I lay there awake but I didn't dare open my eyes. I tried to think, ignoring the relentless pounding of my head and the audible growling of my stomach.
What now?
Surely Victor didn't intend on telling me a tale and letting me go. There has to be something else.
Will they kill me?
The thought made my heart thump nervously in my chest.
Or worse; torture. Will they torture me?
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from sobbing; a sign of vulnerability that I didn't want show.
The betrayal I feel is stifling; I trusted Harry with my life and look where that got me, lying on a cold surface barely alive. At least that's how I felt.
The smell of food jolts me upright, causing my head to throb painfully. I look around desperately until my eyes land on a tray with soup, bread and tea on the foot of my mattress. I launch for it, snatching the bread and breaking it in half, stuffing it in my mouth.
Surprisingly, it tastes good but even sand can taste good with my current hunger.
I drink the soup next, not even bothering to savor the taste. The hot soup burns my tongue and throat but I hardly notice.
“Careful you don't choke,” a soft female voice says from outside the cave. I jump, almost spilling the soup on my already dirty clothes.
A woman who appears not to be older than thirty-five emerges from the shadows wearing a long violet dress that hugs her body, complimenting her curves. Her dark hair is pulled up in an elegant bun, a smile on her beautiful make-up free heart-shaped face.
I should be afraid, I know I should be, but it is almost impossible for the woman's manner is so similar to my mother's I almost choke on my soup that I seem to have forgotten how to swallow.
“Are you satisfied?” she asks me, nodding at the tray of food.
I drink the last contents of my soup and nod my head.
“Well, we shall drink tea together. I hope you don't mind.” She laughs, the sound resembling wedding bells. “Duncan?” she calls, “Why don't you get me a chair and some tea?”
Duncan appears from the entryway, respectively nodding his head.
“I'm Anne, Victor's wife and Harry and Gemma's mother. I am pleased to meet you.” She nods.
It takes me a while to find my voice. The last thing I want is to appear vulnerable to her and I've already displayed enough vulnerability as it is. So instead of nodding my head as I earlier considered doing, I say, “I'm Kathryn. But I'm gonna take a shot and say you already know that.”
Duncan arrives with a chair and tea (somehow managing to carry both on one go) and places them in front of Anne. She takes a sit and thanks him.
She takes a sip before replying. “I do. Drink your tea before it gets cold.”
I take the cup and sit cross-legged on my makeshift bed. “I expect Victor has told you everything you need to know?” she asks.
I take a sip. “No. He told me an absurd tale that I sure will pass on to my children if I live through this but he didn't mention why I'm here,” I say.
She smiles, putting her dimples on display. “It wasn't a tale. But I will fill the gaps he failed to fill.” She takes another sip, looking at me over the rim of her cup. “He told you what power you have, I am sure. Your family and our family have been in war for-”
“My family is my uncle and he is a very peaceful person,” I interrupt.
“I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't interrupt me while I am talking.” She looks at me as if waiting for me to say something before continuing, “As I was saying; your family and my family have been in war for decades. When you were barely two weeks old your parents hid you in the human world because she saw the moment she looked in your eyes that you hold great power.”
“Okay...so my family is...?”
“It was your parents, your aunt Magnolia and her husband Alexander.”
I purse my lips, trying to recall where I've heard someone say a similar thing.....
And then it dawns on me:
“...But because of you and your obnoxious aunt that didn't happen!” Sophia had said.
“.... I should have started with you and Magnolia....”
Aunt... Magnolia...
What if this is true? What if they aren't a group of mentally disabled people but are actually speaking the truth? A crazy, insane truth.
I don't realize I'm shaking until I feel the hot tea spilling on my lap.
“You,” I clear my throat for my voice came out too high-pitched. “You haven't exactly answered my question.”
She smiles a devious smile, her face now resembling Gemma's. “Well, since your family has failed to claim you as their own, you are unprotected. We will therefore take what is now rightfully ours.”
“And that is...?”
She grins, showing her bright teeth. “You.”
“I'm not a cheap item you buy from some shop.”
“Oh, but you're far from cheap, Kathryn.” She sets her cup down and stands up, dusting her spotless dress. “Follow me, please.”
“But I'm not done with my tea,” I whine.
“Oh, forget the tea!” She waves her hand forcefully to the right and instantaneously my cup is wrenched from my hand by an invisible force, crashing into a thousand pieces of against the wall.
“Duncan!” She calls.
Duncan walks in, hands outstretched, towards me, a smirk on his face.
I jolt up, backing away from him, my heart hammering against my chest in fear.
What happens next is so quick I wouldn't have seen it if my eyes weren't already locked on Duncan's burning green eyes.
“Harry, no!” Anne screams as a wall of fire comes rushing towards Duncan, growing bigger and brighter the closer it gets. Duncan whirls around just in time for the bright and crackling wall to devour him, burying him in it's blood orange body.
I'm too stunned to scream, my body frozen against the cold wall.
Something hard comes into contact with my head, blurring my sight and knocking me to my knees.
“Don't come any closer, son,” Anne says right next to me.
I blink, trying to get my eyes to focus but all I see are blurred figures.
“Let her go,” Harry says through what sounds like clenched teeth.
A scream fills the room the same time someone grabs my elbow forcefully.
“Come on!” Harry hisses, pulling me to my feet.
He starts running and I stagger behind him, slowly gaining my focus.
“Oh, for the love of-” His hand curls behind my legs and I'm knocked of my feet.
A surprised gasp escapes my lips as his other hand catches me before my body hits the ground, cradling me to his chest.
“What is going on?” I hiss, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.
He doesn't say anything but stares straight ahead, tightening his arms around me.
“Tell me what is going on!” I screech.
“I'm getting you out of here,” he says, his voice oddly calm.
YOU ARE READING
Hope
ФанфикKathryn Roberts: Rude teenager who has given up on life, due to her parents tragic death but handsome Harry manages to slowly bring her back to life...But their love holds more dangers than they ought to know.
