A Castle of Sand(54)

She gulped. I could see the wheels inside her mind turning as she let the news sink in. “You’re just going to let it happen?”
I hated that we didn’t stand on the same ground regarding the matter, but all I could do was be honest with her. “I don’t know what to say, Sofia. Blood is seen as a necessity at The Shade.”
She shook her head. “I understand where you’re coming from, Derek, but it doesn’t mean I think a culling is alright. You know how I stand regarding this matter.”
I was expecting her to look at me like I was a monster, advocating a bloody massacre, but all I saw was a quiet resignation, an acceptance that she couldn’t change my mind no matter how she tried. I saw sadness, perhaps even a trace of disappointment, but no less love than there was before. I also realized then that though she wasn’t saying it out loud, she was still determined to fight the culling with everything that she had.
“Tell me what you really think, Sofia.”
“I think you’re better than this, Derek.”
“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted. “I don’t know how on earth I’m going to fulfill Vivienne’s prophecy. How on earth am I going to provide my kind true sanctuary, bring all the covens together and fight against the hunters when war is brewing right here within The Shade?” I could feel my senses waning as the worrisome thoughts began to take over my consciousness.
As usual, Sofia knew exactly what to say to make me believe that I was still capable of good. Just before I once again drifted into unconsciousness, I could still comprehend her assuring whispers, practically lulling me to sleep, “All the answers to the questions you’re asking are right within you. You were meant to fulfill that prophecy and you will. You’ll find a way.” She paused and gently pressed her soft lips against my forehead. “You’re Derek Novak. You’ll find a way.”

CHAPTER 31: SOFIA
 
The culling is tomorrow.
When Ashley and Kyle returned with the blood, I felt confident enough to leave Derek’s side and entrust him into Corrine’s capable hands. I had to warn Gavin and the others about the culling. What they planned to do with the warning was entirely up to them, but whatever they did, I was determined to support them, trusting that Derek would understand my reasons for doing so.#p#分页标题#e#
“Where are you going?” Ashley asked when I bade my leave.
“Back to The Catacombs.”
She exchanged nervous glances with Kyle, who stepped up and said, “That’s probably not a great idea right now…”
“Why? What happened?” I asked anxiously, dread coming over me based on the uncomfortable looks on their faces. That’s when I realized that the expression on Ashley’s face was beyond discomfort. It was of pure heartbreak. “Tell me, Ashley.”
She licked her lips. It was clear to see that she was fighting back tears. “The king was livid after what happened. He hit the only people he could in order to hurt you.”
I sucked in a breath steeling myself against what they were about to tell me. “Go ahead.”
Tears began to brim Ashley’s eyes. “Paige and the three new girls…they’re dead. Felix and his men…while everything was happening at the town square…they went to your quarters and killed everyone they found there. By order of the king.”
“They planned on doing it even before everything that happened at the town square,” Kyle continued to explain when Ashley broke into a sob. “It was their back-up plan in case what Gregor wanted to happen at The Shade—turn Derek against you—didn’t push through.”
“A last-ditch attempt to hurt me.” I nodded with understanding, tears beginning to fall down my cheeks. Gregor definitely knew how to hurt me. “Rosa?” I asked.
“She was visiting with Lily and the kids when it all happened,” Kyle said the words reassuringly in hopes of giving me a thread of comfort.
I wanted to break down. I wanted to just crumble and give in to the despair that I felt over the loss of four innocent lives, but even as tears flowed down my face, beyond the grief, what I felt was anger. Paige and the girls had nothing to do with Gregor’s hatred toward me. They had nothing to do with what had happened at the town square. If I’d just dragged Derek into a war with his father, at that moment, I hoped with everything that I was that Derek could someday find it in himself to actually kill his own father.
What had to happen now—however—was for the deaths to not be in vain. I shoved the urge to give in to the grief and instead focused my thoughts and energies on making martyrs out of my friends.