Broken Angel

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 When I opened my eyes I found myself lying on a settee with my head in Ace’s lap. We were on the first floor of the main building in the white-soul dynasty.

‘Mmm... Ace, what happened?’ I asked as I sat up.

‘Someone has locked your memories away and set up a trip wire for anyone that tries to unlock it.’ Ace explained. ‘The only way to get you to remember is if everyone in those memories were to tell you what happened.’

‘How comes I have started to remember?’ I asked remembering the flash that I had when I looked at that boy.

‘Many things could trigger it. That’s probably what the bad headaches and dull tapping in your head is – your memories trying to escape.’ Ace ran his fingers through my hair.

‘Ahem...’ It was the boy again, ‘Ryvre? I’m Ashling... I think I can help you without going into your mind...’ Hurt was shining in his eyes.

‘Ashling, think about what you are doing!’ Sonny stomped across the room followed by Arella.

‘She has to know and I can see what’s going to happen anyway!’ Ashling snapped and then turned to me... ‘Ryvre, just hear me out before you say anything, okay?’ I nodded and held on to Ace’s hand – tightly. ‘Twelve years ago... you were taken. You were five years old... Dad and our sister, Rosita, were fighting off black-souls; Mum was protecting us and Aura – who was just a baby.’ Ashling shook his head. ‘Two people broke into the room. One used a possession power – where they can control your body – on mum and I was... I was only ten... I tried to fight but I wasn’t strong enough.’ A fire burned in his eyes. ‘The other one took you...’

I swallowed a lump in my throat. I couldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. So someone stole me... dumped me in a care home when they didn’t want me and... Then I was adopted. ‘I don’t believe you.’ I said, although it made sense to the flashes in my mind.

‘I know it’s hard to believe but-’ Sonny began but I cut him off.

‘Even if I did believe it – which I don’t – why didn’t you look for me?’ I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear the answer. ‘Twelve years! Twelve years, I haven’t known who I am, where I came from, who my real family was!’ I tried to blink back my tears.

‘Oh... my... God,’ A girl – a few years older than Ashling – walked in and collapsed to her knees in front of me and hugged me so tight I thought my eyes would pop out of my head. ‘Ryvre, I’ve missed you so much!’ I pushed her away and sunk even further into Ace. ‘It’s me, Rosita?’

Another flash: a girl was putting on makeup and hogging the bathroom. The girl from the first flash walked in and sat on the edge of the bath watching her. Then the boy from the first flash walked in and said, “oi, zit-face, I need the toilet! Ryvre, if Zita is in the bathroom when you need to go just call her zit-face, okay?” The little girl looked at him admiringly and said, “Okay.”

I looked from Ashling to Rosita and, trying to hide a smile, I said, ‘zit-face.’

‘You remember!’ Ashling grinned.

‘She can’t remember mum or dad but she can remember what she used to call me.’ Rosita shook her head as she laughed.

‘Was my name Ryvre Storm when I lived with you?’ I asked, wondering if the kidnappers bothered to change it.

‘Yes. We’re the Storm family.’ Sonny said proudly. I could see that they were all thinking the same thing as me: why didn’t the kidnappers bother to change it?

‘Maybe they wanted you to find each other?’ Ace suggested. ‘Maybe they only wanted Ryvre for a certain reason and found that she couldn’t do what they wanted so they dumped her in a care home?’

‘Well, whatever the reason... you’re home now.’ Arella smiled at everyone.

‘Wait, no! I can’t just give up my home and live with you guys again! You didn’t even look for me.’ I said, feeling hurt again.

‘We did!’ Rosita insisted. ‘We all did! You were just so untraceable. My power is to see the past of an object and I touched everything in your room but still couldn’t find out who took you.’

‘I could see many glimpses of what were going to happen in your life but I couldn’t figure out the timing because I didn’t know what routines you had in your life.’ Ashling pointed out to me.

‘I can control weather – what use is that to finding someone? – Your mum could see what was going on in your life only for a week and then someone blocked you from her.’ Sonny explained.

‘We walked all over town searching for you. We alerted the other white-soul dynasties to look for you... but no one could find you... They said there was a chance you were going to grow into the black-soul dynasty...’ Arella didn’t finish.

I closed my eyes for a couple seconds, opened them and said, ‘I can’t give up my life that I have now but... I can make room for you all. I can get the training I should have gotten and... When I turn eighteen I can join the dynasty.’ They all were smiling at me. I looked at Ace and he had his “Ryvre’s Smile” glued to his face. ‘Hey, where are Sonia, Randy, Electra, Taran and Hugh?’

‘Hugh and Electra went back to work; mum and dad are looking through the training work and Taran is probably watching TV with your younger sister, Aura.’ Ace answered.

‘Would you like to see your old room?’ Arella asked.

‘Erm... I feel it’d be better if I come back tomorrow. I haven’t been home yet...’ I thought I should be home early so I wouldn’t be quizzed by Scotia and Seth.

‘Of course,’ Sonny nodded, understanding my resentment, ‘please come back tomorrow, Ryvre.’

‘It’s good to see you alive and well.’ Ashling smiled.

‘I can’t wait to have a girlie catch-up!’ Rosita squealed. ‘Oh and you have to come to my wedding!’

You’re having a wedding? I couldn’t help but say in my head.

I’ll explain tomorrow Rosita answered.

‘I’ve told mum, dad and Taran to meet us by the gate.’ Ace rubbed my arm.

‘I will see you all tomorrow then.’ I smiled and walked away to the gate. I wasn’t ready to hug them or anything just yet... It was still all new, confusing and awkward for me.

Ace stopped on the corner of my street so Scotia and Seth wouldn’t get suspicious. I had to suck in a deep breath before going into the house – I didn’t want everything I’ve just learnt to show on my face.