Within the Vampire enfolds she and her unborn child were no safer. She was a bargaining chip to be used to negotiate their freedom from the Darken. Of the Vampires, the only ones she had to worry about acting on their hate was Dmitri. His lofty goals saw her most significant value in being returned to the Darken. For Sebastian, the Vampires were the ones who would protect Arel. Of the Vampires, she would have to find someone that would help her carry out her plans for hiding their child if her fears turned out to be true.
Always on guard, the few she thought were allies among the Vampires she no longer knew if they would see her in a friendly manner. With each new incident, the Vampires grew more suspicious of her, seeing her as the Darken enemy of the histories. The distrust had steeped into her relationship with Sebastian, and she found herself wondering if he looked at her in a different light as well.
"Instead of your cooking, let's just pick up something to eat before heading back to the apartment,” suggested Arel.
"As you wish," he replied. An uneasy silence settled between the two of them as Sebastian observed the road ahead. Arel occupied with thoughts of how she would stave off Dmitri and the threat he posed to her and their unborn child.
A few miles more, Sebastian pulled the car into a parking lot and ran to the side of the door. Looking out her window, she noticed a butcher shop.
"I don't eat meat."
"It's just in case," replied Sebastian, kissing the top of her hand.
"I want some fresh fruit."
"It will be our next stop."
Looking up at him with the door open, the smell of the blood and dead things made her sick to her stomach. Holding her hand to her mouth, she vehemently shook her head no. Closing the door, he ran back to his side and drove off.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
The urge to vomit had subsided, leaving her feeling even hungrier.
"I'm sorry I was trying to help. Usually, at this stage, there is an overwhelming hunger for blood."
"I’ve never eaten meat. As children, we were forbidden to eat it. They would tell us it would make us sick and must stay away from it."
"What else do you remember?"
"I'm hungry," she replied as her stomach grumbled in response.
"Let's get you some fresh fruit and vegetables to eat," he replied. Pulling into the parking lot, he cut the engine turning towards her. "Wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes."
Arel watched as Sebastian swung open his door and disappeared into the store. True to his word, he was back at the car with a crate full of fresh produce, placing it into the trunk. Back in the car, they headed towards the apartment, pulling into her garage a few minutes later.
"Let's get you upstairs," said Sebastian as he opened her door helping her out.
Hands full with the previous purchase, he closed the trunk before leading her to the elevator. For Arel, it was nice being back at the apartment just the two of them like it used to be. She remembered the first time they rode the elevator together, there was an undeniable passion between them. Looking over at him she smiled, thinking on those days.
With an infectious smile, Sebastian stared back. “I missed your smile.”
Arel’s grinned wider, she reached her hand out to him. Laying the box on the ground, Sebastian held her in his arms. Drawing her into his embrace, his hand trailed the side of her face, caressing her soft skin. Closing her eyes, Arel tried to steady her heartbeat as he tilted her head to the side, exposing her pulsating vein.
She could feel his warm breath trailing her neck, stopping just at her shoulder. Intensely Sebastian inhaled Arel’s scent into his nostrils. Pulling him in closer, she stretched her head, waiting for him to continue kissing. The elevator door chimed open as Sebastian released her from his grip.
Inside her apartment, she slipped her shoes off and walked towards the kitchen. The hunger stronger replaced all the other desires she had moments ago.
“There's enough to eat for months," said Arel to Sebastian peering into the overflowing crate.
“I wanted to make sure you had something you would eat,” he replied.
“Does this mean you’ll eat with me, even if it’s just a bite. I missed how we use to sit at the table and have meals together. It was normal.”
Often Arel had daydreamed of living the life she had seen in the books. The four of them would often sneak away from living in the home to their secret hideout. It was there that they devised their plans of escaping the life all state children faced. Within their family, there were no limits, no status, no failed experimentations, and no inscriptions, that would take them away once they reached of age.
Lucas had told her it was fairy tales and they were the product of the failed Darken tests that survived. In anger, Lucas would remind her that all of them in the state home were freaks that didn’t fit into society. James was her savior and would indulge her fantasy, keeping Lucas’ anger at bay.
The produce put away; Sebastian kissed the top of her head. Grabbing a bag of cherries, Arel headed over to the sink, washing them before placing them in a large bowl. At the table, Sebastian pulled a chair out for Arel to sit. Pulling the chair next to her out, he sat, waiting for her to begin eating.
“Sebastian, I don't know where to start...so I'll just let it all out. A lot of my memory has come back." Arel had kept most of her memories to herself, untrusting of releasing the information to anyone, even Sebastian. There was no question he loved her, but she didn’t want to test the limits of his love.
“It’s what you wanted," he replied, kissing her on her forehead.
“Sebastian, If I don’t have my memories, where will we end up? From the moment we were born, they trained us night and day, preparing us for a battle. We were taught how to fight, how to kill, how to survive. They were preparing us for a great war. We had to be ready to battle, a great darkness that hunted for us."
He sat quietly while she continued telling her story, her bowl of cherries uneaten.
