Three Worlds Apart

Chapter XX, Evelina

I've been assigned to guard the new prisoner. Which is exciting, I'll get all the news first. 

My best friend Samuel has been assigned to the other new prisoner, that one isn't as high risk. All I know about either of them is that they are both girls, that's all anyone seems to know. 

While Ashton is in with her I am to wait outside the door, the rest of the time I am to be inside the room.

I wonder what he wants from her, would he answer me if I ask?

We are raised to be warriors, to fight for what is right. Ashton Tessera has brought many of us together, both element children and sons and daughters of the light and dark. There are the rogues that will not join us or work against us but I am sure that there are many left.

There is a pounding of footsteps and Ashton storms from the holding room. I'm almost nervous to see him so angry, almost.

"Who is she?" I blurt out. Ashton stops and turns to me.

"My daughter." Is all he says.

Whoa. I'm guarding Amelia Katarina Tessera. The most dangerous rogue element child there is and she is the daughter of Ashton.

I heard what had happened during the fight in which she was captured, she killed everyone in that base except for Ashton, the other prisoner and herself. Well, the others who were with her are supposed to have escaped as well. No one ever said who was captured, I never thought it would be Ashton's daughter.

Why was he so furious? If she is his daughter, wouldn't she want to join him? He's her father, why would she work against him in the first place? She must see that what we are doing is right.

The mortals don't trust us, if they all knew we existed we would have a full scale war on our hands. A war we wouldn't be able to win. Yet.

That's why Ashton keeps recruiting, to build an army so that we can rule the mortals. Some famous guy in history said 'The strong must lead the week' which is what we will do. 

The children of water and air have been MIA for decades, apparently one of each was with Amelia when she was captured. They both escaped though. 

I don't understand why they do not join us as well, they must see that we are in the right. We should lead, we have power. We are qualified to lead.

I enter the holding room.

I catch my breath at the sight of Amelia, she belted down on a board. She looks a little like me, with her flaming red hair and pale skin. My eyes are redish brown while her's are clear.

She can control all the elements, I can only control fire.

Amelia stares at me, her eyes are beautiful and kind of creepy. Ashton's are different they are, colder. Amelia's seem to be looking right through you, x-raying you I guess.

"Are my friends alive?" Amelia suddenly demands. I bite my lip, it's not actually a rule that we can't talk to the prisoners but it is discouraged.

"Tell me." Amelia's voice is low and dangerous. Should I tell her? Will it give her hope or comfort? Does she deserve hope or comfort?

"Just answer me, I have to know." Amelia is begging now, "I have to know." She repeats, her eyes fill with tears.

How would I feel if I didn't know if Samuel was alive? I'll have to answer her.

"Yes, they are all alive." I say, "A girl was captured along with you."

Amelia's eyes go out of focus, as though she can see something I cannot.

"Kriss." She whispers, "There mus t have been some still above ground," A tear rolls down her cheek. I'm sure I should watch this, she is in pain.

"But Dawson is safe," She continues in a whisper, "Alex is safe." Tears are suddenly pouring down her face.

"But mother is dead, Ashlynn is dead." Her voice breaks. I almost feel sorry for her, my parents died years ago.

Amelia turns her face to me, "Can I be allowed to wipe my eyes?" I hesitate, no. I shake my head but walk over and wipe her face with my sleeve.

"Thank you." She says. I just nod, I can't empathize with her. Prisoners are not supposed to know too much about you.

This is a strange girl, she doesn't think of her own imprisonment but her friend's. 

"Whose Dawson?" I ask. I know I should not speak to her but I can't help it, "Whose Alex?" 

Amelia's eyes darken, "Dawson is the only person left in the world that I am sure that I love, he is the boy I love." She stares at the wall, blinking tears from her eyes. "Alex is my best friend's boyfriend." She continues, "Kriss is my best friend." Adding the last bit before I can ask.

"Why are you telling me all this? Aren't you worried I will tell someone and it will be used against you?" I ask.

"My father already knows all that I have told you, so he can use it against me regardless." Amelia says coolly, "He will use every person I love if he has to, just to get what he wants." She stops then snarls, "Whatever the bloody hell that is!"

I'm amazed at how easily she uses a word like love, I've never loved anyone. I care about Samuel sure but I don't know if I love him. I never really knew my parents either so I can't say I loved them either.

"Bloody hell?" I ask, "What does that mean?"

"It's a swear word, like damn or shit." Amelia says.

"Oh." Is all I say. We aren't allowed to swear and since most of us don't leave Ashton's bases we don't pick it up anywhere.

I don't speak to Amelia again, I leave after my shift is over. People ask me questions about her and for once I answer them in the way that I should, not in the way I believe.

Samuel is waiting for me in the mess hall, he waves to me and I walk over with my tray and sit down.

"Guess what?" He says as I pick up my fork (we don't get a choice so today we get soggy pasta). 

"Um, you fell down the stairs and are disgraced?" I joke. Samuel laughs and shakes his head.

"No dummy, I'm guarding Ashton's youngest daughter." I stare at him.

"So her friends all got away?" I ask. Samuel nods, "Must have." He says. That means that her friend isn't the one here, so why didn't Amelia ask if her sister was alive?

"What's her name?" I ask.

"Ashlynn," Samuel frowns, "It's strange, thinking of the rogues having families and stuff." I nod in agreement, it is. 

"So is thinking about the fact that they care about people." I say. Samuel nods, he looks troubled.

"I'm guarding the older sister, Amelia, she asked if her friends were alive. I told her that I thought they were. She was most worried about her boyfriend, she must really love him." I stop and we stare at each other.

"We weren't taught they had feelings," Samuel says, "I've always thought of them as blood thirsty killers but the one I'm guarding can't be more than eleven at the most, she couldn't be a killer." 

Is everything we were taught wrong?

No.

We are in the right.

We have to be.