New Lives

[Arissa’s POV]

I don’t know how long I lay there trying to process what had just happened. There was just no way that it could be real. It couldn’t. Ivan had to be playing a sick joke, pretending to be swallowed up by the earth itself. If I just stayed here, he would reappear and we would go home together.

"Come out alright, idiot." I muttered, slowly beginning to raise myself. "This isn’t funny anymore."

"Arissa?"

Turning, I watched as Stefan and Nazhoni made their way into the dungeon, followed by Hans and Lindsey.

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked, quickly stooping down beside me. "Where is Ivan?"

"Ivan?" I whimpered, feeling the hollowness in me increase by the mere mention of his name. "He’s…" Biting back the sob that wanted to escape, I found that I couldn’t finish my sentence. If I even said the words, it would make this whole thing real. If I just remained quiet and didn’t address it, it wouldn’t come true. It couldn’t.

"He’s?" Stefan urged. "Did something happen to him?"

"I