After Math - Chapter Nine

Slowly rising out of bed, my body ached, and my muscles were stiff. I'm very disoriented, not sure if I had just woken from a bad dream or not. My eyes hurt from all the crying I had done for hours, till I had dozed off sometime during the night. I had forgotten that Dimitri had said he would stay with me, and sure enough, there he sat slumped over in the chair by my bed. I didn't want to wake him with him sleeping so peaceful. 

Trying to be quiet, I turn to put my feet on the ground, and when I glance up, I find Dimitri is now awake. "You stayed?" I say as the shock registers in my tone. "I told you that I would," he replies. He looks so tired, he must have just dozed off when I woke him up. His eyes are bloodshot with dark circles. 

I stretch one last time as I wipe the sleep from my eyes. I forgot that I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday as I slid off the bed. I knew I looked bad with my wrinkled dress and messed up makeup and hair. Then the realization hits me like a freight train, with a sudden pang of panic and fear, I remember my sister.

With full clarity, I shoot up off the bed. "My sister! Did they find my sister?" I gasp. "No word yet, they are still looking for them. They haven't found any signs that they have been harmed," he replies softly. "I got to find my parents," I told him as I headed for the door. "Do you want me to go with you?" Dimitri asked. "I'll go alone, you get some rest. I won't leave the house," I reply. 

I had to find my mom, she would know exactly what was going on. My mom would tell me the truth, she never hid anything from me. As I walk through the house in search of my mom, I keep telling myself that this is some bad dream, that this wasn't really happening. 

She's right where I figured she would be, I find her in her study sitting in the bay window. She's so preoccupied with her thoughts that she doesn't realize I had walked into the room. I walk over to her, "mom," I say softly. She looks up at me with a sad face. 

"Mom, are you alright?" I ask softly, almost in a whisper. "I'm doing the best I can, your father is taking it really hard. He's shut himself in his room, and no one but his guard is allowed in there. He's grieving pretty bad," she informs me. My father grieving! I have never even seen him cry, this is shocking to me.

I could tell she had not been to bed by the dark circles under her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot with the tear stains that had run down her cheeks.

Kneeling down in front of her, I take her hand into mine. "Mom, don't cry, she's still alive, I know it. We're twins, if something terrible happened to her, I would know. We're going to find her," I tell her as I try to soothe her pain. She swallows back a few tears, "I don't know what it is, I just feel like something terrible is going to happen. I just don't think I'll get the chance to see her again, I bet it's...............she trails off staring out the window. She looks back at me, "if the nightwalkers have her, she won't survive, they never do," she chokes out. "That's not true, she's a fighter, you know it, and Luke is with her. Not everyone dies, Dimitri didn't," I tell her, trying to give her some hope and a little bit of peace. She still looks grim but manages to force a small smile. "Your right," she replies weakly. "Try to get some rest, I won't keep you," I tell her as I stand. She gives me a small nod before I leave the room. 

I walk through the house as my heart breaks for my mom. I had never seen her look this sad before. She was always fierce and strong. As I'm standing in the kitchen at the sink, I see my father walking in the back yard. I head outside to talk to him. When I approach him, I can see how tired and anxious he is.   

"Dad," I say in a soft voice. "Emily, what is it?" he asks in a hoarse whisper. "I just talked to mom, she's really sad, how are you handling things?" I ask.

"I don't know what to do, I have sent out many search parties, and no one can find any traces of either of them. It's like they disappeared without a trace. No one has called demanding any money or even demanding anything. I don't know what to think," he replies. "It's going to be ok," I tell him. "Where are your guards? I don't see them," he asks as he looks around. "Emily!" he huffs. Oh no, he's mad, and I didn't want to upset him further. "I didn't know you wanted them by my side here on the grounds," I try to sound as innocent as possible. "No, they are to be by your side at all times, especially after what happened to your sister. I don't want you to be left alone, ever," he says with anger radiating through him. "Ok, I promise. I will have them at all times," I reply.

"I promise I will do whatever you and mom tell me to do. I don't want you to worry about me, that way you can focus on my sister. Just like I told mom, it's going to be alright, I know she's still alive, I can still feel her. Maybe she got away, and she's hiding until she can feel safe to come home. We will find her," I tell him as I force a small smile. "I hope you are right," he replies with a crack in his voice.