Chapter 179
AMELIA
Lucius struggled to start telling me the story of his sigil, but I waited patiently. I wanted to know why it came and went, and why it appeared now.
He drew a deep breath and let it go slowly. “A few months after you died, I had constantly dreamed of you dying. It was a nightmare for weeks. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to sleep, and it drove me crazy. One of the elders told me about a Shaman. I tracked him for a week and found him in Asia, in Mongolia. He was retired, peacefully living in the forest, but the people there accused him of practicing witchcraft. I saved him before they could shoot him with arrows.”
“Oh, Goddess. That was awful.”
“Yeah. Then I told him the story and my dreams. He healed me. I stayed there for a few days. Then he gave me this sigil. He only touched me, and the sigil on his arm moved to my neck. He said it would protect me from harm and evil spirits, and also warn me for the incoming threats. I didn’t trust it at first, then it sometimes felt like a burning sensation when it appeared.”
“Why I saw it that day?”
“We’ve been tracking wraiths that day. I killed one, and I believed one of those was found by the cops.”
“Are you done chatting?” Ryden came, glaring at Lucius. “Reede might not make it. Seven is also wounded. Nora and Ren are on their way with them. So far, no more werewolves are coming.”
“I threw the dead bodies into the crack.” Zeph glared at Lucius as he passed by us.
“Your brother knows something.”
“Probably, but I didn’t tell him. My dad found my old birth and marriage certificates. Maybe he knows who you are.” I called Ryden. “Alpha, I have an idea.”
“What is it? A stupid one?”
“Ryden, I know we have wounded members, and we’re still lucky we made it back alive. It may not be what we wanted, but we eliminated a few threats today.”
He was still pissed off. His nose flared. “I haven’t heard from our allies. I hope they’re okay.”
“Our hands are full.”
He huffed out a shaky breath. “I don’t think I can watch you fight that evil, but I know I can’t stop you from putting your life on the line.”
“I don’t wanna die either, but I promise to be careful, and I know you both have my back.” I smiled at him. “You know I love you, right?”
“I know.”
“Good.” I breathed deeply as I looked at Lucius. “Tell Margaret to come. Zarah is busy. We need her help, please?”
“Don’t do something stupid, Amelia.” He fished out his phone and dialed Margaret’s number.
“Not planning on something that will get me killed. Do you still have a cure gas?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Give me one.”
He nodded at one of his men to give me. “What are you going to do, Amelia?”
“You should stop asking.” I blew a breath. My heart started pumping fast. I closed my eyes for a brief moment before I thought of Arakiel’s face or whoever his real name was. Then I took a step forward.
I sucked in a breath as I landed in the desert or what it looked like a desert now. All I could see were dead trees, a land in droughts, nothing but dust. From a distance were people in ordinary clothes standing in formation, some were working, and looked like digging. The heat wave in the desert didn’t seem to bother them.
I could smell fear from beyond. I could smell scents of werewolves, and other beings, rotten corpses thick in the air, but I still didn’t see the asshole’s face. What were these people doing here and digging for what?
At the horizon, I saw red lightning, thick clouds forming the sky, and thunder roaring, while these people continued their work like slaves. I realized they were more than drugged. They could be dead inside.
As I cautiously stepped forward, I scanned the surroundings, keeping it in my head. I hadn’t stepped close, the people with their pick axes must have sensed me. They stopped all at once like in a remote control.
I swallowed hard, seeing their faces. They weren’t dead, but definitely dead inside. Those people were similar to corpses, skin clung to their bones, hollowed eyes, and probably worn the same clothes since they got in here, hence the smell.
They were possessed.
They growled all at once and got off to march in my direction. At least half a dozen of them began running towards me in limping gaits.
With my heart galloping in my chest, I pulled the pin, even if it was useless now. I ran forward in haste. Before I met them in the middle, I threw the canister at them and jumped.
Then I fell.
I fell on the ground, rolling like a log. Groaning, I rolled to my back, squinting at the sunlight. Then it was quickly blocked by the faces of Ryden and Lucius.
“What the fuck, Amelia?”
I groaned as I tried to sit down. “Nothing I didn’t already hear before.”
“You’re reckless!” Lucius grunted, staring down at me. “What were you thinking?”
“Blah blah blah.” I lay flat breathing hard and then I grinned, making them more angrier.
“What’s going on?”
I ignored Ren. “How’s Reede?”
“Answer me!” Ryden was really pissed off. His eyes flared with fire.
“What should I answer with what the fuck, Amelia? Well, news flash. I went to see Arakiel. You know what I found?”
They both stared at me, including Ren. I waited until someone would speak, but they waited patiently for my next word. “Oh, so you’re interested.”
Ryden shook his head and looked at Lucius. “See? This is what she does, giving me a heart attack at thirty.”
Lucius smirked. “I’ll take her home with me.”
“Fuck you, asshole. Talk, Amelia. What did you see?”
“I just realized when I came to earlier to call for help, that I can go find that asshole. I didn’t even know I could tag along with some of you. So I thought I tried my luck.” I shook my head as I tried to re-imagine the horror I saw in that God-forsaken land. “It was awful. I don’t know where it is, but it was cursed. Dozens of people are maybe waiting for his command. It reminds me of what Sensei had shown as, that barren land, but ten times worse.”
“Can you describe the place?” Lucius asked.
“Forsaken. It smells of death. It was horrible. No one can survive in that place. What I noticed was a bolt of red lightning, dark clouds, and thunder, but there was no rain, like in years. It looks like it was cursed with drought. The people there look like dead, skin hung off their bones.”
“Like zombies in The Walking Dead?”
I turned to Theia. “Yes.” Then I stared at Ryden and Lucius. “Where the fuck was that? Why did it take me there? I threw the canister even if it was useless for them.”
“We’ll speak to Margaret if she can get the location of that place,” Lucius said.
“It was like hell, and they’re digging something. I hope it was for water or maybe I was brought to the future. I don’t understand. I’m desperate to find that son of a bitch, but he’s always slippery.”
“Calm down. We’ll get there.” Ryden offered his hand.
I grasped it to stand up, and then he pulled me into a tight hug, stroking my hair. “Don’t do stupid tricks like that again.”
I smiled. “No promises.”
“Of course.” When we pulled apart, he stared at me. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“I’m sorry. I know you wouldn’t approve, but hey, I didn’t come back empty-handed.”
“Angel, Margaret is waiting.”
“Don’t call her that,” Ryden growled at Lucius.
“Fuck you, Braxton. I’ll call her an angel. Suits her than ladybug.”
“Shut up, both of you.” I walked past them and hooked my hand around Ren’s arm instead, making them groan behind me.
All of a sudden, I was pulled back by an unknown force, making me suck in a breath.