•𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞•

17. The numb

I didn't realise how much time had passed and I am sure neither did my brother. We were sitting at the atelier, the carpet in front of the almost extinguished fireplace. James was sitting on the floor, leaning on the armchair next to the fire place and I was laying on his lap, his fingers tangled to my black curls, he was muttering soothing words until my eye lids felt heavy, he was silent too. It was a dreamless sleep, of numbing pain, our sweet Barbara gone. Barbara so full of dreams, the girl in love ready to start her very own family, get married is soon to be ashes spread all over the world.

I couldn't wrap my head around the concept of her loss, it was only yesterday she expected Oliver to propose and now they were both laying soullessly in the infirmary. James was holding my hand and stroked my hair, undid the braids that got me get a head ache. He was so sweet and I was so grateful for his presence. I opened my eyes, hearing a light crack of the door.

"Will, they are here, asleep." My mom whispered and walked closer to us, I heard the double set of footsteps approaching us, my father's heavy breath in the combination of the fire cracking at its lasts sparkles.

I felt soft fingers stroke my hair gently, James shifted and so did I without interrupting my sleep significantly. His lap was replaced with a pillow and he laid next to me, I was hugging him rather tightly as the warmth of the fired reroared and flooded my atelier.

"Will we stay here?" my mother asked my father and I bet he nodded, I didn't hear him, he only laid down next to me and covered me with a blanket. I fell asleep again quiet quickly until the morning came and I felt my father shift next to me.

I opened my eyes and turned around to look at him and his gaze softened as soon as he saw me. "Hey sweetheart" he smiled softly and cleared my face from my hair.

"Morning dad." I whispered and my stomach growled.

"When is the last time you ate?" He asked me and if I was being honest I had no idea what to reply to him. I only shrugged my shoulders, it was enough to have him exhale lowly.

"Its early to wake them up- lets make something to have I am starving too." He smiled at me and I only nodded, his hand slowly helping me up. I was in my yesterday's outfit. It was true that I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning at the gardens right before the attack.

We walked out, it was five in the morning therefore there were rays of sun that invaded the corridors of the institute as me and my father walked down it. "Are you alright?" he asked me, my silence was unusual.

"I am, sad. And rather numb." I explained. My head was trying to process the fact that Barbara was gone. Everything seemed to move quickly while I was standing frozen watching things evolute in this chaotic reality.

"It is expected Lina, I wasn't referring to Barbara though..." My father spoke as we entered the kitchen, I started boiling water slowly in a small pot to have some chamomile tea, it always calmed my nerves and I felt them tinged even if it was only fifteen minutes since I woke up.

My father was cutting bread and adding butter with some honey so we could eat. I remained silent despite the fact that I heard the question. I was processing the reply.

"I feel like you are scared of me... like mama, and Luce and James are distant from me. And unfortunately I didn't have the chance to speak to uncle Jem... For none of the past visions and the practical possession." I explained, I felt my voice be cold and iron, my dad's eyes looked at me for some good moments. He didn't attempt to hug me or touch me, I wasn't wearing my gloves so he was careful. His hand clenching around the butter knife at my words.

"Linette, me and your mother are scared for you, your siblings do not know of the incident- we would never converse of such matter without you present..." he speeched, his voice soothing. "It must have been horrifying and trust me, it was for me and your mother as well- the thought of hurting you to get that thing out of you was the worse..." he said and I my eyes started flooding.