Part 24 (2/2)
”It's best for everyone involved? Do you think it's best for me?”
I bit the inside of my lip. I was so heartbroken. His brow furrowed but he kept his eyes on me.
”It's not safe,” he added.
”I think by now I've proved I'm more than capable of taking care of myself.”
”Ruby, why are you doing this?” He took my hand in his, caressing it gently with his thumb. ”Once we get back to the school, you'll be safe.”
”No, I won't be.” A single tear rolled down my cheek. ”Lucian won't stop and I'm not going to be the one preventing everyone from living their lives in peace and happiness.”
”We'll be fine, let's sort out the details tomo -”
”Eli, you were as good as dead and it was my fault!” My voice got the attention of a few nearby guardians but it didn't matter to me anymore. ”I saw your life draining from you drop by drop... I can't go through that again.”
”What about us?” he asked, his voice was low and urgent.
”The way you said that says it all. If we go back to Sage, we go back to our old semi-professional relations.h.i.+p of brief discussions and longing stares from across the dining hall. After all we've been through, I can't go back to that.
”Let's go!” Aaron, the guardian with the scar down his face, called to us.
Eli and I didn't budge. Instead, we stared into each other's eyes, waiting for the other to make the first move. It was obvious he wasn't going anywhere, he was too stubborn, so I rose to my feet and trotted off toward Mr Aleksandrov.
Without a glance behind me, I climbed into the back seat of Mr Aleksandrov's car. It was a lot like Eli's, only the insides were dark grey instead of white. Mr Aleksandrov got into the pa.s.senger seat and Aaron was driving. All the doors were shut and the car roared to life.
Slowly the car rolled forward, my teary gaze fell on Eli, watching me drive away. His face had returned to its usual hard stare, a stare that watched nothing but everything at the same time.
”You're doing the right thing,” Mr Aleksandrov said over his shoulder.
”Then why doesn't it feel like it?” I mumbled.
”Someday you'll be able to return ... and maybe you can be with the person you want to be with. There's a change coming, Ruby, and it'll help people in your situation and Mila's.”
His words. .h.i.t me. He knew about Mila's and Gabriel's love ... perhaps he could change things. If he did, Eli and I could be together freely, but until then there was no happy ending. I could feel it. The love that Eli and I have was great, but when has any great love in history ended well? Romeo and Juliet, Cleopatra and Mark Antony, or Tristan and Isolde? Each and every one ended in tragedy, be it death or banishment.
Once again I was leaving everything behind and starting a new life, and yet somehow it seems harder this time around. The thick forest whipped past me and the car picked up speed as it rolled onto the smooth highway. The harbor was disappearing rapidly behind me and I couldn't help but let the tears fall. Letting Eli go was the biggest regret I have made in this life.
”It's all for the greater good,” Mr Aleksandrov mumbled.
I guess only time will tell.
About the Author.
Skyla Madi was born in the small town of Port Maquarie, New South Wales in 1993. She spent half her life growing up in Wauchope, a thriving rural town at the heart of the Hastings River Valley before making the leap to the busy city of Brisbane.
Whenever this young Australian writer isn't changing diapers, watching cartoons, cooking for her husband or doing other motherly-wife things, she is actively working on her writing and improving her writing skills.
Skyla loves to read just as much as she loves to write and since discovering that YA/paranormal romance/urban fantasy/ are her favorite genres, she has embarked on her own writing journey and is currently working on a YA series t.i.tled 'The Guardian Angel' series.'
Twitter: @Skyla_Madi.
Facebook: /SkylaMadi.
Goodreads: /SkylaMadi.
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