“Because I couldn’t reach out to you. I guess being reserved became my way of hiding my pain. You get hurt whenever you see me. And when I found out I’m dying, I realized that nothing would change even if I approach you. I’ll die soon, anyway. ‘Might as well die with the way things are.” She laughed but it sounded empty in my ears. “I told you I sucked as a mother.”
I held her hands. “You can’t die yet, ‘Ma. You need to be strong because we are going to start all over again. We owe that to each other.”
She didn’t respond. She just kissed my hands as tears kept streaming down her face.

(Ingram)
HOW HAVE you been, Brianna? I wish there’s a way I could tell you just how much I've been missing you. I whispered as I glanced up the sky. I turned towards Erasmus when I heard him cough. He was still alive. It really helps to have a friend with you in the darkest time of your life. Knowing that I was not alone in this somehow eased the emptiness within me.
Sullivan’s Knights didn’t kill us. They did something worse than that. They wounded us and through the humans that they were able to compel, they had us tied on the tree using the silver chains. They also stabbed us with silver daggers that were still on our bodies. They had to use the humans because even those Knights couldn’t stand silver. We burn each time we touch it. The Vampires were cursed not only in the sun but also in silver.
According to Erasmus, ever since the number of Vampires had multiplied in the past, the Divine Mages gathered to stop them from dominating the world. Because they couldn’t kill the Vampires, they casted a sun curse against them instead. They also casted a strong magic to silver so the humans could use them to protect themselves because the first Vampires were vile creatures, they failed to control themselves and murdered humans as a result.
Vampires were born through the rebel Mages who dreamt to live forever. But the divine Mages found out about it and cursed them. Silver can slow down a Vampire’s healing process, too. That was the reason why I couldn’t accept Brianna’s gift back then.
Sullivan’s Knights were as heartless as their master. They intended to kill us slowly. Because of the countless silver daggers plunged in our bodies and the effect of the thick silver chains, there was no way our wounds could heal.
We had witnessed eighteen sunsets and sunrise already. In just a few days or so, our marks would fade. Once that happens, the sunlight would burn us. Sullivan’s Knights were gone. They left after they had us tied.
We were exhausted. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. Our throats were dry and our bodies felt numb.
I glanced at Erasmus. “You still haven’t told me why you left that day.”
“I was on my way to the Council when they caught me. I was planning to leave the country. I wanted to finally inform the Council about Sullivan’s abuse of power in case he tries to do something nasty against you and the other doppelganger again. I’m sorry, Ingram. I should have meddled a long time ago. I should have told them about Sullivan but I was terrified as hell. He’s still the Primus’ son after all.”
I was startled.
“Then what made you change your mind?”
“It was the sparkle in your eyes whenever you would look at Brianna. You both seemed so happy and so ready to die all for love. Both of you have limited time now and I wanted you to spend it without having Sullivan messed things up between the two of you. You have been like a brother to me, Ingram. And I only want what’s best for my brother.”
Despite everything, I found myself smiling. The Council was in a sacred place. I had spent centuries with Erasmus but he had never told me their location. I had wanted to report Sullivan many times because of what he did to Levana since it was against the Black Veil. But Erasmus kept their address a secret from me knowing that Sullivan had eyes and ears in and out of the Council.
But now, Erasmus wanted to personally report to the Council. He wasn’t able to do it in the end but what he did was such a big thing for me.
“Thank you, brother,” I sincerely said before lowering my head. If only I wasn’t thinking about Brianna, I’d have given up from the time I was tied here. But I kept resisting, I kept enduring with a hope that a miracle would come one day and would save me and Erasmus from death.
I was prepared to die. I had prepared myself for it. But I hadn’t prepared my heart yet. Tears glazed my eyes. “If I can only see her today, smell her hair, hold her hand, and kiss her lips, I could die in peace, Erasmus. But I can’t die like this. I can’t handle not seeing her for the last time. I’m scared, brother.”
“So am I, Ingram. So am I. The gods must do something about this or else, even when I’m dead, I’d mess up the orders in the Underworld.”
When Erasmus began expressing his desire to see Ellen, I looked up at the sky for the countless time today. The sky was dark, the rain was pouring, and the thunder was deafening. The weather was like this, too, the last time I was with Brianna. But I feel the opposite now.
I was at the cloud nine back then but now, even the sky seemed to be crying together with my soul.

“BRIANNA!”
I opened my eyes right away after hearing Kiara screamed my name. I got up on the bed. I suddenly had a bad feeling. I’d been feeling heavy inside for weeks now. And it wasn’t only because of my mother’s illness but because Ingram and Erasmus hadn’t return yet. Kiara seemed to be hiding something from me.
I put on my robe and went outside my room. I called Kiara’s name many times but she didn’t respond. My heart pounded out of anxiety.