Chapter 35 DALIA
DALIA
I gasp as I forcefully open my eyes, breathing heavily. It's as if I've been running a long marathon.
“Dalia, Dalia. You are awake. Are you okay?"
I heard a voice. It sounds familiar but there's another voice in my head. It overshadows the voice I'm hearing, making it sound so distant. It's as if someone is trying to call for my attention but I'm far away to hear them.
“Who are you?” That's my own voice. I'm taken back to what happened in that dark valley before I felt the intense pain in my head. It all happened so fast but I can still remember what the invisible person said. Yes, I heard the voice but I couldn't see them.
“What you saw was her spirit trying to take you with her to the land of the dead.” They are talking about the witch. I knew something was strange when she asked me to follow her. But how did she die? She was okay when I left the abandoned house. Could it be Ezekiel? Since she was weak, she couldn't replace the barrier if it fades, so that means Ezekiel must have found her.
No, I don't think Ezekiel killed her. I know he wants her dead, but getting the information we want from her is more important.
It was at that moment I started to feel the intense pain in my head.
“The pain you are feeling is due to the fact you have stayed long in her mind and that's because she's a dead person.” I heard the voice again. “Because she's dead, it will be hard to leave her mind but you can still do it. You are the only one that can take yourself out of here. Close your eyes and think. You will find the answer.”
I did as she said, and it seems it works. I don't think I know how I did it. I mean…. I don't think I can do it again. So basically I don't know how I got into the witch's mind or how I got to leave.
I'm out of her mind how, but why can't I see anything. Everywhere is blurry.
Where am I?
I'm hearing some distant voices. Who are these people and why can't I see them?
“Dalia. Look at me…. Are you okay?” I heard the snapping of a finger in my face. It's as if someone is trying to bring me to reality. I follow the sound of the fingers as I move my face. I see a figure but the face is blurry. I can't see them properly.
I blink my eyes as I feel the spark on my cheeks. I lean into the touch still blinking my eyes trying to clear my view. I think I know who is in front of me.
Ezekiel…. He's the one calling me because only his touch can make me feel this warm.
“Dalia….” He calls again. I continue to blink my eyes, taking a deep breath until my vision clears. My eyes fall on his face. He looks worried.
“I think she's back.” I heard another voice. It's a female voice.
“I'm glad you are okay. Thank you for waking up,” Ezekiel says as he hugs me. He sounds so relieved. I don't know how to react to the hug. This is the first time he's hugging me. I wonder what happened.
Was I in a critical condition and he nearly lost me? That's the only thing that can explain his action right now. I know that he doesn't want me, but I also know that he's scared to lose me. And I also know it's all because of the mate bond.
“Water…” I mumble feeling the dryness of my throat. My whole body aches. How long have I been lying on this bed?
“I will go get her some.” I heard the female voice again. I turn my head to my side to see the girl Nikolai introduced as Lena. He said she's like a sister to Ezekiel.
“Are you feeling pain anywhere?” Ezekiel asks when she leaves the room.
“My whole body hurts, how long have I been lying on this bed?”
“Four days.”
“What!” I've never slept for so long. Was in the witch's mind all along?
Lena returns with a glass of water. Ezekiel helps me to sit up while I take the water. The first drop that passes through my throat brings relief to it. I feel alive as I finish the cup of water.
“You must be thirsty. Do you need another cup?” Lena asks.
“No thank you.”
“The witch…. How did she die?”
“How did you know?” Ezekiel asks. Surprised.
“I don't know how it happened but I found myself in the witch's mind.” I reply. I explain everything to them. How the witch kidnapped me from the garden. How I beat her up and how she stabbed me. How I managed to leave the barrier and fainted. And also how I find myself in her mind and what I found out there. I tell them everything and don't leave any out.
“Are you trying to say that Jerald is a traitor?” Nikolai who joins in the middle of the discussion asks. He looks shocked.
“Yes.”
“This is unbelievable. I trusted him…. How could he.” Ezekiel rumbles under his breath.
“I also couldn't believe it. We need to find him. There's a lot we will know from him,” I say as I readjust my position. Even my butts hurts. “How did the witch die?”
“She killed herself.” Nikolai replies.
“That bitch…’ I grunt.
“She said that she stabbed you with a knife forged with dark magic. That's a deadly spell. You said that you are immune to normal magic but not dark magic. How did you survive?”
“I really don't know. Like I said when I fainted I found myself walking in a dark valley….”
“Maybe she's immune to it, but she doesn't know.” Nikolai chimps in.
“I've given order for Jerald to be arrested,” Ezekiel says.
“I will go with them,” Nikolai says and walks away.
“I'm going too.”I try climbing down from the bed but Ezekiel stops me.
“You are just waking up. You need to take a rest. I will handle everything.”
“I've been sleeping for four days. My back aches. It needs a stretch.”
“You can stretch your back, but I won't allow you to stress yourself. I don't want anything to happen to you. I nearly lost you…..”
I smile faintly. “You don't need to worry. I'm totally fine. I've had enough rest for four days. And nothing will happen to me. I'm not easy to kill, remember?”
“Yeah yeah….. how can I forget that you are a little monster.” Something like a smile stretches his lips. I nearly mistake it as a smirk.
I'm dumbfounded. I didn't know that the grumpy Alpha King could smile.