The Power Within (On hold)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

        Elenora walked slowly through her parent’s bedroom, still puzzling over the unexpected gift. She reached the double doors and her hand had just touched the handle when she froze. Was that a thump she had just heard? Elenora shook her head and turned the handle, but she stopped, something wasn’t right. Her parents had stopped talking. Elenora turned around and slowly approached the glass doors leading out onto the terrace. She stopped just outside of the open air; a figure was standing on the balcony.

        Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth and someone pulled her to the floor. Her scream was muffled, she could barely breathe. Elenora wrestled fiercely, squirming and kicking her attacker, who had a firm hold on her. Several of her kicks made contact, and she heard a male voice silently curse. Elenora screamed again, the noise not making it to the other side of the hand still firmly clamped over her mouth. Elenora abruptly stopped struggling when a harsh voice reached her ears.

        “Where is the amulet?”

        “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

        Elenora gasped, the second voice was her father’s. And it was the figure on the balcony, facing her parents who had demanded the amulet. Was it the amulet resting on her skin, glittering faintly from the moonlight streaming through the glass doors that they were talking about? She began to struggle anew against the arms that held her; a horrible feeling was growing in her stomach. She could see him, but the figure had not seen her.

        “Don’t lie, I know you have it. Where is it? Tell me!” The figure moved toward her parents, who retreated. Elenora watched through the glass as the scene unfolded, her eyes wide.

        “Does the girl have it?” The figure asked. Elenora’s mother let out a choked gasp. “Aha! It is with your daughter…” The king’s face constricted in panic. “No! Don’t touch her!” He shouted and threw himself at the dark figure.

        It laughed and twisted, evading her father’s attack easily. A blade flashed, the king fell. Elenora screamed, her mother shrieked; a dark pool of blood swiftly grew to surround her father’s body.

         The figure let its momentum carry it toward Elenora’s mother, and there was another deadly flash. The queen silently fell, her throat slit. Elenora didn’t move. The figure strode over to the edge of the balcony, attached a silver hook to the wrought iron railing, and jumped off. A moment later the hook disappeared over the edge, along with the king and queen’s murderer.

        Elenora was released, and with a sob she rushed out onto the terrace. She leaned over and gingerly checked her mother for a pulse. Nothing; just rapidly cooling skin and her mother’s aging face. Elenora staggered over to her father, again, nothing. For a moment she stood there, staring at her parent’s corpses, then it sank in.

        “No… this can’t be happening.” She whispered. “No!” She cried, and dropped to the marble floor. She was chilled in the cold night air, but she didn’t notice. She didn’t notice anything, nor did she want to. Elenora wept uncontrollably on the floor, her arms around her knees. She rocked back in forth, the tears spilling down her cheeks.

        She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. “I’m sorry for your loss, princess, but we need to leave, now.” A gentle voice said. Elenora didn’t move, didn’t react. She heard him sigh, and then suddenly she was picked up.

        He carried her over to the railing, attached a hook, swung both legs up and over, then dropped. Elenora gasped at the sudden feeling of falling, her stomach flying up into her throat. He kept a firm hold on her with one arm, the other twisted around the rope.