221. WITCHES HURT TOO

221. WITCHES HURT TOO


~CAMILLE

As Nathan's doubtful thoughts echoed through my ears, I turned sharply back to him with my hands joined together.

"Please, you— we have to try to convince her otherwise all will be lost!"

"I am not refusing to help, no," Nathan shook his head and hands at me. "I want to. But this witch wouldn't listen to me the way my true daughter would... You understand me, yes?"

"Nathan, I understand. But we can't give up without trying." I helplessly added, turning to Viktor for support. "I mean, there has to be a way out of this..."

Silence descended over us with the dark aura oozing from Morgan growing even stronger.

My heart was already squeezing with even more pain in the aftermath of what could become of my daughters if things didn't work out here.

But just when I felt like my chest would blow up, Nathan sighed.

"Okay," he mumbled as he lowered himself to reach for something underneath the bed.

Confused, my eyes narrowed at his movements trying to understand what he was doing.

And right before my eyes, he pulled out a black stone and placed it a couple of yards away.

"What is that?" I was unable to help myself.

With another sigh, he straightened up. "I have lived a long time and I have my methods of dealing with other creatures that aren't my kind."

The words had barely finished leaving his mouth when Morgan suddenly gasped awake.

I jerked out of my position and my eyes almost popped as I stared at her.

Her eyes were larger than usual with the darker side of her irises appearing even larger. I could barely see the whites as she moved her laser stare between us.

Her breathing was heavy and laboured like someone that was under a burning furnace. Beads of sweat covered her body in seconds.

And her energy was even stronger than before.

I didn't need to be told. This wasn't Morgan. This was Kalista.

"If you brought me here to entertain my enemies, then it's better you kill me now," she snarled, her dark eyes now fixated solely on Nathan.

"Kalista," Viktor called, earning an even colder glare from her.

"Calling my name won't make me dance to your torture." She spat through gritted teeth. "Again, it's best you kill me now!"

My lungs stopped working as it struck me that Nathan was right. Convincing Kalista was going to be a miracle.

"They only want to talk to you, witch." Nathan stated, his feet tapping gently on the stone. "Just relax."

Her teeth bared widely at him. "And you want me to believe that?"

"Kalista, it's true," Viktor quickly countered. "We are here because we need your help. Nothing more."

Her features froze for a second before she scoffed. "You really think I am as delusional as Morgan, don't you?"

"My daughter had her flaws," Nathan admitted. "But she won't watch thousands of lives die just like this, no... She will help."

Her already dark eyes grew even darker as she stared back at them. "Well, fortunately, I am not her. Don't expect anything from me... Except, death!"

"Kalista, lives are at stake here!" Viktor snapped, his irritation cracking as he took a step closer. "Can't you see that!? How can you be so heartless?"

She let out another scoff. And from where I stood frozen, I saw it.

The darkness she carried wasn't cruelty... It was pain...

"Kalista, the whole world is dying! Azarel has taken over everything! You can't just fold your arms and do nothing!" Viktor yelled, his veins popping over his temples as his irritation turned into fury.

But Kalista didn't care. She continued rejecting until Viktor's control snapped.

"Kalista!" Viktor roared, his claws pushing out of his fingers as his rage blew up.

I felt my heart flip at least four times as I watched the scene freeze before my eyes. I was going to yell at Viktor to stop but his claws came to a halt against Nathan's hold.

And while I shook still trying to process, Kalista strained her neck towards those same claws that almost took her life.

"Go on..." She snarled in a low, dangerous voice. "Go on Viktor... Kill me..."

It was almost as if she was begging for death. Almost like it was everything she had wanted... Like it could release her from the pain that brewed in her eyes...

"Please—" I suddenly blurted, jumping between them before anyone could respond to her.

Viktor glared at me as if I had lost my mind. While Nathan just looked concerned.

And technically he had every right to look at me this way because I had no idea what I was doing. I just knew that I had to try.

But before they could speak, I continued; "Please, let me talk to her... Alone."

