Page 121 of Wings of Lies
Miriam retreated, Marcus limped forward, and Miriam’s son decided to play the hero, positioning himself in front of his mom with clenched fists raised. Beside him, Oliver’s sister stood frozen, mere inches from Marcus’s swirling red smoke.
We jerked back, nicking our finger on the blade protruding from Oliver’s unconscious mom as we applied pressure.
“Melanie!” Oliver whispered.
By the eager gleam in Marcus’s eyes, Oliver should’ve never brought attention to his sister.
The cloud of red split. One went high, the other low.
Time slowed down, and Miriam spoke to me.
Lucille, if you can hear me, if you’re in there, save my son. Save them all. You’re the key.
I stilled.
Tell your mom I forgive her. And remember, Lucille. Remember, she was only trying to do her best by you.
Then, as if time paused to give Miriam that moment, it sped back up. She grabbed her son and turned them around. The cloud of red hit her back. She arched from the impact of Marcus’s power and screamed. Her son stared up at her with watery eyes, watching heragony until she reined it in enough to press a hand to his face and mumble soft words only for him.
I didn’t want to be here anymore. I didn’t want to watch as a little boy witnessed his mother’s death while she held him, and he shed silent streams of tears.Please, I want to wake up now. Release me.But my temperamental powers didn’t listen to me.
The other cloud came for us. But before it hit, Emily managed to push to her knees and shove Oliver out of the way. Surprised, we fell into the wall, banging our head. Our vision blurred, and our ears rang. Warmth dripped down our forehead as we tilted our head up. Black dots interrupted the picture of Marcus’s retreating steps. Blinking, it took us a second to see two little bodies being dragged out of the house.
Miriam’s son was knocked unconscious, and Oliver’s sister cried in Marcus’s arms.
“No! Mom!” Oliver yelled, looking back for help, and froze. “Mom?” His voice broke along with my tender heart. He blinked, unable to comprehend the sight. More than anything, I wished I could control his arms and cover his eyes to shield Oliver from the horrendous sight. Tears helped to blur the two half-eaten bodies. But nothing could stop the sound of the sizzling flesh or the smell of burnt meat and hair.
“MOM!” he wailed, then puked.
I woke,gasping for air, and puked into the leaves.
“Oliver was telling the truth.”
That didn’t make what he did to me okay, and I didn’t forgive him for it, but after witnessing and feeling what he went through, I hated him a little less.
What I didn’t understand from my dream-walk was how Miriam talked into my mind.
Lucille, if you can hear me, if you’re in there, save my son. Save them all. You’re the key.Tell your mom I forgive her. And remember, Lucille. Remember, she was only trying to do her best by you.
Invading the body meant I invaded the memory. I didn’t give power to the memory for anyone to change it, or that was what the male said. But then how was it possible that Miriam spoke to me? And how could I save her son?
I assumed her son was the boy with her, but I didn’t recognize him, and depending on when that memory took place, he could be dead or older.
Save them all? You’re the key?
That didn’t make sense either.I could barely save myself, and she was telling me I had to save them all?Who isall?
At least the last part I was doing. I know my mom was only trying to protect me in the only way she knew how. I already forgave her for isolating me and refusing to teach me control.
Sighing, I pushed myself off the wet ground and rubbed at the mud on my face. Everything looked lighter, but I couldn’t see the sun as it hid behind the thick foliage.
I stilled.
The sun.
Cursing, I peered around. Trees, dangling moss, and large patches of carpet moss filled my vision. I moved, jangling at a brisk pace. There were no amount of curses I had left at the noise my cuffsmade. The king said I couldn’t unlock them, but once I found a safe spot to rest, I would try anyway.
I hid behind trees, searching for movement. My ears were useless when it came to Aspen, or the Drunes, for that matter. Both were silent as death. But I figured I’d at least try to sneak, ignoring the fact that I jangled like a dinner bell to anyone in the near vicinity.
