Innocent Little Runt
Chapter 75

Kaleshia’s POV

I sobbed as I held Zay’s body. She’s gone. She left me.

I tried to ignore the sound of the few remaining experiments pounding on the barrier I had put up around Zay and I. “Stop!” I screamed at them, “Go away!” I held her to me tighter. “Please go away,” I whispered. They wouldn’t listen of course. They kept pounding at the barrier, ignoring when their arms, hands, or feet would get shocked. I looked around the yard through blurry eyes. There was very few experiments that weren’t around Zay and I and it seemed that the others were handling them just fine.

Are we winning? No, we aren’t. At least I’m not. I lost the moment I lost Zay. I screamed, forcing the barrier away from me at least a few feet. The experiments screamed as they fell to the ground, dying. I f****d the barrier back to me, knowing I was using up all of my energy. Even if I can’t die, someone could kill me. Using up my energy would make it easier for them.

I didn’t want to live anymore. Not without her. I’ve gone through so much heartbreak in my life. I could handle the death of anyone. Anyone but her.

I brushed her hair away from her face. She looked so peaceful, almost like she’s dreaming. “Wake up my love. Please wake up.” She doesn’t respond. I leaned down and shakily pressed my lips to hers. I don’t know what I expected. I wanted her to wake up but this wasn’t a fairy tale.

“Kaleshia,” a voice whispered. I looked up to see Xavier. I looked around. All of the experiments were dead, at least 25 of them around me. They won. I can’t say we. I just can’t. I put the barrier down and Xavier fell to his knees beside me. “Zay. . .” He shakily reached out, taking her hand. I watched as he brought her hand up to his chest, bringing it to his heart. “Why?” I watched as tears fell down his face, mine never having stopped.

Eventually more people came. Lesa cried as she hugged Wesley to her chest. Wesley cried too but I think that was because he could sense the sadness in the air around him. Lycer held back his tears as he brought Celeste over. She clung to him, weeping, until she got to Xavier. She hid in his chest, not being able to look at Zay’s body. Jake and Josh arrived. Josh cried a bit more verbally than Jake but he cried too. Jared. . . He was the worst. He ran over, screaming. He yelled for someone to do something, anything to save her. I refused to let go of her but he leaned over her and wept for his sister.

I closed my eyes, remembering a scene like this a few hundred years ago.

“Sir,” I said strongly but my heart, like everyone else’s in the coven, was hurting. “Everyone has been wondering when Miss Avangelina’s parting will be.” A parting was basically a funeral. We inscribe tattoos on them using the ink of the magi council. Ink of the magi council is only used for three things. Coven records, official welcoming into the coven, and partings of the deceased.

“Tell the coven that there won’t be one.” My eyes widened in shock. She was his beloved, his mate, his love. How can he not want her to have a parting.

Miss Avangelina was a sweet woman. She trained me before my test for me to be welcomed into the coven. I was a young and foolish magi in training so no one would take me seriously. No one but her. She said I reminded her of herself. I was one of the only people that she trained in all her years. Thanks to her, I was the secundus, the second in command basically.

“Sir,” I gasped. “Are you sure? Miss Avangelina deserves a parting and a beautiful one at that. The coven just wishes to say goodbye. You should too sir.”

“No!” I took a step back. I knew he was in pain but that was only going to make him unstable. I put my hands up in defense but I would only block. I refused to hurt my superiores, my higher up. “There’s a spell. It’s a very old and powerful spell. It can make the mortal immortal and it can bring the deceased back to life.” My eyes widened again. I have never heard of such a spell.

“Sir,” I said uncertain. Maybe he was going insane. “Maybe you should lie down while the coven arranges her parting.”

“There will be no parting! Not until I have seen the spell fail by my own two eyes.” I nodded. “Follow me dear. I would like your help. You were close to her.” I nodded and followed him out of the room. He lead me into the garden where her body was resting. She looked so peaceful with caramel skin looking as fragile as a glass doll and her light brown hair surrounding her flawless face to cover the scars on her neck. Someone had been trying to get into the coven. They wanted to destroy us. I believe it was hunters but I wasn’t quite sure yet. Miss Avangelina had gone out the other afternoon, for her normal walk to the worshiping meadow. When she hadn’t come back Sir Andrelic went to look for her. He found her body with hands marks wrapped around her neck. She had been strangled.

“She’s so beautiful,” I whispered. She was like a mother to me. I cried for hours when her body was brought back.

“Give me your hand.” I look to Sir Andrelic and nodded. I put my hand out and he grasped my wrist. “I’m sorry if this stings dear,” he said before pulling out a small knife. He made a cut along my wrist and quickly grabbed a vile, collecting my b***d. As soon as he let my hand go I pulled it back and placed a clotting spell on it. It can’t heal the cuts but it can help the process. “The spell requires b***d of someone the deceased was close to other than who is casting the spell.” I nodded in understanding.

He opened the top part of her dress and used my b***d to draw a pattern above her heart. It was a simple sign. Two lines intertwined like a curvy plus sign and dots at the end of each line. He started to chant words in Latin under his breath and slowly getting louder. My b***d started to glow on her chest and eventually it sunk into her skin. A glow surrounded Miss Avangelina until I was f****d to cover my eyes. I heard a gasp and opened my eyes. Sir Andrelic was struggling for breath but Miss Avangelina. . . Her heart was beating.

“I – I can do something,” I whispered.

“What?” I looked to Jared, both of our eyes red and puffy.

“I can do something.” I gulped. “Someone get me something sharp and everyone but Jared back up.” It was a few minutes before someone handed me a throwing knife. My hand was shaking as I took it. “Jared uh -” I took a deep breath. “Give me your palm.” He nodded and held up his hand. I quickly cut it and he winced. I looked around to see Celeste curled up in Xavier’s lap with her head against his chest but to where she could see what was going on if she desired, Lycer standing protectively in front of them but I knew it was for Celeste, Josh just looked at me in curiosity while Jake seemed ready to pull Josh back further at any second.

I cut open Zay’s shirt just so the skin above her heart would be in sight. I have no intention of letting anyone see more than what’s necessary. I dipped my finger into the b***d on Jared’s palm. I quickly drew the symbol from memory, hoping I didn’t mess up. I started to say the spell, putting my whole heart into it. This needs to work. As I got louder, Jared’s b***d started to glow. Everyone covered their eyes as the b***d sunk into her skin. When the glow receded everyone looked back at Zay.

A tear fell down my cheek as I saw no difference. I held her hand and leaned over her body. Why didn’t it work? Hands entwined into my hair.

“Why are you crying my darling?” I gasped and pushed myself up. Zay. Her beautiful blue eyes looked into my completely blue ones. Only, there was something new to hers. A golden rim surrounded her eyes, glowing as she looked at me. I had only seen those kind of eyes once before. On a young girl not too long after Ms Avangelina’s death. Her beloved, a girl from my coven, had performed the spell on her.

I smiled, a relieved laugh leaving my lips. I quickly pulled her to me and smashed our lips together.