Elaine's POV
I honestly haven't been able to think straight since I heard Cordelia's words about the prophecy. I thought of it as ridiculous because the one who made this prophecy was dying somewhere as dust. How certain was Cordelia that the special seed was me? I knew nothing about his bloodline, so why me?
"Hey, uhm, Cordelia called and said that you were not feeling so well." Kai examined me thoroughly, making sure that I had no physical damage.
"I'm fine," I replied.
"You actually don't look so fine to me," Kai replied softly while guiding me to the bed. "I didn't have to come this close to see that you've lost weight… you are pale as well, and you can't be completely fine and still have these things, Elaine. Please, tell me, what's wrong?"
The manner in which he approached the situation was very calm, making me feel guilty for lying to him again. At the same time, I felt like it was too early to spill because I wasn't sure what was happening yet. I brainstormed and tried to think of something on the scale of my problems, but it was already as though he could effortlessly see through me.
"Really, Elaine?" He held firm disappointment in his voice.
"I don't really know, okay? I do a lot of crazy stuff now that I didn't do in the past. I'm not sure how it came or how I'm able to do them, but I need a serious explanation for it—or for it to stop entirely!" I ranted in frustration, standing up from my bed to walk to my window.
"What's going on?"
"Cordelia didn't tell you?"
"She didn't."
Okay… firstly, I knew I would be mad if Cordelia had said something, but I also think that it would have helped my discussion with him a bit. Now what in the world am I supposed to do?
"It's a complicated story," I tried to change the topic while walking past him. "I'll also let you know when I'm ready to talk to you about it."
"Elaine?" He called my name in a way that sounded a bit… off.
Turning to look at him, I dodged a few attacks from him on reflex, making him stunned.
"Too fast for a human," he mumbled, clearly doing the examination all by himself since I had refused to open up.
Fear gripped my legs the moment I saw him starting to shift. Was he seriously going to hurt me now?
"Run!" I acted on his words without needing to hear them completely. Jumping the staircase by the rails, I pushed my body as fast as I could until I was outside. I looked back carefully, a bit disappointed that I didn't see anything running after me. Did he think that what was happening to me was some sort of joke? Or maybe he just wanted to give me some time to get as far away from him as possible.
Run! His voice echoed in my head the moment I sighted him from afar. Picking up my pace, I ran as fast as I could, jumping fallen branches and hindrances that would usually slow me down. However, something bad was happening, and I badly wished there was a way to communicate it to him.
My strength began to fail at the wrong time, and my breath was starting to feel like it was being dragged out of me. I tried to keep my pace, though, but he was quickly catching up to me. I kept going on and on until I couldn't move a muscle anymore. I fell to the ground, barely able to keep my eyes open.
"Hey, how are you now?" I heard him ask beside me while tucking the strands of my hair behind my ear.
I tried to adjust to the bright light and recall how I ended up in the room. I got an awful ache in my head as a response for trying to recall, so I let the memory slide, concluding that it'd come in later.
"This is actually the first time she passed out, unless she passed out in the woods and returned to the motel when she was conscious," Cordelia reported.
"For how long?" Kai focused his question on me.
"Not long after I killed the member of the cult that night," I admitted, still trying to make myself feel comfortable on the bed.
"Why didn't you say anything since then?"
"Because I wasn't sure what it was. Cordelia suspects that it has something to do with a lame prophecy, and it doesn't make sense. Personally, I think that those guys in the cult had special powers attached to them, and it makes sense that I'm getting my punishment or whatever for killing him."
"You know nothing, young lady!" Cordelia snapped, getting on my nerves. "You are the future of our world, and the earlier you quit talking nonsense and return to nurturing and harnessing your powers, the better it will be for us all."
"Our world? Didn't you tell me some time ago that you are human—"
"Human or not," she interfered rudely, "I have lived long enough here for me to be part of this world, and I think you've gotten yourself tied up in many things as well."
Cordelia was acting a little different about this—like it meant something to her more than it would benefit everybody. She was scolding and bossing me around, which was so unlike her. I couldn't help but feel irritated by her, and I lost it, ordering her to leave me alone.
"Elaine, calm down," Kai quickly grabbed me by my shoulder when Cordelia and I didn't stop yelling at each other.
"You need help to carry out your role just as the prophecy says, and you won't get it if you keep pushing everyone away and keeping all the details to yourself."
"Cordelia, please leave us alone now," Kai turned to her before she was able to speak again.
She did leave us without a fight, while I got back into bed, shutting my eyes to keep myself distracted from Kai. Luckily for me, he didn't fight it or try to force me into having a conversation with him. He just let me be, lying next to me with his arm wrapped around my waist and his chest against my back.
***
"I'm sorry. I should have at least said something, but I honestly didn't want anyone to worry," I sincerely apologized to Kai when my behaviour dawned on me.
"I'm here if you need anything, anytime, Elaine. You're never a burden," he corrected me ever so tenderly, while my mind drifted to what could be going on in Cordelia's head. She had done nothing other than to care for me as though I were her on flesh and blood and what did I do in return? Damn! I felt so filthy right now.
"She came to see if you've calmed down a bit, if that's what you're thinking."
"I should probably apologize to her later, even though the prophecy and any of this still doesn't make sense to me yet," I told him while getting up from the bed.
"It's the right thing to do," he agreed.
"Also, I have a favor to ask of you, and here it is. I think I need some time to clear my head, process things better, and maybe live my life like a normal person," I whispered while taking note of every single expression on his face.
"So…"
"I want to leave Raven Hollow. Though not permanently, it's just—"
"Oh," he lowered his voice and his gaze in an attempt to hide his hurt.
"Uhm, it's not forever, okay," I stammered. "I just have to—"
"You don't have to explain anything—"
"Also, you don't have to stay away. You can come with me," I shrugged, making him chuckle before he got up on his feet.
"You know it's not possible," he replied coldly.
"We can figure something out," I tried to get him to listen, but it was already too late. He walked out on me.
Feeling as though my emotions were upside-down, I tried to think of a better way to resolve the issue than to fight with Kai. Admitting the harsh truth to myself that Cordelia was the only one who could help me, I went downstairs to meet her.
Pouring out my heart's content while she listened, she brought out a tiny bracelet containing small gemstones embedded in its body.
"I'll talk to Kai for you, and I'll do all I can to convince him to go with you, but be aware that you'd be very responsible for what happens afterward," she assured me while putting the bracelet on my wrist. "This here will always help you see Luca's true form, even when he decides to take someone else's form."
I thanked her and went back to my room, falling asleep, hoping that Kai would somehow change his mind and come with me.