Chapter 177: [177] I’m Sorry

Artie woke up more disorganised than she had been in over a decade.

She had not gotten much sleep that night. Actually, she had not slept at all. Her hair was messy, bags hung underneath her eyes like she had aged five hundred years in one night, and her head was pounding.

Everything felt weird. Her lack of sleep made it feel as though she was in a mirage, a feeling she could not shake.

And the reason for her sleeplessness? One word, Eliron.

No matter how much she tried to stop it, the music from last night was running in her head, constantly repeating.

It had been sublime before, but now, it was torture. This was especially because of the effect it had on her—

Badump—Badump—

Her heart was pounding in her chest so loudly that each one felt like she was having a heart attack.

Perhaps a heart attack would have been better. Or a seizure maybe, at least she would be at peace.

Artie could hear the tapping of shoes as they moved across the dance floor. She could still feel the warmth of Eliron’s hand against her waist, the way he looked at her…

His smile was permanently etched in her memory. Worst of all, the very bane of her existence…

That kiss.

The moment she remembered it, patches of red blossomed on her cheeks like tiny roses, dotting all the way up to her ears before blooming into a bright pink.

In all her fifty years, there was no one who had made her feel this way, no one able to draw this reaction out of her.

Artie grabbed her pillow, placed it against her face, and screamed out her frustrations into it.

This was not the time for this.

No matter how much she wanted what they shared to grow, no matter how much she wanted him, it was not something that could happen.

Not now. Not ever.

She got down from the bed and pulled her long, unruly hair back with a sigh.

“Maybe I should get a haircut?” It might just be what she needed to put her mind to other things.

Her hair had been mostly neglected for the past few months, and as a result, it was getting dangerously close to Yen’s hair length, which was waist-length…

Pushing all the thoughts about Eliron, the dance, and that which should not be mentioned away, Artie left her bed and walked into the toilet.

It was an unfamiliar view, one that she was hardly accustomed to.

The night before, Eliron had filled them all in on what he did during the one hour in which he was missing.

Because of his help, the baron personally requested that they spend the night in his estate. This also meant that they could conduct their business activities with ease.

Artie stood in front of the mirror and slowly began massaging the area around her eyes.

“I look like a raccoon…”

She could already imagine how much Yen and Eliron would tease her if she were to appear like that.

At the thought of it, a small smile appeared on her lips.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

Artie froze.

That voice…

She removed her fingers from her face, her hands slowly shaking.

“The ball was great, wasn’t it? You even got your first kiss! How lovely!”

Badump—Badump—

Artie’s heart raced in her chest, but it was not the happy type that filled you with butterflies or made your cheeks turn into an artistic expression.

No. It was the type of heartbeat that caused the blood to drain from your face, your eyes to remain unblinking, your mind to swirl…

Slowly, Artie took in a deep breath and placed her hands on the toilet counter, closing her eyes.

’It’s not possible, it’s not possible, it’s not possible!’

Snap!

She opened her eyes, but this time, she could see another person in the reflection of the mirror.

The woman was taller than Artie by just a little bit. She had wavy red hair cut short, and teal eyes that sparkled mischievously.

“Adira.”

It was none other than her sister.

With a smile on her face, Adira strolled up to Artie, who stood frozen in place.

“You’ve grown to be so beautiful, Artie.” She ran her fingers through Artie’s red hair, still smiling as she began organising it.

“Oh my, your hair is quite long, isn’t it?”

Her fingers casually brushed Artie’s neck, and they were cold, icy cold.

Artie swallowed.

“So? How did it feel to get your first kiss? Did you feel butterflies—oh! Did you dream of him?” Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

“…”

Adira pouted. “Come on! You’re not going to tell your big sis??”

“Y-you. You are dead!” Artie screamed at the top of her voice, her voice probably waking everyone in the estate.

Adira smiled.

“Indeed I am.”

The room became deathly cold.

