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“No,” I said, realizing to my horror what this meant. He was right. I was home. I wasn’t here at all. “That can’t be.”
“Oh, but it is,” Constantine seemed to be having a lot of fun, which made me want to punch his teeth out even more. If only my hands weren’t bound behind my back. “In the eyes of your family, you are home. At least, someone who completely looks and acts like you is. Because in a way, that is you. Only… a downgraded version of you.”
“A bad version of me,” I said in one hasty breath, feeling that someone punched me in the gut. “So, that is why I felt so lousy and disoriented. You drew blood.”
“Just a little, for the purposes of the spell,” he confirmed. “Only a little was enough, but it had to be dark blood, from the sole of your foot, as you know.”
That was why it was so painful to walk and stand, why I’d been feeling so ill. They sent my evil doppelganger to my home, to be with my family.
“If anything happens to them,” I snarled at him, spitting saliva as I spoke, “I will kill you with my bare hands.”
“No,” he shook his head again. “What happens to them depends only on you. You know how this functions, the angrier you are, the angrier your doppelganger is. So, in order for your doppelganger to act nicely towards your family, you need to act nicely towards… well, all of us here.”
The idea of that was repulsive. I wanted to kill all of them here, to watch this entire place burn to the ground. But I knew that I needed to rid myself of those feelings and thoughts, for the sake of my family.
“Like I said, I’ll give you some more time to think about it,” Constantine told me. “And then, we’ll have this conversation again. Maybe your answer will be different.”
I doubted it would, but I knew that I was trapped. I had to think of Lil and Cass. They were the most important people in the world for me. I had to keep myself under control and find a way to beat Constantine in his own game.
I allowed the guards to take me back, in hopes that I would eventually see the light in this dark tunnel I found myself in.
Chapter Six
Lilith
Maybe Adrian was right. Maybe my concern for everyone’s wellbeing was simply too much, and he needed some time to himself. After all, everyone needed some time to themselves every once in a while. I could understand that. I felt like I needed to show him that I was sorry in the best way that I knew how.
That was what I was feeling in the quiet solitude of the castle kitchen. That profound sadness was still weighing on my heart. Our recent argument still lingered in my mind, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was mostly my fault. I was determined to mend what I myself had broken, and nothing said I was sorry better than someone’s favorite cake. It was the cake I made him for his every birthday every year and it always brought a smile to his face. I figured, it had to work.
It was a decadent chocolate cake with a rich, velvety frosting. As I gathered the ingredients and began to mix them together, I poured all my love and remorse into the batter. The scent of baking chocolate filled the air, and the familiar ritual of baking provided a sense of comfort and solace. Each ingredient I measured, each stroke of the whisk, felt like a silent apology to Adrian for the harsh words we had exchanged.
As the cake baked in the oven, I watched it rise and transform into a delicious masterpiece. The aroma grew stronger, and I couldn’t help but hope that the sweet treat would serve as a gesture of reconciliation. When the cake was finally done, I carefully spread the luscious frosting over its surface, each stroke a symbol of my love and regret. The cake was a labor of both culinary skill and emotional healing, and I hoped that it would convey the unspoken words of apology and love that my heart longed to express.
These were the moments I missed Cassandra. She always knew how to express herself perfectly, while my words were often clumsy and sounded wrong. I couldn’t help but think that Cass would know exactly what to say and do in a moment like this. I remembered her radiant smile as she would stand beside me, holding me by the hand, in a silent gesture of approval.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the times we had spent together in this very kitchen, creating delicious treats and sharing our dreams. Her tragic passing had left an emptiness that I could never fill, no matter how many cakes I baked or how many sweet memories I tried to hold onto.
With the cake now beautifully frosted and the lemonade freshly prepared, I decided to set up a picnic table in our garden. The sun had begun its gentle descent, casting a warm, golden glow over the lush greenery. I knew that Adrian loved picnics, and hopefully, this would work. This would prove to him that I was sorry if I’d said anything wrong or if I was burdening him with my own anxieties. I just wanted him to know how much I loved him, how much he meant to me.
I carefully arranged the table with a checkered tablecloth, adding a bouquet of fresh flowers as a centerpiece. I placed the cake at the center of it all, a sweet and tempting masterpiece waiting to be savored. Beside it, glasses of chilled lemonade sparkled in the fading daylight.
As I completed the setup, a sense of serenity washed over me. The garden, with its vibrant colors and tranquil ambiance, seemed like the perfect setting for reconciliation. I hoped that the cake and lemonade would serve as a sweet invitation, a gesture of peace and love that would bring Adrian back to my side, allowing us to mend the rift between us.
First, I would bring him here, and then together, we would go and get Cass, so all three of us could enjoy the cake together. But first, I needed to make sure that Adrian and I were alright.
With the picnic table set and the cake prepared, I made my way to the terrace, hoping to find Adrian and share the sweet gesture I had put so much love into. However, as I approached, I noticed him standing at the railing, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
“Adrian?” I called out to him softly, my voice carrying a tinge of longing and apprehension, despite everything or maybe exactly because of it. “I’ve made your favorite cake. I… I was hoping we could…”
My words trailed off as he remained unresponsive, lost in his thoughts, the distant look in his eyes unyielding. Concern gripped my heart, and I took a step closer.
“Adrian?” I called out again, but with the same result.
He didn't react, his silence echoing through the quiet garden. My heart ached at the distance between us, at the emotional chasm that had opened up between husband and wife. I realized that this was the second time today I had caught him lost in thought, as if he wasn’t here at all. I wondered what it was he was thinking about. Was it our argument or was there something else on his mind, not letting him be? Now, I was more apprehensive than before.
I walked over to him and gently touched his arm. His entire body started to tremble slightly, as if he were cold.
“Adrian?” I exclaimed, afraid now that something was happening, but I didn’t know what or why his body was reacting the way it did.
