Chapter 5

“What’s this?” Aila questioned, eyeing the bottles. “Nothing that’ll harm your body,” Akila replied with a reassuring smile. “All we have to do is read this spell that she gave me, and then we’ll drink this after. We’ll lie side by side and hold hands, and in five minutes, it should be done.” Aila sighed for the umpteenth time, doubt clouding her mind. This was dangerous. This was in all ways dangerous. What if something happens? What if the liquid… “I don’t want to, Akila. I can’t help you this time, sister. I’m sorry,” Aila whispered, guilt settling in her stomach. Akila’s patience snapped, heaving a short, angry sigh as she placed the bottle down, “Do you think Father will care what you want! If I don’t go tomorrow, Aila, he will kill me! And I can choose not to go and decide to run away! And guess who something would happen to if I decided to run away!” She snapped. “You! You, Aila. He will kill you for letting me run away, and you would be forced to marry the king either way!” Aila sucked in a sharp breath, the words instilling a new fear in her. Their father would kill her. And Akila could run away. She was like their father when it came to threats. And running away from this hell has been the one thing that she had always wanted. Akila retook her hands, placing the bottle in it and a paper, “Please, Ai…you’ve always helped me before. Now, you’ll be helping both of us. Please, just do this last thing for me.” Aila’s chest felt like it was caving in, too tight, small for her to breathe. She should say no, scream. But instead, she exhaled shakily, her fingers twitching as they hovered around the bottle. “Thank you,” Akila mumbled before they walked to their queen-sized bed and lay on their backs. Aila’s heart thumped heavily in her chest. Various forms of her voice echoed in her head. Don’t do it, Aila. It’s dangerous. What if you’re caught? Don’t trust Akila. Don’t do it. “Ready?” Akila asked, turning to look at her. “On my count,” Akila said, unfolding the paper. “ Three…two…one…go,” Akila stated. Both of them read the spell, each word bouncing and syncing in perfect harmony with the other. Aila’s voice trembled with the spell, the words and the meaning scaring her. Her voice cracked in between, doubt and worry etching the corners of her mind the more she read into it. Suddenly, she felt Akila’s reassuring hand on hers, making her lips stretch slightly, a bit of comfort that she wasn’t alone settling in her heart as she continued the rest of the words, this time with more confidence. Immediately they finished, they both opened their bottles. Akila downed hers at a go while Aila stared at the green slimy thing. She looked at Akila’s cringed-up face, making her hesitate for a minute as her hand wobbled on the bottle. “Go on. It’s not that bad.” Akila whispered. Aila looked again at the bottle, her heart pounding more. Once she drank this, and if it worked, there was no going back. She gulped down, fear gnawing her chest as the bottle became increasingly close to her lips. She looked over to Akila, who was staring at her with a reassuring smile. She closed her eyes and parted her lips wide enough to pour the entire thing in her mouth, the liquid coating her throat like tar. Her nose scrunched up in betrayal, managing to give way to her throat as she swallowed the entire thing. Akila squeezed her hand more as they both shut their eyes, waiting for something to happen. One second passed. Two seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Aila squeaked one of her eyes open, meeting the gray ceiling. “Are you sure this is… She didn’t get to finish her entire sentence when something jolted in her, causing the rest of the words to stay in her throat. The air around them thickened, the candle flames flickering violently. Aila gasped as her body jolted upwards and returned, a surge of energy coursing through her. Something yanked at her insides, giving rise to another thing in her. Suddenly, she felt a bit lighter, like her entire world problem had just disappeared. Before she could get used to the feeling, she felt herself- or her soul merge into something else, a heavy impact. A loud yell tore through her lips, the same going for Akila before it finally stopped. Her limbs felt detached, floating, or withering. Her vision exploded into bits of her life or Akila’s life. Flashes of memories that were not hers floated in her brain, and Jarvis's ridiculous smile popped into her head. Everything suddenly disappeared, and an awry, eerie silence dawned on the room. Sweat pooled on her forehead. Her chest rose and fell, gnawing for real air with closed eyes. Suddenly, the door opened, causing them to jerk off the bed with their eyes flying open, shoving the vial under their pillows. Their mother stood at the door's entrance, broad and alarming, “What was that whole noise for?” “We’re sorry, Aila’s eyes widened, her chest tightening. Heat spread through her veins. This was not her voice. This was not how she sounded. She rushed up the bed, and towards the bathroom to stare at herself in the mirror. Her shock tripled as she stared at herself wide-eyed in the mirror, her heart beating faster than it already was. It freaking worked! She was now Akila, which means… She turned back to see her mother standing at the entrance, her brows raised in suspicion, trying to figure what was going on, but also with her sister, whose lips were stretched out, a knowing smile on them, “...Akila was now her.”