Chapter 254 - [Bonus Chapter] Summoning Pens Answered
Chapter 254 – [Bonus Chapter] Summoning Pens Answered
"Sally!"
Tomas halted by the door of the infirmary where Sally was being treated. His breath hitched even after glimpsing at her small feet covered with dust and a speck of blood. The sound of her muffled growl that was full of agony was akin to stakes stabbing right through his chest.
He knew this sound. It was the sound of a wailing wolf unable to shift. Hence, the pain of unreleased energy that prickled under their skin, tearing them from the inside only to regenerate to get it torn apart again.
"Tom…" his back stiffened before he slowly turned his head to his left. There stood Teresa with a pale and blank expression. "What's going on, Tom? Why…"
Teresa turned her head towards the open door only to see Sally losing control while some of their people were trying to chain her. Sally looked possessed as her eyes were bloodshot, as if all she could see was red. She simply followed the faint scream she was hearing in her room and was led in here.
"Sally…?" came out a lower whisper as the space between her brows wrinkled. Just not long ago, Teresa was still having dinner with her sister. The latter even teased and bullied her like usual. It hadn't been over two hours.
So why? What happened to Sally after her walk with Azazel?
"Hugo is fighting Azazel." Her breath hitched as she moved her shaking, wide eyes toward Tomas. "He turns out to be a traitor and… did this to her. If not for Hugo, I don't think… we'll hear her again."
"No way…" Teresa shook her head as she lowered her gaze. How could that be? Azazel was kind and gentle. He…
Before Teresa could justify Azazel's action, a sudden realization struck her. From the beginning, she always felt like Sally had become 'over-possessive' of people. First at Rinnie, and then at Azazel. Teresa thought it was because Sally liked them from the get-go.
Until now that she thought about it, Teresa recalled Sally was a little over her usual self. It wasn't obvious because it was genuinely hard to discern the difference. However, even when Sally grew bolder after Alice's death, she simply thought it was because of the grief.
Teresa was wrong.
She should've seen the signs. Sally purposely got in between Azazel and everyone. She thought it was because the latter simply liked Azazel. But it seemed… Sally was simply keeping a close watch on him under the facade of liking him.
"It could've been me," came out a whisper, raising her head and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Sally… protected me."
Her heart broke in half as she tried to close her mouth, but couldn't. If Sally didn't intervene and selfishly wanted to hog Azazel for herself, Teresa would be the one writhing in pain while her pulverized bones regenerated.
"Sally…" she turned her head towards the door, wanting to take a step and hold her sister's hand. However, her feet stayed on the spot as if they were nailed to the floor.
"Reese…" called Tomas. He didn't know what to do to console his sister, so in the end, he couldn't do or say anything. His face crumpled, gritting his teeth while holding his hand into a tight fist.
Just when his grip relaxed and raised it to pat his sister's head, he stopped and froze midway. Tomas's eyes glinted, baring his fangs as he pulled Teresa's arm to hide her behind him.
Grrr
"Tom?" Teresa called in puzzlement before her eyes dilated. She tilted her head to look ahead down the corridor, swallowing down a mouthful of saliva at the dreadful presence in the darkness.
Tomas held his breath while listening to the faint sound of footsteps, eyes on the dark hallway. Soon, a figure slinked out of the shadow, standing in front of the window where the faint light from the moon filtered through. The light only shone on his black shoes up to his chest, but Tomas immediately recognized him.
Cedrick.
"You…!" his eyes glowed with faint gold dust and growled. Deep in his heart, he knew Cedrick's intention wasn't good. When Cedrick smirked, tearing away the usual facade he wore, Tomas was certain.
Cedrick… was planning to start his onslaught on them.
"Teresa, tell everyone to move Sally to a safer place — even if it's impossible," he ordered solemnly, grinding his canines against his teeth, eyes fixed on Cedrick. "And look for Victoria or Silas or Tito. I'll keep him busy."
"Tom."
Tomas glanced over his shoulder and yelled. "Now!" making Teresa jolt back.
"The werewolves are so… filial, are they?" Cedrick chuckled with his lips closed, shifting his eyes at Teresa's figure, who staggered back upon meeting his gaze.
In a blink, he vanished, only to reappear past Tomas. However, just before his claws could reach the stunned Teresa, a wolf's mouth bit his arm away.
CRASH!
Tomas, now in his wolf form, tossed Cedrick by the arm through the window, causing it to shatter loudly — albeit not as loud as Sally's scream. He looked back at Teresa, who was clutching her hand close to her chest, staring back at him, wide-eyed.
'Reese, get a grip,' he spoke in her mind, snarling on the surface. 'I'll chase him away from here so you…'
He trailed off as his chest suddenly tightened. Tomas slowly peeled his eyes from her and looked outside the shattered window.
There, outside, was a black barrier ascending into the sky, swallowing the entire imperial palace with nothing but darkness as the light from the moon shrunk. For a wolf whose instincts were heightened, the sense of danger instantly crept into his heart.
However, the second later, it poured.
Just when he thought they would be entrapped in the middle of darkness, the black barrier turned into liquid. It was raining with a dark liquid that had the same consistency as blood.
This time, Tomas held his breath as the sense of dread he felt multiplied by ten. His eyes fell on the ground outside, which was slowly turning black.
'Teresa Tempest… get out of here.' His voice in her head was rasped but full, shaking in both fright and solemn. 'The Imperial Palace…. is not a safe place anymore.'