Love Between Two Worlds - Chapter 40

  

Chapter 40 — The Night They Were Forgotten

Something behind the door was burning.

Amelia couldn't understand what she was seeing.

A younger version of himself stood in the middle of the collapsed room, blood streaking down one side of his face, one hand clutched tightly in Adrian's.

Beside him, Adrian looked only eighteen years old.

Her clothes were torn.

Her silver eyes gleamed with fear.

And behind them—

something enormous is burning.

That's not fire.

It has no flame.

There is no smoke.

It burned with white light surrounded by absolute darkness, as if two opposing worlds had been forced together and neither remained intact.

Amelia whispered, "What is that?"

Adrian didn't answer.

He stared at the younger version of himself.

"I remember this."

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because this is the part they have taken from me."

The black door remained open.

The memories behind it continue.

Young Amelia turned to Eleanor.

"Grandma!"

Eleanor stood a few steps away from him.

He looked scared.

Not to Amelia.

Not to Adrian.

At what was burning behind them.

"You have to go," said Eleanor.

Young Amelia shook her head.

"I will not leave him."

"Amelia, listen to me."

"No."

Adrian held her hand.

"He's right."

Young Amelia looked at him.

"You said you would stay."

"I said I would find you."

"You said we would go together."

Her expression crumbled.

"I know."

Eleanor stepped between them.

"The Veil is crumbling."

Amelia stared at the burning light.

"What's that?"

Eleanor's voice lowered.

"First world."

Amelia's breath hitched.

"But I thought First World was gone."

"It is."

"Then why is he here?"

"Because someone brought it back."

The memories darkened.

A figure emerged from the fire.

Tall.

Black hair.

Silver-eyed.

Amelia couldn't see his face clearly.

But Adrian can.

His body stiffened.

"Who's that?"

Young Adrian whispered one word.

"Father."

The First King stepped out of the burning light.

But he was not the man Amelia knew.

He looks younger.

Stronger.

Almost human.

Her eyes were fixed on Adrian.

"You shouldn't remember."

Young Adrian raised his blade.

"You made me forget."

"I protect you."

"You erased me."

The king's expression hardened.

"I saved you."

"You turned me into a weapon."

"I gave you a purpose."

Adrian's voice trembled.

"I never asked for it."

Amelia stared at the scene.

This was not the First King he had ever known.

This is a father.

The scared one.

The desperate.

And somehow, that makes it that much more dangerous.

The memories shifted.

The First King raised his hand.

The fire behind him grew bigger.

Veil cracks.

Eleanor gripped Amelia's shoulders.

"You have to go now."

"I don't want to."

"If you stay, the Crown will recognize you."

"What will happen then?"

Eleanor looked at Adrian.

"He'll tie you both up."

Young Amelia frowned.

"Isn't that what we want?"

"No."

Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.

"You don't understand."

He lowered his voice.

"The crown doesn't know the difference between love and possession."

Amelia's heart clenched.

"What is he doing?"

"He takes what you love."

He looked at Adrian.

"And turn it into a chain."

Young Adrian stepped forward.

"Then I will destroy it."

Eleanor shook her head.

"You can't."

"I must."

"It is not time yet."

The room shook.

The burning First World began to collapse in on itself.

Young Amelia looked at Adrian.

"Come with me."

"I can't."

"You can."

"If I cross with you, Veil will follow."

"I don't care."

"I care."

"Adrian."

He touched his face.

His hands were shaking.

"If I stay, you'll be safe."

"If you stay, I will lose you."

Her eyes were filled with tears.

"You've already lost me once."

He looked at her. "What?"

The memories shattered into pieces.

---

Amelia gasped.

He was again in darkness.

Adrian knelt on one knee, clutching his head.

His breath was ragged.

"Adrian."

He looked at her.

Her eyes are silver.

But something has changed.

"You remember."

He knelt beside her.

"You too."

"Not all."

"Enough?"

He nodded.

"Enough to know why Eleanor was so scared."

Amelia swallowed hard.

"What is he afraid of?"

Adrian stared at the black door.

"We."

He shook his head.

"That doesn't make sense."

"It just makes sense."

He stood up slowly.

"When the Crown first connected us, it didn't create a bond."

"Then what did he create?"

"A round."

Amelia frowned.

"Round?"

"Every time we choose each other, the Crown creates one more possibility."

"So?"

"And in the end one of those possibilities becomes more powerful than the original."

Her stomach clenched.

"Another version of us."

"Yes."

"That other Adrian."

He nodded.

"That's why he's so strong."

"He's not just another version."

"No."

Adrian looked at him.

"He is the version the Crown believes should have won."

Lonely.

The black door began to close.

Amelia stepped towards him.

"Wait."

The voice behind the door laughed.

Seraphine.

"Now you understand."

Amelia turned towards the darkness.

"You did this."

"I'm just showing what's already there."

"You erased our memories."

"No."

His voice softened.

"I give you guys a chance to forget."

Adrian stepped forward.

"You manipulated the Crown."

"Of course."

"Why?"

There was a pause.

Then:

"Because you can't destroy what you remember."

Amelia felt cold.

"What does it mean?"

The door opened a little more.

Suara Seraphine terdengar dari baliknya.

"Kau pikir cintamu berbahaya karena dunia-dunia menolaknya."

Kegelapan di balik pintu itu semakin pekat.

"Bukan itu alasannya."

Amelia menatapnya. "Lalu kenapa?"

"Karena setiap kali kalian saling mengingat satu sama lain..."

