The Equivocal Trilogy: Opaque

Chapter 11

  I blink my eyes to see Zal on my right. Odette on my left, but no signs of Taron.

  "Hey," Zal whispers quietly and I return the greeting. "You alright?"

  "I hope so," I reply. I feel strong heat in my body, and I can feel the force of the air trying to push the fire out of me. "Where's Taron? And Zerina?"

  "Taron injured Zerina with some thorns and all, Zerina's outside with her Mythical Officials helping her. I think they are going back now," Zal replies.

  "Oh," I mutter. Odette watches us silently. "You almost killed me."

  "Sorry," Zal says softly as he helps me up. "You know that I didn't know what I was doing right?" 

  "Yeah," I say. "It was just like my nightmare."

  "It was?" Zal asks and he looks like he is recalling. "Yeah, it was. Are you really feeling better?"

  "Kind of," I say as I look at my shirt to realise that it is already torn and burnt in the flames. Realising that my stomach can be seen, I try to hide it with my hands awkwardly. "I need a new shirt."

  "I know," Zal replies as he places his hand on mine. "You still feel really warm."

  "I feel it too," I say quietly. "Still burning inside I guess."

  "Odette can't do anything about that," Zal says as he shakes his head. "You will get better, right?"

  "I will," I say, though unsure, but I don't want him to sorry. Zal smiles as he helps me to stand up. Odette helps me too.

  "I should have came in earlier, maybe Lumi wouldn't be that heated up inside right now," Odette says.

  "But it's my fault! If I just did not follow Zerina's instructions, no one would be like this now, Zal would probably be awake, it's my fault, Odette. Certainly not yours," I say to Odette as tears form in her eyes.

  "It's not your fault," Zal says. "It's Zerina's. She was the one that started all this."

  "Don't cry," I tell Odette as we embrace and Zal watches quietly. Odette shows me a faint smile before she walks towards the door.

  "I'm fine," Odette says. "I'm going to find Taron, okay?"

  "Kay," I say before leaning against Zal as I try to follow Odette. "I want to get rid of Zerina."

  "We all do," Zal replies. "She is hurt badly I guess, with Taron's strong damages. We have time to plan."

  "I don't want to plan," I say. "I can just kill her now."

  "But you wouldn't kill her before knowing more truth about ourselves, will you?" Zal asks.

  "I might," I reply immediately and Zal sighs.

  "You know, sometimes I just hate you," Zal replies honestly and I keep quiet. I want to know why, but asking might make me feel worse. "Sorry, I don't really mean that, but sometimes I just don't like the way you treat me sometimes."

  "Yeah," I say quietly as I stand up on my own and stop leaning on him. "Then I shouldn't have kissed you just now, I should have just sat there and wait for my death to arrive." 

  I walk out of the room alone, searching for Odette, the girl that always make me happy. As I take each step slowly, I feel someone holding my hand. 

  "Zal, let go," I say firmly before pulling my hand back. 

  "Lumi, I was just being honest," Zal says as he follows me.