The choosing

24 - the end

As we get to the ceremony I'm in awe. The decorations and everyone so well dressed is everything I could imagine.

We walk up to the entrance Theo practically carrying me with his one arm that's placed around me.

"Ready?" He asked as we stood in front of the doors.

"Ready" I tell him.

He pushes open the doors and we walk inside. The room is dimly lit and there's tables all around. We take our seats with the group at a center table and wait for the ceremonies to begin.

"Hello everyone! You all look amazing" an older lady announced. "Today is the choosing, I hope you all found someone to spend eternity with... we will now begin the first ceremony, we will call each person up individually to announce the person they have chosen"

As they begin announcing names I watch and listen as each person goes up and announces who they have chosen. When Theos name is finally announced he zaps in front of the mic in a flash and smiles.

"Millie evergreen" he announces proudly.

The crowd cheers making his smile bigger and in a moment he's standing in front of me placing a soft kiss on my lips.

The next named called is mine, leo gets up and helps me to the mic. As I step forward to say Theos name leo steps back from me giving me all the spotlight.

I look out and around the room my heart swirling with excitement to finally say his name to everyone.

"Theodore cox" I smile.

The crowd cheers and leo helps me back to the table. I lean over to Theo who sat beside me and kissed his cheek.

After everyone announced who they would be choosing they instructed each couple to make their way to the empty rooms upstairs. Each couple will have their own room and this ritual will bind the couples together.

Theo lifted me up and carried me to an empty room. As he set me down on one of the chairs in the middle of the room he took his place beside me.

"I'm kinda scared" i tell him

"Don't be, I'm right here" he tells me grabbing my hand for support.

After a few moments of waiting a women stepped into the room and greeted us.

"This binding ceremony will not be easy" she informs us. "It will take everything you have and make you guys one"

I look to Theo nervous but when he gives me that soft smile I know I'll be alright.

The lady doesn't explain anything as she demands us to put out our hands. She pulls out a knife out of nowhere and my heart begins to pound. She then cuts our hands and takes a cup from the far corner of the room putting it under our hands and letting the blood fall into it.

Once the cup has a decent amount of our blood inside of it she turns her back to us and starts chanting some words Im not sure of. When she turns back she hands Theo the cup first and tells him to drink, then she hands me the cup.

I take a gulp and let the metallic flavours slip down my throat.

I was beginning to think that whatever was supposed to happen wasn't happening till my heart started pounding fast and hard. I could feel my blood circulating at high speeds and a pain in my chest began to grow.

I looked over to Theo who seemed to be having the same symptoms as he grabbed at his heart pain on his face.

"This will be the painful part" the lady says.

As the pain gets worse and my heart feelings like it's going to explode I scream. My hand flings to Theos and I grab onto him squeezing his hand for dear life.

"It will only be a few moments longer" the lady told us.

I just have to get through a few more moments and it will all be worth it. But as Theos pain started settling down mine only seemed to keep getting worse.

"What's happening" I scream out as my chest burns.

"This is not right" the lady says shocked.

Theo turns to me panicked and pulls me close to him. Asking me over and over what was happening. As the pain got worse I could feel myself fading in and out of consciousness.

I could hear Theo screaming for me to stay awake and to not close my eyes. I could feel the tears he shed fall onto my face. I grew weaker and weaker with each passing moment and all I could think of was that Lacy won.

I knew I didn't have much time left, so I did the only thing I needed to do.

"I love you" I whispered.

"I love you too, now please stay strong" Theo cried out.

But I couldn't, not because I didn't want too but because I just didn't have any strength left.

***

Theos pov.

It's been a week since the choosing.

She died.

After what happened the council examined Mils body and discovered that the poison Lacy used only activated and spread when the special bonding potion was in her system.

During the bonding process whatever weird ingredients they add to the cup of blood destroys half your heart and rebuilds it with the blood from your partner. That's what makes it feel like the person you've chosen is your other half. Because the bonding literally makes it so your partner is the other half of your heart.

Unfortunately the bonding process was completed before millie passed. So now I feel a never ending emptiness that I'll never be able to fill.

From what I was told Lacy found out about the poison from her dad after I kicked him off the council and told her to get out of vaine. I was the reason millie died, I deserve nothing but a half empty heart for the rest of my life. I should have known that the cure lacy told me wasn't the right one. I should've been smarter.

I told her that nothing would happen to her while I'm around, but me being around brought her to her death.

I'm sorry millie, please forgive me.