Destiny

18.

Chapter 18

I stared around the room, my eyes narrowed from the bright light that filled the space. Why would Lucy pick the cells to talk to me?

"It's not Lucy this time."

I took a few steps back, my hands starting to shake. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Kellan stood in front of one of the cells his arms casually crossed in front of his chest.

"I've already heard plenty."

"Don't believe everything Lucy tells you."

"Why should I trust you? You've tried killing me. Several times I might add."

"I'm not here to kill you."

"Not now, right? That'll happen later." I said bitterly.

"Julia-"

"I don't want to hear it. Not from you."

"You won't hear this from Lucy. She loves you but she'll keep things from you. To protect you."

"Why can't you do the same and leave me alone?"

"If you don't want me here, you can leave."

"Ugh, you sound just like her."

"And you look just like her."

"I hope I got everything from her and not you."

"Why do you hate me, Julia?"

"Um, hello? Have you forgotten everything that's happened lately?"

"I wanted to apologize for that."

"I don't want to hear it." I headed for the stairs but he beat me to them. I took two steps back to give myself some space.

"You need to listen to me."

"Don't tell me what to do, dad."

"You're in danger, Julia."

"The only person who wants to hurt me is you." I ducked under his arm and took off running up the steps. I rounded the corner at the top and headed for the stair case that led to the second floor.

"Julia, please. Just listen to me."

"Stay away from me."

Kellan reached out and grabbed my arm.

I yanked out of his grip and sat straight up in bed. My chest was heaving with each heavy breath I took.

When I saw an outline of a person with wings, I screamed and threw my pillow. How did he get inside with no one knowing?

"Julia, stop. It's just me." Aryan said, his hand outstretched to stop me.

I sighed and ran a hand over my hair. "Why are you watching me?"

"I heard you mumbling in your sleep and wanted to see if you were okay."

"What, do you have freakish hearing or something?"

He rolled his eyes and sat at the foot end of the bed. "I was in the hallway."

"You're weird, did you know that?"

"I've never claimed to be anything less."

I turned one the bedside lamp, filling the room with a warm, yellow light.

"So what was Lucy bothering you about?"

"It wasn't Lucy; it was Kellan."

He raised his eyebrows. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to apologize."

"For what?"

"Trying to kill me."

"What did he say then?"

"I didn't give him a chance to say anything. I got out before he could hurt me or talk to me."

He held my gaze like he was waiting for me to continue.

"I left the dream."

"I thought you didn't know how to do that." He sounded confused but there was a smile on his face.

"I guess I just wanted to leave so much that I did it."

"And you've never done that before?"

I shook my head.

His smile brightened. "I'm surprised you were able to do it so easily."

"Don't ask me how. I honestly don't remember."

"You'll learn how to do it so naturally. Ask Lucy to show you."

"Do you think she really likes having me here?"

"Why would you think otherwise?"

"She gave me up, Aryan. She didn't want me."

"She only sent you to live at the hospital so you'd be safe."

"Safe from what? Kellan told me that someone was after me. I didn't believe him but now..."

"Brayden, what are you doing in Julia's room?" Lucy asked, opening the door. When she saw Aryan, her eyebrows raised.

I rolled my eyes. "I was having a nightmare and Aryan wanted to make sure I was okay."

"She said she talked to Kellan."

"I didn't talk to him. I yelled at him."

Lucy pulled a chair over beside the bed and sat down in it, pulling her legs under her. "What did he say?"

I wasn't sure what to tell her. I knew she could drag it out of me, either by reading my thoughts or by guilting me into telling her. But I knew she wanted, and needed, to know what happened. So did Aryan.

I sighed and told her everything, unable to look her in the eye when I mentioned what Kellan had said about her keeping things from me.

She was silent for a few minutes before she put her elbows on her knees and ran her hands through her hair, pink strands falling in her face. "He's right."

That surprised me. "What? How can he be right? He tried killing me. Several times."

"Julia, there's a lot you don't know." She looked up at me and I saw the remorse in her eyes, the sadness. She didn't like hiding things anymore than I liked having them hidden.

"What are you all doing up?" Brayden asked, pushing the door open.

I moved over on the bed and patted the spot beside me. "Come on. Join the party."