I lift my head up from uneasy pillows
Put my feet on the floor
Cut my wrist on a bad thought
And head for the door
— a-ha
◇────◇────◇
Over the next few days, Alessia dedicated herself to honing her gift, delved into the subjects she needed for the upcoming semester, and sought out activities to do in the past.
It seemed somewhat peculiar to her, as she felt as though a substantial amount of time had elapsed since the conclusion of the first semester, yet she was still in the middle of her holiday, knowing that the new semester wouldn't commence until August 12th. Time truly proved to be one of the most enigmatic aspects of the universe, never conforming to expectations and always contingent upon the perspective and focus of the observer.
On August 1st, a Tuesday, as the clock struck 9 am, she made a conscious effort to cease dwelling on her recent finding in Tiryns, where she had observed someone carrying a sword — a deviation from her previous experiences, indicating a shift in her route, one she had hoped would lead to crossing paths with Didyme (though, unfortunately, it didn't).
Instead, Alessia redirected her focus and took action. She phoned both the Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu academies, resolute to ascertain which martial art suited her best before broaching the subject with her father. This discussion had to happen a week from the upcoming Thursday, as he would be working shifts that weekend and therefore hopefully sober on Thursday. Setting up trial classes at both venues within the same week, with the first scheduled for the next day, was a stroke of luck for her. Afterward, she dove into online searches for affordable pepper spray and possibly even a taser.
At nightfall, Alessia once again attempted to concentrate on the mulberry tree, only to find herself beside Caius. However, this time, Aro had just persuaded him to embark on a hunt, and Caius was making his way out. Refusing to remain confined within the house, Alessia exited simultaneously with him. As she did, she witnessed the precise moment when Caius halted, his gaze fixed on the trees in front of his home. He just stood there, occupying the very spot where the tree provided shade.
Alessia departed before witnessing anything further. She had a new agenda in mind, one she was resolute in pursuing. She didn't care about Caius' actions or inactions. Her focus was now on locating the city's administrative center, where she anticipated encountering politicians and military figures. With any luck, she hoped to glean information about the Trojan War. ̶H̶o̶p̶e̶f̶u̶l̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶T̶y̶r̶i̶n̶s̶'̶ ̶a̶d̶m̶i̶n̶i̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶i̶n̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶c̶h̶.̶
On Wednesday, Alessia attended the test class for Jiu-Jitsu. She had conversed with the instructor, who informed her that while the beginner classes were on Monday, she could participate in the Wednesday class for the trial if she wanted. Alessia boarded a bus and followed her usual route to the university, which was conveniently located just one kilometer away from the Jiu-Jitsu academy.
Upon arrival, she encountered a male instructor adorned in the customary attire she associated with karate Olympians, sporting a red belt. The class proved engaging, with the instructor intermittently conversing with Alessia while supervising the session and issuing directives. He took the opportunity to explain the significance of the different belt levels, subtly conveying his advanced status. He then elaborated on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, detailing its emphasis on bringing opponents to the ground, assuming a dominant position, and applying various techniques to secure submission through joint locks or chokeholds.
Alessia found the lesson intriguing, though she reserved her judgment for later.
That evening, Alessia delved into her search for information about Tiryns. She managed to locate a map that provided a general layout of the city, allowing her to estimate where Caius' house might be situated. Although she couldn't pinpoint the exact spot, she had a strong hunch. As she suspected, the administrative center, which encompassed the palace, altar, and other key structures, was indeed in that vicinity. In spite of that, she couldn't figure out the exact location of the agora on the map, leaving her unsure whether the administrative center was closer to or farther from Caius' residence.
In her dreams, Alessia once again found herself alongside Caius, witnessing the same conversation between him and Aro regarding Marcus. This repetition left her disappointed and angered. Determined to break this cycle, she hastened her dreams, watching as day turned to night. Having said that, as the sun began to rise, signaling the start of a new day, Alessia was abruptly startled awake by a sharp pain in her chest. She struggled to breathe, experiencing intense discomfort. The pain was so strong that tears came to her eyes and she was left gasping for air, almost wheezing.
This meant that, that Thursday, Alessia found herself moving slowly throughout the day due to the return of intense chest agony. She relied heavily on medication to alleviate the pain, though she also had to contend with a migraine — an extremely unwelcome sensation after a week of respite. Fortunately, the headache medication proved effective in providing relief this time.
