By Sara Aziz

Hey readers, I hope you enjoy Chapter V and please like and subscribe! This chapter is a bit different, because I wrote this one with flashes from the other characters’ points of view, beginning with Annamaria and shifting to the other characters. I always welcome helpful critiques, and any constructive criticisms are also great! Enjoy!
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“Every person has a story, something that made them who they are. I am not rare, nor different, or especially unique. Rather, I am a normal girl. A girl who has two brothers. A girl who has both her parents, a girl who cares for everyone she meets. But there is a passage I will always remember, no matter where I am, and who I become.” I read aloud in the dim candlelit room, the shadows pooling and dripping gently on the books, each one seeming to bleed its hidden story.

Every hidden lie.

“To break is to shatter. To shatter is to cut. To cut is to kill. Break me, you die, heal me, love me, you create me.” My hands began to tremble.

“I will always love, and I will always wait. I will be what I wish the world was, and I will be the good I pray to see. Always.

Always.

Always.” I closed the book as I blew out the candle and fell back, into my pillow, and into the realm of sleep. But the words still echoed.

I will be what I wish I could see.

I will love.

I will pray.

I will heal.

________________

I paced the length of the room, blowing out a breath as I ran my hand through my chocolate hair. He had laughed while he called it beautiful.

Forget,

Forget,

Forget,

My back was burning, the scar he had given me old, yet flaming nonetheless.

Forget,

Forget,

Forget.

He wants me to forgive him, he wants me to come back, his pleading eyes so much like mine.

Forget,

Forget

Forget.

I was a liar. I was a liar. Alyona, Alyona, Alyona.

Lie,

Lie,

Lie.

My name is Alyona.

Liar,

Liar,

Liar.

This is all his fault.

All his fault.

Forget,

Forget,

Forget.

She had smiled, listened, hugged me, and cared when no one else had. She was hiding secrets too. Like me,

me,

me.

She had red eyes, and black hair, like

her,

her,

her.

If she knew my secret, she would never forgive me.

I never wanted this. I was a child then. I had no choice. She had to understand.

She had to.

My breath became labored.

Forgive,

Forgive,

Forgive.

____________________

I knew want they thought when they looked at me. They thought I was a traitor. Levka, the boy who had stolen food before he learned to read. The boy who joked and lied to cover every break in his façade. The boy who was too broken to ever let anyone care about him without hurting them.

He hurt her.

Because he was too broken.

She was on fire and I was a shadow. The only thing that could never touch the fire, never burn in the flames. But I was burning.

Burning every day.

I needed her fire.

I was so cold.

So cold.

I took a shuddering breath as I pushed the door open and walked into the hallway, my room looking more and more like a sanctuary the further I went. The Brother wanted me to wake Annamaria, and I gave a small smirk when I thought about how mad she would be. Making her angry was just so fun. But I stilled when I saw who was pacing in front of Annamaria’s door. She reached out a hand as though to open it before pulling it back and pacing again.

I swallowed hard.

Alyona.

Fire.

I strode forward, my steps resounding like thunder in the quiet hallway, and her head whirled, only to see me, her hard brown eyes widening a fraction before narrowing.

“Levka” She spat my name like it was a curse. To her, it probably was.

She hated me. And for good reason. She had wanted to be my friend, had treated me like an equal when no one else would, and the first chance I had, I stabbed her in the back. I was the shadow, and she was the flame. But I suffocated her.

She hates me.

And it’s all my fault.

“The Brother asked me to wake Annamaria, it’s time for us to go.” I made my voice sharp.

I saw her eyes flash again, this time with hurt, before they became emotionless, beautiful chocolate.

She hates me.

And I have to let her.

Because I never deserved her anyway.

________________

I almost flinched at the harshness of Levka’s voice, so much like his.

Forget,

Forget,

Forget.

“Well then knock on the door already” I spat back, wanting him to hurt like he hurt me.

But he didn’t even blink.

I had cared for him, loved him like a brother, and all he did was hurt,

hurt,

hurt,

just like him,

him,

him.

Forget,

Forget,

Forget.

“I thought you were.” His voice was dry and my cheeks flushed. I grabbed the doorknob and twisted, shoving open the door and storming in. She was turned on her side, a book tucked under one arm, her face peaceful. I gently shook her arm and her eyes drifted open, revealing a warm scarlet red. She gave me a sleepy smile as she sat up and stretched.

“Wuz goin’ on?” Maria yawned, her arm over her mouth.