"Why in the realm will we do that?" Viktor growled, snatching his claws out of Nathan's barrier. "She is dangerous plus cruel! It's too risky! What if she does something to you!"

"She won't," Nathan answered, pointing at the black stone beneath him.

"What!?" Viktor scoffed, already prepared for defence.

But Nathan took his shoulders. "The black stone prevents her from using her powers or anything harmful—"

Viktor opened his mouth again but Nathan beat him to it.

"So, Camille will be fine. Come on, let's give the woman a chance." Reluctantly, he dragged Viktor out of the room.

As the door closed behind us, I could feel Kalista's dark eyes on me long before I turned to meet them.

"What does the mother of the priestess want from me?" Her voice was surprisingly calmer than it had been when she was dealing with the men.

Somehow, this gave me hope. I went closer to her and sat on the edge of her bed, letting the silence drive home my point.

"There is nothing that can be done about their situation," she mumbled as if she already knew my plight. "The world is already broken. I can't save it, even if I wanted to."

My hope cracked at her words, yet I refused to give up.

If Odette could recommend her, then surely there had to be something she probably wasn't considering, yet.

"Kalista," I started in a voice barely above a whisper.

All of my emotions sat on my throat and I could feel my voice waver. But I went on;

"Have you ever loved someone so hard that you wanted to kill for them to live?"

She jerked at my question and almost froze... Somehow, I knew I was on a good track.

So again, I continued;

"Kalista, you have worked with vampires to give them the world they wanted... But that time is over. The vampires have lost. Even Dimitri, their leader... is dead."

Her large eyes clashed with mine again and the shock in them gave me more courage to go on.

"Both Vampires and werewolves are dying, Kalista... The world is ending along with them." I breathed, "Is this what you have always wanted?"

As if my question had triggered something else, she burst into a cackle like laughter.

Confusion hit me, forcing my lips to seal.

"Wanting the whole world to end has always been my one dream!" She finally let out while my heart halted. "And you know why?"

"Why, Kalista?" I whispered.

"Because they deserve it!" She snarled, her cackle turning cold. "They deserve death and pain because of what they did to me... Because of my sister..."

Tears brimmed the edges of her dark eyes as she fisted her hands.

"They hurt me, day and night... And then, they killed my sister! How can I not want them to end?"

The pain in her eyes finally made sense and my heart went out to her.

I saw the way she tried to wipe off the tears quickly. I saw the way her body shook as she tried to swallow it all back... But she failed.

"They should all die!" She cried, in a broken and bitter voice.

Tears filled my own eyes in understanding. "Kalista, is this really what your dear sister would have wanted?"

Her tears streamed even faster as if my question was a whiplash this time. But I didn't stop.

"I know witches are usually reborn into the world after a century..." I whispered, holding her hands. "There is a chance that you could meet your sister again..."

Her tremors grew even larger.

"...but if Azarel destroys everything, there will be no way for you to meet your sister... Ever again..."

I let the question hang above us. And cried silently my own tears, for I knew that whatever decision she made wasn't just for her and her sister, my daughters were also involved.

Her choices could either kill them or keep them alive...

"Mother of the priestess," Kalista finally let out between sobs. "Promise me—"

She squeezed my hand and held my gaze. "—Promise me that when all of this is over... You won't let them send their people to hunt down witches or stone them to death—"

My soul leapt with joy at her and I quickly nodded. But she shook me more firmly as her tears instantly dried up;

"—promise me that you won't let history repeat itself despite my participation in resurrecting Azarel in all the previous lives and this one too!"

"Yes, Kalista," I nodded, "Everything you did to help Azarel will be forgotten... And all the world will remember is your participation in taking him down! That is all history will know! I promise you!"

Her eyes blinked back the pain and she sniffled, readjusting herself on the bed just as the men stepped back in on cue.

"There is a way to destabilize the convergence through Azarel himself," she let out in a firm tone—

Almost like she didn't just breakdown in tears seconds ago—

Nathan and Viktor exchanged glances before Viktor moved closer.

"And what is it? What do we need to do?"

"We need to poison him."