He Left Me to Burn, I Rose in the Dark

The full moon is tomorrow.

I was lying in bed more and more, holding the same position, as if I were asleep.

Through the haze, the bedroom door was shoved open.

Jaeren stormed in, anger all over him, and reached out to yank me up from the bed.

“Why hasn’t Cersei’s arm healed yet!?”

With effort, I turned my head and glanced at Cersei behind him.

A large patch of dark red and purple bruising had spread across her arm.

Jaeren’s face darkened.

“If Cersei’s arm scars, I’m holding you responsible.”

As the words left his mouth, the hand gripping my arm suddenly froze.

Only then did he seem to realize how cold my skin was, colder than any living person’s should be.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“You lie here every day, eat, sleep, sleep, eat. So why are you getting weaker by the day?”

Cersei bent down beside me, close to my ear.

“Elira, I know you’re upset.”

“But you can’t keep making yourself like this on purpose, just to use Jaeren’s soft spot and force him to look at you.”

The moment Jaeren heard that, his expression sank.

“Elira, with how much you love to cry, even if you were in a coffin, you’d still better explain how Cersei’s arm ended up like this.”

My eyes stayed closed, but the corner of my lips moved slightly.

A coffin.

Yes, I would be seeing one soon.

But tears—I had none left.

Soon, the door slammed shut.

From outside came Jaeren’s lowered voice as he scolded Cersei.

“Who told you to meddle in what’s between me and her?”

“If you really scare her off, where is she supposed to go without me?”

A vampire’s hearing was always sharp.

Even the breathing and anger outside the door came through clearly.

I was getting closer.

Farther and farther from the girl who used to tear up from a single word of Jaeren’s disapproval.

On the day of the full moon.

I lay in my bed as voices kept calling my name.

“Miss Elira! Wake up! It’s your wedding day!”

The door was shoved open.

Jaeren came in, his face dark.

“Are you out of your mind? Everyone’s waiting for you. What are you pulling this time?”

Cersei grabbed his arm at once.

“She’s doing it on purpose. Dragging it out until the wedding starts so you’ll lower yourself and coax her again.”

Jaeren’s face darkened further. He grabbed the family doctor who had come in behind him.

“Give her something. She’s been lying here pretending to be sick every day. Hasn’t she had enough?”

The doctor stepped forward, took out his stethoscope and penlight, and bent over to examine me.

Jaeren’s voice was cold.

“Elira Kade, I’m warning you. Get up on your own.”

“The wedding has already started. If you don't marry me today, don't expect another chance.”

Using all the strength left in me, I slowly opened my eyes.

I wanted one last look at this world.

Everyone was standing in front of me.

Some were anxious. Some were watching the show. Some looked impatient.

From this moment on, none of it had anything to do with me anymore.

Jaeren said coldly to the others,

“See? Didn’t I tell you? She’s awake.”

“Get her makeup done. Change her clothes. Move.”

Then he looked down at me again.

“If you still won’t get up, then don’t blame me if I stop coming after you.”

Our eyes met, and I suddenly smiled.

He was still as devastatingly handsome as the day we first met.

But the line between us had long since become life and death.

At that moment, the doctor lifted my eyelid, then slowly pressed his fingers to the side of my neck.

He straightened and gave a solemn bow.

He looked at Jaeren.

“Sir, Miss Elira is dead.”

Jaeren froze for a second, then let out a mocking laugh.

“You useless excuse for a doctor. You’re fired.”

“She just smiled at me. How could anything be wrong?”

The next second, I closed my eyes.

My hand slipped from his palm and dropped hard against the edge of the bed.

Jaeren looked down at me.

“Elira?”

He pulled me into his arms and gently patted my cheek.

“Elira, wake up!”

“Don’t scare me like this.”

But there was no response from me anymore.

Jaeren finally seemed to panic. He held me tighter and turned to rush outside.

“Get the car! We’re going to the hospital!”

The others behind him grabbed him and held him back.

“Sir! She’s already gone!”

“Please calm down!”

Jaeren struggled wildly, nearly out of control.

“Let go of me!”

“Elira—!”