Keeper of the Lost Cities Story; The Lost Secret

Chapter 16

Kai runs as fast as she can towards the building, which is deserted at this time of night. Kai knows that Elwin is still here though, just like she knows that Sophie Foster is still here. 

Kai gets to the door but sees figures moving inside and it clicks. She isn't sure what happened, but a memory surfaced in her mind. It is like a bubble that popped into the front of her consciousness. 

She found herself back at her house. It was dark and Kai saw herself sneaking around a corner of the hallway. 

"He doesn't have anything left," a voice in the room said. "He must have burned it," 

Kai felt her breath hitch, they could only be talking about her dad, she heard herself think. 

"There has to be something, anything," another voice growled. Her voice was very soft but raspy, like whisps of smoke. 

Kai watches as she sneaked around the corner, getting closer to the noise. They were using her father's safe in his bedroom. Her mother wasn't home. 

"There's nothing Umber, we need to go," the male voice hissed. Once he said it, the shadows seemed to darken and stretch off the walls. 

"I know that he had it hidden, I saw it at our last meeting!" The woman, who must have been Umber yelled. 

"That was over five years ago!"

Kai remembered that her dad died five years ago. They knew her dad, they were looking for something of his. 

Kai tried to step back, but her foot caught on something. Falling hard, she heard herself cry out loudly. 

"What was that?" the man asked. Kai heard Umber laugh, it was disturbing. 

"Oh it looks like my little trap has caught someone," Umber said creepily. 

Kai tried to run but the shadows clawed at her. They covered everything and blinded her. She cried out, but could do nothing. 

"Ah yes, young Kai," Umber's voice said from the darkness. 

Kai could only watch with fear, she never did like the dark. 

"Gethen, you'll have to deal with her," 

"NO," Kai yelled, not sure how she found the courage. "What did you do to my dad?" 

Umber laughed. It was a horrible sound. 

"Oh honey, we just had to take out the trash," she hissed. 

Kai screams as she feels the blow of something hard hitting her on the back of the head. Her consciousness fades, and she feels the memories being stolen from her mind. 

                                                               ...

"Kai?" 

"Hey Kai can you hear me?" 

"Forkle, the memory stopped right?" 

That snaps Kai out of her thoughts, but it is way too bright when she tries to open her eyes. 

"Ugh," she groans. 

"Kai just stay there and nod for us okay?" Someone says. 

Kai nods. 

"You remember what happened the other night don't you?" 

Kai nods again. The memory is sharp in her mind, it is like a needle. 

"Di-did you see it," Kai says in a very raspy voice. 

Kai wondered how long she'd have to be out for her voice to sound so bad. 

"Yes," A different voice replies. It must be Mr. Forkle. 

Kai slowly opens her eyes but they burn from the brightness of the Healing center. She is in the main part of the area and not the secret room. 

"Tam and Linh found you unconscious and bleeding outside the doors of the school," Mr. Forkle says. 

Tam and Linh are both standing near the back. Linh looks like she'd been crying and Tam looks.... well Tam looks like Tam. 

"Thank you... but when did you find me?" Kai asks. 

Tam thought for a second before replying, "Around sunrise," 

Kai can't even contain her surprise. 

"Oh wow, I was out for a long time," She whispers. 

"When did you get there?" Linh asks. 

"I got there right as the sun went down, just as it started to get dark," Kai says. 

She had been unconscious all night, but it had only felt like a few minutes. 

"Did you see my memory?" Kai asks Forkle. She knows he did, but she wants to ask him. 

Mr. Forkle sighs, "Yes I did... I admit it was quite disturbing," 

Linh sniffles, which makes Tam put his arm around her. 

"What was it anyways?" He asks. Kai flinches, Mr. Forkle didn't tell them. 

"My... my dad was a part of the Neverseen," Kai says, "They killed him. Umber killed him," 

"Woah woah woah like the shade that basically killed Sophie Umber?" Tam shouts.

Kai sucks in a gasp, "What?!" 

Mr. Forkle sighs deeply. "Umber was the one who attacked Miss Foster and Mr. Vacker," 

Kai stares at them in surprise. She didn't consider that the Blackswan might have encountered the mysterious woman before. 

"This is crazy," Kai says. She can tell that tears are forming in her eyes. "I can't believe my dad was a traitor," 

"What?!" someone exclaims from the doorway.