Chapter Twenty-Five

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After that exhausting and mind boggling encounter with Sirius, I had planned to sleep through the night.

Once again, my plans were interrupted.

This time, the fire, it was real.

I knew I wasn't just dreaming things when I smelt ash and choked on some smoke.

I awoke to the smell first, it's acrid scent filling up my nose and leaving me to choke on it.

The panic set in last. When I found myself roaming through the hallways, ducking so as to avoid the risen gray air.

The castle seemed to be roaring, and I couldn't hear anything above the sound so I didn't bother to call out to anyone.

I had checked Jasper's room first from leaving mine and found it empty, the sheets were untouched.

Shit.

I know I'm not dreaming but the urge to curl myself back into bed and pretend like this is all one nightmare is really strong.

I know I've wished for this exact thing to happen before, but not while I was still inside, damn it. Not while -

"VERONA?"

Adelai?

"OVER HERE." I shout back.

Adelai runs right into me, pulling me into a hug. "Good, you're okay. I couldn't find you in your room and I panicked...I thought you were...I thought..."

Her hair had dark ashes all over, and some smeared onto her face. Her eyes were wide and filled with panic. She must not know what's going on either, by the looks of it.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm here. I'm fine." I say holding her upright. She's still gasping for air, in the midst of a bad panic attack.

"Adelai, focus on my voice. You found me, and we are getting out of here. You remember what you used to tell me to do when I couldn't breathe right?"

She nods, her breathing slowly evening out.

I hold her hand and move it to her chest. Feeling the rhythmic thumping of her heart, the panic in her eyes dims.

When I was younger, Adelai would often sneak in my room and find me on the floor not being able to breathe. Some days I just couldn't handle being in my room and all of the pent up feelings would devour me. It was like falling from so high in the air I couldn't catch my own breath.

When she'd find me like that, she'd put one of my hands on the ground and the other on my chest. "You're okay, you're alive and you are on the ground." She'd repeat over and over again until I could breathe again.

I repeat the mantra to her, until her eyes close and her shoulders loosen. A part of me misses this. Being there for each other, when nobody else was. Adelaide and I knew things about each other without having to even say anything. When she was around, I could do anything. She didn't see me as this helpless weakling, or this spiteful brat. She saw me like someone saw a sunset. Even though it came around everyday, we would never get enough of each other.

"Adelai, we have to get out of here now. I think the fire's getting farther fast. Can you teleport?"

"Yes, that's how I managed to find you."

I sighed in relief, this girl was extraordinary.

"Alright then, let's get the hel out of this damned castle."

*************

Shit.

Shit. shit. Shit. shit!

She had to be around here somewhere. I cant leave without finding her.

"VERONA?!" A pillar on fire splits down the middle across from me.

"ADRIA!"

"She's not here dude, we have to skedaddle now!" Sirius appears beside me.

"You've already inhaled too much smoke, if we don't leave now we're going to die here." He grabs my arm and jumps.

One of his portal pockets open beneath us and we land outside. I hit the ground hard and lose balance, falling over hacking and wheezing on the cold grass.

"Shit, they must be here." Sirius whispers.

"Wha-" I try to find a clear voice. "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

Sirius faces me and looks straight into my eyes. You know exactly what I mean, Jasper." And that's when I spot the flash of fear in his eyes. The slight tremor in his hand, that he's currently balling into a fist.

"Don't tell me you thought you had more time? Because I warned you didn't I. That this was all an illusion. If you don't finish the mission someone else is just going to be sent in to do it for you man." His voice hardened as he turned back around to stare at the giant lit building. Lighting up the entirety of town, and yet shadowing a part of Sirius' face.

"She has to die, Jasper. She has to die, or she has to run. Tonight."

My mind goes completely blank, I could feel all my thoughts, all my blood just bleed out of me.

There really was no more time left. It was now or never.

I turned to Sirius and noticed his tremor was gone, which was most likely the reason we landed out here instead of in front of the castle. The fear must've drained everything out of him too, because he knows if I go down he's dragged with me.

"Well, let's go kill a royal."

******

Call it shock or adrenaline, my mind was in complete overdrive, and the buzzing in my head was getting overwhelming.

Why can't everything just be whelming anymore?

Adelai passed out the second she teleported us out of the burning building that I never once considered my home. Search and rescue was on the front lawn there already when we got there, and I carried her to a medical enforcer to make sure she would be okay.

I figured if anything, at least one of us is getting some rest. In all honesty, I'm glad she's okay because I don't know what I would do if something had happened.

"ADRIA!"

For the first time this entire night my mind went completely quiet for a moment when I heard his voice.

And then when he crashed into me, it was like a rush of all of my worries and fears bubbled up to the surface.

I didnt feel the tears rolling down my face, I tasted them.

"Jasper, you're..."

Why am I so breathless all of a sudden? My words stuck in my throat.

"Alive. We are alive, and you are." He steps back. His mouth sets into a stern look.

"You're crying."

"I know, I haven't done this since I was eight." I wipe my face and try to pull my shit together. "Just ignore it. What's going on with you? One would think surviving a wildfire would turn that frown upside down."

"I'm just glad you're alright. Follow me, I have to show you something." He grabs my arm and walks me away from the crowd.

"Wait, Adeali's with the med proctors I've got to make sure-"

"She'll be fine, I'll make sure she's okay. Just please Adria no matter what you do, hear me out."