The Hollows Of Hiraeth (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book I

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Part One

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T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
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T h e E n d:
Denouement
Part Two/Seven

And so fall away from happiness is what I did. But it turned out this bitter way: that was never the reality. This is the reality. This is my God forsaken life. All of this danger, this bloodshed, this pain—this is the reality.

And, in this reality, I can't escape my routes—what people before me have had to deal with. Just because of a stupid tale. These are the times when you realise that there is nothing humane about some of us humans. I resent them for what they've done to me. I resent them for what they've done to my life.

—Sky Forest, twenty-four hours post reality.

"Recognise this?" That familiar taunting voice pulled me annoyingly out of my dreams as I restlessly tried to get some sleep. Jameson was gone. Eden ordered some random person I didn't recognise to take him out of the room. I hadn't heard any screams, so I could only assume that he was okay.

I looked up, but instead of grimacing at my captors face, my face instead went slack as I recognised a jewel, the string looped around her index finger. My pendant.

"Catch." Eden threw the jewellery piece at me, and my arms flinched as I realised I was tied down; I couldn't catch it. Not that I needed to; despite her criminal mind, Eden is a trained guardian, and she can throw with skill and precise measurements. It landed in my lap. And there sat something I hadn't seen since the incident with Carter. Carter. Where is he? I knew that feeling at the ball wasn't good—a boy doesn't just disappear before he takes a girl out to a grand ball.

"What have you done with Carter?" I growled. Eden laughed and I grew infuriated. I swear that bitch is going to hell when–

"Don't worry, Carter is here willingly." I could hear the smirk in her voice. My thoughts stopped, smoking off into a cloud of unfinished trails.

Eden, seeing my reaction, seemed content as she flashed a victorious grin. "Well, maybe half willing." She continued and I shook my head. The same old tricks, over and over–

"You can see him if you want," My head jerked up a the proposal—Eden knew I was interested. "But I don't think it'd be mutual feeling if you did want to." Eden continued, pulling up Jameson's chair and perching on the end of it, as if ready to jump into attack. These guardians really are all taught the same thing.

I shook my head at her, scowling. But I couldn't deny that she had all the information. "What do you mean?" I asked her, watching as her already fired up ego began to bubble over.

Eden scoffed, "You seriously thought that after all those love confessions, Carter would still take you to a ball?" I just stared at her. What? Eden's cackles had no effect on me as thoughts and assumptions whirled around in my head. No. Just after we had practically accepted each others invitation–

"Your love for Jameson just went and did it, Sky." Were Eden's last words before she stood up, the chair scraping against the floor as she shifted it. I couldn't process anything. I only knew one thing; Carter's disappearance was my fault. All the anger I felt about him ditching me suddenly fizzed out. It wasn't his fault. And all along, I had believed something that terrible had happened to him—I was that something terrible. I am.