Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 71 : The Dead City

I could barely catch my breath as I realized the entire city was still here and clearly full of people and life.

There was something off about the way the lights had turned on.

I could see into the streets of the city but I couldn't see any actual people.

Sure, lights were coming on all over the place, but where were the people? Initially, I thought the lights meant there were people still here in Myrel.

But where were they? Why weren't they coming out of the buildings to see what was going on? Ashudder ran through me when an eerie thought occurred to me.

Were there people at all? Maybe these lights were just responding to my presence like motion-sensored lights that came on when someone walked in front of them.

Had we discovered a dead city that still reacted when someone showed up? For some reason, that creeped me out in a whole different way.

I kept staring up at the lights as they came on, and that was exactly how Abe found me, dragging Jared along behind him.

Jared was a little pale, but he wasn't screaming in pain anymore.

His power had been contained, though it seemed like he was weak.

I couldn't tell if he was conscious...

his eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy and labored.

I knelt down next to him and put my hand on his forehead.

He didn't have a fever but his skin felt a little cold and clammy.

What had happened to him in the cave? Why had he lost control like that? What had caused him all that pain? "Eliza, we have a problem,"

Abe said.

He stood over me and Jared, his shadow swallowing us as more lights came on behind him.

Slowly, I stood up and pointed to the city above us.

Abe turned around and tilted his head back, looking at the city above us.

I heard him gasp and a strange look crossed his face.

"Okay, we've got two problems..."

Jared shuddered and opened his eyes.

Panting, he jumped to his feet.

"Hey.It's alright, we got you," I said, touching his shoulder.

Jared's eyes whipped around wildly.

Those big, beautiful, captivating orbs were so restless and unsettled.

I rubbed his arm comfortingly and finally, his eyes settled on me.

"Eliza.What...what happened?" He creased his brow.

"Don't you remember what happened in the cave?" I arched my eyebrow.

Jared had really scared me.I hadn't gotten around to doing what the vision of Draven had told me to do to help him.But he seemed recovered now...except for not being able to remember.He shook his head.

"No."

He pointed to all the lights, tilting his head back.

"What's going on up there?"

How could he not remember? He'd been in so much pain, screaming bloody murder.Maybe it was better that he didn't remember.I followed Jared's finger and saw he was pointing to the terrace above our heads where there were shadowy figures moving around.

Were they ghosts? Were they just shadows? At this angle and in this light, it was hard to tell.

"As I was saying, we've got a few problems," Abe jumped in again.

l opened my mouth to reply.

Crunch.

Crunch.

around

the shadows, a

walked slowly and gracefully, like she was floating across the cavern

the hem of her

dress wasn't elaborate, but against her tanned skin and dark hair, it glowed

point, I was willing to

she said, beckoning us with her

distant and soft, like an echo resonating off the walls, barely above a whisper and yet firm enough

doing?" Jared

follow her," I

she is or what she wants.We can't just follow

feel like I'm supposed to

way over our heads here," Abe added, standing shoulder to

Great.

they were both ganging

please," I begged,

and he cast his eyes

trying to be protective, but I couldn't let that interfere

This was important.

doing this to

"Come, come, my children..."

that same otherworldly voice prickling

was something familiar

the sense that I'd seen her before, but I knew I'd remember meeting

around and followed " the woman.The ledge we were on led to a path that angled

didn't seem dangerous but I wasn't going to take any chances, not until I knew more about her and why she

walked

the tension coming off

were both

of the roads

and carved with incredibly intricate stone columns and

must have taken hundreds of years to carve all

passed,

see anyone turning on

covered and I couldn't see anyone

Had I really seen shadows on the terrace, or was that a figment of my ; imagination? We approached a large, well-lit building with a fountain out

the air filled with

building we

I glanced at

same song from

that music

woman led us up a large, wide

in a

the largest

of white marble with a matching floor, it was a very elegant

thrummed and echoed off

was something else in the room

moved

swirled and flew around in intricate

of pointed legs and outstretched arms as the mist took form and then became

a moment, I realized they were

turned to Jared and

"They're ghosts..."

"Ghosts?"

asked, arching an

how Abe hadn't been able to

having some kind

Abe assured.

very

sighed, hanging

put a comforting

know why it made me sad to see

who they were or what had

heart clenched

tragically beautiful about ghosts dancing to an orchestra

the woman who led us here turned

the bright light of the ballroom,

I took a half step

as me, and there