Chapter 13: Consequence Coverup (2)

1.

“I’m... I’m gonna go take a shower.”

“Okay, that’s fine.”

I rest Emily on the couch in the living room and walk upstairs to my chambers.

The weight of today finally crashing down on me.

Just stop thinking, stop remembering today, stop remembering that’s all I need to do.

I unlock my door and walk in, finally having peace and quiet, something I hadn’t had all day.

My body was completely destroyed 3 times today.

This was all just bad luck, right? None of this was supposed to happen, I just got unlucky and did what I had to do. After today I’m never getting hurt again.

I enter the bathroom and see my reflection, my eye colour is even more red, and my hair is back and blonde, it’s also looked shorter like I had it as a kid before the snow.

But it looked wrong, everything looked wrong.

Something about my face fills my soul with anger.

Why did today happen? Why did I decide to set myself on fire almost instantly? Surely there were other options, what is wrong with me?

Every time I try to recount a memory my body feels physically ill, why did this have to happen?

What was all this for? To save two people I just met? One being a psychopath.

I could just run away.

I could run away and go back to the cabin, I could pretend I never left and stay there.

Eventually I’ll start hallucinating right? Make up a new fake Amelia, I’d go out hunting every day and try my hardest to support us both.

What is the point of any of this?

What’s my goal here?

The emotion I was feeling was anger, I couldn’t even recognise it until it reached a boiling point.

I like to be levelheaded, but.

“Stop looking at me…” I mutter out these words softly, pointless rage forcing me to create an outlet.

I punch the mirror in front of me out of frustration, then again, then again.

The shattered mirror cuts my hand, who cars pain means nothing anymore.

Again and again, the anger dissipates in into my hand.

Deep breath… empty… feel empty… I can’t keep going like this if I’m not levelheaded.

How could I help anyone if I am constantly angry all the time? Stupid me, just need to be empty, I need to feel nothing.

“Haah”

I don’t know why I did that, guess I just needed a way to vent my frustration over today.

I turn on the hot water, I feel the weight on me slowly lift.

There is still an underlying feeling of discomfort that lingers in the back of my mind.

Images of me on fire, images of me being flung around, that fight that left me nothing but a pile of blood, all of them are flashing into my mind, each time I remember it’s like a bullet hits my chest.

It’s lucky I feel a sense of disconnect from those memories now, that wasn’t me, that didn’t happen to me.

Am I going to be like this forever? Am I done for? Can I be happy again?

After a long shower I step out and put on some clothes, I walk down the entrance into the living room. Immy is there.

She is wearing a black dress which has a slit on the leg of the long skirt which shows off her thigh and slender legs.

The skin of her back is also completely exposed, it seems like she was completely cutting loose from her usual demeanour.

Immy spots me and smiles softly.

“Diana and Emily are both sleeping upstairs.”

“Okay.”

She is drinking wine straight from the bottle.

“Want some?”

“Will it help?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes please.”

I guess either underage drinking isn’t a crime, or simply Immy doesn’t care. I won’t be able to get drunk anyway, so its fine, my body would probably heal itself.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

She pours out a glass for me, she doesn’t appear to be drunk but I’m sure she is planning to be.

I take the glass out of her hand and sip.

Ew, tastes sour.

“Tastes disgusting.”

“You get used to it, I sometimes forget you are a young boy at heart, so inexperienced.”

Will I get used to it? The way I am right now it feels like my life is completely over.

“Your appearance has changed, you look older.”

“How old?”

“It’s hard to tell, you still don’t look very manly, I would say 14 very close to 15”

Not very manly huh, not that it matters anyway.

“Your eyes are going to cause trouble, a blonde, red eyed monster, but don’t worry about that.”

How can I not worry about something like that?

Immy sits down on the couch by the fireplace, she puts the bottle on the glass table in front of her.

“Sit”

It didn’t feel like an order, but I don’t get what the point of this was.

I sit down next to her, I get a waft of her alcoholic breath.

She motions my head to rest on her lap. Something I just let happen, I've given up trying to find out whatever her motives are.

She begins to play with my hair and caress my neck.

It feels warm and nice. Like I’m in the hands of someone who genuinely cares and loves me.

“You are suffering. I know too well how terrible memories can be.”