Api di belakang versi muda mereka menyala lebih terang.

"...Mahkota itu pun ikut mengingat."

Ekspresi Adrian berubah.

"Mahkota itu sedang terbangun."

"Ya."

"Apa yang terjadi kalau ia bangun sepenuhnya?"

Seraphine tertawa pelan.

"Ia akan memilih versi mana dari cinta kalian yang akan menjadi nyata."

Darah Amelia serasa membeku.

"Kalau begitu kami tidak akan membiarkannya memilih."

"Kau tidak bisa."

"Lihat saja."

Pintu itu tertutup dengan keras.

Kesunyian kembali.

Kemudian sesuatu menyentuh bahu Amelia.

Ia berputar cepat.

Tidak ada siapa pun.

Ia menunduk.

Sebuah tanda perak muncul di kulitnya.

Bulan sabit.

Tujuh bintang.

Tapi di bawahnya ada sesuatu yang baru.

Sebuah garis hitam kecil membelah di tengahnya.

Adrian melihatnya.

"Itu bukan tanda keluarga Hart."

"Lalu apa itu?"

Wajahnya memucat.

"Aku tidak tahu."

Kegelapan itu retak lagi.

Kali ini bukan seperti kenangan.

Seperti kenyataan.

Sebuah tangan muncul dari retakan itu.

Kecil.

Manusiawi.

Amelia membeku.

Kemudian satu tangan lagi muncul.

Seseorang menarik dirinya sendiri melewatinya.

Seorang wanita muda terjatuh ke lantai.

Amelia menatapnya.

Ia mengenali wajah itu.

Itu dirinya sendiri.

Amelia yang lain.

Bukan yang berusia tujuh belas tahun dari kenangan itu.

Bukan pula sang Ratu yang berbekas luka.

Yang ini tampak ketakutan.

Tersesat.

Dan sangat hidup.

Ia mendongak menatap Amelia.

"Maafkan aku."

Amelia tidak bisa bernapas.

"Untuk apa?"

Amelia yang lain berdiri dengan terhuyung-huyung.

"Karena memilihnya lebih dulu."

Adrian meraih pedangnya.

Amelia yang lain menggeleng.

"Aku tidak datang untuk bertarung."

"Lalu kenapa kau ada di sini?"

Matanya beralih ke arah tanda di kulit Amelia.

"Karena Mahkota itu menemukanku."

"Apa yang ia inginkan?"

Amelia yang lain menelan ludah.

"Ia ingin menyelesaikan pilihan itu."

"Pilihan apa?"

"Yang kau ganggu."

Jantung Amelia berdegup kencang.

"Yang mana?"

Amelia yang lain menatap Adrian.

"Malam ketika seharusnya kau mati."

Sunyi.

Adrian membeku.

"Apa?"

Ia menatap kembali ke arah Amelia.

"Kau seharusnya tidak selamat malam itu."

Mulut Amelia terasa kering.

"Nenekku menyelamatkanku."

"Bukan."

Mata Amelia yang lain dipenuhi air mata.

"Eleanor menyelamatkan dia."

Amelia merasa ruangan itu miring.

"Apa maksudmu?"

Amelia yang lain menatap Adrian.

"Dia memilih siapa di antara kalian berdua yang akan selamat."

Adrian menggeleng.

"Tidak."

"Ya."

"Itu mustahil."

"Kau pikir Eleanor menghapus ingatanmu untuk melindungi Amelia."

Amelia yang lain menarik napas gemetar.

"Ia menghapusnya untuk memastikan Mahkota itu tidak bisa menyelesaikan ikatannya."

Adrian menatapnya. "Ikatan itu belum selesai?"

"Ya."

"Lalu kenapa ia mengenali dia sekarang?"

"Because he never stopped looking."

The silver mark on Amelia's hand began to glow.

The other Amelia took a step back.

"He's awake."

The darkness around them began to fill with light.

Not white.

Not gold.

Black.

Adrian held Amelia's hand.

"Whatever happens, stay with me."

He looked at her.

"You promised you would find me again."

His expression softened.

"I've done it."

The mark on his hand opened like an eye.

A voice rose from within it.

The crown.

Found.

Amelia's heart stopped beating.

The other Amelia began to fade.

"Wait!"

He looked at Amelia one last time.

"There's one thing you need to know."

"What?"

Her voice broke.

"The night Eleanor erased your memory..."

He looked at Adrian.

"...he doesn't erase your love."

The other Amelia disappeared.

Amelia stood frozen.

The crown spoke again.

The memories remain.

The darkness behind them parted.

And this time, something stepped in that neither of them expected.

Eleanor.

Not the young one.

Not the old one.

Not a memory.

Not a possibility.

The real Eleanor.

He looked at Amelia.

Then Adrian.

And his eyes filled with tears.

"Finally."

Amelia couldn't move.

"Grandma?"

Eleanor nodded.

"I've been trying to find you for thirty years."

Adrian stepped forward.

"You know where he is."

"I know where the memories are."

"Why didn't you come sooner?"

Eleanor stared at the darkness behind them.

"Because something else is waiting."

Amelia's heart clenched.

"What's that?"

Eleanor turned around.

A pair of black eyes opened in the darkness.

"Something that has been hunting you both since the first day you chose each other."

The darkness moves.

Eleanor held Amelia's hand.

"Run."

"From what?"

He looked into the pair of black eyes.

"From the Crown's first love."

Then the darkness spoke.

Mine.