Despite her physical struggles, Alessia managed to devise a study schedule for History of International Relations, utilizing materials provided by Julia. She planned to review the notes her friend had prepared and even decided to skim through her own summaries of other classes' content to refresh her memory. Realizing the ambitious nature of her plan, Alessia acknowledged that to accomplish her goals, she would need to time-travel through each day, effectively doubling her efforts before the semester's start. This schedule would not only require her to sleep more frequently but also subjected her to an increased frequency of dreams — something she hoped to gain control over in due time.
That night, thankfully, Alessia experienced a restful sleep without any dreams plaguing her.
Friday repeated twice due to Alessia's time-traveling, affording her ample time to delve into her studies on both the Chinese Empire and the Sumerian Empire. As she absorbed Fossaert's perspective that Asia served as the focal point of the ancient world before the era of feudalism, Alessia found herself inclined to agree with this viewpoint.
During both iterations of Friday night, Alessia endured the same recurring dream, finding herself beside Aro but in different locations each time. The first night, she materialized at his right side before walking away, choosing to maintain a considerable distance from him as she remained resolved to locate Tiryns' administrative center. The second night, she appeared when Aro was heading towards Marcus' room, making her curse at the repetitive nature of her dreams and her inability to progress beyond the current cycle.
On Saturday, Alessia attended the Muay Thai class, only to quickly realize that it wasn't the right fit for her. Several factors contributed to her decision. Firstly, she noted the extensive list of required equipment that she would need to purchase herself — items like gloves, a mouthguard, elbow pads, and more — that she knew she couldn't convince her father to buy for her. Secondly, the atmosphere of the class felt overly aggressive and intimidating, especially because everyone present appeared extremely irritable, fit and muscular.
A fleeting thought crossed Alessia's mind, one she promptly dismissed: imagining how well-suited Caius would likely be for Muay Thai or at least for this class of Muay Thai. Hastily ignoring this observation, Alessia acknowledged that this martial art wasn't the right choice for her and decided to stay with Jiu-Jitsu — or maybe she should explore other options that might better align with her preferences and comfort level...? No, she didn't have time for that.
That Saturday evening, Alessia attempted to slow down time in hopes of gaining extra study hours, but her efforts were in vain. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep and found herself dreaming of Caius yet again. In this dream, Caius stood outside his house, his expression guarded as he gazed at the trees. His demeanor shifted as he turned his focus to the mulberry tree, visibly clenching his jaw. Seeing the familiar pattern, Alessia promptly left this scene and endeavored to reach the center of Tiryns, half-believing in an irrational notion that doing so might halt the repetitive nature of her dreams.
Although she didn't quite reach the exact destination, Alessia came close enough to catch sight of the palace before waking up. This partial success filled her with excitement and renewed determination to uncover more about Tiryns and potentially gain control over her dreams once again.
On Sunday, Alessia awoke with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. She resolved to make up for lost time in her study schedule by gaining additional days. To achieve this, she repeated Sunday three times, effectively extending the day by 72 hours. During the first Sunday repeat, she devoted time to delving into the two Fossaert books provided by Professor Renata via PDF, which enabled her to make substantial headway in understanding the material and to create her own detailed summaries.
In the second Sunday rerun, Alessia completed reading the book, created a detailed summary of its contents, and worked on answering questions related to the text using the activities provided by Julia. Despite her best efforts, Alessia still struggled to manipulate time to her advantage, feeling frustrated with her inability to control the slowing or hastening of time like she did while dreaming.
Throughout the third Sunday repeat, Alessia made another attempt to utilize her gift but ultimately faced disappointment when her efforts proved fruitless. Undeterred, she refocused her energy on studying once again, steadfast in making the most of her time and preparations for the upcoming semester.
During the three repeated Sunday nights, Alessia's experiences diverged significantly. For the first time, she successfully reached the palace of Tiryns and spent hours immersed in awe, meticulously studying every intricate detail of the ancient structure. This brought her immense happiness, even though she didn't manage to find where the military was discussing the Trojan War.
On subsequent Sundays, Alessia continued her exploration, venturing outside the palace to explore the surrounding areas, including the altar. Each discovery left her captivated and eager to absorb as much as possible. Although Tiryns' palace lacked the grandeur of Egyptian monuments like Malkata, it still held a profound significance and beauty that resonated deeply with her. She felt compelled to document her experiences, wishing she could capture these moments through photography or artistic expression, knowing that memories could fade over time.
