The Hollows Of Hiraeth (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book I

Epilogue

"It's the beginning when you start a book. It's the end when you finish a book. But it's a journey when you're reading a book. And when that journey ends, pack your bag and go on another."
—me the author, 'The Hollows Of Hiraeth'

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T h e H o l l o w s   O f
H I R A E    T    H
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T h e  A c a d e m y  of 
Z a s o l n i š t e

She's on the news. Again. She was on it when I couldn't sleep at eleven pm. She was on it the next day at seven in the morning. She's on it again at six in the evening, the same day, as I nurse an uneaten plate of dinner.

I threw away nearly all of my dinner and got odd looks from people around me. I had gotten looks when I had returned to the academy at dinner time yesterday. Everyone wanted to know what happened to the famous Sky Forest. I got looks today, and I heard the whispers when I walked past.

I made my way to our dorm. I hadn't been assigned another Special One—I hadn't been assigned another mission or position either. I could bet on the fact that the guardian council feel sorry for me, I lost one Special One to suicide, and another to the outside world.

She was still here; still alive. It just isn't safe—I can't get to her.

I sighed, pushing the key into the door to our dorm room. I wasn't sure if I wanted to move out or not, if I decided I wanted to move out; all of Sky's stuff would be thrown out, and I wasn't sure that I was ready for that.

I pushed the door open and was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of her. I gritted my teeth—I had only come back here to grab my ID card so I could visit Harry. Yes, Harry. Harry who had supposedly harmed Sky on several occasions, but because of Eden's force. Harry who had been involved in the overall plot to kidnap both Sky and I, but because it had been on Eden's agenda. Harry wasn't my enemy, the puppeteer was.

And then that nagging voice drilled at me. Harry raped Cassie. That was a crime. I couldn't dismiss that. Hell, I don't even think I respect him. But I tolerate him, and, right now, I'm the only one that tolerates him. And he's the only one that understands. Misery loves company, and in my case, Harry is the only company I can find.

I rushed into my room and swiped the ID card off my desk, darting out of the room as soon as I had, acting like the room that we had shared was plague infected.

I shook the memories of us away as I headed down to the jail cells. I stuffed both the keys and the ID card into my pocket and sped down the hallway.

I ran into Avery, Saph and Cassie, the three closing and locking Cassie's dorm room door behind them. Just when I try to rid the memories of Sky, they bite my heels as I tread over the roots in the ground.

Avery smiled at me and Saph followed her gaze, displaying a similar sympathetic smile. Cassie shoved her key into a pocket in her shorts and grinned over at me when she saw me standing there.

"Hi, Jameson." She piped up and I displayed her half a smile. I continued onwards with my walk, not uttering a word to Sky's friends.

I breezed past other familiar faces as I made my way down to meet Harry. I saw Toby; the poor kid ghosted around the halls, his brothers disappearance weighing him down—I knew how he felt. I saw Kim jogging through the corridors, probably fresh out of the guardian meeting I wasn't invited to and wondering where Cassie was off to next. Not far behind her were my friends, and Max gave me a curt nod before he contributed to the conversation they were engrossed in.