"Essa!, My queen" Jace and Rafi yelled at the same time and ran forward to catch Vanessa as she fell to the floor, but to their surprise, Vanessa slowly changed into a green creature.
"What!" Jace exclaimed.
"Jace, Jace!" Vanessa yelled as she came running in the same manner as the previous and Jace thinking it could be another impostor withdrew his sword and stabbed Vanessa. Vanessa gasped, but to her surprise, the sword broke into two and fell to the ground.
" You're a silver blood!" Matthew muttered softly as he and Hudson arrived there.
*. *. *.
"Of course, I should have known, Valentine's a silver blood and he is your father," Matthew said resting his palms on the table before him.
Vanessa then winced a little and Matthew looked up at our carefully observing her.
"We have to do something about the Acrylys," Rafi chimed in.
"Yes," Jace affirmed and gave a positive nod.
"The Acrylys needs a guardian and Jace is the last guardian left." Rafi continued and Vanessa suddenly darted her eyes at him.
"What are you trying to say?" Vanessa asked, trying not to believe her suspicion of what Rafi intended.
"I have to sacrifice my life or else, Mr Harper's visions would become reality." Jace said, being the one to confirmed.
"No, no, Jace you can't do this" Vanessa said and swallowed nervously.
"He has to." Rafi retorted and Vanessa glared at him.
"There has to be another way." Vanessa added.
"There is no other way, Jace has to do this or else, Hecrydos will break free and you will lose Jace either way." Rafi said.
*.*.*.
Vanessa sat on her Throne as the council meeting ended and they all went out one after the other except Matthew. Matthew and Vanessa were soon the only ones in the room.
Vanessa stood up and walked towards Matthew.
"How is Lucille?" Vanessa asked with guilt in her eyes.
"She left already." Matthew said.
"Oh." Vanessa muttered and swallowed once again as she recalled what happened after defeating the changeling.
"Yes, we did it." Hudson jubilated.
"You did it." a voice said and they all faced back to see Lucille leaning on the doo
"Lucille." Matthew was almost whispering.
"You all did it and you will always." she continued.
"What do you mean?" Matthew asked in confusion..
"I'm leaving for Trishana tomorrow." Lucille replied and Matthew's expression took three quick stages. He was surprised, then sad, then had pity.
"I want to go out there and start a new life with people who know nothing about me. People I'll live with and get trusted. People that will see me for who I am." she added and there was an awkward silence.
"I was away for a whole day and none of you noticed so it is nothing, I went to the knight school to say my byes to Toshiba, so that's it." Lucille sniffed.
"Just came to say my byes.." she added with a drop of tear dropping down her left cheek.
"I'm sorry Matthew, I caused this," Vanessa looked apologetic.
"No, I did, I'm responsible for every action she has ever taken, I shouldn't have brought her into this, I shouldn't have dragged her into my so wanted revenge on Valentine, I should have left her in the castle with Patricia." Matthew said.
"Yes but have you ever thought that if you had left her she could have been dead either killed by Valentine or presumably die in the void." Vanessa said.
"That reminds me, the pendant was splitted into four by my mom to four kids, Lucille was with you then, who was the fourth kid and how did the fourth pendant piece get to you?" Vanessa asked.
"Author." Matthew replied.
"Who is Author?" Vanessa asked.
"Vera's son, I think something happened to him cause I found only his pendant piece when it landed in front of my house, I think the waves from the portal killed him," Matthew said.
Vanessa then winced a little and continued walking.
"You're pregnant." Matthew said.
" Yes, how do you know?" Vanessa asked.
"Is Jace aware?" Matthew asked.
"No, I haven't had the opportunity to tell him, everytime I try to, something comes up." Vanessa said.
"Well, you need to" Matthew said.
*.*.*.
Vanessa's POV.
I opened the door to my chamber ready to tell Jace I was pregnant. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I break the news to him.
As I entered the room, I saw Jace lying on the bed, asleep. I walked to the bed and stretched out my hands to tap him but I stopped he was probably very tired from the day's stress. Maybe I should also sleep and then break the news to him, first thing tomorrow morning.
*. *. *.
Jace's POV.
I woke up very early in the morning and dressed up. I had to do this before Vanessa got up. The Acrylys is almost dead and if I don't do this, the world would be subdued by Hecrydos.
I looked at Vanessa on the bed, she looked like an angel as she slept. She would be broken if she wakes up to find me gone, but I had to. I looked at her belly, she was pregnant. I had known two days ago and I had waited for her to break the news. I then kissed her belly and dropped the note I had written on the bed and left the room not daring to look back at Vanessa again.
*. *.*.
Vanessa's POV.
I stretched out my hands as I slowly opened my eyes. I then stretched my right hand around the Jace to hold Jace but he was not there. I then turned sideways and sat upright, surprised. I then noticed a note on the bed and picked it up. On opening it, I saw a very short and shocking note.
I'm sorry Vanessa
But I have to do this
I have to save the world
Remember that I'll always love you.
Reading this, Vanessa jumped out of the bed, got into her sandals and ran out of the room.
*. *. *.
"Rafi we need to do this fast" Jace said.
"We can't do this unless on the Queen's command." Rafi said.
"We both know Vanessa would never agree to this" Jace said.
" But..." Rafi said but Jace cut in.
" Okay, as your king, I'm commanding you to carry out this ritual." Jace said in a serious tone.
"Okay, step into the ring of fire." Rafi said as he dropped a red liquid on the floor before the Acrylys.
Rafi then began to chant as Jace stepped into the ring of fire.
"Stop!" Vanessa shouted as she ran into the room followed by Matthew.
"Jace don't do this." Vanessa said.
Jace's POV.
"Vanessa I have to do this, the world needs me now and I can't turn my back on it." I said and Vanessa moved closer.
"Jace, I'm...." Vanessa said but I covered her mouth with my left palm afraid she was going to tell me she was pregnant and then I wouldn't be able to do this.
"I love you" I said and kissed her managing to keep her silent.
I then broke the kiss and nodded at Rafi who then completed the chant and suddenly a wall of fire, blue in colour built around me and then slowly closed in on me.
"Nooo!" I heard Vanessa say and try to run towards me but being held by Matthew.
A drop of tear then dropped from my eyes as I slowly withered into thin air.
🎵When you hold me like this
and when you kiss me like that.
It's hard to believe that you're not coming back to me 🎵
( Album by Celine Dion )
As Jace withered into thin air the withered leaves of the Acrylys on the floor disappeared as the Acrylys bloomed.