Chapter 114: ALICIA KNOWS SOMETHING

\- MELISSA -

They left me locked up in the underground cell for several weeks. It was always dark, so I couldn't tell how time passed. I couldn't tell day from night.

At that time, Alicia visited often.

I wasn't able to guess why, but she came around as many times as possible. We never really talked, but she still lingered like a ghost, with her blonde hair curtaining her face and hiding the hideous scar that took half her face and probably affected her body too.

It wasn't her coming that was the most odd thing.

The most odd thing was that it was her specifically, of all the people in the world.

The more she came, watching me with hollow eyes, the more I began to realize that she shared some resemblance with Mutran. More than Jane. In fact, Jane wasn't much like Mutran at all.

What I noticed bugged me more than the gut-wrenching stomach ache that left me retching air and saliva every three hours.

Finally, I decided to open a conversation after I was told by Jane that the summoning ceremony would be holding the next day at sundown.

“What are you looking at, Alicia? If you're here because you think your presence will have some kind of companionship effect on me, I suggest you leave because you're only creeping me out,” I said to her with a voice hoarse from the many times I had strained it while trying to fight nausea.

Alicia moved, shuffling from her usual leaning spot and coming up to my jail cell. She wrapped her fingers around the bars and looked down at me.

“You look terrible, Melissa.”

I chuckled.

“Yeah, like I hadn't figured that out.”

“You know that night you were locked up... I found out a few things. The major thing is, I realized that you became Lyacid's breather only because Lyacid wanted to give the beast in you to the Lycan King. I also found out that your baby died after I pushed you. I... I also learned that you were deceived for years, made to fall in love just to be used for what you have, which you didn't ask for at all.”

“Alicia,” I spoke faintly, sitting up a little. “Why are you here? Please get to the point. I need to continue wallowing in self-pity.”

She let out a deep sigh, biting her lip at the same time. She looked behind her, then looked at me.

“Look, fuck,” she muttered, rolling her eyes like she was chasing fears away. “I am not like them, okay? I was a bully, I admit. That was when I was young. I didn't know any better. And as for how I treated you in our first palace, I did it because I really wanted to fight for my Luna. I just... I didn't mean to be so bad. I was acting out of impulse and shit like that.”

“Why are you telling me this, huh? What makes you think I care?”

She looked at the ground, letting go of the bars and fondling with her fingers.

“I did what I was told. I didn't have a hand in what happened to you. I'm sorry for what I did to you, but I swear I had no plan to put you in this situation. I remember that when you were throwing fits or anything—”

My eyes narrowed on Alicia's face.

She knows something.

I heaved a sigh. I can't be too hard on her or she'll not spill.

“Fine.”

Alicia raised her head.

“What?”

A hint of happiness spread across her face.

“Do you forgive me? I mean... are we cool-ish?”

“A girl has to fight for her man and her love. I get that part. You were only a bully because you were a dumb kid. I get that too. What I don't get is why they are still keeping you. Lancaster and the Lycan King pretty much have little need for you. For me...” I coughed, pressing a hand on my chest and hunching over from the sharp strain that came with each cough.

Alicia was looking at me, her face filled with pity. She looked very unsettled by my predicament.

I sucked in a few breaths, massaged my chest, and looked up at her.

“What I was going to say is... they discard whatever isn't helpful to them anymore, like me. Probably they will discard Jane too. So what makes you still useful? And if you are really so useful, why come here acting like you're washing your hands off them?”

“No, I'm not useful. I didn't even know I was until recently. I wasn't part of their plan. I was roped into this like you.”

She waved her hand continuously as she tried to explain herself.

She didn't know she was only making the knot tangle up in my head.

The only thing I got was that I was capable of doing something. Something bad.

And it was so bad that she had to come here to save herself, save her neck, because she knew if I started this terrible thing, I wouldn't spare anyone.

I crossed my arms.

But that alone was pretty good information, actually.

“How, Alicia? How are you tied into all this? If I know, I might... perhaps I might...” My mouth refused to utter those words.

I looked back at Alicia, my eyes beckoning on her to talk, to start talking.

“If...” She couldn't finish that either. “Well, look, like I said, I don't even know this. And I just found out recently. My head is still trying to wrap around it. I'm not sure I even—”

“Fuck, Alicia!” I snapped. “Spill the goddamn thing already. I'm losing my fucking patience.”

She pressed her lips together and stepped back, her head slipping away from the bars.

My eyes grew wider.

‘No.’

‘What is she doing?’

She hasn't said anything yet. I don't understand anything at all.

I stared intently at her. My feet refused to move, but my eyes held a strong desire for her to stay.

She turned her back on me.