Shadows of Ash and Gold

Chapter twenty nine.

I was in the fire once more. My vision had blurred and all I could hear were the shouts and screams of my mother and my brother. I think they were shouting my name but I wasn't sure. I think they got out. I think that they are safe now.

I was dying.

I couldn't breathe, there was smoke and ash everywhere withering away my childhood home. The wood erupted in flames and slowly disintegrated away to black and burnt pieces. Picture frames had fallen from the walls leaving glass on the burning floor. I felt my arm being grabbed. I screamed and turned towards brown eyes. My father looked frantic but there wasn't time when he didn't.

"You have to stop this Avaryn!" he shouted at me, his brown eyes had grown a haze. I knew what this meant. He had gone bad again. Like when he locks me in my room that same haze is in his eyes.

Stop what?

It was him who had started this fire, it was him who had tried to kill us.

"You have ... to ... you have to stop!" he wheezed, coughing at the smoke, pulling me along. His grip was tight and I knew that it would leave bruises just like all those times before.

As he pulled me, towards what I wasn't sure, I tripped over a piece of broken glass. I stared down at it, then looked back up at my crazed father.

I was only ten but I knew what I had to do.
I leaned down and picked up the broken shard.

***

The pain in my chest was unbearable. Agony tore through me and rippled through my bones. I couldn't see anything. I couldn't feel anything or think anything. I was alone. And it was dark. And there was pain. And that was it.
I was tired. I was tired of fighting. I just wanted everything to end. I wasn't strong enough. Maybe I was glad to die. At least maybe I could see Nisha again. Maybe I could apologize to her and beg for her forgiveness.
Maybe I wanted to die.

But of course.

I never get what I want.

I opened my eyes and saw blackness. Cloth rubbed against my forehead and I realized I was blind folded. My wrists were screaming in pain, bound to shackles of death. I smelt mist and smoke, I knew the smell belonged to the Shadow realm.

I was in the shadow realm. The pain in my chest was gone. It was no longer there and instead of feeling relieved, I felt empty. The Shadow King had gotten me again. And this time I had the feeling I wouldn't be getting away again. I felt myself being pushed to my knees. The blindfold was ripped off and my vision cleared to the sight of the throne room I thought I would never have to see again.
How foolish of me.

Roz was the only person sitting in front of me.
I sneered, "come to watch your father whip me?"

"Don't be a wench."

I squinted my gaze. "I was kidnapped, again, I can be a wench if i'd like."

The black doors opened and in walked the shadow king. His black cape showed around him, his blonde hair was touching his shoulder, his expression was prideful, he looked like the narcissist he was. Even the sight of his face made me want to puke. He was the only person I truly hated. I hated him.
Suddenly the doors opened again and in walked a boy with white hair, golden brown skin, and eyes so black they were almost blue. He didn't look at me; he acted as if I wasn't in the middle of the throne room shackled on my knees. He took his place next to the king.
All of the sudden flashes of what happened between us spread through my mind and I finally remembered why I was here. How I was here.

It was because of him.

Because he betrayed me.

I shake my head at my foolish thoughts.