She doesn’t know what I’ve been through, but it’s nice she is trying to relate, she is assuming I went through a lot of pain today.

Which I did.

“I want to reward you, for protecting my daughter, but I’m not sure what you want.”

What do I want? Most of all I want Amelia to like me but that’s not something I can ask, oh I know.

“I want to make Emily my assistant tutor.”

I promised it, so I might as well ask.

She just giggles a bit, twirling my hair in her hand.

“Done, is there anything else you want?”

Anything else? She is being awfully kind today.

“A way for me to sleep, I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“I know, I've already developed something for that. Is there anything else?”

“No…”

“You aren’t a selfish person. You really should try to be.”

I know.

“I know.”

“Do you want to stay in my bed tonight as you sleep?”

What? What? No no no. Why was she offering this? I don’t want to mess up any relationships I have built thus far, she is drunk, she is drunk and not thinking straight.

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You’ll have to deal with the nightmares alone in your own bed, nobody should have to go through that.”

The nightmares? Oh right today's memories are probably going to play in my mind over and over again.

Is she offering to just keep me company while I sleep? That doesn’t sound so bad.

I misunderstood, my bad.

“Fine…”

I begin to get up, but she stops me.

“I’ll carry you, don’t worry.”

She picks up my body, I’m probably pretty light considering how easily she is moving around right now.

She carried my body to her chambers, it was a huge bedroom, but I couldn’t be bothered to take in the room’s decor.

It smelt of lavender, it was calming. There was already a lit candle on the table half melted.

She rests me on the bed.

“My little tutor, going through so much.”

I look at her face, it seems like she recognises the feelings I’m going through. Or will go through soon.

She takes something out of a container, it looks like gum.

“I’ll just rest this in your gums, it’ll make you fall asleep for 4 hours, then I’ll reapply another one 4 hours after, no need to do anything.”

Was she planning on not sleeping at all? Just staying up making sure I sleep well?

“Do you want to sleep now? Or do you want anything else from me?”

“I want to sleep please.”

She looked a bit annoyed for a second but quickly hid it.

“You’re a good boy, but you should try to take more.”

She puts the gum into my mouth, her fingers are delicately placing it.

She lays beside me, still playing with my hair.

“I wish I could reward you more, I wish you’d let me.”

She whispers out her soothing words as I drift off.

I begin to feel woozy, my eyes become heavy.

I feel my body sink into the bed, then feel the pressing of lips on my forehead.

This is the second time I’ve been kissed today, am I attractive now? No, surely not.

My mind closes.

Sleep takes me away.

2.

The nightmares replayed in my mind over and over again as I dreamt, it was like an endless cycle of memories.

Suddenly I’m woken up by the sound of knocking, knocking from the front door? It was distant, probably from the entrance.

I’m covered in sweat, I was probably developing a fever just from the stress alone.

Immy is asleep beside me, I guess she couldn’t stay up after all.

That’s fine, I don’t want to sleep anymore.

I walk outside towards the entrance, the knocking of the door is quiet but distinct.

A trespasser? No.

A soft voice from the door says.

“Is anyone in there? It’s me Lily, I’ve been out. Here for 2 hours”

Oh it’s Lily, from the fight before.

I unlock and open the door, Lily looks surprised to see me.

She is wearing the same purple robe, her eyes sparkle in the darkness of the purple crystals in the sky, it makes the atmosphere tranquil.

She walks towards me without saying a word, I fall onto my back accidentally while trying to keep distance.

She rests her body on my lap and looks into my eyes.

She leans in close and whispers in my ear,

“You’re going to go to jail tomorrow, Z.”

Right, makes sense, I did harm a knight and caused the destruction of a crystal.

“Okay?”

She looks curious for a moment, possibly as to why I’m so calm.

“You have a plan?”

“No.”

She gets off my lap.

“So, you’ve given up then?”

I guess I have, it’s kind of sad to be honest.

“Maybe… I just don’t see a way out of this that won’t hurt the people I protected, it’s honestly better for me to take all the blame.”

“You’re planning to take all the blame?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you dumb?”

“I dunno.”

She grabs my hand and moves me down into the living room, probably so we can have a more refined discussion.

“Oh by the way, don’t tell Imogen I was here, she hates me.”

“Why?”

