It was as bad as she had been warned. Syrana looked as though she were a corpse, and it angered Myranda to her very core. Jyriah put his hands on her shoulders in support and let out a sad sigh.
"I'm sorry, I've done all I can" Veltar nearly whispered he spoke so low.
"She hasn't improved at all. The dark color over her eyes hasn't dissipated, which means that the tissue damage is too great. I'm not a doctor, and even if I were - not even being her mate would suffice at this point," he continued and drooped his head into his hands.
Syrana was so cold, and her chest barely rose as she took in each breath. Not a single soul amongst them had anything to say to comfort the siblings as both Jyriah and Myranda each held one of Syrana's hands while they sobbed and sniffed.
"No one blames you, Veltar. No one blames anyone here. Silas is the reason for this, and we will avenge her," Metas said strongly, trying to be the pillar of support for everyone.
"I still feel like a failure. All this time, I've wanted to find her - and I've lost her. Silas took everything from me. I'll never forgive him, and I'll never forget," Veltar said with venom in each sound.
"Can we not talk about Silas right now? Can we talk about Syrana instead? She doesn't need to hear his name ever again. So just stop it, please" Myranda said in frustration.
"I can't stand to hear his name again. I'll just refer to him as the false alpha from now on. He doesn't deserve my breath," Jyriah said with a darkness that sounded border line evil. His fingers even seemed to sink deeper into Myranda's shoulders as they sat there hoping to see their sister open her eyes. Just for a second.
...Just for one second...
They didn't open, though. Syrana wasn't going to make it, and everyone knew it - but no one wanted to say it. Silas had won a battle, but he had fueled a new rage for the upcoming war.
"Rana...you don't have to hold on anymore. Jyriah and I will make sure Syri will be cared for. She can live with Metas and I if she so chooses, and we'll raise her as the princess she is. You don't have to suffer anymore," Myranda spoke softly, but her words bled into a sob.
"I'll take care of our baby sister, Rana. It's okay. You've done more than enough for both of us. Now you just need to rest. Rest and we'll make sure everything is taken care of. For the first time ever, I will be responsible and make sure to take care of everyone" Jyriah promised through gritted teeth and trembling lips.
"You don't need to suffer anymore, sweetheart. It's okay," Veltar added and reached out to move a ragged strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you, and we'll meet again. I just know it."
Silence fell around the room and at one point, Jyriah wrapped his arms around Myranda and hugged her into his chest as though she were about to leave, too.
Syrana had been the glue that kept them together when everything else was gone. She was the reason any of them were even here right now. Had she not pushed Myranda to give Metas a chance, she would be alone, and this new clan-order would be permanent. Metas wouldn't even have a chance of being king.
Silas also wouldn't have risen so quickly - but that wasn't Syrana's fault at all. In Myranda's mind, her sister did everything right, and she was absolutely perfect. A person who Myranda wanted to be like in every way. A mother far more than she had ever been a sister.
The pain was so deep and so debilitating, that for a moment the Luna forgot to breathe as though she were waiting for Syrana's chest to rise again.
She waited.
..and waited...
....and waited...
and once she accepted that Syrana was not going to take in another breath of air, Myranda burst out into an ugly, loud, terrifying cry. She put her head into her hands in hopes it would muffle the sounds coming from her lips, but it did little to no good.
Jyriah forcefully turned Myranda around and pulled her into his chest so that he could cry into her hair, and commiserate with the last sibling he had left.
Veltar was silent as he looked down to the mate he once had, and tried to save with every ounce of his being. He wondered if this was some sort of punishment, or a sick and twisted idea of a fate for a soul. He had just had her in his arms again - and now she was gone.
Now he'd never see her again. He'd never hear her voice as it was again, and he'd never get to hear her laughter bless his ears with joy. Everything he had ever wanted or planned for, died along with Syrana that day.
"Do you want some space for a little bit?" Lara asked with the utmost empathy in her voice, as she too tried to choke back tears.
"No" both siblings answered at the same time, but with different tones. Myranda's was blubbery, and Jyriah's was pained.
"Do you want us to start preparing for last rites?" Ajax asked with the same sympathetic, soft voice.
"Yes please" Myranda answered.
"Uh-uhuh," Jyriah huffed out his mouth.
"Do you know how she wanted to return?" Joss asked in order to help.
"Fire.... she always wanted to burn like a phoenix..." Myranda was barely able to get out as her words turned to cries.
"What do we tell Syri?" Jyriah asked as he started to realize that Syrana put everyone before herself her entire life. Until now he hadn't ever really thought about the lives or plans of others - but now, his focus was squarely on his baby sister, and his niece.
"Worry on that another day, my brother. For now, mourn. Tomorrow, we plan" Metas said in a calm, unwavering voice. He sounded as though Syrana's passing were nothing more than a brisk wind at his chest, but Myranda could feel his heartbreak - both for her, and for her sister.
"We'll go get things set up. You three just stay here, please. Just sit and grieve. The last thing you need to do is organize her last rite," Lara said before she looked at them both with eyes filled with tears and pain.
"Thank you, Lara" Metas answered for them as Jyriah and Myranda ran out of willpower to speak. There was nothing left to say. There were only things to do: keep promises, and take revenge.