SECRETS

Chapter 16

I hear voices...More than one. The words are muffled though and I can't make them out.

It takes an effort to push my eyes open, squinting at the bright light in the room I'm in.

"Good, you're awake," says the woman in front of me, her gaze traveling up and down my sore body.

"W-what's happening? Where-Where Am-I?" My voice is  hoarse and my words uncoordinated but I manage a sentence.

"Shhhh," whispers the woman, softly patting my head. "The drug is still having some effects on you so, save your energy."

I shake my head repeatedly, trying to shake off her hand. I move to stand up but my hands are chained to the ground.

"Who are you?" I push as much venom as possible into my words,taking back the woman by surprise. Her black eyes narrow and she moves back, straightening her posture.

"You really don't remember do you?" She says, looking thoughtfully  at me as she twirls a long strand lf shiny black hair around her slim finger.

"We don't know what she remembers and what she doesn't," I hear a familiar voice speak out. "We can't read her mind." Suddenly, the face of one of the council members appears.

"Ryu," I state coldly, gaping at him.

"Ah, glad you remember me," he smiles wickedly, cocking his head to the side.

"And I'm sure you remember my son, right?" He says, grinning like a fool.

Suddenly, Aaron walks in wearing black pants, a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket. His blue eyes look over me and I convince myself I imagined the hint of worry that passed through his eyes before being replaced with a neutral, cold look.

"You son of a bitch," I whisper. My voice is calm despite the panic that is slowly starting to seize me.

Aaron doesn't react to my words, just shrugs before walking across the wide room to sit down at a table in the middle. He picks up some papers and begins to read them, not sparing another glance my way.

My confused and hurt expression must have been obvious because the woman suddenly bursts out laughing.

"Well isn't that just cute?" She barks out,cocking her head and glancing from me to Aaron. "It seems we have a couple of love birds here."

"Love?" I screech out, narrowing my eyes. "I wouldn't dare fall in love with him if he was the last man on earth and the survival of the human race depended on it."

Aaron suddenly gets up, slamming his fist on the table, startling me.

"Shut up," he seethes out when he reaches me, grabbing my hair.

"No". I meet his cold stare, refusing to back down. His hand reaches out to grasp my chin but he quickly backs away, yelling out in pain.

"She burnt me!" He screams, looking at his reddening hand. "I thought you said you can control her powers," he continues, turning his gaze to the woman.

"I can, but I won't," she replies, amused by all this.

"Why not?" Ryu intervenes , raising an eyebrow.

"What you fail to understand, my dear servant, is that when you have a flame, you don't contain it. You let it grow," she says as she glances at me, smiling.

"Yes, Goddess Kali". Ryu bows his head as I stare at the woman in horror.

Kali...The goddess of the darkness...The only one who has had the power of the five elements.

"Kali? You're..." I'm at loss of words as I gaze at the dark woman in front of me.

"Ah, so you finally see who you're up against," she says, her face lighting up.

"Why kidnap and chain me if you're really as powerful as they say you are? Huh? Why not just destroy me?" I'm surprised by how composed and indifferent I sound, completely the opposite of how I'm feeling.

What I'm feeling is indescribable ...

Hurt, confused, betrayed, alone, helpless and exhausted. But most importantly, I'm mad.

Mad at Aaron for seducing and betraying me. Mad at the council for having been fooled by Ryu. Mad at myself for having walked into an open trap and mad the world for having given me these powers.

Her soft voice brings me back to the miserable here and now.

"Oh, you have completely misunderstood my intentions! I don't want to destroy you! Why, that's the last thing I would resort to." She sounds genuinely shocked and hurt by my accusations.

"So you do admit it is on your list if you don't get me to do whatever it is you want me to do," I growl, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Oh, she's a smart one...Just like her mother," Kali continues, laughing at a joke that slaps me right in the face.

"Mother?" I whisper to myself, my face blanching.