Chapter 154

“Aren’t you going to say hello?” Barbie repeated, tilting her head to the side.

I think it was at this point that I was beyond angry. Beyond hurt and distraught. It felt like the closer I got to her, the more it felt I was walking in quicksand. But I had to see it for myself.

Erek held her close, cradling her like she was his child—a notion that would comfort me at any other time.

“Let me see her.” I asked softly, not daring to move a hand towards her just yet.

“Darlin’...” he warned, eyeing me warily.

“No!” I exhaled, slow and steady, holding my spirit back as long as I could. “Let me see her. Please, Erek.” Firmer this time but gentle nonetheless. “I have to know.”

His eyes fluttered closed as he steeled his resolve. After a steady pause, Erek gently placed the bundle on the ground and moved the blanket out of the way. There, beneath her broken, disassembled limbs, lay my mothers head. Her face was serene, but I couldn’t trust my eyes just yet.

I had to touch her.

A sob broke out of me as I ran my thumb across her taut cheeks and over her wide little nose.

“Mama.”

I picked up her remains, confirming it was her and cradled her to my bosom. “Mama!” The tears flowed like a river as I said her name over and over again. If I held her close enough, she might feel it. If I said her name loud enough she might wake up.

How many more lies would I tell to help ease the pain?

“My family is dropping like flies.” I mumbled, wiping my face clean while Erek stood to my left and Guy to my right. Neither one wanted to hold me first—probably weren’t sure whether I’d let them.

“First Anais and now mom.” The words were a whisper as my world started closing in on itself.

My chest tightened so hard that I couldn’t breathe. I had to rush and put my mother’s remains down as I bent over and threw up on the rooftop we were standing on. There wasn’t enough solid food in my gut so damn near everything coming out was liquid despair and something else. Something darker that I’d been holding back for years.

Hatred. Pure and unadulterated loathing.

As my stomach settled down, I glanced up at Erek, locking my blue eyes on his red ones.

“Who?” I barked out the question.

“Sapphyra I—”

“No.” I held up a hand, stopping whatever bullshit he was planning on spouting. I sat back on my knees. “Just tell me who did this to her.”

I should have caught it; the little microexpressions in his body. The way Erek’s shoulders slowly slumped like he’d already surrendered himself. His eyes seemed to hold a struggle beyond our problems with fate and beyond the monoliths.

Standing up on heartbroken legs, I raised my chin and met his cold sight head on.

“Erek. Who killed my mother? I won’t ask you again.”

Twice was more than enough.

His silence was telling but when he unclenched his jaw and glared down at me, I knew his sin before he uttered a single word.

“I did.”

“Why?!” I yelled, letting my roar rattle the building around us. I didn’t give a damn if it collapsed from this.

“You know why, Sapph. Look around us.” He fanned his arm out towards the sky currently half orange and half blue like normal.

“You killed my mother because of the monolith?” I whispered, placing a hand over my heart. “Without telling me first?”

“She didn’t want you to know but I wouldn’t hide this from you.” He shook his head, taking off his cowboy hat and holding it in front of him like a tiny shield.

“She was my mother! We could have found another way to save her—” I felt Guy’s hand on my shoulder, grounding me back to reality.

“Could we have, angel?” He paused, searching my eyes for something I couldn’t give him right now: love. “The monolith only woke up because of Barbie answering your wish.”

I narrowed my eyes on him and sneered. “Oh so it’s my fault she’s dead?”

Shaking his head, he continued on, undeterred.

“That’s not what I’m saying and don’t you dare put this on yourself! Your wish was heartfelt but Barbie twisted it into a weapon to use you, a weapon that she’s still trying to use by the way!”

He was right, of course, but that didn’t make it any better.

“Guy, the fucking quest is over with!”

I hated that we were arguing back and forth over this but I needed it. I needed to feel something other than this pain—this emptiness. The knowledge that something I asked for killed my family? How do you recover from this?

“I know that it’s over with, Sapph,“ Guy shook his head, softly sighing. “What I’m saying is that it wasn’t your fault. It’s not Gramps or Wyatt or me. Only one person is to blame for this and she’s standing over there, waiting for you to make your next move.”

My teeth gnashed and flames licked at my mouth. I wanted to kill something, do something other than give her what she wants.

“I have only ever wanted to set you free, Sapphyra.” Barbie offered quietly. Her voice was lower than before, filled with more bass.

“Go to hell, Barbie.” I spit in her direction and glared daggers of hatred at her.

“Why is it that no matter what I do, you never see reason!?” she hissed. “I saved you from the constant pressure everyone else put you under.”

“No.” I closed my eyes.

“You can’t focus on being anything except what everyone else wants you to be! Why is it that me wanting you to be happy scares you so goddamn much?”

“Because it was never about you freeing me Barbie.” I took a step towards her, each one caused tremors in the building beneath our feet.

“It was always about control. You used my wish to torture me with my family and keep me locked in a loop playing hero.” As I got within touching distance, she started stepping back, eventually falling onto her ass.

Barbie’s eyes were wide with fear as I reached out and grabbed her by the throat. Watching her squirm was delicious.

Too bad I’m not a villain.

“The great thing is, I don’t need the system or a class or anyone else to tell me who I am.”

“Wh-what are you gonna do to me?” She whispers, trying to swallow more bullshit. I unfurled my wings.

[Quest Reward Granted: Beacon Hyperdimension Prison Blueprints.]

“I’m giving you what you wanted: that fucking prison.”

We took off in the air as I mapped out the perfect spot to build it.

“And you Barbie? You’re gonna be the first prisoner there.”