“Reasons.”

Okay…

“So, Z, I want to make a deal with you.”

Great. A deal, this is going to be fun.

“Okay?”

“So, I will represent you, in court, which will benefit you greatly, you’ll even be considered human and be able to leave this place, I’m a royal so I can make the court do anything, do you understand?”

“Okay... what do you get in return?”

“I just want to help out.”

I for some reason don't trust that, Im not a very trusting person, the fact that the past 18 years was a lie has probably made me that way.

Every blessed person is low tempered and a bit crazy. Has that phenomenon been studied?

I sigh, whatever I guess this is the best option.

“Okay, but what about Sophie and Holly?”

“They’ll be fine, blessed people can’t really get in trouble.

The Caldwell twins are considered a special case since they aren’t officially recognised as blessed beings anymore, but I doubt anyone will be brave enough to arrest them.

So they don’t really need to follow the law either”

That’s terrifying.

“Alright then, I take your deal”

“Great. Now, tomorrow you will be taken away, it will be painful and you won’t be put in the nicest of prisons, you will spend the day there.

Then, the day after, I will come out of the blue and announce I will berepresenting you, I will tell your tale of bravery, and how you are just a poor boy who saved the city”

Actually, not a bad plan, sounds good.

“Okay, sounds good, thanks Lily.”

She smiles. Then moves closer to me on the couch.

She smells nice, she must be wearing a special perfume.

“You are kindhearted, I can tell, so much good in that soul.”

“Thanks…”

“When I saw you try your hardest to fight Kal, I knew you were special.”

Isn't he your friend?

“Thanks?”

“You have a high tolerance for pain, and very good mental fortitude.Most people would be brain dead after going through what you went through today.

Is that true? Or is she just trying to make me seem special. I really don’t want to be manipulated. Why do I feel dizzy?

She rests her hand on my chest, feeling my heartbeat.

“Are you attracted to me?”

Uhhh.

I pull back from her hand.

“No?”

Her lips curl into a smile.

“Lie.”

Shit I forgot she can do that.

“No, it’s not attraction attraction, I don’t think of you romantically, I barely know you.”

She nods.

“Do you want to get to know me?”

She moves in closer again, and whispers in my ear.

“Do you want to get out of here?”

Her face is inches from mine. Her smile looks even more manic.

“Then you can get to know me, and I can get to know you.”

She gives me some crazy eyes, like her mask of perfection slipped off for a second.

She gets off the couch and does a twirl. Returning to her mature demeanour.

“Get up.”

A feeling of having to do what she said wafts over me, like it was an order I had to follow.

I felt like I was stuck in a daze for a second, but I snap out of it.

“Huh? Oh I'm good. Sorry, I'm not interested.”

She looks confused, like I said something incredibly wrong.

She tilts her head “huh? Right... bye...”

She then walks away, not giving me time to respond.

3

Lily walks out of the manor, humming to herself.

“Did you tell him I was sorry? Because I’m not.”

Kal is standing outside, he was waiting for lily to walk out, his face is covered in bruises.

Lily steps out of the garden, keeping her normal demeanour.

“No. Not like he would believe that anyway.”

“Are you sure about this plan? Why are you trying to help him? He isn’t even human.”

“He doesn’t know if he is human, that’s why the answer came off as a lie.”

“Urgh.”

Kal is annoyed at this whole situation, this isn’t what he wanted. He just wanted simple easy revenge, not this orchestrated scheme.

“There’s no doubt he has a human heart though, he can be manipulated, just will take some time, my seduction didn't work today, I don’t have control yet.”

“Why is he so important?”

“Do you really have to ask that? He can’t die. With the right push we can turn him into an unstoppable machine of destruction.”

“Yeah, and why would you want that?”

“Stop asking questions, did you want revenge or not?”

“I do, but it seems like you are only helping him.”

“It’s fine, I’ll be secretly unrooting him under everyone’s noses.

There is no doubt I can break him and make him mine.”

Kal just goes along with it, he knows lily is smart enough to come up with a competent plan.

“So how does this tie in with The Caldwell twins?”

Lily gives kal an unamused look.

“Z is going to kill them of course. And the rest of our enemies.”

Not another word was spoken as they walked through the streets of the city.

End of chapter 13.