Chapter 39
Marco's Island
Sofya
When I awoke a warm breeze greeted my face, a bird song rang in my ear. I grogley pulled myself up, taking in my surroundings. I was in a bed, and it was huge. I looked to the right and gasped. The wall was a huge window and I could see the canopy of trees and the ocean that went on for miles and miles.
Overall the room was really nice, like billionaire nice. Who the flipping heck lived here? I was also questioning how I was still alive. I thought I had bled out. Remembering that, I flung the sheets off and my eyes snapped to my abdomen as I lifted my shirt up. There was nothing there, no blood, just a long thin white line, which was barely noticeable.
I heard the door swing open, and I was met once again with familiar striking sky blue eyes. It was so familiar but I couldn't place it. I gazed at him, my mouth ajar, probably making a fool out of myself. I tend to do that on a daily basis. The boy flashed a grin at me and stepped into the room.
"How are you?" He asked, his voice silky smooth, but he had an accent I couldn't place. He walked up to the bed and sat down on the edge. He pressed a warm hand to my forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever anymore." He mused, his touch lingering for a second more than needed.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice coming out small and quiet. I swear I saw hurt flash through his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"I guess you don't remember me. I do not mean that you should, you were practically dying, but the name's Marco." He said, his eyes twinkling, he was so close I could make out flecks of silver dancing in his sky-like eyes. It made me think of when my parents and I were visiting Zermatt, Switzerland. The sky was clear, and there was light snow raining down, shimmering like mini stars.
Marco reached his hand out like he wanted me to shake it, but instead, he picked up my hand and placed a tender kiss on it. A chill snaked up my arm, along with a rush of heat that flooded my cheeks. As he pulled away, a melancholy look on his face. It made me want to hug him, for some strange reason I felt like he shouldn't be sad, it felt wrong. But it soon vanished.
"Well, Lisi, are you ok?" He asked. For a second I stared stupidly. Lisi? No one had called me that but Mom, and I mean my real Mom. How did he know that name?
"How do you know that name?" I asked, curious. A beautiful smile blossomed on his face.
"I knew you and your family a while back. I'll explain later, but first I want to talk about recent events. First, let's start off at the beginning, tell me, Lisi, what happened? Then I will answer all of your questions and I'm sure you have many." He said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. Somehow, deep in my soul, I felt like I could trust Marco, this boy who I didn't know.
So, I started at the beginning. I explained being taken, almost being killed, the prophecy, leaving, and I even told him about the whole fiasco with Ash. At the end of my story, shock was clearly etched onto Marco's face.
"So, now you're going to save your friends, and you took off on this Ash guy?" He asked. I nodded, top priority. "Lisi, that's really dangerous, you should've at least let Ash come with you. I mean I heard about that guy's reputation, but he did save your life. So. I guess that counts for something." I frowned.
"I know, but you don't understand. I watched him almost die. I couldn't let him die for me. I don't want anyone to die for me. I couldn't bear it." I said. Marco became silent, his eyes boring into mine.
"I understand more than you will ever know Lisi." He said, his voice distant as if remembering something from long ago.
"Did you lose someone?" I asked softly. He nodded, his jaw clenching.
"Who?" I dared to ask.
"My mate." My brow bunched together, but he only looked at my age, but then realization struck as I recalled he saved me, he saved my life.
"You're immortal?" I stated more than asked.
"Yes, I'm a demon, Erelim. My mate was an aemon. She died at the hands of Alek, a thousand years ago. I have never forgotten her since, not a single day goes by without thinking of her. After her death, Alek trapped me on this island, forced to wander the oceans alone, forever." Marco said. Rage filled me, anger boiling in my veins. Alek. Alek who was responsible for this whole mess, for Ash's losses, and Marco's. He needed to be ended, once and for all. I put my hand on Marco's shoulder.
"I understand some of your pain, the loss. We will get revenge, I swear." I said, more determined than ever. Marco reached up, grabbing my hand.
"Thank you." He said. I shook my head.
"No, thank you, you saved my life. I would be dead without you. I owe you my life." Marco brushed it off.
"You owe me nothing Lisi, nothing. But let's get on to a happier topic, shall we? Let's see how well I actually healed you. Come let's see if you can stand." He said, standing by the side of the bed. I scooted over to the edge, my feet dangling over the wooden floors. I slowly slid down and attempted to stand. Attempted being the key word, my legs buckled and Marco quickly caught me, pulling me up and into his arms.
"Well I have to say you aren't quite fully mended yet, but I'm sure you'll be in no time." I nodded. I really needed to get to Lucy, Nico, and Maxon. I also wondered how Ash was doing. I hoped he was ok.
Marco laid me back down on the bed and examined my leg. Which was softly throbbing. There was a long gash running down my shin, blood still trickling out as Marco removed the bandage. "I'm sorry I didn't get to heal this right away, but your other wound was more vital to attend to." I shook my head, I was just thankful I was alive. Marco placed his hand on the wound, and I winced. "Sorry." He muttered. A warmth began growing over the gash, and it started to slowly close up.
Once Marco lifted his hands away, there was just a thin white line akin to the one on my stomach. My mouth fell open, he was a healer like Lucy. I wondered what else he could do. As if reading my mind he said. "Well, I obviously have a healing gift, but I can manipulate reality, I have strong wind magic, and read minds." I groaned at his last bit.
"You read minds?" He nodded. "What? You don't like that," he said flashing a smile.
"No, Ash reads minds as well, but he has to touch people to do so. I'm assuming you don't?" I asked.
"Nope," he replied. Great, just great. I flopped back onto the bed, I was tired. Marco smiled sweetly. "Night Lisi, get some rest you need it." He said exiting the room. "Night Ro," I said without thinking. Then I wasn't sure if I was dreaming, or hallucinating, or if it was real, but I heard him say.
