Find me

Chapter 66

Alice

For the next few days, we have done the same cliff climbing over and over again. The more I do the less I get afraid of height. It's like I'm getting used to it. And luckily, no whispering, no voices. Everything is peacefully fine here. Luke still doesn't trust Alessandra. He's still keeping an eye on her.
Apart from my training. I've learned cooking. Thanks to Luke. I didn't believe, he was pro to this. Alessandra still lives next door. And I don't know, how long we have to stay here. Because I feel a little embarrassed that she had to live at someone else home. Luke informed Laura that we are out of town for some time. But I'm afraid that if my father will find out that I left the college with some boy and living with him under the same roof, sleeping on the same bed. Then he will kill me without even asking about my last wish. And I hope, he never knows. Not now at least.
"This place is heaven. But I feel bad that these people don't get what they deserve to live a better life" Luke told me while cutting down the piles of wood logs for the fire.
I pull my knees up, as I settle myself on this big rock, "Thanks to Malign" I say in sarcasm.
He chuckles, "You know, I'm one of them".
I blink twice then thrice. Have I heard wrong? Or did he just say, he's one of them- The Malign? I straightened myself. "Sorry, what did you just say?".
He stops, still holding an axe in his hand, he looks down at me, "Don't say that he didn't tell you this yet". 
I pull myself up to my feet, eyes widened, feeling puzzled, I gaped at him "Tell me what, Luke?" I questioned.
He narrowed his eyebrows, "That we are MALIGN," he told me. As his words left his mouth, my heart sank. "He hasn't told you this?" he asks in surprise.
My stomach pitches. I’m unable to digest the words. They are Malign.

He huffed, "That piece of shit" he curse under his breath, his grip tightened on the axe, "Once a liar always been a liar," he shoot and throw the axe on the rock.
I'm unable to breathe. It's like, I'm going to faint. I can't see anything. They are the ones who slaughtered people. The one who doesn't have mercy. The Monster, who tried to kill my mother. 
Luke is shaking my shoulder, he was saying something. But I don't know what. I can not concentrate on myself.
Aloud, he calls me again, "Alice?".
Tears sting in my eyes as I look up at him.
His voice raised, "You are scaring the hell out of me. Speak up something," he almost yells at me.
I raise my eyes, meeting his, and while I’m afraid, I have to dive. I can’t hold back. "You all are the reasons behind everything" I whisper shakily, "You all are monsters".
He holds my eyes, unmoving except for the rise and fall of his chest, and I have no idea what’s going on through his head right now, he takes one step towards me, "This is not what you think, Alice. I'm not like them. And you know this, right?" His gaze studied mine.
I look away, heat licked my skin, and my limbs vibrated. All are liars.
I whip around and run, but he grabs the inside of my elbow and hauls me back, "Are you even listening to me?". But I jerk his hand away. He runs a hand through his hair, tilting his head up as he exhales, "Please, for God's sake, just listen to me, Alice" he pleads.
I straightened myself, waiting for him to speak up. He watches me for a moment, and then he says, "I don't know what his bloody problem is. But keeping secrets from you is offensive". He paused, "Our mother is the Malign Queen. And soon Dorian will be the King. Apart from the fact, that he won't want to. But this is what it is".
I can't believe what I am listening to right now. How could he do this to me? He told me everything but didn't tell me about himself. How could I trust him? A sudden rush of anger surfaces. I clench my fist so hard that it pain.
He continues, "After knowing how our mother is, we left". He looks down at me and examines my expression which was still as stone. He continued, "I'm not a monster, Alice. Trust me".
An infusion of adrenaline rocked my body, "How can I trust you guys? When both of you did nothing but lied to me from the start" I growl.
"I know you are angry right now. But I never lied to you. Even not about my feelings. I told you everything, believe me, or not. He's the one who hadn't been honest with you".
I look away, tears streaming down my cheeks. And I can't stop them. I want to run away. I'm tired of this.
Slowly, he tips my chin up. I finally raise my gaze, but he’s not looking at me, either. His eyes are cast down, and his brow is pinched in pain, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. But I'm nothing like my mother" he says quietly. "And that man is a moron. He doesn't realise what is he missing". 
I remain still, his hand still on my chin. His chest moves up and down, and for a moment, I think I’m going to turn tail and run. He’s making excuses for me. An easy one to hide behind. But on the other hand, it would make sense. He's not the one guilty. But he's the one because of him I got to know this.