“They believed there was one of great noble power who would lead an army to rival that of the captors. For the Resistance, it was Teraya who the prophecy spoke of, the child that would defeat the leader of the darkness freeing all of us. She was kind, obedient, she gave of herself without question. Teraya was the opposite of me. I was always rebellious, questioning the things they told us." she continued.
Pausing, she ate a few cherries, carefully placing the pit back into the bowl. She slowly ate the flesh off of the seed, savoring the delicious sweet taste. Biting into a bitter cherry, her face remained steady, she quickly swallowed, placing the seed back into the bowl.
"They were wrong in their beliefs. Teraya had the gift, she bore the mark, but who they were looking for was someone else. Someone with a darker side."
"You," he replied.
Shaking her head, she placed another cherry in her mouth, removing the flesh from the seed. Placing the seed in her hand before swallowing the fruit, she continued.
"I had heard their thoughts, what they were looking for a warrior...a weapon. I didn't want to be either. I let them believe that Teraya was the one they sought. It was easy; our powers were amplified when we were together. I could increase her gifts with little effort. Aside from my aunt that used me to line her own pockets, I never let them catch me using my ability. They never knew what I could do.”
“The Aunt who came with you to see my mother?”
Arel shook her head in agreement. Although she disapproved of her aunt now, back then, she was one of the few who were kind to her. Their trips an escape, a taste of the freedom they both longed. Even only a few hours allowed them to leave the oppressive regiment of grandmother.
“She tried to please them, and I wanted to escape from them. I wanted their love and acceptance, but I knew I would never get it. I knew my revelation would only make them fear and hate me more. I was a child capable of taking a life, what would I become when my powers were at their strongest?"
"You kept it a secret?"
"We were so unhappy. Teraya begged me to tell them. She craved to be free; we both desired to be deliverance from our prison. Our cousins were loved, we were feared, hated. They were never forced into the lessons, the training, they learned stories and played. The day the darkness…I guess it was...the Darken that had come for us, to claim what they believed belonged to them. I had promised to tell, I was with our mother, Hana, and I saw her, Teraya, and what she was doing."
"You weren’t with her, but you could see her? How is that possible,” asked Sebastian.
No one outside of the inner circle of the Resistance knew about the powers Teraya, and she possessed. Now at her kitchen table, she had shared with Sebastian things she hadn’t even shared with James.
"She had this amazing talent, she was able to locate someone, anyone by thinking on them. We could be miles away, and she was able to communicate with me. We were able to connect with each other, know what the other felt, saw. That day, I saw her using her gift to summon them. She had never summoned anyone but me. I didn't even know that it was possible," she said.
Again, she paused, letting her words settle between them, giving him time to understand what she was saying. Teraya, her sister, her twin, who she shared her inner thoughts and secrets had kept the extent of her abilities a secret. For years it remained buried deep within her subconscious, concealed from even herself. The cause of their being found all stemmed from her sister, who had rebelled.
“There, I stood in the middle of the diner, begging Hana to leave, telling her they were coming. We made it back to the home with enough time for father to pack us into the car. The others stayed; they would give us time. Our cousins, our aunts, our uncles, grandmother, they all stayed. They piled us in the car," she continued.
Pausing she eat another cherry. Compiling her thoughts, she determined how much information she would share. Sebastian knew the story of the Darken, she had told him previously. It had been a night he woke her from one of her many nightmares.
“Speeding off as fast as they could, but we couldn’t outrun them. Father died first, then mother...the car...it spun and turned...it was so fast. I remember the glass of the window breaking, the metal, and leather of the seats swirling around us, everything was everywhere.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she retold the story. The pain and the remorse she felt from what happened showed all over her face. Sebastian held her hand, trying to pull her closer, but she resisted. Determined to get the story out, she didn’t want to stop. His comfort was a hindrance, she did not want to interfere.
“When I woke up, Teraya was dead, and our brother was badly hurt, there was blood everywhere. I knew he was dying. I had promised Hana I would save him. What little strength I had, I healed him. I was so tired and weak. He was different; he wasn't able to heal himself, to wake like we were. I knew she would wake up like me because we couldn't die," cried Arel, her voice rising before it trailed off.
Sebastian remained sitting quietly at her side. Much of her past had remained suppressed for so long, he knew it was vital for her to let it out. Patiently he listened holding her hand as she relived the moments that caused her so much angst.
"We waited, but she didn't wake up. I tried to revive her, but I wasn't completely healed...I was still bleeding...weak...I left her. I had to take him to safety, I loved him, and I wanted Hana’s love so I promised I would keep him safe. I took him away, and I told her I would be back. I abandoned her there, and they took her.”
“What happened,” asked Sebastian.
“When I finally made it back, she was gone. There was no trace of her, the car, our parents. Time had passed, and any clues that would lead me to her with it. I couldn’t locate her; it was as if she was gone. I would wander the woods for days and weeks at a time searching for Teraya. The day they found me, I was looking for her on that road."
"Arel, you have to stop blaming yourself for that. You were a child. All these years they lied to you both, and you have carried the blame for it, " he said.
