Serene’s POV

After spending two days with me Zeph decided to go home. I didn’t want to act selfishly by stopping him any further. These were desperate times and everyone deserved to be with their families.

We stood by the portal and he had his arms wrapped around me as he whispered: "I will come to meet you again, I promise."

"I know, I will wait, and if you ever need my help. You know where to reach me." I handed him an emerald stone, I had an identical one myself. Kilamin had gotten these for me. They were communication stones. They glowed when touched with the intention of calling someone.

Once he would touch it with intention of calling me, mine would instantly begin to glow, informing me he needed my help. I had given him an extra one for Ralph.

"Thank you and just stay safe, don’t go overboard and run behind monsters." He instructed me in a serious tone, his smile evaporating and his lips forming a straight line.

"I will try," I tilted my head at him and he shook his head at me.

"Serene, it’s time for him to go." Kilamin finally spoke up from behind me. We were sending three fae guards with him who were to drop him off at his house.

Reluctantly I let go of him and stepped back as he gave me one final look before entering the portal jelly and disappearing. I sighed seeing him go and my heart ached.

"You will see him soon, I am sure they will open the Institute again," Kilamin spoke again hearing me sigh.

"I know, but he kept me distracted and I didn’t feel that impending gloom when he was here." I confided in Kilamin as we began to head back to our castle, which had been completely restored by now. It had been entombed by the shield once again.

Our conversation was disrupted by Zian who came panting toward us and stopped just inches away, bending down he took deep breaths as if he had been running for hours.

"What happened?" I patted his back and asked curiously.

"Arlo woke up...He wants to see you." He uttered while panting. A warmth filled me to hear he was finally awake, I had been planning to secretly use my ’Healing Arrow’ in a few days if he hadn’t woken up. Kilamin had been very strict and overprotective in this regard and didn’t let me use one either for Ayrden; who was still in the coma, and Arlo. If Arlo could break out of the coma then Ayrden had hope too.

"Lead the way, Kilamin I will catch you later." I waved him goodbye and he simply nodded, letting me go to see my friend. This time we flew and reached the Infirmary located near our castle.

"How was he when he woke up?" I inquired from Zian.

"He was a bit confused but then he gradually became accustomed to his surroundings. We checked his vitals and offered him some blood. He seems better now. He requested to see you so I came as quickly as possible and also hoped that Zeph was gone." Zian filled me in on the details and dread fell over me. I knew he would request to return to his realm, his parents, Dria, were all there.

Once we had reached the door of his room, Zian told me he had some errands to run so he will catch me later. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," his sonorous voice sounded from inside. Entering his room I found him sitting on the bed, with a grave look on his face which dissolved to be replaced by a small smile as his gaze fell on me.

"Heya! How are you feeling?" I greeted him while advancing toward his bed and settling into a seat beside it.

"Been better, my head still hurts but it’s fairer to be conscious than be unconscious." He tilted his head to look at me.

"I am glad you woke up. I don’t think I am ready to lose anyone else." I met his gaze and saw a serious look overtake the kindness he held for me.

"What happened Serene? What have she and I done?" There was urgency in his voice and his eyes had darkened a bit, his fists clenched as he held on to the dear sheets of his bed.

"You didn’t do anything, even if you did you were under her possession. She on the other hand....killed my grandmother." It was hard for me to speak those words, still seemed like an unfathomable reality where she didn’t exist anymore.

Arlo closed his eyes, hiding away the pain my words carried. His knuckles turned almost snow-white from the pressure he applied to his hands. I reached out and patted his knuckles, hoping he would relax. His eyes flew open and darted to me holding boisterous stormy emotions.

"I am sorry, forgive me, Serene. Your grandmother was such a kind lady." He spoke in a hurt tone.

"It wasn’t your fault, she did it. Not you." He placed his other hand on mine and pressed gently.

"I wish I was strong enough to fight her mind control. I tried Serene but couldn’t ward her off. She took advantage of me and made me do horrible and repulsive deeds. She made me hurt you." I could feel his inner battles for I had been in a similar situation where I hurt Kilamin and couldn’t fight her back.

"You didn’t hurt me, she did. And you came to your senses when I hugged you. Don’t blame yourself for something which was not in your control. Remember I have been there." I tried to reassure him, so his heart could ease a bit.

"Serene..." he whispered my name as if in pain. His grip tightened around my wrist, a tiny tear scrambled down his cheek. He was crying and it hurt my heart. He never cried. What had she done to him? What did she make him do? I could see how broken he was.

"Arlo, talk to me. What did she do? Don’t cry. Please." I wiped his tear with my other hand.

"She...she forced me into killing... innocent people. I have blood on my hands, she made me bring her to them so she could feed and regain her youthful look." He let go of my wrist and hid his face in his hands. His whimpers shook his whole body, I had never seen him in this state and it shook me to my core. My throat felt constricted seeing and feeling his emotional turmoil.

I couldn’t stop myself and scrambled to his side, hauling him into an embrace, holding onto his left shoulder, so his head rested on my shoulder. Arlo let go of his face and slipped his hands around my waist and held on tight as he cried, silently. I didn’t say anything, just let him cry for a while as I soothed him.

Taking an innocent life would take a toll on anyone and Arlo was different from regular vampires. As far as I had known him, he had a heart of gold that wouldn’t hurt an innocent soul.

I could imagine the burdens he was carrying, the guilt that was mingling with every fiber of his body, and the heightened emotions he must have been feeling through. I was in the same shoes, for every death that occurred, I felt responsible, for every individual that fell victim to her, I felt responsible, and for every soldier that lost his life, I felt responsible.

Both of us were tied together by this invisible thread making our destinies collide again and again. Where we shared and understood each other’s pain like no one else could. So I understood the afflictions his heart had been plunged in.

Arlo stopped crying after a while and placed his cheek on my shoulder and took my hand in his before mumbling: "Sorry, you had to see me in this state. I am a mess."

"You are not, you don’t have to act strong all the time. You are allowed to show your emotions, at least to me." Hoping he found some solace he sought.

"Serene, I have to go back. My family is being held hostage by her." I stiffened at his words and he noticed because he lifted his head and turned to face me.

"She will kill you," I blurted out, feeling anguish seep into me, thinking about the way I had found him.

"She won’t," he replied calmly taking my face in his hands, making me stare into his red spheres which held so much affection for me.

"How do you know that?" I questioned staring back at him.

"Because I am from her bloodline, the cursed bloodline. Yes, I belong to Meliana’s bloodline. She is my ancestor, just like Sahala is yours."

This had me stunned. I knew they used to be best friends until they became mortal enemies and Sahala entombed her in the Dark Realm along with the monsters. The barrier around her tomb broke somehow and she was set free. But learning she was connected to Arlo made me speechless.