Bronze

Chapter 24 pt.3

Leah

When they were finished speaking, Derive came back to my side and pulled me along to the car. I turned around and saw James slinging the bag of supplies I brought over his shoulder, holding Sofie on his hip.

He ran off into the woods, both the bag and my sister bouncing as he sprinted behind the trees. I had hoped, a bit resentfully, that I would never see them again.

.

.

. 

"I thought you said you were taking her!" I hissed as I was pushed into the passenger seat. He slammed the door in my face, ran to the driver's side, and got in himself. Then, he turned on the ignition, bringing the car to life with a loud roar and a rumble, and zoomed from his spot on the curb in front of the house. 

"We'll both be dead if we're not on time," he said in a monotone. Yes, Markus was known for taking a finger or an entire hand off for tardiness, but he would never take a life for it. That was reserved for criminals.

Altering my position in the seat, I leaned my tense shoulder against the chilled window. The cold helped to take my mind off my sister's sudden departure and focus more on my upcoming move- or lack thereof. For now, all I could do was wait.

*******

I was sitting in a room made of mirrors. All around me, I saw my face and beaten body. I was in pain, yet I couldn't feel any of it. I could see the scars and the blood, but nothing felt wrong with me. 

One mirror in front of me, long and slender with a black frame, stood straight on the wall like it was apart of it. All the other ones were either hanging or leaning against the wall, but this one was different. From where I was, it almost looked like a person.

"Leah," a whimsical female voice called from somewhere behind me. Since I couldn't see back there, my brain perceived it as being pitch black. 

"Come back to me, Leah," it said again, this time sounding significantly closer. I jerked toward the sound, straining every muscle and tendon in my neck to see. 

I tried to speak, but I didn't have a mouth. It was like my lips were taped shut with ducktape and glue, then covered with cement. 

"Look."

I jumped, scared.

"Look!"

My head shot up, staring at myself in the strange, distorted mirror in front of me. I wasn't the only one in the reflection, however. Kane stood to my right while Markus was on my left. They both held their hands out for me to take. 

Somehow, I knew whoever I chose would decide the fate of not only myself but of everyone around me, as well. All I had to do was pick a hand. Simple, yet so very complicated. 

I couldn't keep my eyes off of my mate, penetrating into the deepest parts of my soul with just a stare. 

Seeing this, Markus gripped my chin and brought my gaze to him, smiling softly as if he knew he'd already won. I could see every life, every face that would ultimately die if I took Kane's hand reflected in his eyes. Thousands of them, all crystal clear within his black irises, glaring at me, cursing me for what I did to them. 

How could I live with that guilt?

I closed my eyes tightly. "I don't want to look!" I screamed as I covered my ears. 

The female voice, I remembered it belonged to a male figure, chuckled, hints of darkness laced within its undertones. "You have to!" It screamed back, resonating from inside my ears.