171 LYRIC Becauseshelosthermemoriesthatnight.ThistimeitwasCorawhoanswered.Mygazesnappedtohers.Itsamiraclemysistersactuallyalivetoday.Someonetriedtokillher.Shewasshotandfell intotheriver.Fortunately,somefishermenfoundher.Andwhensheregainedconsciousness,Iwastheonlyonesheremembered.
Oh,gods.
ItsthereasonIwasreluctantaboutlettinganyonein.Werescaredthosepeoplemightbeafterher.
Whatexactlydoessheremember?Jaceasked.
Notmuch.Thememoriesareablur andaremajorlyfromher teenagehood.
No.Icoveredmyfacewithmypalms.
Butthedoctorssaidtheydbebackinnotime.
Youdontunderstand.Idonthavethattime.IshiftedmytearygazetoPenelope.Youmaynotremember,but youtookmykidsfromme.ImetyouwhenIwaspregnantandthoughtyouwerehelpingme.Instead,youdeceivedmeandtookthemwhentheywereborn,thenhadthenurseslieto methattheyweredead.Forsixyears,Ivehadtoliveintorment,thinkingmykidswerereallydead.Butyoujustgavethemaway!Thatnight,youcalledtotell metheywerealivebeforewhateverhappenedtoyou.So,youbetter rememberasfastasyoucan,becauseIvebeenwaitingforthis.
Jaceshandscameonmyshoulders.Itsfine,Lyric.
No,itsnot!Shesaterrible,heartlessbitchwhodoesntevenfeelathingforkids.BecausetellmewhythehellsheddothistomewhenItrustedher? Hey,thatsenough!Coralashedout.
Itllbe enoughwhenIfindmykids!Ishotheravenomous stare.Rightnow,Iwas barelyabletorestrainmyself fromgoingovertomeetPenelopeanddraggingmynailsdownherface.ThePenelopeinquestionlookedguiltstricken, tearshoveringatthebrinkofhereyes.

Well,Iactuallywishedshedfeelmorethanguilt.Iwishedshedfeelrealpain.
Youknow,foryourowngood,youbetterpraymykidshavebeenlivingwell.Ihopeyougavethemtoanicefamily.Because,believeme,iftheyve beensuffering,Illmake sureyousuffertoo,Penelope.
Stopthismadness!Corayelled.
Sheclosedhereyesandtookadeepbreath.
Look,Iunderstandhow youfeel,okay?Idalsobemadifmykidsgottakenfromme.Butyouneedtorememberthatmysisterisstillinrecovery.Assoonasshehas anything,IpromiseIllletyouknow.Youhavemywordonit.
Freshtearsspilleddownmycheeks.Ofallthehorriblethingsthatcouldvehappened toher,whydidithavetobe memoryloss? IkeptglaringatherwhileJaceexchangedcontactswithCora.
Imsorry,shesuddenlymuttered,tearsrunning downher cheeks.IdontknowwhyIdid whatIdid,butIlldoanythingtohelpyoufindyourkids.IllIllthinkreallyhardtonightandtrytocomeupwithsomethingassoonasIcan.
Mylookatherdidntloseitsintensity.Yeah.Youbetterdo.
IwalkedoutofthehousewithJacewhokeptassuringwordstome,tellingmeweddefinitelyfindthekids.
HewasseeingmeofftomycarwhenIsuddenlyfrozeandwinced,myhand flyingtomymidriff.
Hey!Jacequicklyheldme.Whatswrong? Ittookmeamoment to straightenup.
Imfine.Justcramps.Whichwasstrange,becauseIneverreallyhadperiod cramps.

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Reachingthecar,Iwasso relievedwhenIfound Jarisstillthere.Jacegreetedhimbeforedeparting,whileIproceededintothecar.
Stillwonttellhewhoyouwenttosee?Jarisaskedashestarted thecar.
Imsorry,itspersonal.Please,promisemeyoullkeepto yourwordsandnotgetinvolved?Ilethimseethepleainmy eyes.
Hedidntreplyand starteddriving.
Jaris?Therewasaslightfearinmyvoice.
ButIfeltbetterwhenhereplied,Idontbreakmypromise,Lyric.
1/2 171 IspentawholeweekwithJarisinthecabin.
Itwascrazy andamazinghowcloseandcomfortablewebecamewitheachother.
Jariswantedmearoundatalltimes.Itwasabitdisturbing,buttherewasapartofmethatlikedit.
HeonlyhadtwoattackswhichwerecontrolledthemomentIcuddledhim.IfIdidnthavemysiphoningpowerstohelphimincaseslikethis,Isincerelyfearedwhatwouldvebecomeofhim.
Thefinaltrialwasinfourdays.Wehadto returntoDarkspire.
Sofar,Jariswastryinghisbesttofighttheurges.So,Ithinkhedbegoodtogo.

TherewerealotofpeopletheretowelcomeuswhenwereachedDarkspire.Theydidntevenknowwherehehadbeen,butthethoughtoftheirAlphabeingawayfordayswassomethingtobejoyousabout.
Whileweweremakingourwayin,IspottedJacestaringatKael.ButthecoldBetawontevenlookat him.HemadeitseemlikeJacedidntexisttohim.
ThehurtIsawinmybestfriendseyesbrokemyheart.Iwishedthingsdidntgetthisbadbetweenthem.
Itookabath,hadsomethingtoeatandsleptoffassoonasIfinishedeating.Icouldntunderstandhow dizzyI was.Theurgetojustlayinbedandclosemyeyeswasoverwhelming.
IdidntknowhowlongIwasout,butIopenedmyeyesthemomentI feltapresenceinthe room.
Jariswasseatedontheedgeofthebed,hishandcaressingmyhairashewatchedmesleep.Thedimnessoftheroomtoldmeitwasevening.
Yourehere,Imuttered,myvoice stillheavywithsleep.
Therewasacertainsadnessinhiseyesasheheldmystare.Thesightwashardtosee.
Momentspassedbeforehefinallysaidsomething.
IdontthinkIcandoit,Lyric.
Themeaningdidntregister.Dowhat? Competeinthelasttrial.BecomeKing.I dontthinkitsmeant formeanymore.