On Monday, Alessia was genuinely happy, her spirits lifted as she sat down to write and (badly) sketch her experiences. With a grin on her face, she softly sang to herself while attempting to capture in words and drawings the magnificent palace she had visited. Despite her drawing skills falling short, she poured her heart into illustrating her memories. She also took to the internet to search for images of Malkata, attempting to pinpoint and enhance her recollections of that ancient site.
However, Alessia's joyful mood was abruptly interrupted by a knock at her door. The unexpected visitor shattered her good spirits to such an extent that she felt compelled to leave her house.
◇────◇────◇
Alessia furrowed her brows in confusion upon hearing the unexpected knock at her door. She wasn't anticipating any visitors, and the fact that the knocking came directly at her door implied it must be someone from within her building. Or, at least, she hoped it was a neighbor, because surely none of them would be foolish enough to allow unknown individuals into the building without caution.
When Alessia opened the door, her relief was immediate upon seeing Marli standing there and she mentally berated herself for her paranoia. Marli stood with her typical bun and black dress, which Alessia noted was the same style to the pink dress Alessia had been wearing last time they talked. It seemed that black was Marli's preferred color, and Alessia thought it suited her well, despite her already fair skin that made her appear even paler in the dark attire.
"Hi, Marli," Alessia greeted warmly, flashing a smile. "I love your dress, you have great taste," she half-quipped.
Marli shifted slightly on the spot, looking a bit flustered but pleased. "Thank you," she replied with a nod. "I took advantage of the university holiday to engage in some shopping. I had ordered this dress some time ago, and it just got delivered," she explicated.
Alessia's lips twitched slightly at the tone Marli used, as if attempting to explain herself, possibly due to concerns about Alessia being put out that they would have similar clothes. Alessia didn't need any explanation, though. She genuinely thought the dress looked great on Marli and didn't mind expressing her admiration.
"It really suits you," Alessia reiterated with sincerity.
Marli nodded again, appearing uncertain of what else to say, before extending the package she had been holding toward Alessia. "The package arrived this morning," she began in a composed tone. "The delivery person informed me that he attempted to use the intercom to contact you but was unsuccessful. Since he was delivering this dress to me as well, I suggested he leave your package with me."
"Oh," Alessia responded, a touch perplexed. "I didn't realize my intercom had a problem," she admitted, slightly surprised by the news.
Marli's tone sounded apologetic as she commented, "It's not uncommon with these older buildings."
"That's probably why Julia had to call me instead of just using the intercom," Alessia mused aloud, connecting the dots.
"Pedro from apartment 32 encountered a similar issue last month." Marli continued, going on to mention Pedro's complaints, remarking how his frustration became incessant, particularly after his air conditioner malfunctioned. "At times, I simply desired peace, but he persisted in his complaints, as though they could alter the weather," Marli added with a hint of exasperation.
Alessia huffed in amusement. She had seen Pedro in passing in the corridor before, as they lived on the same floor, and they always greeted each other politely but never really interacted beyond that. It surprised Alessia to hear that Marli and Pedro were close enough for him to confide in her about such matters.
"I don't even have an air conditioner here, but I can certainly empathize with enduring the scorching weather," Alessia remarked sympathetically. "Although I do prefer hot to cold."
Marli offered a curve of her lips. "I must admit, I don't see any particular difference between the two. Either climate suits me well enough," she replied casually.
They engaged in polite conversation for a while, during which Alessia offered to collect any future deliveries for Marli. She suggested that Marli could simply send her a message if she picked up another package for Alessia, and Alessia would come to Marli's apartment to retrieve it, sparing Marli the inconvenience of leaving her own apartment again. Marli reassured her that it wasn't a bother and that she'd be happy to assist with deliveries whenever needed.
After a brief pause in the conversation, during which Marli seemed hesitant to just leave, Alessia sensed the awkwardness and decided to conclude their interaction. "Well, it was nice chatting with you, Marli. Thank you again for holding onto my package. Let me know if you need anything," Alessia said politely with a smile.
Marli nodded in agreement. "Of course. Let me know if you need anything as well," she replied amiably before taking her leave.
With Marli's departure, Alessia closed the door, balancing the small, lightweight package in one hand. As she headed back to her sofa, she began to speculate on which item from her recent order with Julia might have arrived. The package's size and weight suggested it could be the eraser, additional graphite for her mechanical pencil, a bottle of liquid paper, or perhaps a set of colorful post-it notes.
Truthfully, Alessia was surprised by the quick delivery, considering the initial estimate of August 10th for arrival, but she couldn't help but feel grateful for the prompt service. If the package contained the post-it notes, it meant she would have more paper to use for her origa—
Ah. It wasn't from Amazon.