"Had I told the truth; it would have been different. We would have still been together. The others would not have died, we would not have been separated. I would not have forgotten you. I could have saved them all. I could have saved Teraya."
“You don’t know that. Blaming yourself for the Resistance and the Darken is the last thing you should do. They are responsible, not you or your sister,” demanded Sebastian.
“I do know that. I know she would never have summoned them if I had told the truth. I was the rebellious one, not Teraya,” cried Arel.
She had never mentioned her brother, Hana's child before. Until recently, she had not remembered he was still alive, hidden waiting for her to return. A promise she had kept as best as she could by hiding him where no one would look for him. She would return to him, revealing the truth, when she was better. It was a promise she owed him and Hana.
There was much she felt she needed to tell Sebastian, but the time to inform him was short. Few opportunities presented themselves for her to relay the things she had remembered. She still had questions she wanted to be answered, and a clear plan on how she would rescue Teraya.
As her memories returned so too did the lessons, she learned in the Resistance camp. In the quiet, she had secretly practiced her skills of stealing into the minds of those she encountered. She had not practiced using her power in the way her mother had used it for Zorin, but she knew she could, and hoped she was able to control it.
“Arel,” he broke off as he watched her raised hand.
Holding her hand palm up and flat, the cherry seed in its center, began to sprout and grow. It developed roots and leaves, growing, it became bigger and bigger. Arel remained silent, focusing her energy into forming the sprouting large enough to cover her hand. Lush green leaves grew, blossoms materialized and opened. Growing until the roots draped over the bowl beneath it, resting on the kitchen table. There in her palm, she let him absorb what he had just witnessed.
"Touch it," she encouraged.
His hands moved over to feel the leaves, the stem, and finally the roots themselves. Subsequently satisfied he withdrew his hand, placing it back down on the table in front of him, the other holding her free hand still resting in front of them.
“Can you do it with other things,” Sebastian asked.
Nodding in agreement, she observed his reaction. It wasn’t the brining forth life that made her valuable. No one in a war needed a life bringer, it was the other half they valued.
Her fingers slowly moving about with the same energy she forced the sapling to wilt and die. Its small green leaves browning before turning on to itself and crumbling. In her hand now a small pile of brown dried leaves and debris. Arel watched it slightly energized.
"Zorin wanted to use my mother as a weapon, yielding her power towards his will. She fought him and hid us to save us, protecting the world from us. If he finds me or someone I love, he will use that to control me."
"You mean the child," he asked.
"Yes, our child, or even you. I have always rebelled, but if it meant saving the life of someone I loved, I would do as I was told without question or hesitation."
Releasing her hand, he looked off in the distance. Arel had thought about these things and more, the nightmare she had still played in her head. Zorin had a prisoner, someone she loved enough to destroy worlds to protect. Her fear that the dream would be her reality weighed heavy on her shoulders. The thing she wanted most in the world could be her undoing.
"Zorin hasn't been here in a long time, we don't know," he replied.
“The Darken still rule this world imprisoning every species under that sun. Zorin, the leader, tried to kill his own daughter. Even if he is no longer a danger to this world, they are still a genuine threat. I have lived in the shadow of the sun for far too long to do nothing. My sight is no longer blind.”
“You’re thinking of fighting the Darken,” demanded Sebastian. Though his voice was barely above a whi
sper, Arel could hear the anger in his words. No one had survived in their war against her people.
“I know the stories you have tried to keep from me. I heard them long ago as a child, I just didn’t remember them all. Nothing will stop him from using me to further his own plans even if it means killing our child or worse using her as a weapon.”
No matter what Sebastian said, Arel had already made up her mind. For her, the path was clear, if she survived the birth of their child, she would finish the fight of her mother. Zorin would face justice not only for her mother but for all those he had enslaved.
"You should not worry if the child can be used as a weapon. We don't know if he will possess any of your gifts."
Arel paused, eating a few more cherries filling her belly. Determined not to let Sebastian sway her in her beliefs. Somehow, she would convince him of the importance of what she told him. Their future clouded to her; she knew the outcome if Zorin was successful.
"I know your worried Sebastian about if we'll both survive," Arel said softly.
“There's nothing for you to worry about. I promised I wouldn’t let anything or anyone hurt you. I will keep you safe,” replied Sebastian.
Her eyes remained fixed on the half-empty bowl in front of her. It would take all her strength to say the words she had played out in her head over and over. Arel would speak them, and she meant them, but she couldn’t tell him the reason yet. Sebastian was still unready to hear the rest of what she had remembered.
"If it comes down to our baby or me, save the baby," said Arel, her voice forceful and quiet.
"Arel, you can't ask me to choose between," he began.
"I'm not asking you to choose. I have already made a choice. I needed to fall in love, have a family, and do all the things that made us normal. Even with my memory loss, I wanted it to be with you. I never desired to be Arel and what she meant. I never wanted Zorin and the Darken. Maybe my memory stayed away for so long because I didn't want to be what she meant, what they expected of me. I don't want to destroy worlds."
Sight Page 13