Where the Hellebores Bloom

Just a bee sting

Mirania lingers behind Giannini, staring at his back. I can feel her sadness, fear, and happiness to see him and wonder if she knows I can sense her emotions. I'm still looking for a way to kick her out; if she's shaken enough, I might just have a chance. She moves my lips many times, looking for the words she wants to say, before finally speaking.

—Giannini... she whispers —You don't have to be here for this.

He stops suddenly, making her take a step back. —I don't need to be here? He turns around, and his eyes make Mirania's feelings squeeze my heart. —I watched your body day and night. I hid your first slip of conscience and protected you when Padrone wanted to kill you for making that Cullen attack you. I secretly fed you as your body slowly withered away so you wouldn't die of hunger. So, yes, I need to be here. I couldn't see his face in the dim light of the lab, but now Mirania observes every trace of his. He's a fairly tall man with a sharp jaw and short hair. His eyes are red too, but less animalistic than Raffaello's or Padrone's. His lips are pulled down in anger, but his eyes look sad and lonely.

—I'm sorry. She says, looking down. His words hurt her deeply, and although I don't understand them, I can understand the sadness she places in my heart.

—I know. You had no other choice. He looks away like he regrets his harsh words.

—No. I had a choice. It had to be me.

—You wanted to punish yourself; you got what you want. Now we move on. He opens one of the doors in the corridor, stepping away so Mirania can enter.

Not yet. I hear her thoughts in my head as we slide inside the room.

The place looks like a school's locker room with various lockers on the wall to our right and a long metal bench in front of them. She looks back at him, staring at me like he doesn't want to leave her.

Our feelings mix together after he finally closes the door. Her sadness starts a chain reaction in my mind, and I catch myself looking at Esme's face in my memory and wondering if she's all right. Raffaello said they were coming after me, but their chances of finding this place are slim. Besides, they probably came because of Renesmee, not because of me. She must be furious at me right now.

She grabs the same swimsuit I was wearing when I woke up in that forest from one of the lockers, and suddenly everything falls in place. They put me in that forest on purpose, to get close to the Cullens so that they could use me somehow. What do you want? I ask angrily. She's removing my dress and putting on the swimsuit without answering me. I scream louder, but she's unaffected.

I can see my reflection in the mirror. This is exactly how I woke up in that forest the first time. What did you do to me? Why can't I remember anything, and why did you target the Cullens? Maybe Giannini really shook her because she answered my questions with a melancholic voice instead of the usual rabid tone.

I'll explain it to you... soon. She tells me in my mind. I know it doesn't make sense now, but it will trust me. I'll bring you back home. The wave of guilt that runs through my body catches me off guard, and I can't answer her.

She finishes changing my clothes and cleaning out the dirt from my body. There is not even a scar where the cut on my thigh was, and I can't even begin to understand how.

What's going to happen now? I ask as I feel she's getting ready to leave the room.

I told you. Trust me. Her answer makes me hesitate. Maybe it's all her feelings rushing through my body, but I kind of feel almost sorry for how sad and lost she feels. The thing is, I'm here because of her. I can't let my guard down. I need you to do what I say when the time comes.