All That Meets The Eye

Chapter 3

“Who?”

“Remember I told you about my brother? The one between the King Umbra and the witch? That’s Cameron. He is extremely powerful and angry. My father put so much hate into him. When he gets mad, if you can’t get out of the way fast enough, you will wish you are dead.”

“Do you think the King sent him?”

“Probably,” he says, his eyes fearful. “He won’t be here for a few days though.”

“How do you know?”

“He has to sleep,” he murmurs. He looks at me sadly, his pulse kicking up a few notches. “He’s the reason my father’s been after you for so long.”

“What?” I ask, shocked.

“The King wants you to be Cameron’s bride, whether you come willingly or not. He has this deranged idea that if the two of you have a kid, even a God could not be stronger,” Daniel explains.

I sit there, shocked. I take a shaky breath, looking away. Reality sets in, and Daniel whimpers, rubbing his temples.

“I won’t be able to protect you,” he whines.

“Why is he coming here?”

“To put my father’s plans in place.”

“He is coming to rape me?!” I yelp, my eyes widening. Daniel looks down, his blood rushing through his veins. He looks ashamed.

“You’re getting more powerful every second, Aurora. Cameron knows that if he waits any longer, your strength will soon surpass his own,” Daniel explains weakly.

“You said he sleeps?”

“Yeah, so I have an estimate we have around 2 days before he arrives. He runs really fast,” he sighs. The unsettling silence fills the air. If I were to try to run, they would kill everyone in town, and they probably have guards surrounding us as we speak.

“That’s around the time your wings will set,” I whisper.

“What if I leave and stay away-”

“It’s too late. You’ve been around Lucy, and then me. It’s technically already setting in.”

“Does it hurt?”

“There is a slight pressure the first time, but other than that, no. If I can, I will teach you how to fly.”

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“We should get to school,” I murmur, and we both continue to walk in silence. I try to not to let dread fill me, but it is gradually leaking in the holes in my heart. What if I am not able to protect myself?

“See you later!” Daniel whispers as he walks to his first class. I sigh, walking towards my own.

The dismissal bell rings, and I filter through the crowded hallways towards Mr. Ellis’s classroom. I set up, seeing he is gone again. ‘Water’ is written neatly on the board. I start painting, all of the worry and doubt fading away.

I set the paintbrush down, looking at the finished painting. It was the scene from one of my dreams.

When I used to dream, when I used to sleep. I remember every dream crystal clear, including nightmares.

When I was younger, one little boy was always present in my dreams. He never talked, but he was my friend. He understood me, even if neither of us said a word. We used to sit by the waterfall that I just painted, staring at our reflection in the small pond at the bottom. That’s why I like my paradise so much, because of the reflecting water. He was my comfort. In my nightmares, he would always be there, trying to help me, trying to protect me from my fears.