The Tali

Chapter 16 - Psychic Readings And Betrayal

3 days until the Cyan Moon and I couldn't sleep. I hadn't seen Andrian in a week, and Zeke was busy preparing for the Moon and planning on how to protect me. I was scared, but not for myself, for the people I cared about. I stared at the red numbers on the ceiling. 4:37 am. I texted Evanoreen, we had become close in the last week.

"Hey, can I come to see you and your grandmother?" -Lailah

The reply was instantaneous. 

"Of course. :)" -Eva

I was at the Shamut Coven house within fifteen minutes, and Evanora was on the porch waiting for me. "Dear Child, I see you have learned quite a bit about yourself lately." I smiled and climbed the steps. "I'm actually here to see you." She patted my hand as I sat in the rocker next to her. "I know, you're here to see what happens on the Cyan Moon. I'm surprised you've realized I'm a psychic witch." I nodded, "Once I thought about our first encounter I realized it. You knew things that you couldn't know just by Googling me." 

"I know how that night will proceed, however, I can only tell you so much. Any more and it will change the future." I nodded, too nervous to speak. "On the night of the Cyan Moon, you will experience something truly agonizing and you will find yourself in an unrecognizable place surrounded by memories of the past." My mind went wild. I couldn't think of anything that would match those vague descriptions. 

"Can you tell me anything else?" I pleaded. She sighed and folded her hands in her lap. "I wish I could tell you exactly what happens, and I even looked ahead to see what would happen if I did." She was quiet for a moment, I didn't dare speak. "If I were to tell you what happened, you would never turn. And I promised your mother I'd help you recognize your full potential." She looked at me, sadness dripping from her features. 

"I can tell you that Ezekial and Andrian will survive the event." I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. "Thank you." She smiled as Evanoreen opened the screen door. "Lailah! I didn't know you were here yet!" Her grandmother chuckled, "If you'd actually use your powers as I taught you instead of using them to see how they end that show you watch, you'd have known." 

"Nana," Eva whined. "You're so mean." She grabbed my hand and dragged me inside, up the stairs and into her bedroom. "Lailah, how have you been?" She asked as she flopped on her bed. 

"I'm nervous. It's three days from now, I haven't seen Andrian and Zeke is trying to prepare." She sighed. "You know, I did look to the future to see what happens," I whipped my head up to stare at her, "You're like your grandmother?" She giggled, "Yes, now what I saw, it's bad. But everything will eventually be okay. That's all I can tell you without messing it up." She offered a small smile. 

At around 9 that same morning Eva kicked me out, as she had Council business to attend to and I'm still considered a human. I had decided to take my time walking home, but halfway there I changed my mind and decided to go see Zeke instead.

Once I arrived at Zeke's I decided to try to sneak up on him. I crept up his front steps and slowly opened the door but froze when I heard Zeke yelling. "GET THE FUCK OUT AND DON'T COME BACK!" I had never heard him yell like that before. The voice that replied froze me to my core. "Gods damn it, Ezekial! I know you're protecting the Athenos girl! Give her up to us and I can spare your life!" 

Andrian. I felt my heart breaking. "Shut the fuck up you nasty Kamatayan." Zeke spat. "I'll never give her up to a piece of shit like you!" My knees went weak and I had to grab the doorframe to steady myself which - with my luck- made a noise loud enough that had two pairs of glowing ice blue eyes staring at me. "Lailah," Zeke was at my side in a second. I couldn't breathe, the look on Andrian's face, full of hatred and anger stole my ability to fill my lungs with oxygen. 

When he realized it was me he was glaring at his face softened, his eyes faded back to dark blue and he took a step towards me. "Stay the fuck away from me." I hissed. The look on his face crushed me. He couldn't understand why. The bond was pulling at me, telling me I was making a mistake. That my mate was only a few feet away and all I had to do was close the distance. I wanted to, but my mate was a part of the group that wanted me dead. My life came before my heart, as much as it shredded the latter. 

I took a deep steadying breath. It didn't calm me at all but it did steady my kees. "I know you're protecting the Athenos girl, give her up to us and I'll spare your life," I repeated. He visibly paled. "Lailah, I can explain! I-," I didn't want to hear his excuse so I cut him off. "Let me tell you something, mate. My name - my real name - before I was adopted and my parents changed it." I stood a little taller. "My name is Lailah Victoria Athenos." I glared at him, replacing my hurt with anger.

He said nothing and Zeke groaned. "I told you not to tell him until after the moon." I whipped around to face him. "Did you know Ezekial?" He shook his head. "Unfortunately, I didn't find out until today that one of my oldest friends was a Kamatayan." I turned back to Andrian who still hadn't uttered a word. "Well? Still wanna kill me now?" I stalked towards him my anger building with each step. Andrian watched me his dark blue eyes emotionless. "Well?" I growled. I had never been so angry.

He finally spoke. "Why is your right eye the only one glowing?" I glared at him. "Because I've accessed some of my ability while still human to protect myself from the Kamatayans." He flinched when I said Kamatayan. "So you know about us... How are you still human?" His head dropped. "I'm sorry, Lailah." I scoffed. "What? For wanting to kill a girl who had done no wrong? I talked to Evanoreen, she said that the scar on my chest was caused by an osmium blade wielded by a Kamatayan." I heard his sharp intake of breath but pressed on. "I was three. Is that what you're sorry for? For trying to kill an innocent three-year-old? I'm still human because when I was stabbed the blade knicked my heart and somehow impeded my body's ability to change at 21." 

"I was there, but I wasn't the one holding the knife that put that mark on you." His face looked pained. "Then what were you doing? Setting my house on fire?" He didn't reply. "Answer me damn it!" I smacked his chest. "I-I was the one that k-killed your mother," he blurted out then slapped his hand over his mouth. My entire body went ice cold. "Get out of my sight, and just know that when you and your family come to kill me in three days," I paused and looked up at him, my right eye glowing brightly, "I will kill each and every one of you. Then when I get to you, I'll make you suffer like you did my mother."