "What is it?" she asked.

"You did not try to kill Ellie. It wasn't you at all, but someone else." I admitted. "When you would get angry, your hair would be in flames and your eyes would be nothing but black. And Segovia would speak instead of you."

Elora sat up and ran a hand through her hair. "I knew it was all too good to be true. I knew that hearing her voice would be something terrible. And I was right."

"You heard her?" I asked.

She nodded her head slightly, turning her eyes away from me. "You were so happy and I didn't want to ruin it." Of course she would think of me and my happiness before her own. I was not surprised.

"The point is, she has taken control over you and we need to figure out a way to get rid of her for good." I told her.

"I need to get some air." she said finally. Elora stepped out of bed and walked out without saying another word.

***