I had to think first. Why was Rhea telling me this, did she know what was going to happen?
“Yes, of course.” I finally answered.
Rhea smiled at me and walked through the open door. The rest of us followed inside. I stayed close to Rhea, hoping if things get too much we could make a quick exit.
Darkness had filled throughout building, I felt something from the shadows like a thousand eyes all watching me at once. There was nothing breath taking about the inside of the castle, it was run down with dust, destroyed paintings and cobwebs had made it its home. I would have thought it was abandoned if not for the mysterious person who let us in. There was no care put into it, unlike Rhea’s amazing house, all polished and pristine. Or what it used to be before I destroyed it.
An eerie glow appeared on the top of the balcony casting an ebbing light on all what the destroyed hall had to offer. The glow seemed to grow with each passing second as we all watched it descend in front of us. I took a step back as the radiant light transformed into a tall raven haired woman. She scanned the others and stopped onto Rhea. The raven haired woman’s face twisted with rage. She walked up to Rhea and slapped her across her perfect sculpted face. Sophia stepped forward but Rhea held her.
“I didn’t expect to see you again.” The raven haired woman said.
“We need your help, and I know I’m the last person who should ask for It.” asked Rhea.
“So you come back begging for help. I don’t know if you’re worth my time.” The woman seemed to take joy in teasing Rhea.
“Naaz, please do not do this.” Rhea added.
“Is that anyway to talk to your dear long lost friend?”
“A lot has happened and we need your help.”
“Yes, I have been watching you very closely, but I don’t know if I can trust you again.”
The raven haired woman walked closer towards us and came into the dying light that was the sun. She too was a sight of beauty, soft dark skin that was flawless with dark cherry coloured lips. Her eyes were dark, but with a hit of redness thrown in and they seemed to hold a lot of history behind them.
“Don’t play games Naaz.” Rhea said.
“I’m not doing anything, I’m just-..” The woman stopped mid sentence. “You!” Her eyes found mine and I felt terror rise inside my body like bile.
“Siren’s are forbidden!” She said out loud. The dark haired woman threw out her hand and my body was dragged towards her. She lifted me in the air inches away from her face.
“Do you think you can deceive me? I could smell her miles away, the stink is all over her.” She spat.
“Rhea!” I called out for her help.
She did not look my way. She remained locked onto the dark beauty.
Marcus rushed towards me but with a flick of the woman’s wrist he was sent spiraling off in the opposite direction.
“Stop it!” I yelled.
She ignored me and continued to address Rhea.
“Have you been naughty, Rhea? You know Siren’s are forbidden.” The woman giggled to herself and her eyes were truly terrifying.
She again waved her wrist and pain flooded through my body. My muscles sized up as the pain wormed its way throughout my body. I screamed out in agony while the woman laughed at my torment. I tried to fight through the pain as best I could but it was a losing battle. I wanted to call out to Rhea I didn’t have the energy.
“That’s enough!” Rhea ordered.
“Remember your place!” Naaz spat.
Rhea gathered a light that slowly coiled around her hand.
There was a look from Naaz that could turn you flesh into stone. She then released her hand and I fell to the floor. Marcus rushed towards me and bent down to pick me up but I filched away from him.
“What is wrong with you?!” Marcus yelled at Naaz but she ignored him and continued her icy stare towards her old friend.
Rhea stared down at me and I didn’t know what to say, I thought I could trust her but it was slowly fading away. Did she know this would happen?
“You may stay a few days, no more, no less.” Naaz took one last look at me and walked away.
I picked myself up, hoping there was no internal damage. Rhea then held out her hand and I paused for a few seconds before grabbing it. She helped me up and I felt her healing glow throughout my beaten body. Did she think that everything was ok? I get beaten while Rhea stands back, and then she rushes in like everything is ok? I found my trust in her being eroded away.
I carried myself into the nearest room that luckily had a roaring fire. I lowered myself into the nearest chair that wasn’t filthy and curled up into a ball and felt like crying, but I held it in as best I could.
The group shuffled in after me and started to talk in hushed tones.
“What the hell was that about?” whispered Marcus.
“I’m sorry you all had to go through that. It’s me that she is after and she’s trying to do it through you.” Rhea explained.
I wanted to ignore her words. I wanted to be alone.
“Are we safe here?” Marcus asked.
“Just leave it to me.” She replied.
“But are we safe here?” Marcus asked again.
“I hope so.” Rhea finally answered.
“Are you ok Ellie?” Sophia sat down onto the carpet next to the sofa.
“I’m fine.” I lied.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that, if there’s anything you need or if you want a chat I’m here for you.”
I didn’t reply, I just wanted everything to stop and go back to my old life, where I got bullied for being different or worry about my English homework from Mr. Drop dead gorgeous. That was a walk in the park compared to this.
I looked over at Marcus. He was too tense to sit, he just kept checking the windows for signs of trouble.
“Why did Naaz do that to me?” I finally asked.
Rhea stood in the door with her back to us. She gave out a great sigh and turned to me.
“She still harbors a lot of hate towards me and she can tell I care much for you.” she said.
