"Now take a deep breath and control." 

I did just as Allegra suggested and let my Reaper side go.

Boom!

Oh shit! I cursed again.

"Bravo, sister. You just managed to break the wall. Now we just have to think it was our enemy's head and then we're all done." 5132 clapped behind me which earned her a glare. 

"Lana! Let her focus. Emie, again." Allegra yelled out, ignoring 5132's rolling eyes. All three of us were in the training room for hours and all I managed to do was breaking a vase without ruining the room. And for 5132, even with being a newbie witch she perfectly did all the things I was currently lacking.

Like controlling my Reaper side!

This time with determination, I imagined Demos's head being the target. The more I thought about that lying bastard, the more my anger grew. He knew, he had to have known who I was and yet he took advantage of my loss of memory. Ever since I learned that eight more clans were destroyed by Demos, it was a miracle that I was still standing here and not in a suicide mission to bring his headless body in the Coven.

"That's more like it. Use that anger of yours." Allegra's voice felt like coming from miles when a jolt of shock tore through my veins. 

"You did it." A breath of relief left from my lips as Allegra showed her appreciation. Allegra was no Hannah but I did respect the woman just as much. Even 5132 looked proud of me. 

"That was damn good! Want to see a cool trick of mine?" She asked, biting her lips in excitement.

Allegra and I looked at each other before I shrugged, humor dancing behind my gaze. "Sure, your highness."

Then to our utter surprise, 5132 closed her eyes only to show three versions of hers standing there. My eyes widened where Allegra actually stepped back. 

"Did you-did you just multiply yourself?" She all but shrieked. 5132 gave us a smug look before going back to being one person.

"How was it?" She asked mischievously.

"I hate you." I mumbled, making her laugh. 

Allegra stiffened when 5132 turned to look at her. "I assume you are looking at me for my approval and I'm impressed. But where on earth did you learn to do that? You don't even know much of a spell."

"Oh, thanks for the reminder. First, it was you are not even a witch and now it's you're a new one." 5132 rolled her eyes. "Before Alexei showed up on our doorsteps, Mikhail shared a part of his soul with us. You know he uses the illusion to take on two forms. Since then I can multiply myself. At first, I was scared of seeing double or even triple of myself but then he said it was an advantage of having a part of his soul."

Hearing her, I was reminded of that night when Lex shared his soul with me. Even now if I tried, I could hear his thoughts perfectly inside my head. As if he was always there, lurking, reminding me who I belonged to. 

"Duck!" Allegra suddenly yelled, taking the three of us down with her behind a table. Whirling around, I was surprised to see a knife almost missing me by an inch.

The wind around me started picking up to protect us when the ceiling starting to crack, shaking the ground with it. We all looked at each other in silent alarm and picked up our speed to run from the training room. Just as we were out of the room, with a bang the door closed shut and the cracking stopped.

In fact, everything just stopped.

No wind.

No shake of the ground.

5132 looked like she was still in shock. "What the fuck just happened?"

"I think nobody felt that." Allegra's eyes fell on some of her Coven members who were busy with the last-minute preparation for the festival. "They all look perfectly fine. No one's freaking out or asking for help. What is happening?" 

"I don't like the look of this." I whispered, eying the people around us.

"My favorite girl..." Someone shouted loudly, causing all of us to look behind. It was a guy with blue eyes who looked awfully familiar and a girl I had never seen. Whoever these people were, they got some nasty stares from everyone in the room. 

"Oh my God!" 5132 squealed, running to kiss him. My eyes widened where he couldn't stop smiling. I tried to figure out who they were when 5132 pulled back and looked at the blonde next. 

"5133! I missed you." 

The girl immediately took a step back. "Really? Because you two forgot that I even exist. No call, no visits. I was forced to stay there with this one."

The man rolled his eyes. "Hey!"

"Oh, Mikhail's back home. Saving people, being everyone's hero, cutting off my soul supply, you know, the usual." 5132 started rambling before noticing my gaze on them. "Dammit! Where's my manner? Emie, this is Zach. My...kind of beloved and you should know him." 

Huh?

"Uh...you do look familiar but I've no idea from where." I answered honestly. 

"You don't know him?" Allegra had her eyes wide and for the second time, I wondered why they all thought I should know him. 

