Changed

Chapter Twenty

No one slept after Esme's surprise visit. Hail didn't know how she and the twins escaped Malus and got to this world, or how they got back. It was complicated and he assumed they only had a short amount of time, but that gave him hope. Hail was driving, and I sat in the passenger seat, watching the trees blur by in the darkness. We listened to the soft whispers of the couple sitting behind us as Hail began our own conversation. 

"You're taking all this pretty well."

"Yeah, well your not in my head right now," I replied, resting back in the seat. "You could have told me I wasn't part of the Changed, and that you're my assassin but changed your mind."

"And you would have believed me? 'Oh, hi! I'm a winged assassin that was sent to Earth to make sure you don't birth the next evil overlord. You're also the princess of our former world, but that doesn't matter because I was ordered to kill you. But don't worry I'm not because I think you're too valuable!' You barely went with me in the first place - I don't think me telling the truth would have helped."

"You could've just killed me. I never would have known, and you wouldn't be in shit with Esme."

"Esme's status doesn't matter here. In our past world I killed people like Malus. Not pretty girls that are oblivious to who they are."

I couldn't help but smile internally at Hail's use of 'pretty' to describe me. "Still... What if Malus had gotten to me first?"

"He didn't know you were alive until you got attacked." He muttered, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

"But the dreams only started yesterday? I first got attacked over a month ago?"

"Do you remember your arm?" He asked, and I glanced down at the punctures, remembering the Scaevus' talons latching on to me like a leech. "The Scaevus that did that to you must have gotten away, and returned to Malus. He must have smelt the royal blood on his demon's claws. Alec should have protected you. He should have made sure you were safe. He knew the goddamn consequences."

I raised my eyebrows at Hail incredulously. "Alec knew who I was? So when he picked Vienna over me..."

Hail finished my sentence. "He assumed you'd die, which would minimize the chance of Malus discovering or getting to you. Saving his girlfriend was the better option for him. But not for the Changed."

I shook my head. I thought Alec was on my side. I thought he saved his girlfriend because he loved her, not because it would be an easy way for me to end up dead. He was selfish, not noble. 

"No one else knows by the way, so I'm guessing you'll have bragging rights against Vienna."

"No," I started. "I don't want anyone to know. I don't want things to change. I don't want to be seen as different."

He nodded his head, understanding my request. The vehicle slowed, and we all got out. We loaded camping gear onto our backs, and made our way into the forest. I felt a strange tingle cascade up my body as soon as we passed the first line of trees. The sun began to rise, and as the light illuminated our surroundings I gasped.

"Guys..." I started excitedly as I watched my arm even out, revealing flawless skin where wounds once were. "Our regeneration is back."