Talia's POV



The sounds of someone creeping around rudely woke me. Who could it be? Oh! Kael, he probably doesn't want to disturb or doesn't want me to know he's back.

'Hey." I said to him when he creeped back on with his back facing me.

He doesn't look too startled or just did a good job of hiding it.


'I wasn't planning to wake you up." He said, solemnly, still with his back turned to me, frozen in his steps.

'I know, but I'm awake either way." I replied to him, to snap him out of the self condemnation or guilt or whatever it was he was feeling.


'Alright." He said. 'I came to grab something, apparently it isn't here, I'd just look somewhere else."

He turned immediately, walking towards the door.

'Wait!" I shouted after him. 'Please. Wait." I reiterated, sounding less commanding and more polite.

'What?" He asked, sending chills down my spine.

He really doesn't want to see me so badly? This is not looking like something that would end well.

He is, very obviously, still pained from whatever, I doubt he even wants to see or hear me at this point.

'I'm sorry." I myself did not envisage that being the first thing I'd say.

'Is that it?" He asked. I'm hurt, really hurt, but I heard the emotions in his voice, regardless of how hard he tried to hide it.

'No." I said, letting him indulge me. We are both adults who both fully know what we are doing.

He doesn't look like he is in much hurry either. If he did not want to see or hear me as badly as he makes me think, he wouldn't have let me stop him. He's never been one to obey laws, definitely not the voice of a half amnesiac in someone else's body.

'What else?"He asked, snapping me out of my only too frequent self condemnation.

'None of us are responsible for what is going on…" I continued, softening his already hardened mind for the benefit of what I needed from him.

'That's no news, Talia." He cuts in. Hearing him call my name while trying to suppress all the emotions that I'm sure must be coursing through him is a different kind of hurt. I might not know all about me, but I know I'm definitely a people pleaser, and definitely am not the one to break people's hearts or cause them pain.

'I know, I know…" As of this moment, I'm doing a very poor job of keeping my tears at bay or keeping it out of my voice. My cracking vice makes me sound all the more pathetic and it's a matter of seconds before the tears start streaming down.

'I need you." I blurted between sobs, mindless of the hiccups that break the words apart and the near puddle of my own tears that I'm almost drowning.

'We both know that." He says, as a matter of fact. 'That is all everyone does, need me." He continued. 'Or is there something else you would want me to add to my service?" I feel, so hurt that he sees it from this angle.

'Karl, please!" I'm literally loosely holding on to the pieces of my mental health, and he is making it so fucking hard. I'm struggling to hold the reins of the conversation but in all honesty, I expected it to go this way.

'You know, I should be begging you." He turned back and faces me squarely. 'I really should be." He continued. 'I've always been playing by your rules, since I saw you in the woods and picked you up, all Kael has ever done is what Talia wants him to. And I'm tired, in so fucking tired. Taking instructions and making all these sacrifices for someone who won't ever see me as someone who matters is really just a bad deal, don't you think?" His eyes pierced my deep into my broken soul.

'It really is not like that, Karl, I swear." I replied to him.

'Swear by who exactly? Who? And don't dare say Her because we both know She is the reason why we are in this dumb shit situation." He's very livid and irritated by what I said, making me feel daft.

'Forget I said that." I said, wiping my tears and helping myself out of the shity situation I put myself in. 'I don't think now is a good time to continue this. We'll just pick it up some other time." I wiped my tears, since I was already properly clothed, at least enough for the weather as it was.

I walked out of his house, nothing in hand. It's the first time I'd be outside since Vance carried me in half dead.

The breeze brings so many ugly memories, at the same I feel relief as it blows against my face, and my dress.

'I want to die." I said to myself.

It's still early in the evening. The place is deserted as usual, just how I like it.

Tears are streaming down now, unstopped.

It's a full blown life crisis. There's no way ahead and no way no back.

Why am I so unfortunate? Why do the stars never align in my favor? Just when I think that things are finally beginning to take shape and the way out is lurking somewhere near, I'm met with the exact opposite of my expectation.

I'm trying to not be loud, I really do not want any uninvited guests, I'm totally and completely defenseless and vulnerable.

My eyes are swollen and almost shut. My head hurts badly and feels too heavy for my body. I tried to not wander too far, so Karl's house is still a little in sight. I'd hold out here a bit before heading back there, if he still wants me…

All of a sudden, the gradually growing headache became intense and sharply tore through my head. It feels like deja vu. Like when I was out in the woods before Kael found me.

It's a matter of seconds before my consciousness gradually began to slip away. I tried screaming for help, my mouth was opening, but the words weren't coming.

I knew I was calling for Kael, but I was not even hearing myself.