Between the lost stars

Chapter 43

Her hair was blowing in the wind, fire burning in her eyes. My heart twisted around my body and I felt my breath rush through my lungs and the bones in my body begin to break. She radiated energy and light, life. But her heart was black.

I felt her pain, I felt her hatred and nightmares - the same ones that tore me in half. There was a part of me in her, and that part tempted me more than anything in the world.

"I know everything." Her soft lips whispered softly, her hands shook a little. "You Pete, you've always believed that you could protect me, defend me and be there for me. You're the biggest joke in the world." My eyes widened, I didn't expect her to be like this. "You never thought with your head, you never opened your eyes to the truth, and now that I know - everything - you are nothing in my eyes. You are nothing anymore and you will never be able to change that."I felt Pete's pain before he could feel it himself, felt his heart shrink into a small ball and split in half. Whatever happened between the two of them, our mission was more important.

"Annie." I dared to take a step closer, showing that I was not afraid of her, that I respected her. I accept her darkness as a part of me. "We didn't come all this way to argue. We sought you out to tell you that you were in danger."

"The Black Queen is looking for me, I know."

"How..."

"Amelia found the history of my hometown, of who was responsible for its destruction. Pete once served her. I know everything - as I said. We've been waiting for you for a long time."

I wasn't shocked, I was pleased that she understood how serious this was.

"You..." Her eyes scanned my body. "You can come with me. But he..." She looked at him like he was some shit. "He dies today, for treason."

Pete's red eyes met mine and I could feel his disbelief, I could feel him giving up. He was about to drop to his knees to receive the killing blow, but I grabbed his shoulder and shook my head. "I understand your anger, I've been there. But believe me, it won't get any easier, you'll just uselessly stain yourself and your soul." Her eyes trembled. "You need him because he is fire and life, you don't have to trust him or talk to him - you can do it through me, but we need him. We need all the guardians to defeat the black queen."

Annie laughed, she laughed so deadly that it reminded me of Pete's kneeling before the queen. "You two are made for each other, i can tell you that." Her laughter suddenly stopped. "We don't need him. I don't need him, we can do this without him." Her gaze drifted behind her. Where the tall and damn strong being approached her. and I was reaching for my sword when her fangs bared at me and growled. It must have been the Amelia,Pete was talking about. Her white eyes were almost transparent, terrifying, and her black hair was blacker than darkness and magic itself. Her movements were elegant and inaudible, her eyes never leaving Pete who was numbly trying to control the flames in his body.

"Pete." Her smile was frighteningly dark, the promise of death shining in her white eyes.

"Amelia." Pete exhaled through clenched teeth.

"You've been trying to find us for a long time. I don't blame you, you poor creature, it just seemed like you'd be in a bit of a hurry."

"You bitch." Pete's eyes were burning and my hand wouldn't let go of his shoulder.

"Amelia." I looked into her white eyes, hoping she wouldn't eat my brain with them. "We were sent to kill you, I'll be honest with you. We don't have much time, Annie doesn't have much time, we need to find the others and get everything back to where it should be, we can't defeat her and the darkness alone. We need you!"

"I can see you're a sane guardian rather than that piece of shit. Fucking liar."

Annia calmed down as she strapped her sword back onto her back. Amelia took her hand and something was exchanged between them, perhaps an understanding. "We know where the others are." Annie said quietly. "We need to start getting ready, I have little time left."

Before she will have to choose her own path, with all the darkness that reigns in her, she was ready that her path might not be to the light, but to the darkness.

"Get the horses ready." I whispered in Pete's ear. He grunted something unintelligible, but turned and left the three of us alone.

"What happened between you two?" I asked.

Annie's eyes showed anger, but she smiled. "He thought he could lie to me."

"You want to kill him for a couple of little lies?"

"He deserves only death and nothing more."