Word Count: 1640

¬Luella

My blood chills as panic sets in.

It's finally happening. The immortals have had enough waiting around for me to come out of Thought's territory to attack, and are here to finally take me away. Thought has been vague about the immortals intentions are for me; maybe they want to find out how to replicate the curse, maybe bleed me out or disect my brain.

"Who is it?" I ask, not ashamed of my shuddering tone. Thought and Time exchange glances, clearly as anxious about this visator as I am. Yet they aren't the ones who may be potentially dragged away by this person, never to be seen again.

Time shifts, looking as though he is thinking, trying to detect something I can't see, once again. "I'm not sure. Someone clearly very powerful."

"I think I know."

Our gazes cast to Thought, who stares at his hands, eyes glazed. His solemn expression is enough of a tell for me to know this isn't good, and that whoever is beyond that border is someone both Thought and Time have a right to be fearful over. Which means I should be scared, because they are here for me, and if they are desperate enough to show up here in the first place, they won't be leaving without me.

I clear my throat, trying not to let my voice shudder. "Tell me, I can handle it."

"I think it's Death. She can't get in, she's trapped my barrier, but I doubt it would take her very long to figure out how to get past it if she really wanted to," Thought tells me grimly, even though he is looking toward Time, as if he is asking him with his eyes what to do.

Even Time looks frightened, although he masks it expertly. But those golden eyes of his betray him, showing enough of a flicker of fear for me to know how serious this is.

"Death? Like the immortal death?" I ask softly, hoping that by any chance, he meant someone else, even though he nods his head. "What's she doing here?"

Time shrugs. "Well that's the thing, we don't know."

"Don't scare her. I'll talk to her," Thougth says firmly, finally dragging his gaze back to mine. I don't know much about Death personally, but I've heard the legends. Once I died in my mortal form, I awoke in her realm, where an entire labyrinth of cities and prisons exist. There, people are placed for a certain amount of time, depending on how you lived your mortal life.

I lived a relatively uneventful, moral life as a mortal, and since I died quite young, I spent only a few years there. Some people live there for centuries, serving Death. No one knows why that realm exists, really. Some say it gives Death her power, while others say it's to ensure a system of justice.

"No, you can't go out there. What if she..." I draw off, thinking of all the horrible things immortals could do to each other. Especially when power is involved.

"She won't hurt me. Immortals don't hurt each other, at least not physically," Thought explains, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously, clearly not telling me something. Pure-blood immortals have strange relationships with each other. I suppose when you have millions of years together, the past quickly defines each and every relationship.

I feel so immature in these immortals presence. Even if sometimes they are more foolish than me.

"Instead, we pure-blood ruin what each other care about the most. That's how you get to an immortal the most," Time says assuredly, the smile on his face not reaching his eyes. Even though he won't admit it, I can tell he's been burnt many times before.

"She's here for me. I should be the one who faces her," I tell them both firmly. Just saying that has my stomach turning uneasily, but I especially don't want Thought going out there. This is about me, so I should be the one who goes out there and faces her.

"No," Thought and Time say in unison, before exchanging uncomfortable glances.

"I'll speak with her. I'm not apart of this at all," Time cuts in. the only reason he is wanting to protect me is because he has some vendetta against particular immortals. If that's truly the case, then I'm okay with that, because it only positively affects me. But the fear that consumed him the moment Thought uttered her name suggests she isn't the one he was targeting.

"We both know Death prefers me over you, brother," Thought mutters. "And this is my fault. The only reason all these immortals want you is because of the powers I gifted you."

Silence falls, for a long, tedious moment. He may be right, but just him saying that makes me feel uncomfortable. He didn't control the fact that we are mates, nor the fact that this curse would happen. That's all it is. A curse.

Time claps his hands together, making us flinch. "Here's an idea, we use her abilities to get into Death's head. We know you can't get into another pure-bloods head, but Rosie clearly can."

All my breath leaves me for a long moment.

"No, she can't control it yet. There's no telling what even trying would do," Thought says, shutting that idea down firmly. I think about what it would mean, to go through an immortals head, especially someone like Death. With Thought, it was different, as he gave me permission, and could have shut me out whenever he felt like it. I would hate to know what I would see in her head...

"That's why other immortals want her to bad, because she's weak, easy to manipulate. But they don't yet know what Luella is capable of," Time says. I shudder. He's talking about me like I'm a weapon, or some kind of prize for these immortals to fight over. If any of them come for me, even if I'm scared now, I'll react, with whatever powers I can muster.

"And they don't need to know," Thought says firmly, Time nodding in agreement. I wrap my arms around myself, unable to stop my shivering. "I'll go speak to her."

Thought has already decided, as he turns toward the door. Even if I stood here and argued, there is no way he would agree to let me go out there by myself.

"Wait, Thought..." I call out, reaching out the grab his wrist. "Be careful."

He smiles, eyes softening. Wordlessly, he reaches for me, grabbing my face between two hands before he kisses me. It feels like forever since I last felt his lips on mine. The sparks, his scent, his taste, it all mixes into a heady mix that has my heartbeat fluttering frantically.

"Okay, that was gross and unnecessary," Time chimes in, once we pull away. Thought gives me one more smile, before he disappears through the door, leaving me and Time standing there, not knowing what to do next, other than look at each other.

We wait close to twenty minutes in the living room, me pacing, while Time lounges back casually, confident nothing out there could be going on.

All the while, my mind races frantically.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Thought walks back through the door, closing it tightly behind him. His hair is mussed, as if he had been ruffling his hand through it insistently. He looks frazzled, almost concerned, as he looks me over. Time and I wait with bated breath, wondering whether he managed to convince her to leave or not.

"What happened?" I question desperately, looking over him for any sign of injury, as if Immortals would fight with their own two hands.

"She just wanted to talk. She wants to see you, make sure you're okay," Thought murmurs uncomfortably, raking a hand back through his hair. Time and I exchange gazes, him looking skeptical, me looking confused. Is that it? Did Thought spend all that time out there just for Death to tell him that? I want to doubt him, but I shouldn't.

"That's it? Sorry but I don't believe Death cares if anyone is safe," Time says firmly. I shiver, breathing in deeply. I'm hoping that doesn't mean I have to go out there right now to face Death. I had confidence, but now it's disappearing, as the thought of actually standing before her

Thought rubs the back of his neck. "Why would I lie?"

I nod, holding my hand out to him. I will go with him, face Death, and see what she really wants. If she wants to make sure I'm okay, then that's what she will get.

Time continue to protest, as Thought leads me from the room. It takes us only a few moments to reach the gate to Thought's property. Oddly enough, he didn't let Death in, instead, choosing to take me beyond the barrier. But if I'm with him, I feel safe.

Suddenly he grabs my arm, stopping me.

"I love you," he says softly, silvery eyes consumed with some unknown emotion. I know he loves me, I saw it for myself and it frightened me. Yet I nod numbly, forcing a smile onto my face.

"I know."

"Good," he breathes, before he nods to the guards to open the gate. The open slowly, painfully, as I hold Thought's hand tightly within my own.

The gates finally open, and a figure steps out, exuding an intimidating aura. Death.

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