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

shadows, a woman

like she

out under the hem of her white, flowy, cotton

dark hair, it glowed ethereally, making

willing to

said, beckoning

walls, barely above a whisper and yet firm enough to hear over the cascading waterfall nearby.I

what are you doing?" Jared asked,

follow her," I

she is or what she

feel like

over our heads here,"

Great.

both ganging up

I begged,

he cast his

be protective, but I couldn't let that interfere with every lead

This was important.

this to

"Come, come, my children..."

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

was something familiar

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

me to the bone.I'd definitely remember that...Before Abe and Jared could protest more, I turned around and followed " the

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

Abel walked close behind

feel the tension

both

one of

W] and carved with

hundreds of years

we passed,

anyone turning on

I couldn't see

that a figment of my ; imagination? We approached a large, well-lit building with a fountain out front

air filled with

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

glanced at

same

recognize that

us up a large, wide stone

a ballroom

largest room

with a matching floor, it was a very

and echoed off

else in

moved around

swirled and flew around

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

moment, I

to Jared and

"They're ghosts..."

"Ghosts?"

arching

how Abe hadn't been able to see my vision of Draven in

hallucinating again or having some kind of waking

Abe assured.

very

sighed, hanging my

me and put a

didn't know why it made me sad to see dancing

who they were or what had happened to

my heart

dancing to an orchestra playing an

who led us

the bright light of the ballroom, I could finally see her features

I took a half

the same eye color as me, and there were other