“Should I be worried about her? I don’t want to be watching my back all the time.”
“No, Naaz is a loyal friend.” Rhea replied.
“Loyal, you call that loyal?” I could tell Marcus was pissed. “She almost killed her.”
“It was a test, Marcus. Please just calm down, we have been through a lot these past few hours. We should get some rest.”
“I don’t think I can rest.” replied Marcus.
I knew where he was coming from but my eyes burned with tiredness and with all the things we had seen today. I tried to block out all of the horrible images in my mind. The sofa was comfortable enough and I felt myself slip away.
I was brought back to the darkest pits of the dungeons, locked away from the light. Leaches filtered in and out of the room to feed on me every day like I was their private buffet until I would pass out from the pain. That’s the life I led in my dreams. Broken and bruised, no one was coming for me and no one cared. I was alone and the only friend I had was the oncoming darkness.
I woke up sweating, body cold and clammy. Looking over, Marcus and Sophia were still asleep, but there was no sign of Rhea. I quietly crept out of the room and into the dark and dusty hall. I had a bad feeling about this place, darkness had taken up residence, and it wasn’t leaving anytime soon. Looking around the hall at night was terrifying, I felt like something would jump out and say “boo” but I ignored my childish thoughts and went on the lookout for Rhea. Something caught my eye at the corner of the dark long hall.
Rhea came out of the darkness as if she just said goodbye to an old friend. She didn’t notice me and I quickly hid myself behind a large broken statue that was chipped in many places. I watched her, she looked worried. Rhea was always calm and composed, but not here. This was a bad place and I didn’t want to stay.
“You don’t have to hide from me Ellie.” Her voice was dull and dry.<
br />
“Crap.” I whispered to the darkness.
I move myself away from the busted out statue and slowly walked over to her. Rhea didn’t turn her back to greet me. She remained quiet while looking out of the window.
“Cannot sleep?” she asked.
“You could say that.” I mumbled.
“Yes, it has been awful for you haven’t it.” Rhea said.
“Yeah.” I answered dryly.
“Ellie, I want to talk about what happened down in the sewers.”
I didn’t know what Rhea was talking about until slowly I started to remember. “You’re talking about when I nearly had a breakdown?”
“Yes.” She answered.
“I don’t know what happened, I felt as if I was back down in those dungeons again. I don’t ever want to go back there.”
“I will not allow it, Ellie. But I am concerned about how this is talking its toll on you.”
I didn’t answer and I want to linger on the bad thoughts that held me back. Something inside me wanted to know what was going on, I wanted to blurt out everything that I was thinking but I held my tongue. “What’s going to happen to me?”
Rhea didn’t react to the question; she continued to stare out of the window.
“Rhea?”
She took a deep sigh and answered. “To be honest, I don’t know. After all that’s happened, I just don’t know anymore, I’m sorry to say but I don’t have all the answers yet.”
She had told me the honest truth. My confidence in Rhea was falling apart, slowly shattering into tiny pieces. “I don’t want this to be my life anymore; I don’t want to keep running all the time.”
“We will find a way Ellie, I promise you.” Rhea turned to me and pulled me close to her.
“Thank you, Rhea.”I squeezed her stone body tight, I felt safe when I was with Rhea, but was it all a lie? Was she the one dragging me into the danger?
“What’s inside that room you came out of?”
I pulled away from her and waited for her response. “I was talking with Naaz, she knows everything. She has agreed to shelter us, but I don’t think we should outstay our welcome.”
That was fine with me. I didn’t want to be here anymore then I had to.
“Why did she hit you?” The words just fell out of my mouth and I immediately felt awful. “Rhea, I’m sorry.” I tried to apologize.
“It’s ok Ellie. We used to be sisters, well more than that, but that was a long time ago. I was a different person back then, not what I am now.”
“What happened between you?” I asked.
“I felt I was going down the wrong path and it nearly destroyed me.” Rhea eyes turned glassy, she was reliving the memories of her haunted past.
“Does she hate you?” I asked.
“I don’t know Ellie, but we have to be careful around her.” Rhea warned me.
“Is she dangerous?” I asked.
“She can be, but I will be watching her very closely.”
Those words gave little comfort but I had no choice but to accept them.
“Rhea, what happened at the underground bunker?” I asked.
“I have failed them. They’ve just kept hitting us again and again. We are not ready for them.” she replied.
“That’s what scares me the most.” I replied.
“Me too, Ellie.” She continued to look out of the window as if she was watching someone’s movements.
“I think I’m ready for bed now,” I said.
“Yes, sleep well, and Ellie, thank you for talking with me.” I left her in the hall as I made my way back to the room with the spitting fire. Sophia and Marcus were still asleep, Sophia took the other broken sofa while Marcus laid on the floor among the many pillows. I quietly crept back to my spot and tried to go back to sleep.
Chapter Seven
“Should we wake her?” someone whispered.
Whispers awoke me from my sleep and I tried to block them out.
I grunted my annoyance.
“No, leave her sleep, she’s been through enough.” another voice whispered.
“Come on, I’m starving, hope she’s got some decent food.”
