Desiree The Half Elf Princess Warrior: Keeper of the Rune

WHY WE FIGHT

CHAPTER TWEMTY-THREE

     "The Runekeeper. So nice of you to join us. Now, the real fun can begin,"  Isabella rejoiced, waving both her hands about and her feet were dancing as she sat all the while. She turned her attention to her associates, adding. "Did I tell you this plan would work, didn't I?"

     The others muttered to one another in agreement.

     With fear, all of an sudden, Desiree lost the ability to speak. She stood transfixed in the kitchen as every single eye was on her. Even her adopted parents were staring at her with disbelief written all over their fretful faces. 

     "Well, Bree, you have been holding out on me," Isabela accused.." And here, I thought you really had no idea where the kid was. When all along, she was here, hiding in plain sight. Brilliant. But stupid at the same time, no less." 

   Desiree struggled to get free but the pair was too strong. In the end, she knew the writing on the wall : unless she could find a way out of her current predicament, which from the looks of it, barring some unforeseen miracle, it seemed very unlikely that neither she, nor her family would live to see another day.

   "Please. You don't have to do this. Let my family go. It's me you want. Take me instead," she entreated, finding her voice at last.

     Isabella got off the table and skipped over to where Desiree was standing before coming to a standstill, looked the young woman dead in the eye. "Did you really think that I would let you get away? Hmm? You had quite the streak of luck in our previous meetings, dearie. Suffice to say. Your luck has finally run out."

     Desiree stared down at her feet. "This is it then? You're gonna kill me?"

     Isabella appeared offended by Desiree's remarks. She raised her hands up with palms out, backing away a step. "No. No. You got me all wrong. I don't want to kill you. I very much want you alive, but if you don't give me what I want, you leave me no choice but to kill your adopted parents. Now that you're here, they have no longer use for me."

     "Desiree? What are you doing here? I told you not to come," Brenda said.

     "If they're no longer any use to you, then, I see no reason why you shouldn't let them go," Desiree said, ignoring her adopted mother. "Isn't that the reason you're here? For me and the stone. Well you got us both. So there's no need for anybody else to get hurt."

     Isabella was rocking back and forth on her heels; at the same time, tapping her chin in thought. "Hmm. That sounds like a plan if I ever did hear one. But, I hope this isn't your way of stalling. You seem to have a tendency for that."

     "No. No. It's not a trick. I will do exactly as you ask, but first you have to promise me something. Promise me, you won't lay a finger on them."

     "No---Desiree!" Brenda shouted. "Think about what you're doing? Don't you do it. You hear me! Don't you dare give them the stone!"

     Desiree couldn't bear to look at her adopted mother. She thought of Aldus Silverbourne, Miss. Wiseman, Jeffrey and Trezor, all had suffered in the last few days. She thought of all the terrible deeds she knew Isabella had done and gotten away with up until now. A flame seemed to leap up from her stomach and  inside her throat, searing her mouth. "I'm sorry, Brenda. I can't stand to see you and Aiden get hurt because of me. Too many people has suffered already. I won't be responsible for more bloodshed."