"Why not?"
"Because I didn't push those people. He did."
"Exactly. It's the same for Ignatia. Those
terrible dreamscreechers don't make Clara terrible. In fact, she would beat those dreamscreechers that were horrible to you."
"Don't teach her that stuff!" Father hisses.
My mind drifts once again. Ignatia would've made a good mother to Sabina. She'd protect her. She would make us laugh and spend time with us. I'm certain she would have enjoyed being her mother.
The perfect family. Me, Ignatia and Sabina.
My heart thumps in the chest, begging for Ignatia's presence. Tears are forced out of my sockets.
Damn it, I want her back.
“Amias?” Erasmus whispers.
My muscles tense and I ball my fist, wishing I could punch him again. I want to scold all of them. I want to shame everyone for what they've done and what they've taken away from both me and Sabina. If it weren't for everyone in the room, Ignatia would still be here.
But yelling won't do anything to convince them. All my pent up anger melts into mourning. "Give me a minute," I whimper before I storm towards my bathroom, and slam the door on everyone.
I try to suppress my cries with my back against the door. I shouldn't be weeping. I brought Ignatia to safety away where no one would find her. I did the right thing. But the tears keep coming.
I almost immediately slide down against the smooth wooden door. A loud sob escapes my mouth as my mind gets filled with the image of her. They took away the woman that I love. My soulmate. Even if she isn't mine by Amara, our souls were intertwined.
I want her back. Damn it, I want her back, but I can't go after her. My family will stop at nothing to find me knowing I went after Ignatia, and once they find her, they’ll have Ignatia killed.
If I want her alive, I have to suffer without her. I won't risk her life for my own selfishness.
"Dove? Is everything okay?" Mother calls.
"I think Amias needs to be left alone…" Glaide says. "Let's go."
The floors creak towards the door, and I start wiping away my tears.
I don't understand them.
How could they not see what they did to Ignatia is wrong?
Chapter 55
Ignatia
A throne of silver and white sits before me under a sky of gray clouds.
Yes, the throne room has no ceiling. The walls of cement are jagged, as if a giant yanked the roof off.
I look down to my hands and hair. My hands are wrinkled and my hair is dark gray instead of brown. I narrow my eyes down at my stomach and realize I've gained some pudge.
Since when was I so elderly?
“Father will be happy to see you,” a gentle voice chirps beside me. I turn to the middle aged woman with dirty blonde hair beside me. Her skin wrinkles at the corners of her familiar forest green eyes. “He's been waiting all of his life to see you again.”
I squint and scan her face. Sabina?
“He really changed when you left all those years ago. He's never been able to move on from you.” Possibly Sabina smiles but there's a hurt that shines in her eyes.
