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

shadows,

gracefully, like she was floating across the

toes peaked out under the hem of her white,

skin and dark hair, it glowed ethereally, making her

was willing to believe anything

said, beckoning

resonating off the walls, barely above a whisper and yet firm enough to hear over the cascading waterfall nearby.I swallowed and stepped toward

doing?" Jared

her," I

don't know who she is or what

just feel like I'm supposed to

heads here," Abe added, standing

Great.

were both

please," I begged, widening my eyes

he cast

he got when he was trying to be protective, but I couldn't let that interfere with every

This was important.

doing this

"Come, come, my children..."

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

was something familiar

before, but I knew I'd remember meeting

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 strange woman was already

seem dangerous but I wasn't going to take any chances, not until I

Abel walked

feel the

were both on high

to one of the roads into the

buildings were ancient W] and carved

must have taken hundreds of years to carve

passed, lights

see anyone turning on

of the windows were covered and I

was that a figment of my ; imagination? We approached a large,

air filled

playing inside the building we approached,

glanced at

song was the same

recognize that music

woman led us up a large,

a ballroom

was huge, the largest room I'd ever been

matching floor,

and echoed

something else

shadows moved

swirled and flew around

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

a moment, I

turned to Jared and

"They're ghosts..."

"Ghosts?"

arching an

don't you?"I asked, panic making my stomach gurgle.I remembered how Abe hadn't been able to see my vision of Draven in

or having some kind

Abe assured.

dancing.It is very

sighed, hanging

behind me and put a comforting hand

know why it made me sad

know who they were

heart

tragically beautiful about ghosts dancing to an orchestra playing an

the woman who led us here

light of the ballroom, I

took a

me, and there were other similarities between