Enchained WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 4]

10

There was no way to know for sure just how long they were unconscious for. Aurora was the first to come to a groggy awakening. She raised a hand to her spinning head, taking a few tries to sit upright. A groan from beside her told her Arthur was in a similar situation. Then there was the third member of their party. 

Aurora gaped at the sight of Lydia rubbing her head. At least, she was pretty sure she was looking at Lydia . . . 

'What?'

Aurora cleared her throat nervously, tapping her cousin's shoulder and pointing toward the girl. He scrambled back with wide eyes.

'Lydia?' he asked.

'Yeah,' she said, confused.

'You're blonde,' Aurora said.

'No, I'm . . .' Lydia gasped at the sight of herself. 

Gone was the constant black mist surrounding her and the ghost-like nature. Her eyes were bright emerald-green, her hair blonde, and her skin pale. She still wore the same black dress she'd died in, and her feet remained bare.

Lydia begun to hyperventilate. She could breathe.

'Ly,' Aurora said gently, crawling to her and taking her warming hands. 'Ly, look at me.' She did. 'Just do as I say, alright?' She nodded. 'Breathe. In and out. Nice and slow.'

As she closed her eyes, Aurora searched for a pulse. There was one. She cringed at Arthur. He understood what was happening, wrapping his school jacket around her shoulders.

'I'm gonna be honest with you, Ly,' Aurora said. 'You're alive.' 

'H . . . How?'

'We don't know, but we'll figure it out.' Arthur tugged her hand, giving his "we need to talk" look. She gave him a small nod. 'Can you sit here a sec?' she asked Lydia. 'We'll be right over there. Won't be long.'

Aurora and Arthur moved far enough away to be out of earshot but close enough that their friend could see them. They were silent for a moment, both processing the situation. 

Arthur voiced what they thought. 'She's alive.'

'Yes, I had noticed.'

'But she's . . . not dead.'

'Also called "being alive".' Aurora whacked the back of his head with a hand.

'But how?'

'How should I know?'

'You're the ghost expert!'

'Don't mean I know everything!' 

They turned to Lydia, making sure she was where they'd left her. She was sitting upright now, staring into the dark distance. That was when Aurora noticed.

The world was dark, the only light coming from Aurora's pendant. The dirt they stood on was covered in what looked like brownish frost. Her breath hovered in front of her as she breathed. Buildings crumbled all around them like some sort of old city, though they were also covered in ice and frost. 

'That can't be good,' she said, rubbing at her arms.

Arthur nodded. 'We will have to keep her close. Who knows what could happen now she's mortal.'

'Which means we should also figure out where we are.'

'And what the hell happened to the Sun. And summer.' 

'Agreed.' Aurora gave her cousin an alarmed look. 'Is it just me or is it only getting colder?' 

He held up his shaking hands, fingertips beginning to frost over. 'It's not just you.' 

Aurora looked at her own hands. 'Oh, there is no way that's good.'

'Right. We should find a way to warm--'

He was cut off by a scream. 

They spun around to see Lydia scrambling backward on hands and feet. The pair ran to her. She pointed ahead. Shadows moved before them, headed straight toward the three at surprising speed. Yet another thing to add to the ever growing list of "not good things", Aurora decided. Something in the frost caught her attention. She reached down and grabbed a frost-covered metal pipe, hissing as her hands burned from the cold. Arthur held Lydia up with one arm. 

Lydia looked around frantically. 'They're coming from behind, too!' 

Aurora and Arthur caught each other's gaze, coming to a silent agreement. Aurora held the metal pipe like a baseball bat. Arthur kept Lydia upright though pushed her lightly behind him. The shadows quickly gathered around them. There was no where for them to go!

A humming sound appeared in the distance. A low hum, like the sound of a vehicle of some sort. It slowly got louder. The three turned toward the sight. Bright lights rushed toward them. Instead of jumping out of the way, they stood there, stunned. The lights zoomed past them. 

Or so they thought.

They were flung from their feet.