Chapter 287: Chapter 287 The Pendant’s Secret
(Aeris/Ember POV)
(a few hours ago)
After Crystal had finished eating, she immediately fell asleep. Sighing, I decided to walk around the room again.
Being alone, there was no need for me to hide my emotions, my fingers traced along the smooth wall to the carved wardrobe. I never believed I’d be back here again after everything that had happened.
My gaze fell on the table holding piles of papers. My legs moved unknowingly towards its direction.
My fingers brushed over the polished surface, there was not even a speck of dust. I slowly sat on the chair, I turned to my side, the golden rays of the sunset fell on my face, it was beautiful and warm.
Cough. Cough.
My body jerked with every cough, and my chest felt like it was being torn apart, my face contorted to one of pain, I covered my lips with my hand, and when I brought it down, shock thundered through my face.
"Blood," I muttered under my breath.
The red liquid stared back at me, "like hey, what up."
I chuckled, the sound accompanied by more coughing. "I can’t believe I escaped death two times just to die because of a man." My voice dripped with sarcasm.
I leaned back into the comfort of the chair, hoping it would comfort my throbbing heart. My gaze fell on the locker.
Mindlessly I reached for it, and surprisingly it was unlocked. I pulled it out, a pendant with the shape of a wolf was the only object in the entire locker.
I chuckled softly, leaning forward. The pendant that had made me sleep in the dungeon, the one that Damon valued more than his own life.
I scoffed, as the memories of Alpha Allisona played at the edge of my mind... "I hope your life has become worse than mine."
However, my eyes dulled in the next second, and the beautiful and heartfelt memories of my sisters played one after another before my eyes. My hands clenched tightly, trembling as guilt spread through me.
They were just poor Omegas who tried to live their lives peacefully... but because of me they died in the most brutal way... because of me.
If only they hadn’t met me back then, they would have been alive by now. A bitter feeling spread through my chest.
And I could be here reminiscing about what Damon and I both had before? When they died because of him... How could I even smile back at him when he was the one who had them killed? And how could I even call myself their sister?
I clenched my chest as tears streamed down my cheeks. "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry." I sobbed. "I’ll never forgive him... even if he went to hell and back... I’ll never forgive him for taking you away from me."
My hair fell over my face, and my lips quivered. The pendant blurred before me... I hated it so much, I hated that I had the tattoo on me... I hated coming to this world... I hated everything.
’He took the people that matter to me... I’ll destroy the thing he owes dear." My eyes narrowed at the pendant.
I grabbed the pendant in anger, raising my hand to slam it against the wall, however, a blinding light flashed before my eyes.
It was so bright that I had to shut them close, shielding them with my arm. I felt the ground swaying slightly under me.
My chest raced in my chest, I slowly peeped through my arm, and everywhere... was different. The sky was bright blue, a sharp contrast to the sunset.
My brows knitted into a frown. "What the heck?" My arms dropped to my side.
An enormous golden tree stood majestically in front of me, its leaves were like those of cherry blossoms. A bright gold light shone from its stems down to the roots.
My jaws dropped... It was beyond beautiful.
I slowly turned around, and there was nothing apart from the tree and the sky. Even the wind was still.
"Hello!" My voice echoed through the space.
There was no answer. My heart skittered in my chest as I turned to face the golden tree again. I felt drawn to it, like there was an unexplainable connection between us.
Hesitantly, I walked towards the tree. My breath came out ragged, my heart pounding harder with every step I took.
I stopped a few inches from the tree, and my frown deepened. The light that had shone brightly from the step to the root is not a light... it was the tree’s sap... it was bleeding.
A gasp tore from my throat, as a deep urge to touch the sap surged through me. My hands reached towards the tree, shaking as I tried to bring it down.
I groaned, using the other hand to hold it back. I wanted to touch it... But I knew there was more to it... and I wasn’t sure if it was something that I wanted to discover.
As if I was sucked in by a vacuum, my hand touched the tree, my eyes widened, round like a saucepan.
And then, a light split in the middle of the tree, forming around the tree in the shape of a door. Slowly, it groaned before creaking open.
My eyes flew to my lips in shock. ’The fucking majestic tree has a fucking hidden passage inside it.’
My throat tightened, feeling like it had been patched with sandpaper. My fists clenched beside me, "I guess it is now or never." I mustered my courage, stepping inside the tree.
’Not like I have a choice or have a way to escape from here.’
The moment I stepped inside the tree, the door shut with a loud slam.
"No, no... no," I rushed back towards the door, pounding against the wooden wall, but I was only met with silence. "Open... You fucking door." I yelled out in frustration.
After minutes of banging on the wood nonstop, I slumped against the wall, sighing in defeat. ’I guess I’ll be here for a while.’