"I will always love you and I will always be your Ro, even if you don't remember me. Or even if you never will, if you find someone else to love. I will accept that. Because when you love someone, you know to let them go. And one day we will find ourselves among the stars. Together shining forever, because everyone knows that life is not a guarantee." I pondered over what Marco had said. Did I know him, it couldn't be me he was talking about before right? I wasn't his long-lost mate, was I? But I didn't have long to think about it because sleep soon dragged me under.
...
Dust filled the air, as horses galloped by. I gazed out at the battlefield laid before me, all of it seeming so familiar. I brushed a misplaced hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. As I turned to my left I spotted a handsome young man with chocolate brown eyes that once might have held a kind fiery warmth, but now had long since burnt out.
In his arms, he held a struggling girl who had iron chains clamped around her bruised wrists. I gasped as they came closer, the girl had an uncanny resemblance to me. What was this? The young man stopped for a moment, grabbing a dagger from the sheath on his side, and raised it to the girl's neck. Three more figures came racing forward out of the grass. One I immediately recognized as Marco, the next looked exactly like Ash, and the third looked like my mother's sister. What the flipping 'heck? Was this a reunion or something? Marco stormed up to the man, his teeth bared.
"Let her go, Alek" He growled, raising a silver dagger. Alek clicked his tongue, cocking his head.
"Hmm, I don't think so. I rather see it quite fitting that, they." He said pointing to Ash and my mother sister's looked alike, a bitter bite to his voice. "Pay, and since dear Lisia means so much to Anna. I suppose a life for a life shall do." Alek finished. My mom look alike, Anna, got down on her knees.
"Please, Alek. Please don't do this. Lisia had nothing to do with this. She's innocent, spare her." She begged. Alek stared at her, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "Alek, I love you please kill me instead, please. I didn't mean for this to happen. Yvaria was like a sister to me, please." Anna cried. Alek erupted into a fiery rage.
"How dare you! How dare you speak her name." He hissed, before composing himself. "You still love me? Really? Do you know what I think of you now Anna? Do you? You were one of my dearest friends, I trusted you. You say she was like a sister to you. Tell me, Anna, do sisters slit each other's throats? When you gutted Yvaria like a pig, what was in your mind? Oh, I must be doing this because I love her, and she's my sister. I think not. You are a jealous cold-hearted witch." Alek mocked. Then his head snapped over to the young man who looked like Ash. "And you! Flynn. You were my best friend! And you helped kill her, my soulmate. How could you?" Alek screamed his voice breaking, a glimmer of emotion flickering in his eyes. Flynn stood motionless, emotionless.
"I had no choice." He said, his voice void of anything. Alek gave a cold laugh, his eyes flickering to Anna.
"You compelled him? Well, I suppose you didn't want to bear the burden alone. You really are pathetic Anna. I'm surprised you're so blind. I guess that's what happens when you have a jealous obsession." Alek said, rolling his eyes. Anna stared at Alek dumbly.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You really haven't figured it out? Flynn's your sister's soulmate, Anna. I can't believe you didn't notice. She loves Marco but she'd eventually end up with Flynn. Well, too late now. It's time for you to pay." Alek said a wicked grin on his face.
A second later, he dragged the dagger against Lisia's throat and then dropped her to the ground. Marco screamed out in agony, tears brimming his eyes as he rushed forward. He gathered Lisia in his arms, sobbing. Blood soaked his clothes as he held her dead body. Anna froze as Alek approached her and Flynn. Alek placed a hand on Anna's forehead. An orange light glowed faintly, then he let go. Anna's vibrant purple eyes had faded to a dull brown.
"I removed your immortality, you will live a short life and die an excruciating death when it is time. I hope to never see you or your family ever again" Alek said then turned to Flynn and shoved a dagger in his chest. Alek whirled around and left. Black dots danced on the edge of my vision, and soon enough I was sucked in.
I woke up with a gasp, the room was pitch black. I stumbled out of bed in an attempt to turn a light on, but I had forgotten about my injury and I went crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
The door busted open, a stream of light pouring through. I raised my hand above my head, shielding my eyes. Marco dashed in, placing me back onto the bed. He turned on the light by the stand. Then proceed to sit down next to me on the bed.
"Are you ok Lisi? What were you doing?" He asked quietly.
"I'm fine," I mumbled. "Just had a bad dream," I said, but I wasn't even sure. It might have been a precognition, but it felt like a distant memory. But that made no sense. I hadn't met Marco till recently, and all those names. They seemed familiar but I didn't know who they were. But, I had recognized Marco, the Ash looked alike, and me looked alike. Well duh, they looked like you, your friends, and your family. I struggled to remember what Marco had been saying before he left the room, earlier. Soulmate. I couldn't possibly be that girl. Right? But the girl's name was Lisia. Lisia, Lisi, Sofyalisia. It was all connected. Was I a reincarnation?
I looked up to Marco, heat flushing my face. I was supposed to love him, maybe deep down I did. But I didn't even remember my past life, just the glimpse I just saw. You dumbass, did you forget about what Alek said!? Oh, right. That Flynn guy had been my soulmate or whatever but I hadn't known. Marco brushed his hand along my cheek smiling sweetly.
"I don't expect you to love me right now, and I will accept that there is a possibility that you never will. But I won't give up. I would never give up Lisi." He said, standing up. "You should get some rest," he said, placing a kiss on my forehead before leaving me alone in the dark to ponder my thoughts.
I sighed and sank back into the mattress. This was a mess. I turned to my side, trying not to think about the memory. I still couldn't believe it was my ancestor that had caused Alek to become what he was today. For the first time, I felt sympathy for him. I knew what it was like when you lost someone you loved. People deal with grief in different ways, Alek simply chose the wrong way.