Relentless

Chapter 73

It has taken us a week to regroup and come up with a plan. Before I thought Peter worried in vain. Maybe I didn't understand last time but now I understood why he was worried. He looks paler and paler each day. His hair is losing its glossy shine and his skin looks almost sickly.

He's going to have to use his ability to find my mother again. I can't bring myself to tell him but I think he already knows. I wish there was some way Lexington could take his place but I already explored that option. Peter's ability combined with Emma's is specific to him. No one has else has his ability of location.

I've done my best to try to find the new location where they are keeping my parents but I have been so distracted thinking about my sister. It's funny. I never thought I would be so distracted by her without her here.

I can't decide whether I am angry at my sister or indebted to her. Clearly she was being used by Lydia and she decided to sabotage our plan to keep our mother from Lydia at the cost of her own life. That was brave and because of her treachery, she's gone. I know that Ashton's only drive to save our parents came from her love for me, not them. I almost feel like I let her down by not being able to save her from Lydia but what could I have done?

Heaven only knows what is happening to her now. I can't bear the thought of Ashton being hurt at my expense. Every time I close my eyes all I see are my sister's scars. I turned a blind eye when there was nothing I could do to stop the suffering she had already faced by Lydia's hand. I can't do that anymore.

Ashton has thrown away everything to protect me. It's about time I do the same for her.

I stood up, ready to take action when Lexington confronted me.

"You're not about to do something rash are you?" He asked.

"Me? Doing something impulsive?" I asked, trying to hide my guilt. "Of course not," I said dismissively with the wave of a hand. "Who do you take me for? Ashton?" Oh, too far, I thought, realizing my mistake.

"Speaking of your sister, how are you dong with it? I mean, you just lost her again. It would be easy to charge headlong into an uphill battle without a plan due to irrational feelings." He taunted, waiting for me to take the bait.

"Wha-what irrational feelings?"

"You know, the ones that make you feel like you owe her because of the actions she chose to make."

"That's not ringing any bell. Could you be more specific?"

"Oh, come on, Celeste. You can't fool a psychic. I know-"

"And what did we discuss about invading my mind?"

"I didn't."

"Then how did you..."

"I use my intuition and centuries of experience. Between that and deduction based off of your previous actions, it was easy to predict your train of thought. I see that I was right, anyway. You should know that I hardly ever use my psychic ability."

"Than what do you suggest I do, all knowing one?" I mocked.

He sighed. "I'm not trying to undermine you. This is your group and I am just the newcomer but I am older than you and with age comes experience. You are only fifteen. You can't be expected to know everything."

"Sixteen." I forgot that fall began in our home province two weeks ago.

"What?"

I can't believe it just hit me. "It was my birthday a week ago." Which means that it was Ashton's birthday, too. I thought with tears pooling in my eyes. It was my first birthday that I had ever spent away from Ashton. It was worse than that. It was the day I lost her.