Ah crap. My brain was now fully awake. I sniffed the many aromas that drifted around. It was food and it smelled great. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stretched my aching muscles. Sophia and Marcus had gone and I jumped up from the sofa panicking. My heart started to thump hard inside my chest. Had they left me? Have they finally had enough? My tired legs rushed out into the hall only to hear voices. I followed them to a large kitchen, where everyone was eating and chatting away.
“Morning, Ellie.” said Marcus, as he tucked in to his plate of meat.
Sophia was also there and sitting next to her was Rhea, but she wasn’t eating. The three of them sat around an old wooden table that had many scuffs and dents.
I took a spot next to Marcus who made enough room on the bench for me. On the table was a small banquet of meats, breads and fruits. Different kinds of jams and jugs of juice filled the table. I helped myself to some toast and a glass of fresh orange juice.
“Where did this all come from?” I asked.
“Naaz.” Rhea replied.
“Finally, she has her uses.” added Marcus.
“Did you all sleep well last night?” asked Rhea.
There were grumbles coming from Sophia and Marcus, looks like they didn’t have the best night’s sleep either.
I remained quiet. I didn’t want to tell the others that Rhea and I had a talk that night. I think I’d rather keep that between us.
“So what is the plan then, Rhea?” Marcus asked with a mouth full of food.
“I need to confirm a few things, and then we will have a proper chat about what is going to happen.” she replied.
“Well something needs to be done, and we could really use your help Ellie.” said Sophia.
I could feel everyone’s eyes on top of me, but I ignored them and started spreading some strawberry jam onto my toast. It felt ages since I had anything to eat, my stomach was completely empty, but with everything going on who could have an appetite after that?
“Did you get any sleep then, Rhea?” asked Marcus.
“Yeah, I didn’t really see you around last night.” Sophia added.
“I had to deal with a few things, plus I don’t sleep much these days.”
“So did you enjoy sleeping on the floor, Marcus?” I asked.
“Wait, were you watching me while I slept?” he asked.
His accusations made me choke on my toast. I coughed and quickly drank some orange just to try and clear it. I turned to him with flushed cheeks ready to defend myself.
“I never watched you sleep, you were snoring.” I said.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t try to deny it.” He laughed.
The four of us continued the banter back and forth like it was an ordinary day, but it all stopped when Naaz entered the kitchen. Then there was silence. It was as if for a moment time had stopped on our little debate. She examined each and every one of us, but she took her time looking me up and down. I returned her icy glare with one of my own.
“Please continue.” she said.
I watched her while she floated around the room. Naaz was beautiful, yet terrifying. She was someone not to mess with. We continued with our breakfast in silence, ignoring her presence.
“How did you all sleep last night?” she asked cheerfully.
No one replied.
“Naaz, we talked about this.” Rhea said.
“I am just being polite.” The dark skinned woman said.
“We really need to talk about Idina and her offspring.” Rhea told her.
I looked up from my breakfast with interest.
“Yes that creature has been birthing those disgusting things all over the place, and Barbus is using them like an army.” replied Naaz.
With just hearing Barbus’s name made a chill run up my spine.
“She needs to be stopped, if she
dies, no more army for Barbus.” Rhea said.
“I don’t think we are ready to jump back down there, not what happened last time.” Sophia said.
“Quiet, the grown-ups are talking.” Naaz said spitefully.
Sophia slammed down her hands on the table hard and walked out.
“Sophia, wait.” Rhea rushed after her.
A cruel smile appeared on Naaz’s lips.
There were just three of us in the kitchen now, and it felt awkward. Marcus continued to attack his breakfast while I swallowed the last piece of toast along with a last mouthful of orange juice. I avoided her stare the best I could.
“Is there something going on I don’t know about?” Naaz asked.
Oh god she’s going to say something horrible. I prepared myself for her oncoming insults.
“Are you two a couple?” She finally asked.
Marcus and I just looked at each other and I could feel my cheeks flushing with colour. “No, we’re not.” said Marcus.
“What a shame. I could take him off your hands if you want.” she said seductively.
Marcus snapped up from the dinner table and gave Naaz an evil look. “I will never be anyone’s plaything.” He said through gritted teeth. He stomped out of the kitchen leaving me with her.
The encounter with Idina must have a lasting impact on him, I didn’t know that it bothered him that much. Now I was the only one left with Naaz.
“Do you enjoy pissing people off?” I asked after summing up the courage.
Naaz disappeared from my sight and repapered right by my side. She snatched at my throat and lifted me up out of my seat. Her grip was tight and I remained still.
“I had a Siren once, handy little thing she was. Maybe you could work for me?” she asked.
“Let me go.” I tried to say.
“Or I could just end it all for you? Would you like that? You would never have to watch your back again. You could be free.” She then brought me closer and whispered into my ear. “I could end you right now.”
“Go ahead and try it.” I replied.
A deep fire took root behind Naaz’s eyes and she was about to unleash it onto me. She could have easily killed me if I stepped out of line and I think I just said “Screw the line.”
Chained (The Siren Series #2) Page 6
