Anna was at a loss of words as she stared at the little boy in a rapt of silence. All she cared about was the sudden rush of emotions invading her head the moment she heard his voice.
"My soulmate..." it was that voice again. A deep voice that was full of emotions as if he was saying something he had kept for so long. His adorable face became solemn as a flicker of emotion crossed his feature.
"What are you talking about?" Anna finally had something to say, but a call from behind made her head turn for a second. Knowing that the person calling her was Avery, she immediately looked back. However, the little boy was no longer there, leaving only the warmth of his small hand.
Without a cue, tears slid down her face as her body trembled at the overwhelming sadness in her heart.
'What is this?' Anna's thought was a mess for the nth time since she was reincarnated in this world. Slowly, she stood up as she stared at the space in front of her. Not knowing why her eyes started to look everywhere for the little boy...
"Anna, what are you doing here?" Avery asked.
"Do you see a little boy just now?" Anna looked at Avery. Somehow, her voice carried a hint of despair.
"A boy?" Avery frowned. "No, just you. Wait! Anna, why are you crying?" she was surprised to see the remnant of tears on Anna's cheek.
"I don't know," Anna wiped her tears. "But, someone was here just now," she insisted.
Avery looked at her and shook her head. "There was no one, Anna," she asserted. "I saw you here all alone, that's why I called you. Are you okay?" she asked to make sure.
Anna took a final look at the spot where the little boy stood earlier and nodded. "Yes," she affirmed, and the moment she did, her palpitating heart found an immediate soother.
Avery's gaze lingered on Anna's for quite sometime before she smiled approvingly. "Mom and dad are in the city now. They'll be here soon," she informed her.
Anna nodded, no longer asking Avery questions. She noticed that her heart was calmer, but many unanswered questions were still inside her mind. There was only one thing she was sure about, and that was the fact that spell did not cause the emotions she felt. Although the little boy tried to coax her with his charm, she could still free herself because of her past experiences.
Who was he? Who was he behind his disguise? Anna found herself unable to erase the little boy's presence inside her head. She heaved a heavy sigh.
Why couldn't she be free from trouble? Be it in this world or the world she had once lived, her life was often a disaster. Though, this would be the world where she had to face multiple issues and puzzles at the same time...
Was it possible to run away from these troubles? But then again, how would she survive? Where would she go?
In her past lives, Anna couldn't free herself from the previous body's crisis because she needed support to understand the world she was in. It was impossible to be independent in one night...
Moreover, she had an obligation to secure enough time for her sister to train herself. Thus, if she runs away now, all she did was shorten her lifespan, which is counterproductive. Moreover, she might evade danger, but she had nothing to use for defense against the physical threats.
"Anna!"
Anna was brought back to reality. She looked around and realized that they were already at the entrance of the hospital. A man and a woman who seemed to be in mid-thirties were running towards her.
"Oh Anna!" the woman hugged her tightly as if she was afraid for her to slip away.
"Enough! It's my turn!" the man pulled the woman away from Anna.
"It's good that you're not injured," he said with a broad smile on his face before taking Anna into his embrace.
Avery, who was watching by the side, shook her head at her parents' excessive reactions. However, she was happy to see them reunited with Anna.
"Mom, Dad, stop!" she reprimanded them when they tried to hug Anna again. The duo glared at Avery, but when she glared back, they could only smile sheepishly.
Anna looked at the trio, and unknowingly, her lips curled up. Even though this life was a roller coaster, family bonds often warmth her heart.
"Anna, do you know who I am?" noticing Anna's smile, the woman asked. Her voice was motherly. She held Anna's hand as they walked towards a set of sofa prepared at the lounge.
Anna shook her head. "No, but I've heard a lot from Avery. You're Mr. and Mrs. Gunnar," Anna knew she sounded cold, but there was no other way of saying it unless they could accept her as a reincarnate... Regardless, if she told them the truth, would they be willing to take a new soul replacing the old Anna? She doubted it.
The woman nodded. Her eyes showed sadness, but her smile emanated a warm feeling. "We understand," she said, gesturing for Anna to sit next to her. "I'm Hersha, and this is my husband, Gunnar," she introduced herself while pointing to the man sitting beside her. The man, Mr. Gunnar, nodded as a reaffirmation. His eyes were staring at Anna lovingly.
