Catching light Book 1

Chapter 23

I was right outside the Darkness Palace. It was illuminated by the bright moon. There was a large dense wooded area around it allowing me to hide. The walls of the palace were made of dark stone. It looked quiet. Not a single light shon and not a sound was heard.

I wondered where James and the rest of his warriors were. It did not quite have the air of an ambush just yet.

I looked at the cellphone. It read half past eleven. Only fifteen minutes to go.

I wanted to sneak into the palace earlier so I could miss the havoc that would break loose at midnight. Vampires and a weak powerless binder...not so good.

I rummaged through my bag and draped a cape with a hoodie over myself so that the guards would not notice me.

I grabbed a few knives and hid them in the hem of my black jeans. And shoved a grenade or two in my pocket

I then checked my watch again. Eleven forty four. Show time.

I pulled the hoodie over my head and made it cover my face.

Slowly I stepped out of the woods and onto the stone path leading to the palace. It was only a few feet away.

"Help me! Help me someone!" I started yelling while limping. My bag was hidden under my cape making me look hunched.

"Can anyone help me?" I was now at the gates. Heavily armed guards stood in front of me.

The guards looked at me.

"What do you want here you old hag?"

"Please I need help. I just need a place to stay," I say shakily.

"Okay fair enough. Freddie, take her to the dungeon," one of the guards said with a sick smirk.

The guard- Freddie- grabbed me roughly and led me into the courtyard and then to the doors allowing us to enter the palace. He pushed us through them and we ended up being in a large corridor. At the end of the corridor was a huge door.

Instead of taking me to the doors he opened up a door that was on the side of the wall. He pulled me inside and led me downstairs into the dark dungeon lit only by a few torches on the side of the walls. He pulled me roughly and I was struggling to keep up.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs I saw all of the prison cells. They were on either side of the corridor ahead.

He then pulled me further into the corridor, and that's when I saw them.

Every single binder that was with Aaron in the homestead were in a cell. They looked awful. Starved, beaten and magic deprived. They were all shoved into their cells like sardines. 

My eyes wondered and then locked onto his grey eyes.

He lied to me, erased my memories, but something in his eyes told me he regretted all of it. Something told me he was on my side.

He just stared at me, probably not being able to see my entire face.

That was when I reached for the knife in my bag with my free hand and stabbed it deep into the guards chest. He collapsed on the ground, spewing red blood on the floor. I knew I had to act quickly. He would soon get over the pain and try to attack.

Immediately I removed my cape earning a few gasps from the grey binders in the cells.

I took out a few grenades and gently placed them on the bars of the gates.

"Stand back!" I yelled as the grenades exploded, destroying all the gates.

Immediately the binders and other prisoners  ran out of their cells and into the corridors. I saw Kent and Tom and even Macy. But i did not see Aaron. I wondered where he was.

Then suddenly I felt strong arms pulling my waist from behind. I came crashing into a hard chest. I then turned around and my breath hitched in my throat. He looked so weak and tired.

"Aaron, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't-"

I was cut off by his lips crashing into mine. It was... strange. I felt as if all those unanswered feelings between us were finally being answered.

When he released me, I felt weird and dizzy. Was this how you were supposed to feel.

"No Eve. I am sorry. Sorry I betrayed you. I told you the truth and gave your memories back because I couldn't stand you getting hurt. I-I think I love you Evelan," he said looking at me.

My heart sank. Did I really hear him correctly? Wow. He just told me that he loved me. But the question was: Did I feel the same?

I didn't know.

"I-I-"

"You do not have to say anything. We have an attack to conduct, and now that you have set us free, we can complete this revolution." he said.

I looked at the weak binders.

"Are you sure they can fight. I mean look at them- they look starved to death," I said

He looked at them too.

"They have the strength to do this one attack. They can do it. For you." he said.

I smiled and nodded.

"Let's go! We have a revolution to start!" I said.