See How She Awakens (The Chronicles of Izzy #4)(36)
He will leave you. They all leave you. Everyone will die because of you.
The darkness reveled in my fears, delighting in the panic that froze me in place.
“He must do this. For you.” Eleanor’s voice pulled me from my mind and the darkness pulsing within me.
“He may end himself in the process.”
“If it were him standing where you stand now, would you not do the same?” Eleanor’s logic did nothing to ease my nerves.
“Why does everyone keep doing that? I get it. If it were someone I cared for in danger, I would be jumping headfirst into the fray. It isn’t quite so easy for me to let other people do the same in return.”
“You aren’t responsible for everyone, Izzy. The world does not rest solely upon your shoulders. If you don’t share this burden, you will collapse under the enormity of it all.” Eleanor’s words brought back every syllable Molly had uttered. I needed to stop thinking this was all up to me. I wasn’t alone.
“What if I fail?”
“Then we will prevail.” Eleanor’s easy response settled my nerves. “If I must end you myself, I will.”
Well, that wasn’t comforting. I supposed I was grateful for her willingness to stop me before I hurt anyone else, but it came out so easily. I looked over at her sideways to see her staring back. Her stoic expression was back in place making it hard to read her.
“I wouldn’t enjoy it,” she said flatly before leaving me to stand in the room alone with my thoughts circling.
My feet carried me into the ceremonial room almost of their own accord. My mind so consumed with the events that lay ahead, all else was lost to the background. Screams of agony pulled them swiftly back into focus.
Ian lay face down on the ground. Aberto was nowhere to be seen. He’d gone into the dreaming to mark Ian’s soul. As the screams ripped from Ian’s throat, vibrant red markings began to appear on his back, forming an intricate maze. When completed, Aberto reappeared in the room, looking exhausted. This was only one mark, how would he endure nine more.
“What now?” Ian breathed out, heavily.
“Now I must mark the others. When all have been marked, we will move to the next step.” Aberto motioned for another to take Ian’s place.
One after one, five Guardians came forward to be marked. Conall, Bruce, Ian, and two others bore the marks before the Seers took their turn. Sena rushed forward to be the first, pulling a disapproving look from Conall.
“Like I’m going to let you have all of the fun,” Sena said with a wink before laying down face first. Her screams tore through the room seconds after Aberto disappeared into the dreaming to mark her. Conall struggled against the restraints of two huge Guardians. If they had so much as slipped a little, he would’ve snatched her away, preventing the mark from ever being completed. Time seemed to freeze as everyone held their collective breath waiting for it to be over.
“Well, that sucked,” Sena panted as Aberto once more reappeared in the room. His strength was visibly fading.
“Let me mark the rest,” I prompted. Surely I could do it.
“You must keep your soul intact. If you fracture even a piece of yourself off, I fear the darkness may find a way to take hold.” Aberto’s eyes held mine steady. “I am well.”
“No, you’re not.” My chest grew heavy as I looked at him. He was a pillar of strength. I’d watched him rip a soul straight from a body, yet looking upon him now, he looked almost broken. I couldn’t lose him. Not now, not after I’d already lost so much. I wouldn’t survive it.
Aberto moved towards me, clasping my arm gently to lead me from the room. “Izzy, this must be done. If you cannot bear to be present and have faith I will make it through, then you should wait out here. Your lack of confidence is causing others to doubt.” His censure was a slap to the face.
“I don’t want to lose you.” I looked up into his eyes, and I knew in that moment what Eleanor had said was true. I did love Aberto. I’d probably loved him for my entire existence.
We were inevitable.
It didn’t change the fact I wasn’t ready to move on, but there it was. The truth. I would be just as crushed by Aberto’s death as I had been by Kennan’s.
“You won’t,” Aberto promised, gently placing his lips on my forehead before turning back to the room. “Are you coming?”
I nodded once, reentering the room behind him. He was right. I needed to have faith in him. He knew better than me what he was doing.
Four more Seers came to be marked. One was the young Seer that had spoken in the room earlier. I’d found out her name was Cristie. She’d been born as an outsider, and had only recently been brought into the Order. Like me, she’d had no clue what she was until visions started appearing one day. She’d told me Bruce had shown up a week later and brought her here.
As she’d told me about her journey, waiting for the rest to be marked, I looked over to find Bruce staring at her. His eyes gleaming with protective ferocity. There was a story there, one I hoped to someday hear. For now, I appreciated her fearlessness. She’d been shoved into the deep end and thrived, whereas I’d struggled to come to terms with everything that went on around me.
“I’ll have your back, Izzy,” Cristie promised, her eyes filled with a darkness of their own. Whatever she’d been through had hardened her. She wasn’t as frail as her demure frame led on.