The Last Healer

Chapter 56: Ariella

Chapter 56 Ariella

"I can't believe you went to her!" Alexander exclaimed. He was furious, just like I knew he would be. He turned his back towards me and walked away, collapsing on the couch and placing his head in his hands.

"I had to, Alex. I had to find out, you know I did." I told him as I walked up to him, my hand barely touching his shoulder.

"What if something happened? There'd be no one there to protect you!"

"But nothing did happen!" I insisted as I fell into the spot next to him and reached out to touch his fingers. "She didn't want to hurt me!"

"Instead she told you that you had one of the most dangerous Seals in existence!" He took a deep breath before leaning back, his eyes bearing into mine. "Why didn't you just listen to me, Ariella?"

"Because I needed to know." I turned away, my head turning to the other side as my eyes fell on a small white ball of my pup. "I needed to know what else they did to me. To know the things I couldn't see. Without her, I wasn't sure if I'd ever find out. So, I went." My eyes turned back to him as sorrow and guilt flooded my body. "Can you explain why you have a problem with her? What did she do to you?"

"It's complicated."

"Please?"

He glanced at me before nodding and looking away once more. "Do you remember when I told you that I discovered my full Powers at ten?" He waited until I nodded before continuing, his hand reaching out and wrapped around mine. "It wasn't just my mother and I there." His eyes stared ahead, barely moving as if he was lost in a far off land. "When I was younger, Alyse and I used to be good friends and, when the Hunters attacked, she and her brother came to my house so my mother could watch them. However, if the Hunters came, she wouldn't have been able to do much since she was eight and a half months pregnant with my little sister. Alyse and I took turns keeping watch from the roof, watching and waiting. She fell asleep." His hand tightened around mine and his eyes closed painfully, almost as if he was trying to fight off the visual memories. "A group of Hunters came to our street, breaking into every house they could, trying to find people to kill. Finally, it was my house. Her eight year old brother and I stood there in front of my mother, waiting for them to come. We both wielded our swords as we did in training, prepared to fight." He trailed off, his head shaking slightly and I stared at him in horror.

"It was my first time facing a Hunter. I was terrified when they ran towards us. Scared of dying, scared of losing someone, scared of killing. But I had no choice. They went after us, my mother behind me and I had to. We killed them, there was only two, and we won. Until a high pitched scream filled the room and I whipped around to see my mother collapsed next to Alyse's brother, blood pouring through a gaping wound across his stomach. He died in five minutes." Alexander turned to me, a reddish tint tainted his eyes as if he was trying not to cry. "Alyse never forgave me for allowing her brother to die and I never forgave her for putting us in that position."

"That's horrible."

"Aye." He sighed, his other hand clenching tightly. "I wasn't strong enough to save him and he died because of it. And now..." He trailed off; a look of defeat stained his face as he refused to look at me. "Now I can't protect the one person who needs me the most." Alexander glanced at me before sighing and squeezing my hand.

I stared at him in surprise, astounded at what he has said. He blamed himself for not being able to protect me? Everything I was going through, that was before I ever knew him, before he ever knew that I existed. So why? Why would he blame himself?

"It's not your fault, Alexander." I whispered and he gave me a half smile. "I'm serious! The Seal, the abuse, everything. That happened before I ever met you, before you even knew I existed."

"I always knew you existed." Alexander muttered before turning to me, pressing his left hand against my cheek. My eyes fluttered closed as I leaned into his hand, allowing his warmth to seep into my skin. "I just want all of this to be over with, Ariella. So we don't have to keep worrying about the past coming back." He leaned closer as he pressed his lips to mine, his hand inching to caress the back of my neck as he pulled me closer. "I want you to be safe." He whispered in my ear and I smiled.

"I already am." I told him and listened to the soft rumble of his laughter.

"Ariella, we're home!" A shout echoed through the room and Pika ran towards the door.

Alexander and I jerked apart, my cheeks flushing brightly as I turned to see my family walking in.

"And it looks like we interrupted something!" Brittney laughed as she rushed forward and collapsed next to me. "How was your day, Ariella? Anything exciting happen?"

"I-I-" I swallowed nervously and glanced at Alexander. I knew I had to tell them everything, to tell them about the Seal, but I expected a bit more of a warning. Or at least not to be as distracted as I was. Alexander's hand fell on my shoulder as he nodded, reassuring me that he was here. "There's something I need to talk to you all about."

"Is something wrong, Ariella?" Mother questioned as she and the others filed around the couches, taking a seat near me.

"Today I talked to someone about my Power. About what was wrong with it."

"There's nothing wrong with your Power, Ariella." Father reassured as he sat across from me.

"Yes, there is." I glanced at Robert and he tensed slightly, his eyes narrowing.

"You found out what it was?" He demanded and I nodded.

"Found out what was what?" Thomas demanded, shooting up from his spot next to Robert.

"There's a black line on the orb-like thing that contains my Power. It fights me every time I use it and Robert didn't know what it was. Today I found out."

"What is it?" Robert demanded, leaning forward to look at me without Thomas in the way.

"According to the girl I talked to, Alyse, it's called Double Seal." My eyes rose and settled on my mother, studying the look of horror on her face as the realization grew in her eyes. "She says it's going to break soon if I don't do something about it."

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