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.The light within escapes into the hallway, and I step inside, scanning the room.Lenora sits at her usual desk, a text laid open in front of her and a notebook splayed beside it with rows of neat handwriting filling its exposed page.Her gaze turns upon me as I enter.Yet my eyes do not dwell for long upon her.Beside her, at my desk, or at what once was my desk, a Winglet sits.This desk also displays a text and notebook.Together the two stare at me, uncertain how to react to my sudden arrival.Lenora is the first to respond.“Are you lost?” she asks, irritation rising in her voice—a familiar tone.“Lenora … I’m here to …” I begin, but there is something about the way she addresses me that causes my throat to tighten.“How do you know my name?” Lenora replies stiffly, confirming the fear that is already growing inside me.“It’s me, Oriana … Lenora, don’t you …?” I hear the waver in my voice, the hot tears that I withhold desperately by biting down on my lip.“I think you are mistaken.I have never met you before in my life,” she declares.I would think she was deceiving me if not for the honesty in her eyes.My mouth gapes, opening and closing with no sound escaping.I am frozen for only a moment before recovering enough to escape through the door.Before I know it, I am staggering down the hallway, my palms pressed into my eyes as the tears pour from them uncontrollably.I wipe them away, but the flood continues.In a panic I start to run through the halls, finding my way back to the main entrance by a subconscious instinct.Outside, I run down the hill, stopping short at the garden entrance.I hesitate for a moment before deciding to enter.Its comforting walls beckon me inside.I follow the stones, the sun still providing enough light for me to greet the rows of flowers.I think of Dorian, our first meeting, his hand in mine as he led me for the first time to the stone seat.Now I make my way toward it, desiring one quick rest upon its cool surface before I return to the Great Oak.I smile as I take a seat, remembering when Dorian first kissed me, when I first saw the love in his eyes.My panic now under control, I rest my chin in my hands.How could I have been so foolish? I had completely forgotten the power of the University walls.It can control the minds of hundreds of students, set them against each other, take away their every emotion, and now I know it can make a girl forget her own sister.I do not feel relief at having carried out my plan, but there is something that settles inside me, a feeling that makes my journey worth the time it’s taken.Sitting here, I find my independence.I made a decision on my own, and my determination gave me the strength to go through with it.I have to give myself credit for accomplishing that much.I press a hand against the seat beside me, and my thoughts flash to Dorian once again.He must be worried, and when I return, I must face him.I must tell him the truth and what I have done.I will tell him that I am satisfied and that I will never leave his side again.Not even at the Rebirth, and he will have no choice but to agree because he will want me with him forever after.I smile as he appears before my mind’s eye.I even imagine I hear him call my name.“Oriana.”I startle, looking toward the entrance of the garden.A dark figure stands, the flame of a candle in an outstretched hand.I did not imagine it.Someone did say my name, but it was not Dorian.“Oriana … that is your name, I remember it.” Aurek approaches me.I am on my feet, readying myself for an opening through which I can flee.But his large form blocks my only exit.He comes closer, and I try to move around him but his hand reaches out to grip my arm.It is strong, incredibly painful, and when I attempt to struggle, his grip tightens.He places the candle and holder upon the bench behind him and settles his eyes upon me smugly.“I saw you come out here.You must not have noticed me because you were running.”I look around, hoping to find something I can use to escape.Nothing catches my eye.Perhaps I can persuade him to let go instead.“That is your name, isn’t it? Oriana? Somehow I think I’ve known you …”He reaches out and strokes my hair, sliding his hand down the back of my neck.I want to scream, cry out, but who would come to my rescue? It’s when his hands move downward that I begin to retch.His palms explore the curves of my body, sliding up my stomach toward my chest.I let him go no further.I pull backward, struggling against his hand, and he reaches for my flailing arm.I don’t give him the chance to take it.A new strength that I never knew existed emerges from within, and I deliver a swift kick.He doubles over in surprise, not having expected my initiative to fight back.A young pureblood girl would never be expected to do so.I take advantage of his moment of confusion and thrust my elbow into his side.This causes the air to escape him and his fingers to loosen their grasp.I wrench my arm free as he topples backward.His weight and considerable height make the fall more forceful.His head sails backward and strikes the bench with a sickening crunch, followed by an eerie silence.I stand over him, staring in horror.I pray he will make the slightest movement, that his chest might make one rise and fall.He is completely still.A black liquid oozes across the bench from beneath his head, it creeps across the smooth surface like a living creature.I move to kneel beside him, to check his eyes, examine his injury, but I leap back as the ground behind him bursts into flames.Aurek’s fall knocked the candle from the bench, causing it to set the grass alight.The fire spreads quickly, my vision blurs as I mindlessly try to put it out.If I don’t, the entire garden will soon be ablaze and burn to the ground.I throw dirt upon it.Someone will notice the flames, and I will have no time to escape … no time … I have no time.Aurek is still not moving, and my breath comes in terrified gasps.Relax, Oriana, think … think of something … I am not sure if I should run now or stop the flames, if only I can stop the flames from spreading! Think!There is a voice behind me, a whimper.I whip around, leaving the fire for a second to search out the noise.Fisk stares at me in horror, his eyes discovering the still form of Aurek, not just still, dead.He starts to yell.A shrill shriek of rage echoes in my ears like thousands of alarming crickets enveloping the night.I hear my own scream and swallow it, searching behind me for something, someone.I only find the bench, dripping with black blood, and the raging fire that has now engulfed half the garden.I back away from it.What have I done … what … what!? My body lurches convulsively, my hands pull at my hair, sweat upon my brow from the intense heat of the fire.I watch as Aurek’s body attracts the flames, the red fingers licking off his flesh and clothing.I shake my head trying to rid myself of the image, the image I had caused.“NO!!!”The hands of the guards fasten around my arms just as the Odonian instructs them.I am unable to fight, unable to find the sky, the stars, the ground beneath me.It all spins in one revolting daze.I feel a sharp pain in my neck that sends me hurtling toward unconsciousness, the echoing words of someone from above chase me downward into darkness.“Bring her to Odon.”CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVENThis nightmare, I remember now, I’ve had it before.The eyes have returned.I thought they were defeated, but they are back [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]