Wonder Lost

Trouble

When Isabella heard Simon say “Leo,” a bomb the size of her love for him fell and exploded in her stomach. She didn’t want to believe it. How could it have happened? How did it happen?

“What? What happened?” Isabella asked.

“Liam recognized him while everyone else was working. Luckily, Caleb was in the hallway and heard what he said. Liam was basically saying, ‘How dare you come here!’ and Caleb said that Liam had some kind of glass vial. He threw it at Leo and said, ‘You’ll pay for coming here! Maybe you’ll see your girlfriend with this!’ Then Leo fell.”

“Where is he?” she asked frantically.

“With Caleb. You shouldn’t see him yet. Cale—”

“What do you mean I shouldn’t see him yet?” Isabella exclaimed loudly. “He’s my boyfriend! I have to see him. Where is he?”

“Bella, please,” Simon begged. “Don’t chose this moment to be stubborn.” She stepped closer and glared at him.

“Let me,” she ordered, “see my boyfriend.” Simon looked at her for a moment, his head a couple of inches taller than hers, and then looked at Tony. Tony nodded solemnly.

“Fine,” Simon said. “But don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.” When he said that, it caused a chill to run down her back. What happened to her Leo? There was an aching in her stomach as she walked behind Simon. Simon stopped in front of a door.

“Bella, you have to promise not to freak out, okay?” Simon asked.

“Yes, Simon, I promise,” Isabella said. She was terrified. Was she really ready to see him?

Before she could stop him from opening the door, Simon pushed it open and Isabella’s knees buckled as she saw him.

Leo’s face was cut up and there was a large cut at the top of his forehead that was still bleeding. His arms and part of his foot were the only part of him that she could see. His arms were bruised and cut up, too. His foot was wrapped up in a white bandage that extended from his toes to his shin.

“Why is he still bleeding?” Isabella yelled at Caleb. His sorrowful expression turned to shock as the sweet girl he used to know turned into someone with so much aggression.

“Sorry, I’ll—”

“You’d better!” Isabella could barely control her anger over Liam. She eyed Simon’s sheathed sword. “I’m going to kill him.”

“Bella, no!” Simon said as she grabbed his sword. “Liam can’t know! Think of what Leo would want!” Isabella was already turning into gas and flying out of the building. Saving her energy, she turned back into solid form and thought of what Simon said. Okay, maybe I won’t kill him, she thought. I’ll just talk to him.

She zipped past the skyscrapers and headed into the mountains. Isabella realized that she hadn’t brought a coat and shivered as the cold wind brushed her face. She got to Liam’s palace and turned into air as she went through the wall.

“What did you do to my boyfriend, Liam Aroh?” Isabella demanded. Liam didn’t look half as scared as he was before. “So help me, I will curse your soul, or kidnap your daughter, or torment your dead wife!” That hit a soft spot. Liam looked as if he had just been slapped, but quickly recovered.

“Now, dear Isabella, what happened to your hair? And your face? I would never have even thought that you would use makeup!”

“Well, I guess you don’t know me. You can do many things in the underworld.” Isabella mentally scolded herself for being so stupid. The efforts of her disguise were for nothing.

“Prove to me that you’re dead,” Liam said. The request seemed to come out of nowhere.

“What?”

“I don’t believe that you’re dead. Prove it.” Isabella felt beads of sweat on her forehead.

“How do I do that?” she asked, trying to stall for time.

“Answer a question: in the masquerade ball after your ‘death’, what was my toast about?” Isabella smiled, quietly breathing a sigh of relief.

“You were saying that you were very glad I was dead and that the reason for your gratefulness was because I killed your brother. And I would just like to point out that I did not kill Maximus Aroh.”

“Oh, really? Then who did?”

“William Jacobs.” Liam stared at her for a moment.

“What?”

“Yes. I told you this! He was fighting Maximus one-on-one while Leo was healing me. So why are you still hunting Leo and the rest of the Oasis if I’m—“

“He tried to come into my castle! To spy! What was I supposed to do? If I came into your house uninvited I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate it!”

“What did you do to him?” Isabella demanded. Liam smiled.

“I gave him what you got: a long coma with memory loss included!” Isabella’s breathing became rapid but she tried to steady it.

“What memories is he going to lose?”

“Only ones about you.” Isabella felt tears coming. A sob built in her throat, but she held it back and swallowed. “See, this way he won’t remember his dead girlfriend. Really, I’m doing you a favor.”

“How long?” Isabella whispered. She couldn’t feel her body.

“A couple of months, maybe a year, it’s not exact.” Isabella flew to him and in a second had her hand around his neck and the other around his hands, preventing him from moving. She pressed him against the wall.

“How do I reverse it?” she demanded. Liam chuckled, trying to breathe.

“You can’t. It’s irreversible. You have to wait for it to pass. Now can you get your hands of off my throat?”

“I hope your wife enjoys torture,” Isabella said, turning invisible again. She let Liam’s knees buckle so he crumpled to the floor. She stayed for a second, waiting to see his reaction. He lifted his head and Isabella saw tears in his eyes, his fists clenched. Before she could eavesdrop further, she felt a wave of fatigue passed over her and she almost turned solid. Luckily, she flew out of the castle, past the plantation, into her bedroom, and passed out on her bed.