xviii

Ophelia was screaming, but no one could hear her. She tried moving her body, but everything stayed still. She had no control over anything. Everything ached. Everything felt like it was burning.

Ophelia wanted it to stop.

She couldn't handle it. It felt as if her inner organs had become liquid. She couldn't remember anything. Nothing.

What happened? Why am I feeling like this?

Ophelia wanted to come out of it, but couldn't. I'm not dead. I can't be. I have things to finish, people to protect. I can't be dead. I just can't!

Ophelia wanted to scream out more. She wanted everyone to know that she was still there. Maybe, when she wakes up, meeting Caspian and her dad and Yuki and Perseus would've been a dream. Yes, that's it. A dream.

Ophelia still felt like she was on fire, she couldn't figure out why. A quiet hum got her attention.

"You couldn't have waited a lot longer to come back here?" It was her mom. She looked cross for some reason. "Mom? What do you mean? What's happening?" Ophelia went closer to her.

"You're changing, Eli, because Perseus was being selfish," Natalia rested her hands on Ophelia's cheeks. "Well, now that you're here, I can explain more to you about necromancy." Ophelia looked confused. "The power you and I have?"

"Don't tell me you forgot about it," Natalia smiled gently, before nodding. "You can talk to the dead. The dead will speak through you. It's hard to get used to, trust me, but you of all people shouldn't have too much trouble with that."

Ophelia nodded. "Is that why I can talk to you? Because you're dead?" Natalia nodded. "Yes, that's exactly why." Ophelia blinked before turning her back towards her mother and wrapping her arms around her midsection.

"The pain will go away. I trust you also read some of the books in the library?" Natalia asked, walking up and patting Ophelia on the back lightly. Ophelia nodded. "A lot of information, Mama. Thanks for showing them to me."

"Good." Natalia said, before looking down. "Ophelia. You have to go. Go home. Be with your dad. I know you want to stay with me. I know we've had this discussion, but I need you to beat Perseus. He's taken everything from me. I don't want him to take everything from you."

Ophelia stood up from her slouched position, hands resting in front of her stomach. "I know." She looked down and grabbed her mother's hand, squeezing lightly. "I'll miss you." Natalia wrapped Ophelia in a hug. "I'll miss you too." Tears welled up in Ophelia's eyes as she turned away, her back towards her mother. If she turned back now, she'll lose all control and stay with her mother.

No. I can't stay. I have things I still need to do.

---

Caspian had fallen asleep with Ophelia's hand grasped firmly in his. When Ophelia moved, pulling her hand from Caspian's gently, he woke up. "Eli? Yo-You're awake?" Caspian's eyes lit up as he jumped up and wrapped her in a tight hug, tangling his hand in her hair.

"I thought I lost you." Caspian whispered into her neck. Ophelia hugged him back, just as tightly. "I know now. I know what I have to do." Ophelia told him once he pulled away. She told him about the conversation with her mother and how she could stop everything.

"Ophelia, that's not safe. You shouldn't do that." Caspian said, grabbing her hands and holding them close.

"What do you mean?" Ophelia knit her eyebrows together.

"You just transformed. That seeped most of your energy right there." Caspian explained, reaching over and grabbing a mirror. "You don't even look like the Ophelia I brought here."

He held the mirror in front of her face, letting her soak in the fact that her once dirty blonde hair has now turned black and her eyes are now a crimson.

Ophelia slowly reached her hands up and held onto her hair, looking down and turning it over so that she could look at it better.

"So, I'm a demon now?" Ophelia asked slowly. Caspian nodded and put the mirror down. "Perseus' is in custody." Caspian informed her.

"I want to see him." Ophelia immediately said, moving to get out of the hospital bed. "No. No, you can't." Caspian said, pushing down on her shoulders. "You don't need to see him right now."

Ophelia knit her eyebrows together and glared up at him. "Why can't I?" Caspian sighed. "You just... can't." Ophelia got out of the bed and walked around, glaring up at Caspian.

Caspian crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. "You just can't." Ophelia rolled her eyes and turned her back on him before walking back to the other side of the bed. "Where's dad?"

"Interrogating." Caspian said, sitting down onto the hospital bed. Hopefully Ryuu or Apollonia isn't going to walk in yet. Ophelia turned and looked at Caspian. "Interrogating Perseus?"

"I figured." Ophelia said once Caspian nodded. "I'm going to see him anyways." Ophelia continued, turning and walking past Caspian. "Wait!" Caspian jumped up, running after her. Ophelia waved her hand and continued walking down the hallway.

It's almost as if she was never hurt in the first place. Caspian thought. He brought his hands up to his hair and tugged at the roots. "Eli, wait up!" Caspian called out and ran towards her.

---

"Why did you think it was okay to kidnap my daughter and forcibly change her into a full-blooded demon?" Abraxas asked, walking back and forth in front of Perseus, who was tied to the chair and had a bloodied face.

The guard stood off to the side and wiped the extra blood from his fist.

"Because I wanted to." Perseus repeated, spitting out some blood. The guard went to punch Perseus once more when they heard the cell door open.

"Thank you." Ophelia said, bowing her head to the guard who opened the door. Caspian lifted her up before she could step in a pile of blood, causing her to suck in a breath.

"Ophelia, I'm glad to see that you're up." Abraxas smiled. Ophelia squinted her eyes. "You're hurt. You need to go get checked out," She walked up and rested a hand onto his cheek. "Mom told me to keep an eye on you."

Abraxas' eyes widened. "You talked to her?" Ophelia smiled and nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me." Ophelia said as she stepped around Abraxas and stood in front of Perseus.

Ophelia glared down at him. "Untie him."

"My lady?" The guard asked, shocked at such a request. Caspian and Abraxas both looked at her. "I said, untie him. I have a bone to pick with him." The guard looked back at Caspian and Abraxas, waiting for the approval. Abraxas nodded his head.

The guard walked around the back of the chair and cut the ropes tightly bound around his wrists. Perseus brought his hands around front and rubbed his wrists. "My my, Darling, I never expected-" Ophelia smacked him as hard as she could. Perseus' head snapped to the left as she stood up taller.

"That was a tickle compared to what you made me go through," Ophelia growled. "You took who I was away from me. You took my humanity!" Ophelia leaned closer. "Where did that land you?"

Perseus let out a breathy laugh. "You'll thank me later. I saved you." He sneered in Ophelia's direction. "No. You hurt me." "You were human. They wouldn't have accepted you. Where would you go, when they turned their back on you?" Perseus asked. "You were helping me become at least a half-demon, yes, but I was helping you by changing you so they wouldn't turn on you."