Alessia's heart skipped a beat as she opened the package, expecting her stationery supplies but instead finding the crystal bee she had purchased for Helios carefully nestled among bubble wrap. Dread and anxiety churned in her stomach as she processed what she was seeing.
The realization hit her hard — this wasn't a delivery of her everyday items; it was a reminder of something way more personal and hurtful.
In an instant, Alessia's eyes filled with tears, overpowered by a flood of emotions and memories that didn't make any logical sense and that she definitely didn't want to be dealing with.
Alessia had been enjoying such an amazing day up until this. Everything had been going smoothly — she had written down her experiences visiting Malkata and the Tiryns Palace and Altar, even finding maps and photos of surviving ruins to organize in folders on her laptop.
Why did this damned thing have to be delivered today? It could have arrived days earlier, or even gotten lost and never found its way to her door. But of course, it had to show up just when she was finally experiencing some genuine happiness, alone, for the first time in weeks.
Of fucking course, Alessia had to be reminded of the fact that she had liked ̶H̶e̶l̶i̶o̶s̶ ̶Marcus so much that she had given him an endearment, trusted him, and gone out of her way to find something special for him. She had spent her time carefully considering what she could give him, genuinely considering him a friend. And in the end, he didn't even respect her enough to disclose their connection in a timely manner. To make things worse, he had used her ignorance of their connection to manipulate her.
As if dealing with recurring dreams every fucking night and a persistent headache and heartache that never truly went away — just dulled enough to ignore — wasn't enough. As if being tethered to people who lacked the decency to apologize or even attempt to understand her perspective wasn't enough. As if having to see them everyday wasn't enough.
Enraged, Alessia marched away, heading straight for the door and locking up her house. She was not about to deal with this nonsense right now. Determined, she decided to search for information to put an end to it. If the internet didn't have what she needed, she'd turn to the library and government websites.
It would only dawn on Alessia later that her sadness had finally been overtaken by anger.
◇────◇────◇
Alessia entered the public library, politely greeting the two librarians and offering each a sweet smile, before heading straight for the shelves.
Alessia had endured a bus ride packed with people, a crying child whose wails threatened to burst her eardrums, and a creepy guy who couldn't seem to stop staring at her. She might have suspected he was some sort of supernatural creature, if she hadn't become accustomed to dealing with men like that since the beginning of her adolescence.
Therefore, she was definitely not in a good humor, which made her even more irritated considering how wonderful her mood had been earlier. This only served to worsen her temper and increase her irritation — it felt like a never-ending cycle.
In her foul mood, Alessia made a firm decision to continue rewinding time until she unearthed even the faintest clue that might offer some answers. She was resolute in her pursuit to discover anything, no matter how insignificant, that could shed light on whether she could reject this bond and what repercussions might follow.
Alessia wasn't naïve. She wasn't expecting to find a book that outright declared, "Yes, vampires exist and here's everything you need to know about them, including about mates," because after 18 years without any tangible evidence of the supernatural, she knew such information wouldn't just be lying around. Rather, she intended to search historical records for vampire lore — some culture throughout History have to have had something resembling what she knew about it.
Alessia had been so content just ignoring everything, and now she was forced to confront it all. She felt an overwhelming urge to punch something — or maybe someone. The idea of punching three someones sounded particularly appealing.
If she was going to be forcefully reminded of everything, even due to her own horrible decisions, then she was determined to fully commit to it — information was crucial for severing these ties definitively.
Alessia decided to begin her search with Africa, considering it was the birthplace of humanity and potentially the origin of vampires and werewolves as well.
Egypt was the first place that came to mind ̶,̶ ̶e̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶s̶i̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶M̶a̶r̶c̶u̶s̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ Alessia knew there was a rich history and religion very well-known associated with the region. However, her search yielded nothing substantial. So, she shifted her focus to Mesopotamia, regarded as one of the earliest known civilizations where humans first settled.
Here, finally, Alessia found some promising information to begin her quest.
In ancient Mesopotamia, various cultures recounted tales of blood-drinking beings. Among these civilizations, the Persians were pioneers in depicting such characters, with imagery of creatures trying to consume human blood discovered on excavated pottery shards. Similarly, ancient Babylonia featured legends of the Lilitu, portrayed as a demonic entity that fed on the blood of infants and their mothers.
