Prisoner of Chaos (Redemption Book #4)

Chapter 44

Hey Readers,

I am getting near the end of this book. I apologize the updates have been so slow. There are MANY reasons the writing is slow, and I'm hoping as things settle I'll have more updates to share and can finally finish this series. I thank my fans, those who have voted and have been encouraging me, those who keep me going when I feel like everything I write is just not good enough. lol You know who you are. Your encouragement means a lot to me. I hope you like how this book ends. There are about ten more chapters to go. - Silver <3

Kyla

We have arrived at Sola's Sanctuary and my father still hasn't seen Rift. We haven't risked it. Rift will visit Sola with me separately to keep a meeting between the two of them. Still, I'm tired of hurrying up and waiting. My life is a tangle of chaos and a nagging part of me is starting to give up on the world. It's an ongoing battle this fear that the mess is too large to clean up.

"Kyla," Father says, as we walk side by side. "What is on your mind?"

"When will it get better?" I ask him, not saying everything else. "I'm afraid it's too horrible to fix."

"When I was a slave to Saul, I believed it was too horrible to fix," Father replies, and he grasps my hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "But as long as we're still here, we can choose to fight the evil off. The Dark Lord wants us to give up."

"Kyla, dear, how are you?" Sola gushes, rushing to kiss both my cheeks upon catching sight of me. "You look quite well. How is the baby?"

With everyone standing beside me in the Sanctuary this question is of course a disaster.

"Baby?"

"What baby?"

"What is she talking about?"

These questions come in unison from my mother, father, brother, and Helle.

"Sola, what are you speaking of?" I ask, fighting to mask my emotions at her reveal.

Realization dawns in her eyes, and she ruffles her feathers. "I'm so sorry! I spoke out of time."

"You see Kyla having a baby?" Mother doesn't quit. She steps forward and crosses her arms over her chest. "Is that a good sign? Does that mean we will defeat the Dark Lord?"

"I still cannot understand the darkness surrounding Kyla's future," Sola clucks under her tongue and nods toward the Mirror Dome. "You must come with me. We shall see what can be done."

We enter the Mirror Dome and I gasp at the reflections.

Mother's reflection is shining bright as a star.

Sola's reflection has a broken wing.

Father's reflection is drenched in blood, and he wears what looks like a Fe collar, except it's black in color.

Kalvar's reflection has a broken crown on his brow.

Helle's reflection has a dark red spot staining the center of her chest.

I don't dare gaze upon my own.

After everything I've been through, my reflection must be unbearably shameful.

"Kyla, you're--you're not human," Kalvar says, and curiosity gets the best of me.

My reflection is of my beast self, except it's not the form I'm accustomed to. My eyes are blue, rather than red, just like my eyes as a human. My beast is still the color of onyx with a glossy blue-purple sheen to the scales, but my form is regal rather than nightmarish. The reflection changes momentarily and I see Rift kissing my neck, gold chains binding us together.