A Shattered Dawn

Chapter 22

My mornings have become meaningless. I eat breakfast alone, then return to our room, plotting of ways to break into Adrian's office, but really, not doing much of anything at all. I have tried to forget what happened on the night of the ball. How it made me feel. It doesn't matter now that Lucia has been erased from this world.

I fill my days with meaningless chores and housework, which this morning consists of folding my clothes and putting them into my drawers. Adrian and I share a dresser, and we recently switched so I could have the top dressers instead of the bottom ones. It's silly, but I've started to push back a bit against him since he's been getting on my nerves recently. Well, less of getting on my nerves and more of killing my best friend, but that's beside the point.

I am in the middle of folding a dress and placing it in the top drawer when I see it. A dainty ring with a single emerald stone in the center. I fish it out of the back of the drawer and bring it closer to inspect it. It's engraved, and when I see the name a fresh wave of emotion hits me. Lucia is carefully written on the inside of the band.

Then I remember seeing her digging around in Adrian's drawers, claiming to be searching for her ring. Adrian getting mad at her and forcing her to leave, becoming suspicious of her, telling me that she was up to no good. Then, he killed her.

If only she had found the ring. I slide it onto my finger as a silent promise to her. I will avenge her death.

She was never searching for the stone in the first place. Adrian had no reason to suspect her.

I stay there, sitting on the wood floor, leaning against the bed. I don't know when I start shaking and my vision blurs. I can't believe I let this happen. I can't believe I let her die. If only I had been there, if only I had talked to her just one more time, if only I had stood up to Adrian...

I need to stop thinking about what could have happened and start actually doing things. I need to talk to Fallon.

I walk up to the roof, and to my surprise, he is already there. It is as if he knew I would want to talk to him again. It has only been a week since Lucia died, but after our first talk, I made it pretty obvious that I am not fine.

"What is it this time?"

He winces at his own tone.

"Sorry Acilya, it's just that a lot has been going on."

That's a bit self–centered, but sure.

"Look what I found."

I show him the ring. He doesn't seem especially shocked, and looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"Fallon, you were there when Adrian got angry at her for searching our room. She said she was looking for a ring. This ring."

He shakes his head, turning his palms to face the sky.

"And how is this valuable information?"

Fallon never fails to frustrate me.

"This means that Lucia died for nothing."

He sighs.

"She's gone, alright? Knowing she died for nothing does not change anything, and it does not fix anything." He pauses, then continues. "Please, just get the stone and get out of here, I—" He abruptly stops speaking and gives me a pointed look.

"Miss, I'm sorry that we're out of blackberry juice, we should have more by the end of the day. Is there anything that you would like instead?"

"Orange juice, thank you." I sigh and walk over to the ledge, not bothering to look at who has joined me on the roof.