REJECTION PART 2: THE CURSED ONES

9

"Listen, I entrust you this mission. This is the only way we can make her sacrifice worth it. You are here because you can find a way to end this curse."

I stared at the moonstone in my hand, enveloped in a cloth which Elena said can keep it safe.

"You buy her words?" Ajax is driving the car. We are going back to Midnight palace. Elena said that it is Laine's soul that made this stone and I deserve to keep it. Activate it.

"I don't know." Why would she give it to me if she is desperate to end all curse? For all I know, she deceived the council and many more, why will she not deceive us? But she has no reason to lie. I can feel her pain on her words. The curse hurts the guardian, we involuntarily are bound to this role. Is this my answer? Is this my purpose? Her last words. ' A curse to free.' Does it mean this way?

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A book blocked my sight. Wait, this book? I turned to my right and found Lai--, I mean Lucy as if she is handing it to me. I reluctantly took it.

"Do you... understand me now?"

She went back to fiddling with her hands. I returned to her room unable to think any further of what had just happened. Ajax said that he has some things to check and left me here.

I turned to the book.

"The lost garden" It says on the cover.

I turned the pages. It is a picture book. Right, she does not understand words. It is about a story of a gardener who lost his garden due to a terrible storm. He ventures the desert questioning and blaming himself and the gods for what happened to his beloved garden. He cried in the barren land and he was unaware that a new garden sprouted on his each step.

Wait. This story. Someone who loves and lost. I turned to her. She does not understand words or normal gestures but if I am correct, she can feel other's emotions. In my nightmares, there are certain emotions, hers. Maybe she can understand based on emotions from memories.

I set down the book and knelt in front of her.

"Lucy." I called, so she turned towards me. My hand reached for her cheek. She stopped moving. I closed our gap, my eyes reflected on her. I pressed my forehead against hers, closing my eyes.

"Look into my memories." I whispered as I try to recall my past. Meeting her for the first time. I was not planning to have a mate. And I panicked when I saw her, looking so perfect like the world fades around her and she is all there is. My heart was ready to let go of my plans. But I know better. I have a plan and it took years to make it, there were lives that should not be wasted. And I was angry, mad towards myself when she asked me to reject her. I felt helpless. I hated it more when I met her once again. I was happy for those short conversations. But my father was to hurt her and I was weak. Why did I reject her. I let her die. It was fault.

"Aiden." A small voice squeezed my heart. I moved away a little and opened my eyes. Was it from my memories?

Lucy's hand brushed on my cheek, wiping away the tears I did not notice.

"Aiden." I saw her mouth move. She... she just called me by my name.

"Do you understand me?"

She furrowed her brows for the first time. "Don't cry." She whispered. And my heart broke hearing her voice. That I couldn't help but hug her.

"I'm sorry." I cried out. All of my pain resurfaced. "I'm sorry."

I felt her hand patting my head. "Lucy is sorry" She whispered.

Lucy. She is not Laine. But then, "Can you be Laine for now?"

I heard a hum.

I don't know how long I was hugging her. Or if I was crying or not. I couldn't even think of anything. Not even what I said. I pulled away and watched as she stare at me.

"Thank you." For once, the burden of my pain somehow alleviates. I suppose I couldn't forgive myself.

"Ehem.. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Ajax walked in placing a food tray on top of a shelf.

"Care to say if there's any new vision?"

Right. He knows that I saw something before.

"Nothing."

He narrowed his eyes.

"She showed me one before we left for the lake. It was just the stone. But there was nothing about Elena."

"Perhaps, she is not really as connected with the other guardians." We are the exceptions, but why? Wait, Lucy can now understand us. Maybe she can answer.

"Lucy." She turned to me. "Can you tell us about the visions?"

"I told you she can't understand us."

"No. She spoke to me a minute ago."

"Right." He sounded unconvinced.

"She really did. Right, Lucy?" But she... just stared at me. No, it can't be right. She spoke my name a while ago. She told me not to cry. She... wait. She needs emotions to understand. We had skin contact. Maybe... I reach for her hand, holding with both my hands.

"Lucy." I called again. "Do you remember me? It's me. It's me. Remember?" I stared at her. Hoping, worried.

"Aiden." She... I was not imagining it.

"She spoke." Ajax said in disbelief.

"She can communicate through emotions and I think it is limited to skin contact." That's why I only had the vision. Now, I understand it. "You can understand me, right?"

"Yes." Lucy answered and my heart jumped in excitement and relief.

"This is Ajax." I turned to him and she also did. Her eyes recognizing.

"Ajax." She repeated. I felt her hand slipping as she faced him. I let her hand go and she is reaching for him.

"I think she wants to know you." However, he stepped back.

"Lucy." He called. "I'm sorry." His fists are clenched and he couldn't even look at her. "I'll talk to her through you. That's enough for now." There's something on his words and his actions. We were both connected with her, there must be a reason but why does it seem like he doesn't want to be anywhere near her?