Shadow Whispers

Chapter 6 ☀ Escape

Chapter 6 - Escape

I sold my daughter.

Her jaw dropped.

I sold my daughter.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she spluttered.

It had to be some kind of sick joke. How could her beloved old friend have sold his daughter?

His eyes glittered with unshed tears. Remorse. Guilt. He shook his head now.

"I only wish I were kidding, Khoeli. You have no idea how much it pains me, every day, to know that my daughter is not here with me."

What a disgusting human being. If he could even be called that anymore.

"You actually did something so sick to your own daughter?" her voice faltered. "Your own flesh and blood?"

He looked away, unable to withstand her withering gaze.

"And to think I actually mourned you when you left." she bit out. "When all along, dear Ravi was selling his child to these kinds of atrocious monsters if only for a hint of his magic back. Your magic wasn't even very powerful, surely you could have managed without it. What made you need it so desperately?"

Felix was strangely quiet throughout this. Her eyes searched for him, to no avail. "Felix? Did you know about this?"

"No," a strange tone entered his voice. "I did not. I'm going to go out for a bit. I've found that I need some... supplies."

She turned her attention back to Ravi. "How old was she?"

"Three."

Within a blink of an eye, she'd slipped her knife from her sleeve and lunged forward, pressing the knife against her former friend's throat. "You sold an innocent three-year old to the black market? Where is her mother?"

He swallowed uncomfortably. "I don't know her mother anymore. She cut off all ties when she was born."

She could sense anger and shame rolling off of him, but also a strange delight bubbling up beneath all of that.

Odd. Was she able to sense his emotions now? Must be her imagination.

"You think this is funny? That you prioritized your own life over that of your daughter's?"

Ravi started to laugh, a strange and cold one that sent a cold tingle down her spine.

He finally spoke. "Here's the thing, Kho."

"Don't you dare say that nickname. We aren't friends anymore." Her voice was laced with contempt. "You don't know what I went through when you disappeared. I thought you died."

"Ah, but I do."

Khoeli narrowed his eyes at him.

"I also know who your parents were." He leaned forward. "They were very lovely people."

Her mouth dropped.

Noticing her stricken expression, he grinned. "If you want to know more though, I'm going to ask you very nicely now to please put the knife down. Or else I won't tell you about your parents."

How did he know who her parents were?

She staggered back from him, perplexed.

Using the distraction as an opportunity, he lunged forward and struck the knife out of her hand and onto the floor, closer to him now than to her.