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Chapter 24

Hi! Disclaimer! As you could probably tell in prior chapters, I tried to censor swearing in certain parts. But I got tired of it. If it bothers you, I'm sorry. But I'm a 16 year old who likes to swear and it adds to the authenticity in my opinion.  Okay😧.  I'm done now.

I awoke with a jolt. My clothes were soaked in sweat, so was my brow. My breath came out in squeaky, hard and short intervals. I took in my surrounding, scanning the unfamiliar room I was in.

"You're up. Finally." A groggy voice said. It was Autumn. She looked horrible. Her cheeks were sunken. Her hair was in knots and her eyes expressed the fatigue I was sure she had.

Adam sat beside her. His mouth slightly open and his eyes staring into the distance. He didn't say anything.

"Where are we?" I asked. I tried standing up, but my body felt like it was run over by a truck. I fell back down with a thunk.

The room we were in looked like something out of a horror movie. The beds were bare of any sheets or blankets. The light kept flickering randomly. And a lone toilet sat in the corner of the room. Something dripped rhythmically in the otherwise silent room as we tried to fathom what the hell was going on.

"I don't know where we are. I don't know where are the others. What the f*ck is going on?" Autumn finally screamed. Her hands sat firm in her hair, as she tried to rip it out from the roots.

"Autumn," Adam began in a muted tome. "Please calm down."

"I'M NOT GONNA F*CKING CALM DOWN!" She shrieked. "We were practically kidnapped by some psycho bitch. We've been here for two days! I'm hungry and thirsty and so goddamn tired. We have no idea where our friends are! How am I supposed to remain calm?!"

I fought the urge to gasp. "I've been out cold two days?"

Adam nodded from his position on the floor. Autumn was pacing around our confined space, clearly losing her mind.

A key jingled in the locked door. Autumn stopped pacing. We waited on bated breath as the door opened.

"Good morning," Xael said with an evil smirk. "I hope you guys enjoyed your nap."

My hand gripped Autumn's arm just as she was about to charge forward.

"Now, now, Autumn," Xael peeked at her nails. "I wouldn't want to make you go to sleep again."

"Who are you and what do you want?" I demanded. She was starting to piss me off. The damn lunatic.

She peered at me with her head cocked to the side. She shook her head slowly. "It's not about what I want, Aura. Now come on, the others are waiting."

"We're not going anywhere with you." Autumn said through gritted teeth.

"We both know if I really wanted to, I could make you follow with all but a simple snap of my finger. It's been a long morning, so we can either do this the easy way," Her blue eyes burned with threat. "Or my way. The choice is yours."

Having made her point, she spun around and walked out, expecting us to follow. We did, with reluctance, especially from Autumn. The walk into the unknown seemed to drag on and we passed hallway to hallway, the silence tearing a piece of my sanity each time. We came to a halt in front of a door that was slightly ajar. I heard hushed tones and angry whispers.

"Be quiet when you enter. My father doesn't like unnecessary noise." Xael told us with a glare. I could tell Autumn was fuming next to me. She couldn't handle people telling her what to do. Especially people who kidnap her.

She pushed the door open and went inside. We followed closely behind her, not knowing what to expect.

"Ah, the last of them have arrived. Thank you for bringing them to me my love." A man said to Xael, his accent thick with an exoticism I couldn't place. I assumed if was her father, judging by the way he lovingly kissed her cheek.

For the first time since our unfortunate meeting, Xael smiled in a way void of malice and deception. It wouldn't take a genius to see she looked up to her father. "It was no problem, papa."

She left, but not without giving us one fleeting glance. And suddenly we were alone with that psycho's father.

"I apologise for my daughter's poor manners. She's not usually this..." He paused, while giving us a toothy grin. "Stressed."

"What do you want from us?" I snapped. These people were really starting to piss me off.

He seemed taken aback by my outburst, like it was out of the ordinary for a girl to address the person who orchestrated the kidnapping of her and friends in a hostile manner.

"What I want will become clear enough to you in a moment," he clapped his hands together with an air of finality. "Now come, we have to begin. And please, don't throw tantrums. If you thought what my daughter could do was bad, you have yet to see me in action." The threat was clear. We followed him like lambs to the slaughter as he led us down a secret path that we hadn't seen when we walked in.

"This is so fucking ridiculous." Autumn hissed.

I gave her a look that told her to shut up before she got us killed. Adam obviously felt the same way because he elbowed her gently.

We arrived at a large, brass door. It looked like something out of Game of Thrones. Adam peered at me nervously, a look that said: This is where we die.

The man opened the door, and I could breathe a little easier when I saw the rest of my friends. Qaahir jumped up as his eyes met Autumn's. He practically ran to her and kissed her in front of everyone. So much for keeping their relationship a secret.

"Very romantic," Xael's father commented dryly. "Now, let's get to it. My name is Malic. You have all been selected from birth to have the gift of emotional manipulation. Now, I don't know what my son has told you but--"

"Your son? I thought you have a daughter." I interjected.

He smiled at me like I was incapable of rational thought and said, "I do have a daughter.  I'm talking about my son, Zylen.