Blackstar

All I could feel was a heavy weight on my left shoulder. I tried to observe my surroundings before opening my eyes. I was in a warm bed but I wasn’t in a house; I could feel the air and smell the flowers. I couldn’t hear anything, though. Finally, I opened my eyes and sat up.

I was in the land where the cottage once stood but no one was around. Alexi, Vera, Bartholomew, and Vittoria were all missing. I was confused and started to panic.

“Calm down,” a voice said and I jumped to my feet, turning.

My knees gave out from beneath me.

“Oh, my dear daughter,” my father said, beaming down at me.

Joseph appeared at my side and helped me stand. I could only gape at the three of them.

“I’m so proud of you, baby sister,” Joseph said.

Their voices seemed to echo.

“Am I dead?” I asked but my mother shook her head.

“No, my dear,” she said, approaching me. “Merely recovering.”

I soaked up their appearances. I looked almost identical to my mother. I had my father’s facial features, though. My thoughts that my mother was the one watching over me were confirmed; she had been the woman in the cottage. She was touching my cheek and I ran into her arms. I was so glad to know I could touch her.

I felt my father’s arms encircle me on the right and Joseph’s on the left.

“I’m sorry you all died for nothing,” I said with a sob.

“We did not die in vain,” my brother assured me. “You have eliminated a great evil from this world.”

“If anyone should apologize, it should be us,” my father said quietly. “We thought the wooden skulls would be enough. When we realized it wasn’t, we tried to run away. Only you made it.”

“Where are your graves?” I asked. “I want to give you a proper burial.”

My mother smiled sadly. “We do not have graves,” she answered. “Our bones are nothing but dust now. Such is the fate of all that die by the hands of Lucian.”

My shoulders fell. “You will receive a proper burial,” I promised to Joseph. “And we will honor your lives and sacrifice. I swear on my life.”

I felt a tugging at my heart. The scenery around me started to fade.

“No,” I gasped. “I don’t want you to go so soon.”

My father kissed my forehead. “We will always be with you, my dear Trinity Rose.”

“Thank your wonderful young Alexi for me,” my mother said. “He acted on my vision without second thoughts. Good bye.”

Joseph hugged me. “Good bye, baby sister. We will see each other again.”

I couldn’t move as tears streaked down my face.

-

I came crashing back into my body and immediately wished I was back in that dream world. My shoulder was on fire and the bite marks on my neck were burning. I panicked. If they were still burning….

My eyes shot open and I tried to sit up.

“Shh,” Vera said, pushing me back down on the bed. “You’re safe now.”

“My bite marks-”

“They’re healing,” she told me, holding my right hand.

I looked around me. I was back in the palace. Beside me, Alexi was passed out, looking about as bad as I felt.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice raspy.

“Well, after Mom threw the rod, it pierced Lucian. As he faded – well, more like exploded – lightning shot you and Alexi. You fell back, both of you unconscious. The black smoke… it was so thick. I thought I would suffocate. Then, all of a sudden, it was gone. I wasn’t sure if it had worked until the skulls….” She shivered. “They started talking to us, Raven. It was the most terrifying thing. They spoke in different voices. They were all saying the same thing, though: Thank you. I could only assume they were victims. We got you and Alexi back here and you’ve been out the whole time.”

“How long has it been?” I asked, my left hand reaching for Alexi.

She helped me find his right hand and I held it as tightly as my arm would allow.

“It’s been almost a week now,” she answered. “You both have a long road of recovery ahead of you but you’re safe now.”

“I saw my parents,” I told her and she smiled kindly. “What became of the cottage?”

Vera sighed heavily. “We saved what we could. I’m sorry.”

I shook my head. “No. It’s best that it is gone. I will mourn for it, but some things belong in another world.”

Just then, Alexi started to stir and Vera went over to him to give him the same information she had given me. While they were talking, the King and Queen came in hesitantly.

“How do you feel?” the Queen asked, taking Vera’s seat by my side.

“Tired,” I said honestly. “But relieved. Very relieved.”

“We all are,” the King said earnestly.

“Is the star still there?” I whispered.

Queen Vittoria smiled sadly. “Yes. So is Alexi’s rose.”

I tried to laugh but it hurt. “Figures he gets to keep the pretty one.”

His fingers tightened around mine and I turned my head to look at him.

“We’re alive,” he said, his voice as hoarse as mine.

“Don’t sound surprised,” I smiled.

“I wasn’t so sure there for a minute,” he admitted and winced. “God. I feel like there’s someone sitting on my shoulder.”

“Well, we did get struck by some kind of lightning,” I laughed.

He laced our fingers together. “Is it over?”

“I think so.”

The King, Queen, and Vera left to give us some privacy.

“I wish I could move over there with you,” I sighed.

He looked at me for a minute before starting to move over, ignoring my protests. Finally, he landed with a heavy breath inches from me. Careful as to not hurt my shoulder, he put his arm around me. I brushed his blond hair from his face.

“I love you,” he said and I smiled.

“I love you, too.”

“What do we do now?” he asked, pressing his forehead to mine.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” I said. “I guess try to live like normal people.”

He shook his head with a smile. “Not possible.”

“Well, what’s your suggestion?”

“First we need to find the man my sister fell in love with.” I nodded in agreement. “Then, after that, you could marry me.”

It took me a minute to understand what he meant.

“You want to marry me?” He grinned and nodded. “I guess it’s a good thing that I want to marry you, too, huh?”

He laughed and kissed me on the lips.

I closed my eyes and broke away from the kiss, putting my head on his shoulder. Together, we fell asleep, ready to live as normal a life as we could.