Lilith’s POV
I was breathing really fast and each breath felt sharp and panicked. The darkness was closing in on me like a tight noose wrapping around my neck.
I could feel it building up, cold and crackling like a storm that was filled with anger. The taste of bitterness from the shadows was lingering on my tongue and with every beat of that dark energy, I felt tempted to give in and let it take over.
But I could not do that right now-there was someone who needed me, someone whose life was hanging by a thread.
“No,” I whispered to myself with deep intensity, feeling a pool of determination rising within me. My attention became focused, and I started to concentrate on the small but comforting flicker of warmth that filled my heart.
“This time is different. I refuse to allow you to take control of me again.”
I gently closed my eyes and tried to picture Kael lying right in front of me. He looked hurt and worn out, he had been through a lot. Each second I heard him struggling to get a breath, a wave of panic swept over me, making me afraid that he was slipping out of my hands.
With complete determination, I pushed to overcome the darkness that was covering him. All my desire at this point was to help him find his way back.
As soon as I decided on what to do, I was suddenly surrounded by a flood of images.
I felt drawn into a scene filled with nightmares that were impossible to escape.
Out of nowhere, I was standing in a village that was completely engulfed in flames. The air was filled with the cries of the villagers and all around me chaos was erupting.
Shadows of strange figures moved menacingly through the smoke with their cruel laughter cutting through the air like nails scraping on a chalkboard. I desperately tried to look away from the terrible sights, but it was not working.
I was trapped and unable to turn my back on the shocking brutality that was unfolding right before me.
At that moment, my sight changed completely. I saw a large prison made of chains in front of me, and inside it were Adams’ soldiers who were suffering greatly. Their faces showed lots of pain and their skin was tearing apart because of what they were experiencing; the harsh effect of wolfsbane.
With every flicker of the flames and every desperate cry for help that echoed around me, my heart was being squeezed painfully in my chest. Each of these sounds only served to make my determination stronger and more unwavering.
“I will save Kael.” I whispered through gritted teeth as the darkness twisted eagerly around me while trying to overpower my resistance.
The flames were moving around wildly, making it hard to see clearly. In the middle of all that fire, the faces of the soldiers who were stuck there slowly disappeared into the background. Then suddenly one figure stood out clearly and it looked very frightening. It was the rogue king, a tall and scary figure that seemed to have a lot of power.
His skin was very pale and looked almost like a skeleton, which made it stand out even more against the bright moving flames behind him. His head, which was completely bald, shone with a strange light that seemed to flicker along with the flames.
However, what was most terrifying of all were his eyes. They were deep dark holes that looked like emptiness. When I saw his eyes, I felt a wave of fear wash over me while making the hair on my neck stand up as if they were on high alert.
As soon as he felt that I was nearby, he turned to look at me. A cold and unsettling smile slowly spread across his face.
“Ah, Lilith” he said, with a slow and almost drawn-out tone, with his voice smooth but filled with an underlying danger.
“I have been looking forward to this moment and before long I will take what is mine by force.”
My heart was beating very quickly, and a feeling of warm sensation gathered in my chest as I finally managed to speak.
“You will never be able to touch me! And you will never be able to harm anyone that I care about!” I shouted back at him and my words cut through the heavy fear.
Even though I was struggling with that feeling of hopelessness that seemed to be creeping in on me, I noticed something changing inside me. It was as if the heavy darkness that had been holding me down was starting to let go.
I thought about Kael… Was he starting to heal? As the thought came to my mind, I took a step backward by instinct, and the vision began to disappear. Immediately, I felt energy flowing through my whole body.
My body started to sway, and everything around me tilted in unexpected ways.
Just as my eyes were slipping into total darkness, sudden strong arms were wrapped around me, giving me a sense of safety and comfort.
***
When I eventually opened my eyes, I heard a gentle sound coming from the clothes next to me which made me become conscious of where I was. I squinted my eyes against the brightness in the room.
As my eyes opened, I saw Cara sitting nearby. Her face showed a lot of concern as she leaned in a little closer to me, clearly anxious about me.
“You’re awake!” she said gently with her voice filled with happiness and relief. “I was really worried about you. You have been sleeping for some hours. It was The Alpha King who brought you here. He was very concerned about you.”
“Adams…?” I said his name softly and as I did, a rush of memories came back to me.
I found myself trying to sit up a little bit and I nervously clutched the soft blanket in my hands while feeling it beneath my fingers. “Is he here with us?” I asked with concern.
“No, but I can go and get him for you instantly!” Cara said with her face shining with enthusiasm and excitement.
“No, please hold on for a moment!” I insisted while tightly holding onto her arm to prevent her from walking away. “It is really important that I talk to him before anything else. I absolutely need to get in touch with him…”