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

shadows, a

she

under the

her tanned skin and dark hair, it glowed ethereally, making her seem like

I was willing to believe anything was

said, beckoning

a whisper and yet firm enough to hear over the

what are you doing?"

her," I

don't know who she is or what she wants.We can't just

know...I just feel like

heads here," Abe added,

Great.

both ganging up

begged, widening my

he cast his

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

This was important.

this

"Come, come, my children..."

woman spoke again, that same otherworldly voice prickling the hairs on the back

was something

before, but I knew

the woman.The ledge we were on led to a path that angled up to the city.The

take any chances, not until I knew more about her and

Abel walked close

the tension coming off of

were both on high

of

W] and carved with incredibly intricate

must have taken hundreds of years

building we passed, lights flicked

didn't see anyone turning on

covered and I couldn't see anyone I moving

the terrace, or was that a figment of my ; imagination? We approached a large, well-lit building with a fountain out front : splashing sparkling water

the air

was playing inside the building we approached, and I could hear the

glanced at

the same song

recognize that music

woman led us up a large, wide

in a ballroom with cathedral

huge, the largest room I'd ever

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

and echoed off the

something else in the

moved around

flew around

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

moment, I

to

"They're ghosts..."

"Ghosts?"

arching

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

or having some kind of

Abe assured.

dancing.It is very

sighed, hanging

and put

why it made me sad to see dancing

they were

heart clenched

was something tragically beautiful about ghosts dancing to

woman who led us here turned

bright light of the ballroom, I could finally see her

a half

eye color as me, and there were