Word Count: 1911

~Aesira

I stare down at the ground, my mind numb.

Surely I should be feeling something right now. As I look down at the fresh grave of a male I spent many years loving, I should feel something other than deadening numbness.

Lincoln was executed by Everin's hand over a week ago now. Instead of being sacrificed to the sea like most criminal bodies, his was left in an unmarked grave at the edge of an old cemetery.

I'm not sure why Everin would bother burying him. I assume Tarnia requested it.

It didn't take much convincing for me to be allowed to come here. I told him it was necessary, so I could move on.

A cool, salt scented breeze ruffles my skin, teasing the ends of my hair. Dark clouds loom above, threatening to unleash a vicious storm.

Within the tall concrete walls of the cemetery, I'm alone. The guards loom outside the main gate, waiting for my return.

I blink my eyes, waiting for tears, but they don't come.

It feels right, that Lincoln is gone. It feels like how it needs to be. He can no longer inflict anymore pain on the world.

The sound of feet softly treading on dirt makes me turn.

To my shock and horror, Lincoln approaches me.

He doesn't look great. However he is getting back and forth over the border is clearly weighing on him.

"I can't believe you're still here," I snap harshly, checking the shadowed cemetery to ensure there are no other people dwelling about. "Are you stupid or something?"

Anguish tugs at Lincoln's face as he looks down at his brothers grave. There is no markings, no proof that someone dwells below other than the freshly turned dirt.

"I'm leaving, okay? I just wanted to see him." His voice is wet with grief, his brows pinching together.

I breathe out slowly, calming myself.

Lennox is still so young. While the past few months have aged him rapidly, he is incredibly inexperienced. And now, he's almost entirely alone in the world.

"News travels fast, it seems," I mutter.

Lennox drags his gaze from the grave, pinning me with a look. There are unshed tears welling in his eyes.

"You don't sound remorseful at all."

"Lincoln was a bad person. He was abusive and cruel. He tortured people," I say quietly, numbly.

Perhaps I should be more tactful with Lennox's feelings. He is, after all, probably completely unaware of what his brother has done. Just like I was.

"Oh yeah and who told you that? The precious Alpha you're in love with?" The ire in his voice would hurt if I didn't understand where it was coming from.

Someone needs to take the blame for this, and I'm the only one standing right here.

"Don't be ridiculous," I say. "It was Tarnia who he attacked. Remember, he was assigned to guard her quite often?"

"You can't possibly believe that. She has every reason to lie."

I stare down at the grave, unmoving. "I believe her. That is that."

Lincoln never showed us who he truly was. He kept that reserved for those who did not have the power to do anything about it, those he did not care how they viewed him.

"Bullshit," he seethes.

"It's not."

"He's gotten into your head. Now my brother is dead because of it." He gestures wildly at the crowd, voice cracking under the weight of his despair.

It hurts, seeing him hurt. After losing his parents, Lennox didn't deserve to lose his brother either. The problem is, the brother who lays in this grave before us isn't the brother he knew.

"Some part of you knew he was like this. You warned me yourself," I remind him. "Everin had every opportunity to tell me what happened to her, to manipulate me if it were a lie. He only told me because he had to, after I freed Lincoln from the prison."

"He didn't deserve to die like this," Lennox insists.

He must have read about Lincoln's execution in a newspaper, seeing how Everin decided to do it with his own hand.

"We didn't deserve to be lied to by him. To be strung along until he turned on us like he did to Tarnia," I exclaim.

Lennox goes silent, and I feel him study me. I let him, knowing that this is the process of grief. He needs to come to terms with this in any way he can.

"Are you in love with him?" He whispers darkly.

I frown, glancing at him. Tears stream down from his eyes now, uninhibited.

I know who he is talking about, and he's not talking about Lincoln.

"Of course not, Lennox," I say slowly. "I'm here to kill him."

There has been a new fire fuelling me these past few days. I've allowed myself to weaken, to believe in a future with Everin that is entirely impossible. He is going to toss me away, to lock me up until I'm no better than a prison.

There is no more doubt in my mind now. I have to kill Everin.

"Then do it. Now." Lennox takes a step closer.

"I will, because he's going to have me sent away. I have limited time, maybe only a couple weeks." It seems Everin is already in the process of locating a place to send me. "I need your help to finish this."

It's a gamble. Lennox has every reason not to speak to me again, at least until he's overcome his grief. I am betting on him wanting to help me purely out of a desire to see Everin killed.

