Caden found her by the lake, where she often went to be alone.
"Aletha?"
She flinched slightly, turning around quickly. Her eyes returned to their normal color in a split second.
"What are you doing here, Caden? You should… stay away from me."
"You've been saying that a lot lately," he said softly. "What's wrong, Aletha?"
She tensed up, a lock of hair stuck to her cheek. The wind smelled of water and tension.
"Nothing. I'm fine."
"Don't lie to me. You were different... your eyes..."
She stepped back. The voice echoed in her head again.
"Kill him. He's replacing me."
She shut her eyes, shaking her head.
"Caden, go!"
He stepped forward. She almost screamed:
"GO!"
But he didn't stop. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Aletha, look at me."
Something snapped.
A wave of water suddenly rose from the lake, swirling, and struck Caden hard, throwing him against a tree. He hit the ground with a dull crack.
Bella and Zetch rushed over, alerted by the noise.
"What happened?!" Bella shouted.
Zetch stared at Aletha—panting, hands shaking. Her black eyes slowly faded back to normal.
"I... I need air."
And she ran off, almost fleeing.