Chapter 121

Chapter 121
Elly's POV

I froze when I saw the building go up in flames. My legs went numb, my eyes stung with the heat of the fire, but hell, I couldn't move.

“Professor Rock…” I cried, his name on my lips as my voice trailed away.

I've lost valuable people before, seen my parents divorced, watched my boyfriend make out with my best friend, but no heart break was near the pain I felt as I watched the building incinerate with Professor Rockwell in it.

“Elly!” Adrian yelled at me but I couldn't move. We were standing at such close proximity, yet he had to scream to get my attention.

My eyes were fixed on the fire licking away the woods, and everything that stood in its way. It was an angry fire, and got me thinking, was this Jimmy's fury?

“Elly!” I heard someone run towards me and whisk me off just before the building collapsed before me.

I don't know who hauled me into the truck, but I know that I was out for the length of time we traveled to get Aidan's ritual done.

We drove in silence until we arrived at the clearing and Adina began the ritual. My heart was beating fast. I kept hoping, praying that it was all a prank, that Rockwell would spring out from behind the building and tell us it was a joke.

I searched my head, tried to find him, tried to live in his head. On days when it was difficult to live through the days, snuggling in his head made it easy so what happens now that he's gone?

“The blood will cleanse what the moon has twisted.” Adina was still repeating the blood chant.

Aidan tried to pull away, but every resistance had the rope biting into his wrists. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat a protest. I couldn't watch it. What if something went wrong? I didn't want to lose someone close to my heart again. I'd lost Rockwell, that was enough loss for a night.

I walked away from the clearing into the woods. A tree had fallen and created a bridge by the river. The sight was supposed to be soothing, but it brought back memories. I recalled that night with poignant clarity.

It was my first few nights in school and I’d felt lost in a vast world like a fisherman in the wide sea until Rockwell came to sit beside me.

Who is Elizabeth Boutella?

I heard his voice ring, felt his presence beside me like on that night. I recalled how those brilliant blue eyes studied me, not as a judge, but as a friend. He was my first confidant, the only reason I had to live, to watch out for the next day. My reason to even hope.

I wept even more as that question echoed in my head. How was I supposed to find me when I felt lost? Professor Rockwell was always there to find me when I felt lost, so what happens now that he's gone? How do I do it?

It's all in your head. His voice repeated some profound truth again. You act and become what your mind tells you but one thing you aren't, is a loser. Don't let the world define you. Do that yourself. I know because I know, that Elizabeth Boutella is strong. She is smart. She's not a pushover.

“Why did you have to die?” I fell on the ground, my hand clutching my chest and heart burning like I was on fire and not the building about an hour ago.

My heart bled. Nature must've bled too. The moon turned bright pink, the wind stopped fanning the heat. Nature stood still but it wasn't my doing.

My dreams and Aidan's were an apocryphal, a veracious prediction of what will be. I won't get past the wall without losing something valuable. I wished there was another way.

I felt a presence, but it took a while before the person said a word. When they did, I wished they hadn't. It wasn't Rockwell, he was gone for real.

“Are you alright?” Ryan asked, in the smallest voice I'd ever heard.

Ryan could be a twat, but misery needed company. Rockwell had left a mark in our hearts especially in the rebels like Aidan and Ryan. The boys had changed so much, thanks to him.

“Will I ever be?” I sniffed, looking at him through the corner of my eyes.

“It's my fault. It should've been me, not Aidan and not Rockwell.” Ryan's voice broke for the first time.

“But there's nothing we can do. It's Rockwell. “I said standing. I was going to walk away when he grabbed my wrist, and swept me to look into his eyes.

He studied me, his eyes piercing through doors that were weakened by grief. “Are you mad at me?” Ryan asked, looking into my eyes.

It was dark, but the moonlight was the brightest after the brief bleeding. For a moment, it felt like I was staring into my eyes too. My pain reflected in his eyes.

Was I mad at Ryan? Did I have the right? He was just as innocent as we all were. He wasn't the culprit, like the rest of us, he was a victim. I had to admit it, we had one thing in common - pain.

I guess I forgot that this wasn't just grief alone, it was our grief.

“Do I have the right?”

“You should,” he answered, then gritting his teeth, he added. “But I wish we could channel that energy, that anger into something else that isn't me.”

“Are you trying to upset my wolf?”

“I'm trying to let you see that now's the perfect time to avenge Professor Rockwell. We can't let him die for nothing.” he said with resolve, still holding my hand.

“If you were going to have this meeting, why have it behind us?” Jimmy asked, walking towards us with Adrian following closely.

The sight of them with their slumped shoulders and red eyes from crying broke even the tiniest pieces of what was left of my heart.

“I don't feel anything. It's gone, gone with Rockwell.” I said slowly, tears swelling up in my eyes again.

“This is a pain we'll never outgrow. It's too early to try to shove it aside.” Adrian advised.

“We should dig up his remains, that's if we'll find anything. Professor Rockwell deserves a proper burial. At least, we should send him off with some light on his path.” Jimmy pointed out, anger and pain in his face. I can't tell how I marked out the two.

“We will,” I said, turning to the boys. “But there's something we should do first.”

“Which is?” Adrian asked, at alert and ready for a command.

“Punish the offenders.” my voice toughened.



We found Petrova in the company of the nobles - Aidan's description. Turns out that although he was trapped, his mind was still at work. He remembered everything that had been done to his body.

The nobles were surprised when we barged into their meeting but even more stunned when they couldn't lift a finger. Adina had bound them with the moon's power. Like Aidan, they too had a bite of the apple.

“You don't have the right to be here.” The oldest of them harrumphed.

“Neither do you.” Aidan answered, his eyes blazing with fury. That was the tool - anger.

Petrova was shocked to see him, as were the nobles, but Myles was my target. He had a greater price to pay.

“What should we do?” Jimmy asked, already playing with the fire flickering from his fingers.

“Send them to where they belong. Hell.” I answered.

I walked close to Petrova, lifted him from his seat by the wind so he sat mid air.

“How dare you, kiddo. Do you not have regard for elders?” Petrova was still his authoritative self.

I wondered what they were deliberating on. It had to be Myles. It would've been fun to watch his brawl with Myles, but time was a luxury we couldn't afford.

“I'm sorry, Ryan.” I apologised, lifting my face to him.

I would've tagged him a traitor if he felt any anger for disrespecting his father but the look in his eyes earned my respect.

“You don't need to ask, you have my forgiveness.” He hissed. He was his usual haughty self too. Like father, like son.

We didn't kill Petrova. No, he had to face judgement from the high regent. He and every vampire noble that took part in the plot. No offender was going to go unpunished. I swore to make sure of that.