A vase with an explosion of bright tropical flowers was on the table next to me, with a small card. My hands trembling, I opened it. It read, “Be happy, my darling girl. You'll be missed more than you'll ever know. Love, Raquel. ”
I looked back at the door, my heart fluttering. I wanted to say good-?bye, even if it would make things harder in the long run, even though I knew Raquel wouldn't leave IPCA and I wouldn't go back. Our time together really was over.
Suddenly I missed her more than ever before.
I wiped a small tear away, feeling very alone in this stupid room with its salmon-?colored walls and worn furniture. Where was Lend? I was more than a little disappointed. If this were Easton Heights, Lend would have been by my bedside the whole time, having cried himself to sleep holding my hand. Then I'd gently wake him up and we'd kiss like crazy. Of course, we'd also break up before the end of the episode, which I didn't like quite so well.
My stomach tied itself in horrible knots. Maybe Lend didn't want to be here. I had, after all, nearly sucked out his soul. I closed my eyes as the memories of what happened overwhelmed me. “Vivian,” I whispered, wanting to vomit. Had I killed her?
A throat cleared next to me and I sat up in bed, startled. “Raquel?”
“Hardly. ”
“Oh, go away,” I snapped, turning to look at Reth, who had made himself comfortable in a chair next to my bed.
He glared at me. “I'm very disappointed in you, Evelyn. After all that time, everything I gave you. Very disappointed indeed. ”
I laughed. What can I say, I was loopy from pain and an empty stomach. And I was done with Reth and his crap. “Ouch. I'm devastated. ”
“Not only did you release the soul I gave you but you didn't even fill your end of the prophecy. The prophecy I worked very hard to make sure you lived to hear, I might add. ”
“See, that's the problem with putting your prophecies in vague poem form. Because I filled it exactly--released all those souls. ”
His eyes flashed with fury. “You weren't meant to release them, you silly child. You were meant to release me. Us. ”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It's hardly your business now!”
“Sorry. Guess you should have been clearer. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to sleep. ”
He stood. “I am not finished with you yet. ”
I lifted my hand, palm toward him. “Really? Because lemme tell you, having all those souls inside me, I'd be lying if I said it didn't give me a real taste for them. So unless you want to lose yours, I suggest you stay far, far away from me. Got it?”
His face went ice cold and he smiled at me. “You cannot last on your own, my love. You will need more, and then you'll become what you're meant to be. When that happens, I'll forgive you. ” He turned and walked through a door in the wall.
I exhaled. I couldn't believe he had been dissuaded that easily, and I was sure he'd be back someday. But his words wouldn't leave me. I loved life. I loved this world, and I especially loved Lend. I didn't want to leave it, but I wouldn't become Vivian, no matter how strong the temptation would be.
I pulled down the neck of my hospital gown and gasped. My heart, which I had expected to be as cold and empty as my wrist, glowed with a faint light. It was subtler than when Reth put soul in me, but there was definitely still something there. It was both puzzling and comforting.
The doorknob turned, startling me. I yanked my gown back into place as Lend burst in, out of breath and upset. “I'm so sorry! The doctor said you probably wouldn't wake up for a few more hours, and so I thought I'd--Evie, I'm so sorry, I wanted to be here. ”
I smiled as he rushed across the room and took my hand in his. It was nice to see his real face again. As amazing as his soul was, I'd rather see him. “So what happened?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Man, it was crazy. After Reth took you away, I called my dad. We raced back and saw you and Reth. You were all weird and floated up in the sky, then you went stiff and you dropped. I caught you, but I kinda didn't do a great job. ” He looked sheepish. “Your head hit the ground pretty hard. So Reth said in his stupid commanding voice, 'I'll be taking her with me,' and I said, 'Over my dead body,' and he shrugged like that was fine by him and started toward me. But then my dad, who had gone back to the car as soon as you started floating, came out with his golf club. I never understood why he keeps custom golf clubs everywhere since he doesn't actually golf. But then he held it up in the air and said, 'I've got a nine iron that says otherwise. '”
“You're kidding me. ”
Lend shook his head, his eyes shining with excitement. “No, dead serious, it was so freaking awesome. Reth's face went all furious--it looked like he was going to kill both of us. Then he just turned around and walked through a tree and disappeared. ”
“Wow. Your dad rocks. ”
“I know. So then we took you inside--What happened to the doorknob, by the way?”
“Umm, oops?”
He laughed. “Anyway, we found Vivian on the floor. I thought she was dead, but my dad found a pulse. When you didn't wake up right away we brought you both here. You'll be fine, just some minor burns and hypothermia, which was kind of hard to explain. ”