"You used to call us mom and dad, just like Avery," Mr. Gunnar said while Hersha approvingly shook her head. They looked at Anna with anticipation.
Anna swallowed when she noticed their eagerness. Avery, who was sitting across her, reassured with an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, she calmly called the couple as indicated by them.
"Mom, Dad," she said in a low voice. For some reason, she couldn't be calm like how she reacted to her families in her past lives. Perhaps, it was due to her awareness that this would be her last chance in life.
Mr. and Mrs. Gunnar and Avery were excited upon hearing the familiar words coming out of Anna's lips.
"Good, good!" Mr. Gunnar was elated. For a while, they talked about some random stuff. Although she couldn't follow most of the conversation due to her so-called loss of memories, Anna responded accordingly.
"Can we return home?" she suddenly asked, making them look at her with a look of surprise.
"I believe that my memories will return if I spend time in a familiar place," she explained. She had thought about it, albeit for a second, that for her to navigate Anna's complicated life, a home would be the place where she could find most answers. Even if there was none, at least she knew there was a place in this world where she belongs.
"That's good!" Mrs. Gunnar exclaimed as she exchanged looks with her husband.
"Actually, on our way here, we've called your doctor in-charge and explained exactly that. He agreed. Now, you guys wait here while we go see Dr. Cain and request for Anna's discharge," she said afterward.
Anna and Avery nodded as they watched them walked into the inner part of the hospital.
...
"Master," Gorgon looked worriedly at his master, who was staring at the young lady they have met earlier. She was now seated on a sofa in the hospital lounge.
"Master, let's return," he tried to persuade his master, but the man ignored him. Despite that, his countenance was getting paler by the time. Gorgon knew that something was utterly wrong with his master, and it started after he met the young lady.
However, unless he told him or showed him what it was, he would remain clueless.
Was the demon going berserk? Or was it the sun? He was entirely in the dark. Besides, his master was only getting weaker and not getting violent or charred. In which both either means that his demon had acted up or the curse of the sun had taken a toll on his body.
"Gorgon, I've found her."
Finally, a sentence from his master. Gorgon was relieved, but when he dissected the meaning of his words, his eyes almost popped from their sockets.
Speechless, Gorgon's gaze went to the young lady chatting with the one sitting beside her.
An average human being? Or was she not? Was it because she was the one his master had been waiting for that she could hear them earlier? Gorgon's thought was in disarray as he tried to put all the pieces together. However, when he listened to his master's cough and saw his bloodshot eyes, he buried all the questions deep in his thought.
"Master, you need to heal!" he firmly stated. His master's condition was getting worst, but the man himself was reluctant to leave.
"Her eyes' color are amber," Van Raven clutched his chest. Still, a smile lingered on his face upon saying that. He remembered clearly the color of her eyes... the one who stared back without reservation.
"Master, I'll capture her so we can return to the mansion and let the earth of Chamrose mountain heal you," Gorgon didn't know what else to say. But, he knew one way to free his master from his current predicament.
"No, you mustn't! Her bloodline is yet to awaken," Van Raven opposed as he held his butler's shoulder with strength. His eyes looked worriedly at the woman who was now smiling at the person beside her.
"Master," Gorgon was disappointed, but he knew that his master's words were the law.
Van Raven sighed. He couldn't blame Gorgon for his idea, for he was trained only to serve and protect him.
Today was an unforeseen circumstance. He never envisioned himself being free from his curse.
A thousand years. That was the amount of time he spent waiting for a miracle, but all he did was feed the demon with his sorrow, making it full day by day. So, he gave up, until today came...
Van Raven looked at her again. His eyes were home to pure emotions.
When she touched him, the world seemed to stop, and all he could see was her eyes. It lasted for a moment, but the colorless world was a brilliant color of amber. When he realized who she was to him, he found himself yearning for a deeper connection.
The desire to hold her was so intense that it stirred the sleeping demon inside him. A monster who was now staring quietly at him like a predator ready to jump on its prey. He knew the devil was waiting for a chance. Soon, it would try to consume him like it always did when awake. Therefore, he must leave...
"Gorgon, let's go!" he said as he carved the woman's face inside his heart.
'Soulmate, soon I'll come to you...' he whispered.