"You...killed me once." Zach whispered, gaining my attention immediately. Killed him? What the-oh..oh. That night after Hannah died. After I lost my mind, my everything. I closed and opened my mouth, unable to say what really was on my mind. What could anyone even say a word to a person they killed?

I'm sorry?

I was not myself?

My Reaper side could never regret it? 

"You are the one who I-"

"Don't worry!" Zach put a stop to my hysteria. "I'm already over it. I get it. For what's worth, I'm sorry for what I did to Lana too."

"Okayyy...This is getting depressing so I'm just gonna skip to the introduction. This is 5133, Ivy Hernandez aka Mikhail's sister. She was the one who was my roommate." I could vaguely remember 5132 telling me about her time in that sanatorium. 

"Now their specialties. Zach binds souls using that trinket of his." True to her words, he raised his wrist showing off the little trinket. "5133 here can see the past, present, and future. And she hates doing incantations."

"I said I can't do it." Ivy corrected her with a grin.

I couldn't help but smile. "I thank you two from my whole heart, for being here in need."

"Oh, don't bother." Zach grinned, showing the glint in his gaze. "Mikhail may have been her beloved but I'm her protector. I'll always protect those who are closer to Lana."

The words confused me, especially as 5132's smile dimmed a little. But as if nothing happened, she kept going. "You are going off track. Why did it take you two so long again?"

"Did I ever mention that the Red clan is utterly annoying and all of them are assholes?"

My heart picked up again. Red clan? How could I forget those people? Before I could ask how they were doing, Ivy let out a snort. "You never stopped saying that."

"What?" Zach tasked, acting hurt. "I thought we agreed on that?"

"I think we all agree on that." 5132 agreed, watching my reaction. "Emie, I never told you this but I met your friend, Gema. If you want, you can give her a call. I think she'll like it."

No.

Gema?

It's been too long and the promise I gave her... "I-I will think about it."

"Good! Now, can I go with them? I'll do double training tomorrow." 

Allegra seemed only reluctant for a second before nodding with a sigh. "Fine. But I demand serious training. From both of you."

"Consider it done."

"As Emie said!" 5132 yelled behind Allegra who left rolling her eyes. 

"And you sis, I'll see you later." 5132 took only a few steps with the newcomers before I heard her chuckle. "Better yet, do some work out with your husband. It might take some of your grumpiness away. Just make sure not to be that loud as last night. Some of us have a wonderful hearing here." 

Alexei, I cursed again. 

***

"Hey, you OK?" I whipped around quickly to see Lex was leaning at the door. He looked otherwise calm but I could feel the turmoil in his heart as if it was mine. What had him so worried?

"I'm alright. I should ask you the same question. Why are you so worried?" 

"You tell me." He started to walk until he was closer to me. "I felt your emotions."

"Oh! It's nothing. Just practicing how to say sorry and not sound like a bitch."

"That's oddly specific. Who did you piss off?"

More like who didn't I? But I could never admit it to him so I shrugged. "Just some petty members."

"Okkk. So today what did you break...or burn?" I rolled my eyes at his question. 

Typical.

"I made a hole in the wall, nothing else." I could see he was trying hard not to laugh but when I glared at him, sure enough, he cracked up.

"Lex!" I groaned, closing my mind off to them. It wasn't working out anyway.

Lex chuckled, his hold on me tightening. "You know I like to tease you a lot. In fact, that's my favorite pastime."

I brushed my lips against his in answer. "I know." 

It was really hard to stay mad at someone who could make me forget my own name with a kiss like that. I could faintly hear someone yelling 'go get it' from outside.

Damn you, 5132. 

"So, wife, are you ready for the coming war?" He smiled at me as if he wasn't even bothered.

"Wife?" Even after remembering, it didn't make me easier to the idea of being his wife. "Gosh...I don't even remember my own wedding." 

He smirked, flicking my nose. "I remember. And, I revisited that moment over and over for the last four years."

He looked so breathtaking like this. I couldn't even look away from his perfect face.

"What's that look on your face?" He asked when I had no answer.

"Is it true?"

He laughed, not bothering to hide his eagerness. "Just ask Zedkiel. I may as well have turned him into a therapist." 

"Speaking of Zedkiel, where is he?" I asked, suddenly remembering something important.

