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.

three of us whipped around in

shadows, a

and gracefully, like she was floating across the

out under the hem of her white, flowy,

skin and dark hair,

point, I was willing to

said, beckoning

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

are you doing?"

told us to follow her,"

is or what she

like I'm supposed to

we're already in way over our heads

Great.

they were both ganging

I begged, widening my

jaw tensed and he cast his

be protective, but I couldn't let

This was important.

doing this to

"Come, come, my children..."

spoke again, that same otherworldly voice prickling the hairs

something

couldn't shake the sense that I'd seen her before, but I knew I'd remember meeting someone like

definitely remember that...Before Abe and Jared could protest more, I turned around and followed " the woman.The ledge we were on led

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

Abel walked close behind

could practically feel the tension coming

both

to one of the roads

the buildings were ancient W] and carved with incredibly intricate stone columns

of years to

we passed, lights

didn't see anyone turning

were covered and I couldn't see anyone

there other than this mysterious woman? Had I really seen shadows on the terrace, or was that a figment of

the air

we approached,

glanced at

was the same

that

large,

found ourselves in a ballroom with cathedral

was huge, the largest room I'd ever been

matching floor,

orchestra music thrummed and echoed

was something else in

shadows moved around

and flew

arms as

moment, I

turned to Jared and

"They're ghosts..."

"Ghosts?"

arching

my stomach gurgle.I remembered how Abe

again or having some kind of waking dream? "We

Abe assured.

dancing.It is very

sighed, hanging my

behind me and put a comforting hand on my

didn't know why it made me sad

who they were or what had happened to

my heart clenched

beautiful about ghosts dancing to an orchestra playing an

led us here

bright light of the ballroom, I

a half

same eye color as me,