********
The night wind rolled lazily across the hospital rooftop, carrying with it the faint hum of the city far below. Vaelthor's crimson gaze never wavered from Natalie, his expression unreadable but edged with suspicion.
"How did you know where I was?" he asked again, voice smooth but laced with quiet steel.
Natalie didn't flinch. Instead, she folded her arms, tilting her head slightly. "Do you really want me to say it here?"
Something dangerous flickered in Vaelthor's eyes. He cast a glance toward Aliya, still leaning casually on the rooftop railing, her smirk betraying nothing. "No," he said finally. "We should talk privately."
Without another word, he took Natalie's arm—not harshly, but with the kind of authority that brooked no refusal—and led her away. The two of them vanished into a swirl of shadow, leaving Aliya alone on the rooftop.
Aliya exhaled a long sigh and sat down cross-legged near the barrier. She stared up at the moon for a moment, lips twisting into a faintly amused smile. "Fine. I'll wait."
---
The scene shifted — the rooftop falling away as Vaelthor and Natalie stepped through a veil of shadow into another place entirely. It was dark here, lit only by flickering red lanterns that swayed without wind. The air was warmer, heavier, thick with the scent of something metallic.
Natalie glanced around, unimpressed. "So?"
Vaelthor didn't waste time. "I'll ask you once more—how did you know where to find me?"
Her brow lifted slightly. "You're being unfair to me."
"That's not what I asked," Vaelthor cut in, his voice suddenly sharp enough to slice the air. "And don't speak of this again."
Natalie frowned but didn't interrupt him this time.
He stepped closer, shadows curling at his feet. "Do not think of disrupting my plan, Natalie. And do not think of coming between me and my other half."
Her eyes narrowed. "Your… other half."
He ignored the pointed tone.
Natalie's voice softened, but the challenge in it remained. "Why are you using Aliya?"
Vaelthor's lips curved faintly. "Because she's already walking the path of destruction… and I like that about her."
Natalie's expression barely shifted, but something in her jaw tightened.
"I'll give you something else to keep you occupied," Vaelthor continued. "Go to the Realm of Witches. There's someone you must meet."
"Who?"
"You'll find out when you get there," he replied simply. "Collect whatever you're given and return immediately."
Natalie considered him for a moment, then nodded once. "Fine." She turned to leave, her boots echoing softly against the strange stone floor.
But just as she reached the shadowed threshold, she paused and glanced over her shoulder. "One last question. What is your relationship with that girl?"
Vaelthor's expression turned cold. "Mind your business, Natalie. Go."
She grunted in irritation and disappeared into the shadows.
---
When Vaelthor returned to the hospital rooftop, Aliya was still sitting in the same spot, idly twirling a thin blade between her fingers. She looked up at him with that same catlike smile.
"So," she drawled, "who was she?"
He didn't answer.
Her smile widened knowingly. "Why's she so possessive? Is she your wife or something?"
Still, Vaelthor said nothing, his gaze fixed elsewhere.
Aliya let out a short, amused laugh. "Fine. Keep your secrets." She tilted her head. "You told me not to kill Harper, right? But her family's not off limits, is it?"
His crimson eyes met hers. "No. You can kill them if you wish."
She smirked. "Good."
There was a pause before she added, "I need to go. My father's funeral is soon."
Vaelthor's head tilted slightly. "Why bother? You're the one who killed him."
Aliya's smirk faded into something sharper. "Because I still considered him my father. That doesn't change just because I… ended him."
"Then why kill him?" Vaelthor asked, his voice smooth but curious.
Her eyes darkened. "Because he betrayed me. All those years, and he had another daughter—a real daughter—while I was just his adopted tool. His weapon. His little project in evil." She spat the words like they tasted bitter.
"That's enough," Vaelthor said finally. "We have to go."
She gave a little shrug. "Fine."
The shadows swirled, and he slipped inside her. Aliya's eyes glowed faintly as his essence merged with hers. Power hummed in her veins.
Without another word, she stepped onto the edge of the rooftop, bent her knees, and leapt—landing lightly on the street below before springing high into the air again, the night swallowing her form.
---
********Harper
The hours slipped by in slow, aching increments. I stayed at my mother's side, talking with her, listening to her tell stories from when Elias and I were younger. Luna sat in the corner, scrolling through her device in silence, though I could feel her presence like a steady anchor.
Chris and Hay were.....well, somewhere.
Finally, the door creaked open and a nurse stepped in, followed by two orderlies. "It's time," she said gently.
I looked at my mother. Her eyes were calm, but I could see the faint tremor in her hands. I leaned forward and hugged her tightly. "You can do this, Mom. You're the strongest woman I know."
She smiled faintly. "I'll be fine, Harpie."
Elias, standing on the other side of the bed, nodded in agreement. "She's right. You've got this."
The orderlies began to wheel her bed toward the door. I kept my hand on hers until the very last moment, letting go only when the movement carried her beyond my reach.
The hallway outside was quiet except for the hum of the lights and the soft squeak of the gurney wheels. I followed them to the end of the corridor before they turned toward the operating theater.
Luna stepped up beside me, her voice softer than usual. "Do you want to leave for a while? Get some air?"
I shook my head. "No. I'll be here until the surgery's over. I can't take any risks."
Her eyes softened, but she didn't argue. She just stood with me in silence, and together we waited.