"Hmm, I don't know." Lex trailed off, shrugging. "He has been quite distant lately. I think I haven't seen him since our date." As if just now he realized how bizarre that sounded, he looked at me. "That's odd, isn't it?"

I nodded solemnly. Was he hurt? It was an unsettling thought regarding Jonathan was after him. And I still needed to know where Prophesy was. 

"What are you thinking about?"

Could I ask him? I decided I could just ask him if he knew the man. If he knew, then it'll at least give me a rest. With that in thought, I turned around.

"Do you know anyone named Jonathan Vale Franklin?"

Lex froze. He literally tensed looking away from me. Now that was suspicious...way too suspicious. Especially when I couldn't find any thoughts coming from him. 

"Do you by any chance know him? Why the hell aren't you answering?" I screamed, frustration winning over every minute. 

"Yeah, I know him." He said after blinking a few times. "And you know him too. That's your...father."

Father?

I didn't know how to express myself. Shock? Surprise? Doubt? I thought just by cursing his wife his job was done. He was finished with his daughters and that was it. But for Jonathan to be my father...

"You are lying." I breathed out. "You...you are mistaken. It had to be-"

"I'm sure, little soul." Lex didn't wait for me to freak out again. "He's alive. For some reason, he told Zed to not let you two know about it. I met your father back when Keisha took you. And the demon pet I told you about? Cone? It was a gift from him."

"But he saw me." I didn't know how to make Lex understand my pain. "He knew I was trapped in Hell but he didn't come for me."

He was only there for Prophecy. 

Even Lex looked surprised. "He knew?"

I nodded, numb to everything. Jonathan could have saved me. I could have been helped but instead, he made a deal with me to save Prophesy. Prophesy who was still missing.

"That fucking good for nothing-"

"I'd like to be alone for a moment." I spoke up, stopping Lex's rage-filled rambling. I was sure he could feel my thoughts, my emotions, my anger. My own father didn't want to help me. But why? What could have been stopping him from rescuing me?

"You sure?"

"Hmm." I nodded, looking away. I didn't know how long I was staring at the wall after he left. I only felt something when the door opened again, making me sigh. Of course, he could never listen. 

"I told you to leave me."

"But this isn't what the King wants." That voice. Startled, I turned around to see that woman perfectly sitting on the floor as if it's normal. As if she should be here.

"Y-You-"

"He's looking for you, you know?" Prophesy drawled out. "I can never sleep. Even here, he asks for you, he needs my help. He needs us."

I couldn't believe my own eyes. Was the shock of knowing who my father was so bad that I started dreaming? But why would Prophesy be there?

"He doesn't need us." I could finally open my mouth. "He never needed us."

Prophesy stared back at me, an innocent curiosity washing over her gaze. "How could you resist him? How could you be with that man...Alexei?"

"You prophesized us." I could still remember that word by word. "You knew me. You knew, just like Jonathan."

Prophesy only laughed in return.

"Jonathan?" Her laugher increased by the minute. "He is a fool. The greatest fool of them all! You can't escape the King, never betray him. He won't let you!"

I stood up on my feet, barely able to hold my own weight. I had to reason with Prophesy. This woman was the key to every answer tying me to Demos. Prophesy didn't seem alarmed as I walked toward the woman. Only when we were eye to eye that I spoke up.

"You are free to live, Prophesy. I can help you. Why are you still holding into him?"

"Because those three told me so. They always argue, you know? To have control, here-" She pointed at her head and her lips tugged up to a messy grin. "Oh, they just spoke! He's coming for us. Both of us."

Shit.

"You don't know-"

Suddenly Prophesy's eyes rolled over, her voice rising even higher. "Even if he had it, how would he keep it? It would've withered away just like everything that's been kept too preciously. So he let it go, watched as they forgot that precious cage and a sigh of doubt that left from their keeper for their prey who only meant to fly. But at the end of the day, they had to come back. Always."

"What are you doing!" I could no longer hide my panic. 

A smile of triumph fell over her face. "It was always meant to end this way."

No, God, no.

I shook Prophesy's shoulder, thinking if it was just a bad dream. As if I imagined it all. But as Prophesy vanished from my fingertips, I could still hear her fleeting words.

"The prophesy is done. Long live the King."