Besides Lilitu, several other demons from Mesopotamian beliefs displayed vampiric traits. While Alessia found these stories intriguing and saved them for further reading, she realized they didn't cover what she was specifically looking for: folklore about vampire mates or soulmates. Despite her disappointment, Alessia remained resolute and continued her research in hopes of discovering more pertinent information.
Alessia's exploration into ancient Greek lore also failed to yield information on supernatural mates, even though she more or less already knew that as she had read Percy Jackson. Instead, she discovered several precursors to modern vampire legends that she noted down to read about later, such as the Empusa, Lamia, and striges.
As Alessia delved into Indian traditions about vampires, she was intrigued to discover mentions of vetalas — returned spirits of evil-doers or those who died insane — who exhibited vampiric traits. Inspired by this discovery, Alessia expanded her search into Indian lore surrounding soulmates, which led her to discover interesting beliefs across different cultures. In some Hindu traditions, there was a concept of karmic connections between souls, suggesting that certain individuals were destined to be linked together through their karma. Additionally, in Gujarati culture, the concept of "lehnu" was described as a profound connection with another soul, resulting in repeated encounters that positively influence each other's lives toward a higher purpose.
This certainly caught Alessia's attention. It could be just a coincidence, but the parallels between the beliefs Alessia had uncovered and what she had heard from Marcus about mates were clearly there. The idea of souls being connected and guiding each other toward a better life certainly seemed to align with Marcus' description of mates as individuals whose souls are intertwined, leading to mutual growth and avoiding the pitfalls of madness and stagnation.
It wasn't a perfect match, but it was a start. Alessia attempted to dig deeper into it, but to her dismay, the similarities stopped there. She went as far as placing the book down and trying to search on the internet, shifting her online location from Brazil to India and trying in more than one language, but it was futile. She couldn't locate anything in Indian culture that aligned with the other details she knew about soulmates.
There was no mention of reading emotions, rejecting or straining bonds, or anything similar. She wasn't sure if this was because she lacked the necessary knowledge within Hinduism or if such topics simply weren't discussed. Nonetheless, she resolved to try and mo—
Alessia straightened in her chair, her muscles tensing involuntarily as a shiver traced its way up her spine. A sudden unease gripped her, causing her heart to quicken its pace. She glanced around the room, her eyes darting from corner to corner, trying to pinpoint the cause of her tenseness. The air felt heavy, despite the ordinary appearance of her surroundings. An unsettling feeling gnawed at her, making her senses hyper-aware of every detail, amplifying the inexplicable sense of wrongness.
Around Alessia, the library bustled with activity. People were engrossed in various tasks: reading, typing on laptops, scribbling notes, and navigating the library computers. Each individual seemed absorbed in their own world, their concentration tangible.
As a man entered through the door and passed by Alessia, she scrutinized him closely, attempting to determine if he was the reason for her unease. He bore distinct Indigenous features, strikingly attractive in his white suit, matching hat, tie, shoes, and carrying a white suitcase. Their eyes briefly met, and he flashed her a grin, revealing a set of pristine white teeth. Despite his appearance, there was nothing overtly alarming about him to provoke Alessia's reaction. He certainly wasn't a vampire, of that she was certain — though she couldn't quite pinpoint how she knew. There was simply something about him that emanated humanity, and he proceeded without acknowledging her further, striding purposefully toward the opposite end of the room.
Suddenly, Alessia was jolted by the loud sneeze from the woman seated beside her, causing her to nearly jump from her chair, her tension already at a peak. Then, to her astonishment, the woman's movements began to unfold in agonizing slow motion as she reached for a tissue already positioned on the desk. Alessia watched, transfixed, as every gesture was drawn out with an almost surreal lethargy.
Turning her wide-eyed gaze across the library, Alessia realized that everyone around her had descended into the same slow-motion. The man she had observed earlier was now methodically arranging his belongings on the desk, each movement drawn out with exaggerated slowness, mirroring the tempo enveloping the entire space.
What on earth? Alessia hadn't deliberately manipulated time, so how had she done it? Why had she even managed to do it?
Alessia continued to move at her regular pace, unaffected. As she hastily adjusted her chair, moving a little to the side, her heart thundered with a mix of confusion and fascination. Every fiber of her being was captivated — Alessia had done it. She had done it while awake.
Then, out of nowhere, everything snapped back to normal. At once, Alessia felt a sharp click in her brain, and as the world returned to its usual speed, a searing sensation engulfed her limbs. It was as if her entire body had been plunged into a furnace, a prickling heat spreading rapidly through her veins.
