Out of the Lamp

Chapter 17: Kidnapped

'Dad!'

'Alia.'

I cringe and grimace simultaneously.

Dads' eyebrow rises further. He looks around the room, frowning. Feeling the distinct oppressive heaviness that clung to the air. He could sense something was off. But probably put it down to his mood. He shrugs nonchalantly to himself.

But that's the least of my worries. Right now, I wanna know what the tool-with-specs wanted with him. 'Well? What did they say?' I hop off the edge of the hospital bed and stand with my arms folded across my chest. Heart hammering in my chest in anticipation - amongst other things.

Dad closes the door behind him. His shoulders crumple as he sighs heavy heartedly. 'They'll release her on bail tomorrow after questioning tonight. It's quite an extensive and very...unique variety of beings that have lined up outside her room, I'll tell you that much.'

'Like?' I don't miss the emphasis he places and understand straight away. Curiosity niggling at the back of my mind.

'Not just the Djinns, or the members on the Bureau's board, but funnily enough, the reps from the Underworld and Eden too.'

My eyebrows shoot up on my head. 'Wow.' Eden. Underworld.

'Wow indeed.' He echoes. Running a hand through his hair. His eyes appearing even more sunken in then before.

'You never ever spoke of her.' I mumble quietly. Almost afraid to let the words be heard. 'I mean, i don't even know what she did that made her so "popular" with all the Immortals.'

Dad avoids my gaze. 'I can't tell you that, honey, it's a story she'll have to share with you herself.'

Oh well thats rich. As if she's been there all along to reveal the colonels secret recipe to his kentucky fried chicken. Having her magically turn up is a coincidence that he's now using as a lifeline in order to avoid telling me. If she didn't turn up, I'd never know. Simple as that.

'Whatever.' I utter under my breath. 'That's just the perfect excuse to avoid any mention of her.'

Dad shifts uncomfortably at that. My anger is justified and he knows it. 'Listen, love, I only ever do what I do to protect you, you know that right?'

I raise a single brow at him. 'What? From my own mother?' The last word comes out strangled and bitter. It still sounds funny saying it after so long.

Dad sighs heavily, scratching the top of his head nervously. A habit I've seen so often.

'I don't even know what she's like.'

He fixes me a calculating stare. As if deciding to say something or not. 'She's...not the way she used to be. So I can't say much right now, honey. You'll have to decide for yourself when you meet her. Your mother went through a lot in these past years and we're going to have to proceed slowly. So don't be too disheartened, okay?' He tries a wobbly smile, eyes alight and hopeful.

Suspicious.

I digest the information he's given me. It wasn't much to go on, neither confirming nor denying anything. Vague as fudge and overall just...disappointing. I wanted to know more, everything in fact. All the details, menial and trivial and vital alike. This was not how I ever saw my first encounter with mother dearest going. Not that I'd dared to hope meet the woman at all.

Disappointing.

The word fits so well. This was a huge let down from the second I last walked into my house. This wasn't what I expected at all.