"Help? How?"

"There's a fern that grows in mother's garden. It should be the only one there, growing right along the boundary fence. Can you get some for me?" I ask.

It's integral to giving the sensation of sparks when Everin touches me.

Lennox eyes me sceptically. "What does it do?"

"It will drug Everin and allow me to complete the assassination," I explain hastily.

There is little point explaining it's true powers to Lennox. It will only open up more questions about the nature of Everin and I's relationship.

This might work because some part of Everin already suspects we might be mates.

Lennox wipes at a stray tear on his cheek with the back of his hand. "You're really going to do this..."

I nod. "It all relies on you getting me this plant, so please do."

It's not ideal, using someone I care about to retrieve me this fern, but it's the only way. As one of father's soliders, he can get access to the grounds, and right now, he's the only person I know who can get back and forth over the border.

"I can meet you here in six days' time. It takes a bit to cross the border safely, but your father helps make it easier on me," he tells me.

"Perfect, thank you Lennox." I grab his hand, squeezing it tightly. "And I'm sorry you lost your brother."

He looks forlornly back at the grave, swallowing thickly.

"I'm sorry too. He's dead now but...I think I lost him a long time ago."

+++

I walk blindly, every step precarious.

Mason is at my side, one hand on my arm, the other on my back as he guides me through the manor blindfolded.

The tip of my shoe catches on the edge of a rug, nearly sending me hurtling.

"Woah, watch your step." Mason rights me quickly, laughing huffily in my ear.

"She can't watch her step, Mason, she's blindfolded!" Maven says shrilly from a few steps ahead.

"Oh, right," he mutters.

I smother my giggle, going along with whatever they have planned. It was only minutes ago that they ambushed me in my room, telling me I'm not allowed to rot in sorrow anymore, and that I must join them for a celebration.

It is a miracle that they are not upset by my betrayal. I left without saying goodbye, without any intention of seeing them again.

Yet here they are, inviting me back into their lives like it was nothing.

"It's just through here." Mason guides me around a corner.

I rest my hand on my stomach. "This is making me a little nauseous, guys."

Finally, I'm brought to a stop. The room smells like candle wax and something pleasantly sweet.

"Alright, ready?" Mason asks.

"As I'll ever be."

He pulls my blindfold off with a flourish, revealing a sitting room. Candles are lit all around, and on the low slung table centred between two couches is a frosted cake, a bottle of wine and three wine glasses.

"It's not much, but you've been so down since..." Mason drifts off, looking at me anxiously.

"We thought this might help cheer you up a bit," Maven adds, grinning. "Cake and some pretty great wine."

I exhale slowly. Since Lincoln died, this has been the first time I've been tempted to cry. The kindness of my two friends is unlike anything I've experienced before.

"You didn't have to do this. I don't deserve it," I whisper.

"Everin is being far too hard on you. You didn't know anything." Mason gives me a hard look, daring me to disagree.

"You loved Lincoln. You're not just mourning his death,  but also the loss of how you knew him before. That's a lot to take in," Maven adds.

I look between them with a watery smile. "I really don't deserve either of you."

"You're our friend. We care about you." Mason rubs my arm tenderly before he leads me to sit down on one of the couches.

Maven immediately begins filling a glass for each of us, handing them out. "And we don't want you to leave."

"Then convince Everin to let me stay." I take a long drink of the wine, and Maven is right, it is pretty great.

Her eyes roll. "He's too busy brooding in his room."

"That's not new, at least," I mutter.

At least he isn't just avoiding me. It seems I've put him in such a sour mood, he's pushed everyone away.

"Let us not worry a moment longer about grumpy Alpha's and bygone exes." Mason raises his glass.

I clink mine against his. "Cheers to that."

We spent most of the right together, eating our cake and drinking. Mason and Maven don't mention Everin or Lincoln one time, keeping the conversation light and fun.

Eventually, they tire, mumbling about how they need to get home. A little tipsy, I split off from them, wandering through the dark halls of the manor in the direction of my bedroom.

That is when I see Everin.

He's walking away from me, having caught a glimpse of me in the shadows. He will do anything to avoid me.

I immediately charge after him, vision swaying a little from my intoxication. I'm angry with him, hating that he is ignoring me and planning on sending me away like it's nothing.

"Don't you dare walk away. There is something I want to say to you," I yell out, chasing him through the dim.

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~Midika 💜🐈‍⬛