See How She Awakens (The Chronicles of Izzy #4)(9)

“Enough!” Aberto shouted. “Tell her and be done with this.” His voice vibrated through my chest. I’d only ever heard him speak like that once before, when he’d destroyed Xavier.

“The prophecy,” Mona swallowed hard before continuing, “there were two. You know the first. If you did not stop the demon, darkness would fall upon the world, causing brother to fight against brother. If you had not succeeded, that would be the destiny of the world.”

“What is the other one?” Still clutching my stomach, I struggled to stand fully upright. The darkness rested, appeased with my acceptance of its voice for a time.

“It says that though the demon be defeated, the darkness shall still fall, and the world will burn if not for the intervention of the Seer.” Mona clipped out before turning her face away.

“You knew this all along? You knew if I succeeded more would come, yet you didn’t warn me? Warn any of us?” Fire prickled along my arms as the anger coursed through my veins. My arms began sparking a brilliant blue before pulsing into tight flames.

“Calm yourself, Seer.” Aberto’s tone still held the steely tone from moments before. “These emotions will bring you no satisfaction.”

“Calm myself? Did you know there was more to the prophecy? That once I fell, more would be asked?” The darkness churned inside of me. “Did you know?” My voice was a razor as I moved toward Aberto. The flames were turning red as the rage overtook me.

“ENOUGH!” Aberto shouted, causing everything to go black.





“What was that?” Conall’s voice asked from somewhere in the foggy distance.

“It is not clear,” Aberto responded from somewhere close.

“What do you mean it isn’t clear? She just went all psycho flame girl, and then the fire went red and her voice…what the hell was that?” Ian sounded scared, his voice moving frantically around me in the distance.

“She’s been through a great deal, perhaps the void did more damage than we’d thought.” Eleanor’s calm voice felt like a warm blanket.

“No,” Aberto stated, as though that one word held all of the answers. I wanted to open my eyes to look at everyone, but something in me said be still.

“What do you mean, no? Now isn’t a great time to be cryptic.” Ian’s frustration rubbed against my nerves.

“It is something more. She tried to tell me, but I believed as you did just now. The void can do damage, but this is something more.” Aberto’s breath fanned across my face as a warm hand clasped my cheek. I could feel his eyes upon me.

“How is she to be of assistance if she cannot control whatever this is? She seems to be on the brink of losing herself completely.” Conall’s calm assessment brought back memories of the times he’d patched up the marks that had overtaken my body months ago.

“The darkness has taken hold,” Mona’s voice spoke, but I knew it wasn’t her. I’d heard that voice enough to know Uriel had appeared. Opening my eyes, I turned my head to look upon him as he resided in my aunt.

A look of disgust crossed his face as he took in my prone form. Tilting my head, I wondered if he could see the darkness writhing within me.

“Do you see it?” I asked, a smile twisting my lips as his sneer morphed into a look of abject horror. “What are we to do now, Uriel?” I taunted him as I sat up. Moving towards my aunt’s body slowly, I tracked him like he were my prey. “What? Your Seer isn’t the shiny champion of good anymore? Are you scared of a little darkness?” The darkness laughed within me as it stretched ever outward.

“Izzy?” Ian’s voice shook with fear.

“And you. You blame me for her. All of you blame me when something doesn’t go right. How about you do something for yourselves? What are you waiting for? Do you need him to sign a permission slip or something? Maintain the balance, what a joke. There never was a balance, and there never will be. At least the darkness doesn’t lie. It doesn’t keep secrets.” Ian’s fallen face broke whatever spell I’d been under. Gasping, I stepped backward. The words that had come from me, they were of my own making, but not mine.

Tears welled in my eyes as I backed away from everyone. Their stares of confusion and hurt causing panic to replace the rage that had taken hold. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.” Sobs wracked my body. I wanted it to end, to be free of this torment. Falling down to my knees, my body buckled in on itself.

The darkness ever pressing, But didn’t it feel good to let the truth be heard? You owe them nothing. You’ve given enough, and now they know how you truly feel.

“No, I don’t feel that way. I DON’T!” My hands shot up toward my head, gripping my hair. I wanted to block the darkness out. I didn’t want to hear it anymore. It had to end. Someone had to make it end. I could end it.

End yourself, and they will be free of you. Do it, Izzy. Or don’t you want to be with Kennan?

“Kennan. Yes, end it. No one but me will hurt.” The logic was flawless, if I wasn’t alive, I couldn’t hurt anyone else.

“NO!” Aberto’s voice shook me from my thoughts, pulling my attention into focus. He kneeled in front of me, his hands wrapped over mine. “No.” His voice softer, a plea.

“You can do nothing to save me.” Scorn dripped from my every word.