Adira began slowly braiding Artie’s hair. “You know… I never got a first kiss.”

Artie felt her heart trembling in her chest. She felt lightheaded, and just being in the presence of her older sister made her feel like vomiting.

Memories flashed in her mind, nasty memories. Artie closed her eyes.

She had always been someone who had a command of her emotions, but right now, there was nothing she could do.

There were limits to everything, and Adira had pushed her past them.

Adira frowned playfully. “I never got to get married. I never visited any fancy balls with fancy people.”

Her cold hands wrapped around Artie’s neck, massaging it.

“P-please…” Artie’s voice shook. “Please, leave me in peace.”

Silence—

Crash!

Artie’s face was suddenly slammed into the mirror, the sharp shards cutting her face. She was tossed to the floor hard, her head bouncing on the toilet seat.

A ringing sound filled her ears as blood dripped from several cuts on her face.

All over the ground, the glass had spilled, casting several images of the two of them.

“Peace?” The calm, friendly tone now sounded disgusted and inhuman.

“Where was peace when I suffered and died?!”

Thwack!

She kicked Artie in the gut, the force enough to lift her from the floor.

“Where was peace when I was killed like a dog?!”

Another kick rocked her gut, causing Artie to groan on the floor.

Adira jumped atop her, trapping her between her legs.

Artie stared into her teal eyes, looking at the woman who was nearly identical to her in fear.

“You are not my sister—”

Thwackk!

Adira slapped her right across the mouth, a crazed smile on her face. She grabbed Artie’s neck again, but this time, she squeezed.

“No, I am not. Adira is dead, isn’t she? You killed her!”

Artie shook her head, tears rolling down her eyes as she struggled to breathe.

’No, no, stop. I… I… I didn’t kill you!’ she screamed in her mind.

She wanted it to end. Adira’s words… they cut right into her soul.

Adira smiled. “Yes, you little witch. You never knew how to do anything right, so you killed your big sister out of jealousy. That is what you did, didn’t you?”

Artie shook her head, her heart twisted with grief. “I… I didn’t know!”

Adira’s cold hands became intensely hot, burning her prints into Artie’s skin.

Her gaze was dark, tears also forming in her eyes as she squeezed harder.

Suddenly, Adira’s body burst into flames.

“No. No. No!” Artie tried to scream, her voice barely coming out as a whisper.

Right before her eyes, her sister’s skin blistered, her hair burned like wool, and her skin blackened like coal.

“If you didn’t know…” Adira’s flaming tears fell, burning a mark on Artie’s skin.

“Then why did you do nothing? Why did you watch me burn?”

For that question, Artie had no answer.

The flames began to consume her as well. Her hair caught fire first, the fire slowly moving to her face and eyes.

But Artie just lay there, staring at her burned sister, tears rolling down her eyes.

“A- – R—* – T – -E!”

Artie heard a fragmented voice.

Then everything went dark.

“Haaa—!” Artie’s eyes widened, her breathing erratic as she stared around the room.

There was no sign of her sister, no smell of fire, no pain.

’A dream?’

“Artie? Are you alright?!” a concerned voice reached her.

Only then did Artie realise that Yennefer was hugging her, her eyes filled with concern.

Artie took a deep breath to calm herself, running a shaky hand through her hair. She tried to hold it in, but tears rolled down her eyes like a flood.

While Artie cried, hiccuping as she tried to contain it, Yennefer hugged her tightly, soothing her back.

She had no idea what was happening, but she did not need to know.

She had never seen Artie like this, for her to have broken down this badly, Yen knew that it had to be something very serious.

Slowly, she ran her hand over her back, staying silent as Artie wept to her heart’s content.

When Artie finally calmed down and pulled away from the hug, Yen’s eyes widened as she got a proper look at her tear-soaked face.

Etched on her forehead, in what looked like blood, was a crooked crucifix, giving off a slow, pulsing glow.

’This can’t be…’

Artie… was cursed.

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