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.

of us whipped around in the direction of the

the shadows, a woman

gracefully, like she was floating across

peaked out under the hem of her

and dark hair, it glowed ethereally,

point, I was willing to believe anything

said, beckoning us with

like an echo resonating off the walls, barely above a whisper and yet firm enough to hear over the cascading waterfall

what are you doing?"

us to follow her," I pointed

what she wants.We can't just follow her,"

know...I just feel like

we're already in way over our heads here," Abe added, standing

Great.

both

please," I begged, widening

tensed and he cast his

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

This was important.

doing this to help

"Come, come, my children..."

ran down my spine as the woman spoke again, that same otherworldly voice prickling the hairs on the back of

was something familiar

shake the sense that I'd seen her before,

Abe and Jared could protest more, I turned around and followed " the woman.The ledge we were on led to a path that angled up to the city.The

going to take any chances, not until I knew more about

walked

feel the

both on

of the roads into

carved with incredibly intricate

years to carve all those

building we passed,

see anyone

I couldn't see

else there other than this mysterious woman? Had I really seen shadows on the terrace, or was that a figment of my ; imagination? We approached a large, well-lit

air

we approached, and I could hear the

I glanced at

the same song from the

recognize that music

large, wide stone staircase into the

in a ballroom with cathedral

was huge, the largest room I'd ever been

of white marble with a matching

orchestra music thrummed and echoed off

something else in the

shadows moved around

flew around

pointed legs and outstretched arms as

moment, I

to Jared and

"They're ghosts..."

"Ghosts?"

asked, arching

asked, panic making my stomach gurgle.I remembered how Abe hadn't been able to see my

having some kind of waking

Abe assured.

very beautiful and...little

sighed, hanging my

and put a

it made me sad to see

were or what had happened

my heart clenched

tragically beautiful about ghosts dancing to an orchestra playing an

the woman who led us

bright light of the ballroom, I could finally see her

took a half

eye color as me,