Colour Me Red

Chapter 21: Dune

Chapter 21: Dune

"How do you feel?" I asked Ellie, concern furrowing my brow.

She looked at me with a frown gracing her face.

"My arm tingles a little, but other than that, I don't feel any different," she said with a shrug. Her blonde hair tumbled around her shoulders in perfect waves and I couldn't help but reach out and brush a stray lock away from her face.

I caught Marc looking at me curiously and I turned to look at him with a question in my eyes. He had a small smile on his face but he simply shook his head when I pressed further with my intense gaze.

"Er, you can stay here for the night, if you want," Mr Clarke piped in. "So that you can keep tabs on Ellie's progress and make sure I'm not trying to trick you again."

I looked at him in surprise, although there was no evident sign of it on my face.

"And why would you want us to do that?" I asked sceptically.

Mr Clarke sighed and ran a hand through his greying hair.

"I'd like to discuss a few things more with the two of you, but it's getting late and Ellie will need to rest in order to have a full and effective recovery."

"Then start talking," I said bluntly. "We're not staying in this place any longer than we have to."

Mr Clarke nodded, seemingly understanding.

"I'm willing to make a deal with you. If you'll hear me out," he said hesitantly, almost expecting me to blow up at any minute like an unexploded bomb.

"Go on." I looked to Ellie for reassurance and found that she was already looking at me with a small smile on her face.

"If I promise to retreat my attack on Ellie and leave her be, will you keep her hidden and out of my enemies reach? As much as you may think I'm cruel for wanting her dead, you have no idea what they would do to her if they had the chance."

I nodded in acceptance, watching Ellie for her reaction. She looked a little baffled by the whole situation and I wanted to go to her and comfort her.

"She has to disappear from society entirely for her to remain safe; the whole world has to believe that she's dead or else she'll be in danger."

"I understand," I said firmly.

Mr Clarke turned to his daughter.

"I am truly sorry for the way things have turned out, Ellie. And I hope you take comfort in the fact that you'll never have to see me again unless you want to," his voice was sincere but I wasn't entirely convinced.

Ellie didn't respond and just looked at him solemnly.

After several antagonising seconds, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Promise me that you'll look after mum," she said, and with that she was walking out of the room. Marc trailed after her but I stayed behind to give Mr Clarke one final threatening look.

"Hurt her again and you'll have me to answer to, and next time I won't be quite so humane about it." With that, I strode out the room with my eyes fixed on the golden halo that tempted me to heaven.

*

Finally we were on our way to the cottage I'd bought a few days ago that was situated outside the city. It was secluded and hidden deep in a forest so that it couldn't be miraculously stumbled across by some unfortunate soul. Marc was on his way to pick Felix up from the hospital and was going to drive him down to the cottage once he'd been discharged. I made a mental note to up his pay check; he sure had been helpful these past few days.