Breaking the Curse

Chapter 45

"Liny?" Michael exclaimed in surprise as he saw her walk out of the room, looking healthy and radiant.

Liny gave him a playful shove and made her way over to Sebastian, who was sitting outside on the steps, wrapped in a blanket with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

He turned around and smiled as he met Liny's eyes. His smile was sad, but Liny could see a glint of hope in them.

"Hey," Liny said softly, sitting down next to him and looking out into the dense forest ahead of her.

The cabin was a small two-bedroom with many holes and cracks in the floor and ceiling, and it was dusty as if no one had cleaned it in months. But Sebastian seemed at ease here. This was where Alice and her foster parents used to live, last year. He had told Liny that yesterday.

"She means a lot to you all, doesn't she?" Liny asked gently, squeezing his hand.

He nodded. "She was the closest thing to a sister I ever had. That's why... that's why I'd risk anything to save her. Because she would do the same for me." His voice cracked slightly, and Liny felt a pang of sympathy for him.

"You're a good person, Seb. And neither of us deserves what happened to us. What they did to us." Liny said firmly, lifting his sleeve to reveal the three marks on his wrist. The scars that they both shared. The scars that marked them as different from the rest of the world. The scars that showed their connection to the ancient power within them.

Sebastian looked at her with gratitude in his eyes. He flipped her hand over carefully and kissed her palm gently. Liny felt a jolt of electricity run through her body. She had never felt anything like that before.

"Do you think Agent Malcolm is still alive?" Sebastian asked quietly, his hand trembling slightly.

Liny took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around him. "Yes. But I promise you he won't hurt you or anyone else ever again. We'll stop him. We'll stop this thing once and for all. And then we can finally move on with our lives." She said with conviction.

Sebastian hugged her back tightly and buried his face in her hair. She smelled like coffee and pine needles. "What about the person you love? V said they have someone you love held captive. Are they there at the base too?"

Liny felt tears sting her eyes as she thought of her mother. She hadn't seen her in years, since they took her away from her. She didn't even know if she was still alive.

"I... I don't know, Seb. I don't know if I can save her." She whispered.

Sebastian lifted his head and looked into her eyes with compassion. He wiped away a tear that rolled down her cheek with his thumb.

"Hey, hey... don't give up hope, okay? While we're there, closing the gate, I'll do anything I can to help you find out where she is. And if you promise to help us save Alice, I promise you I'll do anything I can to help save your mom." He said earnestly.

Liny nodded and smiled weakly. She linked her pinky with his and squeezed it lightly. "I promise." She said.

He smiled back and kissed her forehead softly. He then sighed and looked back at the forest. The sun was rising slowly, casting a golden light over the trees.

"How many of us do you think there are?" He asked softly, his eyes wandering over the half-destroyed house and the surrounding area.

"I don't know. Hopefully not too many. It sucks... sometimes I feel like a weapon or a monster." Liny replied, resting her head on his shoulder.

Sebastian wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. He kissed the top of her head gently.

"Liny... technically, aren't you my... my sister? Since we both have the Angkorian gene?" He asked, half-jokingly.

Liny laughed softly and looked up at him. She saw a sparkle in his eyes that made her heart flutter. She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. He kissed her back eagerly, wrapping his other arm around her waist.

"Sisters. Yeah, sure." She said, smiling.

Liny felt a surge of determination as she tightly gripped Sebastian's hand in her palm. She knew this was their only chance to end this nightmare, even if it meant facing their worst fears. But she also knew that she wasn't alone. That she had found a family in Sebastian and the others. That she had found love in him. She was no longer a weapon or a monster. She was a hero.