From head to toe, every small part of Alessia's body throbbed with aching intensity. It was as if she had just completed a marathon, muscles protesting with every movement. Her head grew heavy, a dull pressure building behind her temples, while her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
Grateful to be seated, Alessia realized her legs would have undoubtedly buckled beneath her if she had been standing. She took slow, deliberate breaths, attempting to steady herself against the lingering waves of pain that washed over her. The abrupt physical strain left her feeling drained and disoriented, struggling to make sense of the overwhelming sensations pulsing through her body.
Alessia spent the next few minutes fighting off the sensation of impending unconsciousness, her brain struggling to regain its usual functionality. Eventually, she closed all the windows on her computer and made the decision to head home. She attempted to time travel to not have to walk, but failed, which was extremely concerning.
Upon arriving home, Alessia consciously avoided looking at her living room sofa, intentionally averting her gaze to avoid thinking about the crystal bee resting there. Moving quickly, she took a fast shower, brushed her teeth, and went straight to bed, despite the early hour of 6pm.
That night, Alessia found relief in dreamless sleep, yet upon waking, she discovered that she still felt unusually fatigued. Throughout that Tuesday, Alessia's attempts to turn back time even by a single hour were fruitless. She lacked the energy to venture back to the library to pursue her investigation, unsure how she had even managed to return home the previous day without succumbing to exhaustion.
Thus, Alessia opted to conduct her research from her laptop, hoping to take advantage of the day to gather information and continue her studies in the comfort of her own space. The familiar surroundings provided a sense of security that she definitely needed right now.
Be that as it may, Alessia's attempts to focus on her studies or research about soulmate bonds were continually thwarted by her persistent thoughts about the strange event from the day before. The questions swirled in her mind like an unyielding storm: How had she managed to slow down time? Did her ability affect only the local environment or the entire world? How did such a phenomenon even work, and could she replicate it at will? Why did it happen? Why had she felt so tense from one second to the next?
The lingering fatigue she experienced after the episode raised further concerns. Was it simply a human limitation, as Aro had argued with her before? Had her body been unprepared for the strain of manipulating time? Would she never be able to use her gift again? Was that man related to it? She was certain he was human, but it couldn't just be a coincidence.
As the day wore on, Alessia found herself grappling with a sense of time slipping through her fingers, even though this time it wasn't her gift's fault. She was grateful for the time elapsing fast, for she couldn't shake off the overwhelming sluggishness that seemed to weigh her down like a heavy blanket. Her mind struggled to function properly, as if she had been struck by a severe illness.
Hours later, her suspicions were confirmed when she was besieged by an onslaught of sneezes and coughs. Alessia felt her body succumbing to the relentless assault of symptoms, each fit of coughing and sneezing worrying her a little bit more. Was this a normal cold or the lingering effects of the strange events at the library?
Regardless, being sick only served to sour Alessia's mood further, as she detested the incessant sneezing and coughing that plagued her. The looming presence of the crystal bee on her sofa only added to her bitterness, a constant reminder of the unresolved problems she faced, including her uncertainty about being able to reject the bond.
In the end, with a sigh, Alessia picked up the crystal bee and placed it alongside the fan Marcus had given her and the relief stone from Caius, a silent acknowledgment of the memories they represented. Though the objects held significance from her past encounters, Alessia couldn't help but feel a pang of angry melancholy as she consigned them to a corner of her room — these were always going to be representations of memories now.
◇────◇────◇
That night, Alessia drifted into a dream, a relief that reassured her of the continuity of her gift. Yet, this sense of solace was swiftly overtaken by a new and unsettling feeling. For the first time in days — maybe weeks? —, Alessia found herself standing next to Marcus, who appeared noticeably ill.
◇────◇────◇
Notes:
Today's chapter was quite reflective of Alessia's state of mind (aka a lot). Significant events unfolded, revealing crucial information — though I confess they are mostly concealed in the narrative — alongside important changes and decisions. Alessia's crystal bee for Marcus finally arrived, much to her dissatisfaction, which is entirely understandable.
Also, throughout this fic, particularly in the latest chapters, Alessia's thoughts repeated themselves sometimes. In this chapter, it became more evident why — Alessia is reminding herself, almost like a tether to reality, fearing that without conscious effort, she might forget the reasons behind her emotions and actions (which is a reflection of her upbringing).
Eat healthy and feel free to share your thoughts with me — I'd love to hear your theories about what happened/is happening <333