Amethyst 1. Inception ✓

7. Unhurt

"It's a miracle."

"I cannot believe he would stoop that low."

"To even imagine what could have happened-"

Two voices were conversing as if from far away. I heard someone gasp as I slowly tried to open my eyes. The dim lights in the room floated into my vision. A creeping sense of déjà vu overtook me. 

"Eejay!"

In spite of my uneasiness, my heart settled in my stomach when I heard the voice of my aunt. I slowly opened my eyes, fixing my gaze on the high ceiling. I waited for the pain to come back in tides like it had the last time, however, it didn't. 

I felt a warm, soft hand on my forehead and almost flinched, but my tired body refused to obey. 
I opened my eyes fully, my hazy vision was finally settling on my father and his sister on either side of my bed. I gazed to my right, turning slightly. I was shocked to see that there was no sign of any injury. I had always recovered rapidly from my physical wounds, because of my Nuvue powers. Although, I wasn't sure which element I truly was, or even if all Nuvues had similar abilities to heal. 

They were gazing at me, their identical grey eyes dark in concern. I felt a pang of agony that had nothing to do with the Zverya as I glanced at my aunt, quickly tearing my eyes away from her and addressing my father instead.

"What happened?" I croaked, my voice was hoarse.

My father's eyes darkened impossibly further, making me wonder if he was hiding something as he spoke, "It has been taken care of, Zeke. You are okay now." 

A shuddering cough escaped my throat as I finally managed to sit up. I purposefully avoided looking at aunt Lisette. It was then that I became aware of the bandage on my shoulder and the fact that I was no longer in my armour. "Where's the armour?" I asked sharply, addressing my dad. My senses seemed suddenly electrified. I hated the idea of some stranger touching me to remove it.

My dad sensed my discomfort and spoke softly, "I removed it, Zeke. It was broken."

I took a deep breath and wrenched my eyes away from him, feeling suddenly conscious. 

"Is everyone...else okay?" I asked, my voice scratchy and throat dry. My entire body throbbed from the ache. I barely remembered anything after I had seen the fiendish beast. I know that I passed out and that Aidan was the reason I was still alive.

My dad nodded and gently stroked my hair. I was shocked to see how pale his skin looked, how sunken his eyes seemed. "Yes. Everyone is fine." 

I gulped, deciding against asking him anything else about the situation even though there were a hundred questions in my mind. I shut my eyes momentarily at his affectionate touch, revelling in the fleeting sense of safety that came with it. 

"Zeke," my dad began, "I know you are not exactly healthy right now, but there is something I need you to know."

I nodded as I looked at my dad, my brain still hazy.

"I am sending you to Asteria. Tonight. Aidan will be escorting you personally. You shouldn't have any problems."

I didn't reply, his haggard appearance worrying me. "Dad...what exactly happened?"

It was difficult to find words on my tongue, the suddenness of everything was daunting. He gazed at me for a while, his brows furrowed. He exchanged a worried glance with his sister before again looking at me. "Later. You need to rest. You leave in a few hours."

 I stared open-mouthed at him, puzzled by his abruptness. He didn't say another word, merely nodding curtly at me before he walked out of the door. As soon as I was left alone with Lisette, I could feel the air solidifying. The memories of our last encounter flooded into my mind like a tornado. "I'm glad you're okay, Eejay," she said, her voice hesitant, changing pitch as if in fear. 

I gazed into her honest, sincere eyes; a world away from her father's; her dark, wavy hair that her daughters had inherited and at her trembling lower lip. 

"Ezekiel," I rasped, my voice hoarse but firm, correcting her. I had let her call me Eejay years ago. The painful memories attached to it, each concerning my mother made the void in my chest expand so rapidly that my lungs seemed to cease breathing. 

She bit her bottom lip and let out a shuddering sigh. "Honey-" she leaned forward as if to touch me, and I recoiled from her hand, glaring at her as welled up hurt and anger crashed into me with the force of an avalanche. 

"What do you want?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice even.

I was afraid I would yell, or worse, break.

She sighed and sat at the foot of the bed. "You are entitled to your anger, Zeke. But you have to understand, I...I panicked." I fought to keep my face impassive as she continued, "I have spent every second regretting it, Zeke. I am so sorry. Please..." her voice broke, and for a moment, so did my resolve. But years of seclusion at Stonewall had taught me well. "If there is anything I can do...Zeke."

Silence fell between us. I childishly refused to look at her. My pride fought viciously with my heart.

"I'm not...angry," I said truthfully. I finally looked at her and had to use every ounce of courage not to break my resolve again. "You were not wrong. Anyone would've done the same." I shrugged to show false indifference. My joints felt slightly stiff from whatever antidote they had presented to me. "You were just protecting your own children."

I almost winced from the throbbing ache, anxiously pulling at a stray strand of cloth that my wandering fingers had found on the mattress. 

"You are like my own child, Zeke," she whispered, again raising a hand as if to touch me but thinking better of it. White-hot rage pierced my insides at her words. 

"There's a difference between 'like' and actually being, Lisette."

I stared at her; my anger was overpowering my pain. Her eyes widened slightly when I called her by her name. The blood drained from her face rapidly. It was probably close to some kind of felony to do that, but I couldn't care less. 

"I hold no grudges against you. But I request you to stop pretending now. Leave me alone. Like you did then."

Her lower lip trembled as she held back a sob before finally getting up and walking out without a word.

I stared at the closed door for a while, my heart a whirlwind of emotions, sucking me into its tempestuous winds and leaving me screaming silently in pain.