Marked By Four

ARIA

If this is heaven, why does it still feel like I’m being dragged down?

My eyes snapped open, body surging forward with just as much vigor. “Huh?”

Wordlessly, I began patting each and every part of my body, trying to confirm something that left a gnawing feeling in my stomach. I was alive. And breathing.

Why was I still breathing?

A cold chill ran down my spine as I further took in my surroundings. The soft mound beneath me was the first eye opener. I’d seen a lot of places in my life but this…this was nothing short of magnificent.

Shadow and light seemed to blend into each other, dark spires ringing like a certain omen in the center of the room.

“What the hell?” I mumbled to myself, trying to push my body back onto its feet.

Something happened. Right before I ended up here. A small wince left my lips as different images wracked my head.

The car barreling fast through the highway. My failed attempts at hitting the brake. And a loud bang before…darkness.

I stared down, taking note of how bad my hands were trembling. “Am I dead?”

“She’s awakened?”

Instantly, I bristled, whipping my head to the source of the sound. The girl sunk further into her friend as she saw me, eyes curious and somewhat fearful. Her skin was as pale as paper, eyes a churning shade of black.

“The bride’s awakened?”

“Should we go tell the others?”

Bride?

“I—I’m not a bride.” I took a step forward.

A small squeal left the girls and they immediately scurried away. I frowned. Bride? Why were they calling me a bride? Scratch that. Why did they look so…unearthly? Nothing about that place was normal, and the thought alone made my heart continue to thunder.

“She’s awakened.”

I whipped my head back to find a stout looking man, staring back with shocked eyes. I bit my lip, immediately reaching out a hand. “Excuse m—”

Fearfully, he dropped a small tray on the table before scampering off. My hands dropped, defeat clinging hard like dead-weight.

First those girls called me a bride. And they’d said the same thing with the servant. Something about me ‘awakening’? Each thought only made me feel more nauseated. My mouth was dry and the shakiness in my hands still hadn’t stopped.

I took another good look at the room and ran straight for the mirror. “What the hell?”

The silk nightgown on my body seemed to radiate the glow of moonlight itself. That wasn’t mine. So why was I even it? How did I end up in this…place in the first place? With how hard my heart was pounding, I was sure it would surge out of my chest in a matter of seconds.

“You’re awake.”

My blood went cold. Slowly, I turned to face the most stunning man I’d ever seen before. Tall, graceful with dark long hair that swept all the way to his shoulders and cold blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through to my soul.

Simply put, he was beautiful.

“Who are you?” I took a step back. “And why am I here?”

His eyes were unreadable. “The prophecy wasn’t wrong after all. You’re still breathing.”

“Proph—What prophecy? What’s the meaning of this? And—And how am I not dead? That crash should have killed me.” My voice was shaky and trembling at best.

Saying the words out only terrified me even more. How was I still breathing? I put a hand on my heart, feeling the pulse of my pounding heart. It shouldn’t be possible. And yet—