White Orchids {BOOK 1 COMPLETED}

Chapter 17 - (Part 1)

She smiles.

It's not sad nor happy. It's a peaceful one - like she welcomes death with open arms. It was different from the earlier woman Clover had reaped. She had accepted it, but she never smiled peacefully. The woman in front of us wanted to die.

The smile dies out as we meet her gaze. First, she looks at me, then she moves the grey, round eyes towards Clover. She doesn't seem neither surprised nor confused about his coal-marked clothes.

She slowly gets up from the burning floor and takes small, careful steps forward.

"I'm dead," she says and stops a few meters away from us.

"Yes," Clover answers even though it wasn't a question.

He doesn't seem as confident as he usually is. He's tense and he won't move a slight millimeter. What if he cannot handle her? The thought is terrifying and leaves a troublesome feeling in the pit of my stomach.

She sweeps her gaze over our clothes.

"I'm dead," she repeats perplexed. "What happens after I die?"

She takes two more steps forward and extends her arm a few centimeters. Clover straightens his back and looks even more tense than before. He never lets go of her with his gaze.

"You stay here as a specter -" before he could say anything more Meeri tightly grabs his wrist.

She stares at him with large eyes and her face moves in pure panic. "You cannot leave me here!"

I can feel the heat from the fire. It moves aggressively when she squeezes his wrist harder. A black color seeks its way down Clover's hand, yet he stays completely still. Had I not seen how he tensed up before, I'd believe he wasn't fearful and had the situation under control. Now I'm not sure of that.

"You have to calm yourself," he says with a calm and collected tone.

"You cannot leave me here!"

The same ash that covers half of Clover's hand now wanders from underneath the nightgown and travels up to her chin. When she opens her mouth, I can see what looks like flames erupting from the beginning of her throat. Her face is grimaced in pure agony. I take a step forward. Clover moves his free hand and stops me by holding a tight grip around my wrist.

"I'm not going to leave you here."

The ash that has made its home on her body stops growing right underneath her lips.

"It's up to you whether you want to stay. But if you don't calm yourself, you'll be stuck here for all eternity. You won't be yourself; you'll be a wrathful wraith that burns everything it touches."

The ash has reached Clover's fingers and it's only his fingertips that are untouched.

"You're lying."

"I promise you, Meeri. I gain nothing of lying about this to you. You can keep holding onto me if it makes you feel safer."

I think I've never heard him speak so softly and gently, like he's caring for a fragile flower. She softens her grip around his wrist, but won't let go completely.

"Listen carefully, Meeri. I want to help you and that's why I am here, but you need to calm yourself."

She shakes her head. "No, I cannot. You don't understand..."

"Yes, you can. I'll help you, alright? But you need to let me help you."

Her eyes widen. "How?"