She's The Lie (She's The Enemy Sequel)

Isla

  'Nobody important?  You know, in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before.'

"What do you mean she's alive?" My voice leaves my chest, painting frantic lines in the space between me and Xavier. His face is stoic, his eyes hollow.

"She isn't dead..." His voice lowers to a whisper, "I... I've seen this before." He blinks an unnecessary amount of times before continuing, "There was a prophet, in the Unseelie Court a while back- a traveller. She was deemed crazy and killed by my people but she said something. Something about cracks in the earth." My eyes bore into his, hungry for more information; hungry to feel something again.

I had never understood the hopefulness that many younger children possessed; the skip in their steps as they walked; their awe over things they had never seen before; their eagerness to learn about the world. But, at this moment, I wish I had some of that hope. I wish I could let it fill me, let it believe that Emelie was alive. I wish I could look upon the world and not hold it to blame for my loss. Instead, it felt as if the whole world were against us. Maybe fate would decide to separate us, time and time again. Maybe I would find her again just to lose her.

Was hope, even for the most minuscule of seconds worth losing everything again?

"So where is she?" I almost cry out from the pressure of the past day beginning to crush my bones.

"She's not gone. Just lost. But listen, no one can know about this because it threatens the alliance. Actually, it threatens everything, it threatens our position as rulers." Xavier's pupils widened slightly, his breaths becoming sharper. He is scared. He actually believes we could lose control of our courts and the thought of that should terrify me. I just don't care. Not after everything.

I know that breaking down into a thousand pieces at the loss of your partner is a sign of co-dependency. But, why shouldn't I be dependant on her? She's supposed to be my person; the person I can tell anything to and I know she will listen. I just got her back now the universe wants to take her from me again? The worst thing is, I feel as if trying to find her is worthless. Part of me even wants to give up looking, a mortifying thought. I can't just give up on her. I can't.

"Isla..." X places a hand on my shoulder, shaking me from my thoughts, "You have to stay with me. I know you feel like something is missing. And I'm going to fix it, but for now, I really need you to focus. We don't have much time." We lock gazes. It feels like I'm looking at him through a cloud of smoke, my vision distorted. "You have to run Isla. To the Unseelie Court. Ask for Pheonix and tell him I sent you. Tell him it's about the cracks." His voice is laced in fear.

"But, these are my people. I must stay here." The veins in Xavier's neck pulse as I say this.

"They will not trust you to rule now they think your mate is dead. Faeries have unpredictable behaviour the weeks following their mate's death. This is your only chance, you must run." He places his hands on top of mine. I want to feel the warmth they offer but I can't, "Isla, please..." His words become muffled in my head. All I can think about is how I just lost the love of my life and am now having to leave the place I grew up in with the people I care so deeply for.

"Everything will be okay..." 

I think Xavier said that but I cannot tell. The world is so incomprehensible to me in these moments. I think I say something back but I do not remember. I do not think of the words in which I say, they just leave my mouth like clockwork. Then I am running. I'm running across the broken earth, into the trees, preparing for the journey ahead.

***

It did not take me long to get to the Unseelie Court. In the moments before I left I remember small images and moments. Xavier offering me a horse, us saying our goodbyes. I could only hope that these gaps in my memories did not stem from Emelie's death. If she is dead. I did not sleep on my journey; I might've felt the need to, I do not remember but I know I did not.