Ebony

ch. 19 | lies

After a small silence we looked at each other and decided to head out while holding hands. I giggled at the thought of us being together and finally knowing that there's something for me to look forward to. We stopped when we encountered Dena who leaned against the doorway as she smiled and stared at us. I was shocked that I ended up gripping Lucifer's wrist as well.

"What are you doing, Dena?" I asked with a wavering voice.

"Oh, me? Nothing much. I was just passing by to check up on you until I saw the two of you."

She began walking towards us and got close enough that I could feel darkness oozing off of her. I didn't realize it until she stood inches away from me and reached into my chest. I could feel her hand on my heart as she did so and she twisted it until she began pulling it out of me.

"Oh, god. What... are you... doing?" I said between breaths.

She was smiling and I was gasping for air, but when I turned my head to the side I saw Ash — his eyes were darkened and I realized he was under her control. Dena at this moment was now devoured by parts of Ebony and I couldn't stop her from taking my wings. My heart was a connection to my wings because it meant if it was somehow touched by darkness it would destroy them. I was supposed to be balanced until she took it away from me. After she killed off apart of me she chuckled and I had known by her expression that she always planned on this. So after she began walking away, I took a breather and reached for my karambit knife and threw it overhead as it tore off one of her horns.

"Ahh!" she cried out as she got down on her knees.

I could see her hands trembling as they reached for the other part of her horn. I held onto my chest as I felt the magic of my wings strip away from me. That's when I felt vulnerable and we knew then that we tore each other part the one that makes us whole.

She turned with tears streaming down her cheeks, "What have you done?!"

"You... started it. You... pay for it," I said with a shagged breath.

She got up with her horn in hand and surrounded me in a ring of hellfire. When she had I was able to get up as she walked away leaving Ash who fainted after. He was now out of her grasp and somehow I knew that he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. I turned away from his view and sat back down still holding my hand against my chest. I closed my eyes as a tear streamed down. She already killed apart of me and I should have known that this would happen because she always had a looming darkness around her.

"Gah!!" I shouted. "Somebody, help... me!"

I cried until finally a minute had passed when I heard footsteps coming closer and echoing louder. I quickly got up and turned, but that's when I saw Lucifer. I wanted to make sure it was the real him so I looked over to see if Ash was still collapsed which he was, though it didn't convince me. Rather than asking him for help I turned my back to him to sit back down.

"Help... Ash. Take him to the healer," I said.

I heard him walking towards me which made me shift my position and brought me closer to the hellfire. I tried putting my hand out to touch the fire in order to make sure that I was in control which became apparent when I did so. It stung which it wasn't supposed to so I pushed myself back and hugged my knees.

"What are you doing, Melinoe?" he asked.

I choked and muttered, "I'm sure you know what happened."

"What?"

I sighed, "He needs help, Lucifer. Go!"

"Look, Mel, I need you to tell me what happened. Your father is going to want to know."

"...Ash needs help, please! Go!" I shouted in command.

I heard his footsteps echo as they were leaving and after he left another minute passed by causing the hellfire to extinguish which finally allowed me to leave. Once I was able to I stepped out of the marked fire ring and when I did Lucifer appeared before me which cause me to trip leaving me in his hands.

"Seriously, what's bugging you, Mel?" I turned away as he let me go.

I pushed away as I answered, "Trust me, you don't want to know."

I found myself back in the dark endless, void. And I knew that my mind was going to give me back the memories that were concealed. I wasn't able to stay in one single memory long enough, but I had known that it would rush back overtime. Luckily, I waited patiently and I started feeling the emotions I had once lost. I came to agreement with them and I closed my eyes to breathe in and out. When I did I was able to rest letting me reach back to the underworld meaning that I was no longer able to go back to earth as long as I was given permission. That's when I woke up to a searing pain on my left forearm and I screamed as my eyes opened followed by sweat dripping down my face.

"What are you doing to me?!" I gritted.

Charlie answered, "It's mandatory Mel, especially with what you have."

"Gah!" I tried moving away, but I was strapped. "Leave me be!"

"No, he's not going to," My father chimed in.

My breath was ragged as I saw my father walk through the doorway. I was relieved at first, but I knew then and there that he wasn't going to save me.

"What have you done now, Mel?"

His eyes were scornful and it was piercing my very soul. After a hard long stare I turned away because I couldn't stand it. Followed by my turned head he approached me as he grabbed my head making me face him. He was enraged and I was at fault, but it was in spite of that he wouldn't show mercy not even to his own daughter. It didn't matter anymore and it resulted in that way because following after he stood up as Charlie used blunt force. I coughed out blood for the first time while he stood there, staring. He proceeded to another and so my father left. And when he did all I could really do was smile. It was odd, I know that, but it felt... right.