Chasing Death (TMI FanFiction) // UNEDITED

Chapter Seven

Beth sat in stunned silence. Her mind ran blank and she tried to process what Magnus had just told her. It was as if the world had just stopped. The watch on her wrist ticked away, but to Beth it seemed slower and the ticks were quieter. Nothing seemed as it had moments before the bombshell was dropped. 

Besides Beth, Charlie's posture and general behaviour changed. His hands were clasped together in his lap, they were so tightly joined that his knuckles were turning white. His posture was more solid, his back was straight instead of hunched and he looked more determined than Beth had ever seen him. The look on his face was one of both anxiety and confusion. The anxiety about how Beth would react to the sudden revelation and how she would behaviour towards him. The confusion, however, stemmed from Magnus finding out something he had tried so long to keep hidden. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Beth said, turning her head slightly to look at her uncle. She had grown unnaturally pale and looked as though she may vomit if she opened her mouth any wider than she was. 

"Beth, you have to understand that we did it to protect you," Charlie replied. His voice was shaking, but he fought his hardest to keep it together. He wasn't going to cry in front Beth, he had to look strong. He couldn't let Beth know the real reason why he lied. 

"Protect me? Protect me from what? You should have told me!" She yelled, standing up from the seat. 

"I know, I know I should have. But, it was your parents idea, not mine. We needed to make sure they wouldn't find you. We did it for you." Charlie was now on his feet but he was determined to not raise his voice at Beth, he had to remain calm, for her sake. 

"Who wouldn't find me? Has this got something to do with the Rouge attacks? Why they know my name? If you had told me, I would have been able to protect myself from the Rouge in the first place!"

"I know I should have, but you have to understand we-"

"Did it to protect me, yeah you said! Fat luck of good that did! I almost died! It would have been your fault if I had!" Beth pushed past her uncle and stalked out of the room and down the hall to her bedroom. Charlie stood, frozen, as he listened to the sound of his niece's footstep disappear. He rubbed his hands over his face and then looked around the room. Everyone was looking at him as though he had killed a puppy. 

"What's going on Charlie?" Robert asked. He looked both concerned and frightened by what had happened, but he held his nerve as he asked the question.

"There's something I need to tell you," Charlie said, looking at Robert. He cleared his throat and launched into a story that had everyone both confused and scared. 

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Back in her room, Beth was trying to process what she had just been told. Charlie had told her that her parents died during Jonathans attempt to burn down the word. They were caught up in the battle of Idris and were slain by members of the Forsaken, or at least that's what she had been told. 

As she lay on her bed, Beth began to wonder whether Jonathan knew about her parents. Was Uncle Charlie the person he had warned her from? There was only one way to find out. She decided to sleep on it. It was the only way she could talk to him and this time was urgent. It took ages before she eventually dosed off, but even then she wasn't sure if he would turn up. He had been MIA for days and Beth doubted he would come on call. It seemed to her that he only showed up when he had something to say.

Nevertheless, she fell asleep and once again found herself standing in the throne room in Edom. Jonathan was stood in his usual place and his face showed no emotion whatsoever. "I understand that you've been told?" Jonathan said.