Chapter 346: One Son is Alive, the other is Dead

(Rigel)

Why is my life just one tragedy after another? I thought that after finding Saiph and discovering my mom is alive, we would be on the road to recovery and reunions.

But here, my shadows are collecting the brutal remains of my brother. I place his head with his body. The part of my shadow that had remained with him is missing but I sensed it on Amaia, clinging onto her maybe giving her some kind of peace.

We are all so broken, speechless...

I sit near Saiph. My hand on his chest.

That vile woman has taken everything from me.

My dignity, my peace, my mother and now my brother as well.

Twins are by my side, standing like two assuring pillars and I feel their grief. Our combined mourning is crushing my chest.

The tears won’t stop falling from my eyes.

"Rigel!" I hear a desperate voice. Turning my head I spot our father with my blurry vision.

Astounded and confused, he rushes towards me, gathering me in his arms.

"Rigel, you are alive?" His embrace should have been assuring but it’s not. "I am so sorry my son, please forgive me."

19 years and this man didn’t even try to completely investigate the incident which took away his mate and child. I know he must have been under her control too but my reasoning is gone for now. All I sense is rage and he is perfect to vent it on.

"No thanks to you. You never looked or cared, you didn’t even know you had another son being kept as a slave right under your nose. Some father you are." I push him away and point towards Saiph’s tattered body.

His grieved and apologetic gaze shifts from me to Saiph on the floor.

Tears cling to his eyelids. "Is....is that true?" He questions in broken words.

"Yes, and we wronged him so much and now he has been taken away by the woman who gave birth to me. I refuse to call her mama anymore," Alnitak angrily says, shifting his gaze to his father.

"How did this even happen?" He asks, trying to take in the surroundings.

"We don’t know. But I think she captured Amaia and him and tortured them both until he was made to take his own life. We are shifting him from here and then we are setting this place on fire." Mintaka moves towards Saiph’s body and my shadows lift him so we can take him away from this wretched place.

"We are taking him to our room and after that, we are going to hunt her down." Alnitak follows us with heart-jolting malice on his ever-smiling face.

"And I am going to kill her," I flatly tell everyone. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"She escaped to Istrale with Bellatrix. She was here and now I don’t sense them. They are gone," our father speaks, with his shoulders fallen low and face with a look of defeat.

"You didn’t stop her?" Mintaka demands.

"I couldn’t until a few moments ago when a light went through me and whatever curse she had on me broke. Memories returned in abundance and now I know who she really is. I am sorry I have been such a horrible father."

"Burn this place down. We need to place crystals and spells around the palace so she won’t return. Amaia and Alnilam’s shields will help too. But first we need to bury our brother and get my mother back," I flatly tell him before leaving him with his thoughts.

The three of us drag ourselves out. With Alnitak holding Saiph’s scythe. Every step is an ordeal carrying our brother. Every breath is painful. I want the ground to split open and swallow me so this pain would end.

Gently, laying him down on Alnitak’s bed, I sit beside him. My shadows have already closed his eyes and they refuse to leave his body. It’s still warm and he appears to be sleeping. His body is not even turning blue.

Mintaka informs Alnilam of our whereabouts while Alnitak kneels on the floor beside his bed and places his hand on Saiph’s chest. He is still holding the blood-drenched scythe like a lifeline. His sobs fill the air around us.

Soon, the door opens. Alnilam and Amaia walk inside. I had expected him to carry her after everything she has been through but she is walking with nothing but hatred and determination coating every centimetre of her face and gait.

Not only that, my shadows have formed some kind of light orb. It’s dark and thick like oil on the edges but the centre burns with this bright light as it hovers right above her left shoulder. It’s changed and yet I feel connected to it and Saiph at the same time, even though he is gone.

Amaia comes and sits by his head. Her hand is resting on his forehead and then she asserts.

"I am going to bring him back. I think part of his soul is trapped in Rigel’s shadow and I can use my powers to resurrect him."

Alnilam goes stiff behind her at the suggestion. I know what he is thinking. We don’t bring back the dead. They are dead for a reason. And we don’t even know how to do it. But I am not going to tell her this. I am as crazy as she is and I will give anything away to have my brother back.

She lovingly caresses his forehead. Her eyes have this crazed look which I know there will be no reasoning with.

My eyes shift to the glistening orb. It definitely has something trapped inside it.

It’s Mintaka who takes the initiative to speak with her.

"Amaia, he is gone. We can’t...." Her head doesn’t turn in his direction, her eyes remain fixated on Saiph.

"We can and we are going to. Those who don’t agree with this decision can leave the room," she says point-blank.

No one moves, everyone remains exactly in their spots but we all share disturbed glances. Our mate is so volatile and none of us has a clue what to do about it.