“Conan the Barbarian is under orders to bring you to the Brother”

I heard a throat clear in the hallway.

“Fine, he’s only going to tell you to get ready, we’re leaving” I amended.

But that was as far as I was willing to go.

“Doesn’t seem like a barbarian, he’s still waiting in the hall, in case I wasn’t decent” she observed, more awake now, her eyes already scanning her surroundings.

I scowled.

“Oh, all right, you can come in now” I called. Levka came swaggering in, and he gave Annamaria a smile.

“How late do you sleep?”

“Till one, like a civilized human,” she said, smiling back. My chest tightened for some reason. Perhaps the air quality wasn’t good.

He nudged his head toward the closet.

“You better get packing. Anymore waiting and the Brother might just kick you out.”

Annamaria snorted.

“I’m not that lucky.”

Levka stared at her for a minute, and then turned and walked away, his steps echoing in the quiet of dawn.

I turned abruptly and began rifling through her closet. I felt stupid. Stupid for the green-eyed monster in me. I wished I could warn her.

Wish,

wish,

wish.

But when has wishing ever given me anything but

pain,

pain,

pain.

I pulled out the black corsets Maria had picked up and turned to find her standing right behind me, our noses nearly colliding. I reared back and Maria gave me a half smile.

“I don’t have a bag.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“I have one” I heard Levka call back from the hallway.

I pinched my lips in disgust as Maria gave me another half-smile and opened the door again for Levka, who handed her a bag that I was sure he had probably stolen from someone. She then shooed him off so she could change and I cracked a smile at that. The shocked look on his face was enough to make my day that much better.

She grabbed some clothes and ducked into the closet as I continued talking to her through the closed door.

“Remember, pack the essentials. Knives, daggers, first aid, and the like.”

I turned and walked out the door to go pack my own bag, the stairs looming.

I could hear her laughter all the way back

down,

down,

down.

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I was twitching as I walked back to the library, my arms full of books. I needed to figure out which one to bring.

“Mikhail!” a booming voice behind me said, and I jumped. Mikhail. Yes. Me.

Mikhail.

Yes.

Me.

Right.

Right.

Right.

I turned and it was Levka, his broad smile, and sparkling eyes putting me at ease.

It wasn’t him.

“Levka,” I greeted my old friend as he clapped me on the back and my books nearly toppled out of my arms. He laughed again and picked up about half the books as we walked into the library together, my steps easier and lighter now.

Yes.

Friend.

Yes.

Friend.

“What are you doing with all these books anyway?” He asked, seeming to weigh the books in his arms. I grinned.

“I’m choosing which one to bring.”

He gave me a startled look, then began laughing again.

“Narrow it down, buddy,” He said.

“Wish I could help. Have to pack my own bag, and two girls just shooed me out of a room because one of them hates my guts.” He grimaced and I chuckled.

Friend.

Friend.

Friend.

“They are girls, what do you expect?” I asked, and he grinned again. He put down the books on a wooden table and I dumped mine too.

“See you Mikhail. And please, don’t bring everything, my back won’t survive.” He gave me a fake pleading look.

I smiled.

“I won’t.”

He knew I was lying.

He laughed as he left, whistling an off-key tune.

My smile faded.

Friend.

Gone.

Friend.

Gone.

Friend.

Gone.

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I watched them move about, running like hamsters in a cage.

Levka, the broken traitor in the making.

Alyona, the fiery, shattered healer.

Mikhail, the terrified alchemist.

And Annamaria.

Who has a power that could bring the world to its knees.

I felt its claw drag down my mind and I shuddered.

“Let it burn. Break it.” It whispered.

“Build it again”

“Build it better”

I stood suddenly, my chair toppling over.

A knock at the door opened to reveal a frightened servant. He bowed and quickly handed me a message.

“For you, Brother.”

He turned and scurried away.

I rolled my neck, the cracks ominous in the quiet. I unrolled the scroll and my eyes widened. Inside of me, he laughed. I felt sick.

For her.

I do this for her.

I closed my eyes.

“I do this for you” I whispered, praying somehow she could hear me.

Somehow she would understand.

I’m going to break the world.

And she will never forgive me.

It doesn’t matter, though. No matter what, she will be mine.

I will take her delicate, free soul and trap it in a beautiful cage of gold and deception. She will not be able to tell what is real and what is not. She will never see the truth.

But this is all for her.

Always.

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Of course it’s happening inside your head, Harry. Why should that mean it’s not real?

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore [Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling]