Wild Hunt

~ Chapter Eighteen ~

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~ Chapter Eighteen ~

"You'll find me in the woods

Where the dead do what they should

My arms already old

My eyes forever cold

And they'll say I never left

That I called them as they slept

That I haunted every tree

Till the forest sang with me

But if it all was true

That I went mad, because of you

Then finally you'd know,

And you could come, and take me home

Take me home, and help me love you

Take me home, to where my heart moves"

Make Me Pay, Kyla La Grange

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It felt as if my heart was breaking. A violent tremor shook my body. Diana dropped the papers and rose to hold me as I collapsed onto the floor. I tried to open my mouth, to speak, to cry out, but I couldn't. It was as if my voice had abandoned me. I clutched the chair tightly as Diana tried to pry my hands away. I could see her mouth moving, tears silently streaking her face, but I couldn't hear anything. I could tell she was begging, pleading with me until she gave up and simply held me tightly to her body. It felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt my Stag arch and wail. Diana held me closer, whispering meaningless words, but the warmth of her skin was a shallow comfort. It felt like I was falling apart, my heart was being shredded to pieces. My knuckles were stark and white against my skin. My nails dug into the palms of my hands. I stared mindlessly into the nothingness. Alessia Myers was dead.

"How?" I mumbled dispiritedly. Diana's hand, which had been gently stroking my head paused. I looked up to find Nathalie startled frozen, her eyes never leaving her plate. I turned to Julius but he moved the papers away from me, and knelt before me.

"Maeve, this has nothing to do with you, or any of us." he spoke calmly, before resting his unwavering gaze upon Diana. Her hand didn't move from my head. I felt my eyelids flutter as tears threatened to break. I stared at Julius for a long time. There was no expression in my eyes, no hatred, just an undeniable meaning.

"I want to know." I spoke slowly, every syllable hitting him with force. His eyes moved to Diana once more, something in them flashing in accusation.

"She drowned herself in the river." Lydia whispered. Everyone's heads snapped to watch her worn figure. She stood by the table, the papers in hand, her eyes prancing over the pages. She remained composed as she flipped to the next page.

"She killed herself." she concluded quietly. A mournful whimper wracked through my body. The tears began to stream down my cheeks, flowing uncontrollably as I shook my head pathetically. Diana clutched me tighter. I felt her chest flutter as her breathing became erratic, quiet sobs reverberating through her entire body. I heard the chair scrape against the ground as Nathalie steadily rose from her seat.