Discovering Freedom

Chapter 8

“Okay I’ll be testing your abilities, to find out what you are made of.” announces Connor. I notice he was one of the men in Ethan’s study. Only now did I take a proper look at his face. He has light brown hair flecked with blonde. His nose looks as if it had been broken a couple of times which is accompanied by a nasty scar across his neck.

I step forward while drawing my swords and dropping into a fighting stance. Left foot forward, right foot back, swords at the ready.

Suddenly without warning Connor lunges and the first clang of blades fills the empty practice hall. Twirling left I make my first attack, bringing the sword in my right hand down toward his exposed back. Regaining his balance he spins and meets my sword with his own. Soon our movements were a blur that consists of bock, parry and attack.

I match him move for move careful not to outdo him as I had no wish reveal too much of my abilities even to those on my own side. Still, he made me work hard and 15minutes later we’re both breathing hard.

Sheathing my swords, I felt the slickness of sweat on my palms on the hilts as I release them.

Connor wipes a sleeve against his forehead and gasps “Well you certainly have done well,”

I nod back in acknowledgement and turning promptly on my heel I grab a towel as I exit the hall.

A few turns and later and I see Jason walking down the hall. At that point he looks up and his smooth features form a scowl.

“Get out my way,” Jason growls. 

The familiar fury ignites due to Jason’s attitude flares. My fingers twitch, ready to become fists at a moment’s notice. I take a deep controlling breath so I could delay saying the next stupid thing to fall from my lips in front of him.

“Why should I?” I demand rather than question and before he could say anything I say “And while I have your attention I’d like to enquire as to why you are so intent on killing me as I’ve never done anything to you.” I let a hint of anger leek into my normally emotionless voice.

“Because I don’t trust you. I don’t like the look in your eye, it doesn’t help I can see it now. I know your one of them, it’s no use persuading me otherwise.” after his statement he barges his way past me.

Having no wish to follow him and not wanting to put my brother in jeopardy by killing him which I am sure I will do if I did so I quickly make my way to my room.

I blow out the light and stand in the darkness. I glare into the blackness. The anger subsides to a simmer but it is less directed at Jason and more at myself. The situation I have found myself in and most of all at Tamarack. He stole my parents from me along with my innocence. Why? It’s a question that haunts me every moment of every waking minute. I see his face smirking through the shadows, the face that took everything from me. Well almost everything, I have still have Kayleb.

Memories consume me.

Slowly I slid from the horse Suri and I were riding. Not quite ready to believe we were somewhere ‘safe’. I peer around the horse and catch a glimpse of something running toward me in the twilight. Instantly I tensed, believing it was an attack. Then I recognised Kayleb’s face as he got closer. I relaxed slightly as he pulled me into a hug. When he released me and had a proper look at me in the fading light he could see I was different, that I did not mirror the relief in his face. I gazed blankly into his eyes trying to decipher his thoughts, slowly pain filled them. He could tell, as much as I had tried to protect him he knew, he could tell that even though I was physically there and alive, inside I was dead. Part of me died with our parents and I didn’t know how to get it back.

In a vain effort to try and alleviate some of Kayleb’s pain, the first words that  had left my mouth for the entire of my journey to the mountain hideout was a lie, “ I’m okay, everything is going to be okay.” but I knew I was not, I did not know if I was going to be okay ever again, but for Kayleb’s sake I had to at least look like it.