The Queen's Test - Book II [Down Draft]

Chapter 40: Warmth

Scarlett is about five months pregnant, almost six, by the end of this chapter. Time sure does fly...

Chapter 40: Warmth

Saturday-Saturday,

July 13-July 27

Alec's POV

"I'm going out for a run!" Heaven called.

"Stop her!" Pierce called frantically. Without thinking about why, Addison and I ran after her, but she was gone before we could get to her.

"We couldn't get her, Pierce. Why'd you need her?" It wasn't that big of a deal that we didn't get her...yet.

"Oh, shit," he said. He looked really distraught. He looked at us, and the features of his face became hard. "Get everyone in the throne room, now." We looked at him for a second, and he only seemed to get more upset. "Now!"

Addison and I left immediately.

Once everyone was in the throne room, Pierce had us seal the doors and check the vents.

"They're clear," Zane, who had come back with Scarlett shortly after Heaven came back, declared.

"Now, what's this all about, Pierce?" Sakaylem asked worriedly. "Is it about Heaven? Is she all right?"

He didn't answer for the longest time. Then, he finally spoke. He was leaning against the throne, where the Queen and King were currently sitting, waiting patiently.

"Yes, it's about Heaven, and...no, she's not all right. And she won't be."

"What? Pierce, what are you talking about?"

He waited a moment to speak. "The day Heaven came back, you remember she gave me a letter, correct?"

"Yes," I said. "You said it was about a recent breakout."

"Yes, I did say that. And, I lied." He walked to the center of the room and fished the letter out of his clothes. "Heaven," he said, and his voice cracked; his features turned solemn. "Heaven is going to die."

No, I just didn't hear him correct. Yes, that's it.

"What?" It was Heaven's mother who asked. See, she didn't hear him correctly, either, I told myself.

"Here, read for yourselves." He held the letter out, and before anyone else could grab it, I snatched it from his hands.

My eyes ran over the words more than once. Tears streaked my cheeks. Damn human tears...

"Let me see that!" Addison took it from me, and I didn't stop her. I couldn't stop seeing the words in my head.

...something is killing her without her knowledge, and it will not stop....

...She doesn't have long...

"Oh, my God!" Then, it was Sakaylem's turn to read it. Addison was crying dry sobs against Crispin.

"Why did you wait until now to tell us this, Pierce?" Sakaylem demanded.

"Because of this very reaction. Heaven...she doesn't need pity. She needs her family figuring out a way to kill whatever's killing her before it finishes the job," Pierce said quietly.

"When Heaven gets back, we're going to start looking for answers," Michael declared after he finished reading the letter. 

"Why is it always her?" Addison cried out.