Where Are The Children?

17

VAL

Val opened her eyes, her head pounding and her hands stinging. She took a deep breath and stared at the papers strewn around her bed, ignoring the fruit cake that North has already placed on her bedside. Her stomach felt empty, like a gaping hole that cannot be filled.

She stared at the mirror in front of her, still not rippling like how it did the day she and Jack entered Mirrorland. She clenched her teeth, her hand reaching out to take another swig from her bottle when she clenched her fist.

No. She thought. Drinking will not save him.

"Tell me how to open it" She commanded Alex.

Alex just stared at her, eyes open wide as if feigning innocence "Open what?"

"You know what I mean"

"There's no point. The winter sprite's dead by now"

She shot the man a scathing look and sighed, averting her gaze to the map in front of her "You better watch your mouth if you don't want me yanking it off"

Val wasn't in the mood to go along with the man's remarks. Her head was pounding and she could feel her body getting heavy. She has been waiting at every mirror present at 12 midnight with no success and it was beginning to get into her head. 

She was beginning to get frustrated especially since Jamie and the jerk MUB guy were of no help during her interrogations. She tightened her grip on her pen. If only she didn't care about Jack's feelings or the other guardians, she'll just randomly choose a reincarnated child and drag it with her into MirrorLand.

"You can't do that" Alex smirked "You need me too much"

"Don't be cocky. I brought a kid along with me and I bet he could give me more information than you" She met his gaze and tilted her head "So if I were you, I suggest you start talking"

His eyes widened "You brought a kid?"

Val furrowed her brows and nodded. The man's widened eyes weren't horror-stricken like she expected them to be. It was more of a surprised look, like someone who just entered the room for a surprise party.

A chuckle slipped past his lips. Then he erupted into a fit of laughter

Val stared at him, her eyes wide. Did he finally lose it? she thought before walking towards him and slapping him across the face. "Why are you laughing?"

Alex grinned "You thought it was safe to bring a child here?"

"What do you mean?"

He just continued to laugh.

She gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to slam his head against the wall. She held herself back, knowing full well that the guardians would never condone violence against other beings-- But his laughter was deafening, mocking. She wanted to clutch his face in her hands and slam his head to the wall until his laughter dies down and he answers her question.

As if possessed, Val watched her trembling hand slowly reach out for the man's throat.

She heard the door open and she instantly placed both her hands inside her pocket. She glanced at North then took a deep breath "Brilliant. Take care of him. I'm leaving"

--------------------

Val's thoughts ran to the laughing MUB as she stared at her list of reincarnations. She placed the list into her pocket, her chest feeling like it was weighed by a thousand bricks. She never wanted to betray them. 

Everyone could see how hard she tried to find another option. She kept interrogating the MUB and Jamie, waiting at every kid's house. yet, her efforts only brought her to dead ends.

She needs another to get the winter sprite out.

No matter if it was through being a sellout.

But her plan wasn't to let Kaplan capture these kids. No, she was going to kill them herself.

She will give them merciful and quick deaths as opposed to Kaplan who was going to relish every second of their suffering.

Val shut her eyes, focusing and feeling her emotions. She felt the string of her bow appear on her fingers.

This was why she hated using her bow.

She hated delving into these emotions. For a while it was tolerable, but as years passed, it was becoming more and more hellish to the point that she couldn't stand it anymore.

But it was more fitting for them to die in the same manner.

an arrow pierced straight through their heart.

Maybe this was why Alex laughed at her for bringing the kid like a pig about to be butchered. He wasn't safe with her.

The door opened and Val jumped into the covers, covering her eyes as she heard the fluttering of wings approach her. She couldn't bear looking at Tooth or the others or accepting their kindness since she considered her plans.

Val felt Tooth stroking the back of her hair and tucking her properly in her blanket before leaving her room.

Her eyes snapped open and she sighed.

She needs to find another way out.