Morning Star

Chapter 23: stars and supernova | Livia

I quivered - or maybe it was just Eva's hands shaking, causing my entire body to tremble as she held me. Rivulets of blood ran down my skin, pooling in her palm, but she didn't seem to care. And I didn't either. I poured everything out to her. My eyes had met hers, and in that split second, I wanted nothing else so badly - I wanted to tell her. To let her know it was me, to show her that I was still here. That I was alive, and that I had willingly endured this hell partly because I wanted to go down as a true warrior, and mainly because of the small chance that I may see her again.

And so I showed her. I didn't know how it happened, but my memories drifted to her like a flock of birds taking flight. I shared my most treasured memories with her, and it was almost like feeling the rebirth of the connection between us that had been dead for so long.

From the moment she bent to kiss me, I forgot the pain. I forgot everything, and instead closed my eyes as I felt her touch me.

I had missed her so much.

Kelvin crouched by my side, his eyes flicking between Eva and I in puzzlement. "I don't get it," he began, my current wounds slipping his mind for the time being. I let out a broken laugh, which quickly turned into a cough as pain shot through my abdomen. Kelvin started in worry, but was quickly interrupted by Eva, who let out a loud sob.

Even when she was crying her heart out, the boy turned firefly gazed at Eva like she was the morning star.

From the way Kelvin had clung to Eva's side when she and her companions - who I could only assume were her friends from Jendilya, for I recognised the siren and the brooding ice Elementalist - entered, I had figured that they had known each other prior to Kelvin's abduction, and I was glad. I was happy that they had found each other for support while dealing with the loss of their loved ones.

"Olivia," Eva managed to get out, her voice guttural.

Although my magic was dampened so far that I had feared it would take me years to regain it, I summoned every speck I could find within me to speak one word to her, using telepathy. Eva.

The pain threatened to take over, the pain and the darkness and everything that came with it, but I pushed it back further. I wouldn't let it. Not now.

And from the way Eva smiled, her face lighting up with joy and relief, I knew she had heard me. The weak threads of my magic began slipping away from my grasp all too easily, and I began to panic. But I felt another presence - her presence - filling me, comforting me, strengthening the connection between us that somehow existed despite being out of Jendilya.

It's alright, my twin sister replied. It's going to be alright.

Kelvin's jaw dropped. I had to be honest - seeing that reaction on a firefly was extremely amusing. "Are you serious?" he gaped, and unable to help it, I laughed - although it quickly turned into a wince.

"I'll - I'll call for help," the man standing by the doorway stammered, before he left.

"I'll keep an eye on him," the burgundy haired girl instantly added before running after him, closing the door behind her.

The siren glanced up from where she was using the chains that were conveniently in the room to loop around the now unconscious Shadow Man's hands, tying them securely behind his back. She and the emerald green eyed boy beside her kept a firm grip on his arms as his head slumped over. "That frog is your sister?" she exclaimed to Eva, flicking her hair over her shoulder. I'd forgotten how beautiful she was.

Eva nodded. "Yeah. Crazy, right?" she joked, but the lightness faded a little when she realised the extent of my wounds. "Oh, gods, she's really hurt. That bastard cut her." She gently set me back down on the table, and tried her best to hide a grimace as she inspected my injuries. "Okay. Olivia, we're going to have to stitch some of these cuts. They're a little..."