Fractured Reality

Angelic Threnody

Chapter 32

Eva felt like she had been dreaming forever. They were strange things. Some filled with blood and pain and the stuff of nightmares. Others were bright and left her feeling calm and loved. Those included a tall blonde man with beautiful white wings and bright blue eyes that looked like hers. He only ever said her name, but that was enough.

There were even a few that included Adrian. Him calling out to her not to leave. Him sitting by her side with tears in his eyes. She wished she could wipe them away, but she could do no more than watch as he cried and begged her to wake.

It was after one of those that she finally opened her eyes. For a moment, she wasn't sure if she was still dreaming or not. Her whole body felt lighter than it ever had. She could feel something thrumming through her veins. It was exotic and exhilarating. It wasn't until she felt Adrian's hands on her shoulders that she realized she wasn't dreaming. She was actually able to move her hand and cup his face. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke. "Don't cry again. Please. I don't want to be the reason for your tears."

His only response was to pull her into a crushing embrace. He held her there like that for some time before he finally pulled back and brushed her hair back. His eyes were bright when he finally spoke. "I wasn't sure if you would wake. You were so close to dying."

His words finally brought back the memory of what had happened. Of her being flung out a window and the pain that followed. She could remember bits and pieces after that, but it was disjointed. She thought that some sort of power had blasted out of her body. It had flung Taka back from the window, but she hadn't seen much after that. She had fallen onto one of the walkways below her and bounced off before she continued to fall. Though, she had been slowed by something.

At that thought, she sat back from him with a gasp and tried to look over her shoulder. She didn't have to strain very much to see the top curve of a pure white wing. Her eyes got wide, and she clenched her muscles out of instinct. When she did, the wing tried to flair, but it was still splinted and didn't go far.

She then looked back at Adrian with wide eyes. "I have wings!"

He cupped her cheek gently as he nodded. "Yes. From what I have heard, your seal must have been broken when your life was in danger. The blast nearly took out that section of the castle."

Eva had to take several deep breaths before she was calm enough to speak again. "I suppose that explains this- whatever this is I feel." She then gave him a disturbed look. "What happened afterward? What happened to-" She couldn't bring herself to finish, but she knew by Adrian's snarl that he knew what she was asking.

He had to take a calming breath before he could respond. "You have been unconscious for nearly five days. After the first, when I was certain you were past the worst danger, I went and retrieved them."

"Retrieved them? What do you mean?" Eva had a bad feeling about what he meant, but she needed to hear this.

"I told them both to stay. I warned them that if they left, I would hunt them. They were not going to get away with this."

Eva had to swallow. Yes, she was angry with them for what they did, both to her and to Adrian. However, she hadn't wanted them dead. She finally worked up the nerve to ask. "What did you do with them?"

Adrian's jaw clenched, and it was several seconds before he could answer. "They are both in the dungeons." He paused and looked at her. "They live. For now. I wanted you to wake first. They harmed you more than me, so their fate will be in your hands."

Eva sat back with a frown. No pressure there, right? Just two human lives. She finally shook her head. "Can I go see them?"

He sighed at her request. He was not shocked. Frustrated, yes, but not shocked. He stood and held out a hand to help her to her feet. "We will need to figure out a way to get a shirt over your wings. Then I will take you."