Vidia

Manipulated

Vidia desperately tried to get the tape off her mouth. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Her dad was worse than the most evil Nyx. He tied her up and sent all the soldiers and guards to a meeting. Vidia couldn't believe no one wondered why she was gone.

Dain ran up to her but was stopped by the glass. The automatic door slammed shut and locked behind them. Vidia saw the man Dain was with speak.

All she could make out was trap. At least they figured that out. It was only a minute before the gas bomb would explode and poison them. And Vidia used her only cure on Dain when they attacked Nyx Kingdom.

Vidia jumped in her chair when she heard the breaking of wood behind her. Someone had broken through the door.

She heard the footsteps run towards her and a face appeared in front of her.

Elian! Vidia tried to speak but couldn't. Elian quickly untied her wrists and ankles and Vidia ripped the tape from her mouth.

"Elian! I'm so glad to see you!" Vidia's eyes filled with tears as they hugged each other. "I wasn't sure if you would make a full recovery."

"I did. However we can talk about that later. Do you want to save your friends?" Elian asked and smiled when Vidia's face lit up.

"Finally, someone who wants to help." Vidia said and she looked back through the glass.

Elian ran back through the door and tried to unlock the door keeping Dain and Kalen locked in. However, it required a code and neither Elian nor Vidia knew it.

"We're dining out of time." Elian said. He watched the clock tick down.

Twenty.

Nineteen.

Eighteen.

Vidia watched Dain through the glass. It looked like he and Kalen were arguing with each other. Was now really the time to be arguing?

Dain pulled out an arrow and Vidia feared he was going to shoot his friend. He shot it at the glass and Vidia took a few steps back. The arrow simply bounced off, leaving a tiny scratch.

Ten.

Nine.

Vidia sprinted towards her armory room and came out with metal arrows that were much stronger than Dain's.

Six.

Five.

Elian, Dain, and Kalen watched as Vidia shot the arrow at the door's electrical system. The arrow sailed through it and the timer stopped. Sparks came from it.

"That was close." Elian said. Vidia began thinking of ways to open the door because it remained locked.

However, Elian grabbed Vidia's shoulder. Vidia looked at him confused.

"They're gone." Elian pointed towards the glass and Vidia peered through. She saw no trace of either of them.

The electrical system for the door finally shut down and the door slowly swung open. Vidia and Elian ran inside and looked around.

"They're gone?" Vidia asked, not wanting to believe it.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut. Vidia soun around and saw Dain and his friend in the other sid did the glass. They must've hidden and snuck out.

"Dain." Vidia whispered and put her hand to the glass. "Don't do this."

Vidia knew the door couldn't be opened from the inside. It was a safe door used if the kingdom was attacked.

Dain walked over and put his hand up others. Even though the glass was there, Vidia felt like he was actually touching her. A year ran down her face.

"I have to." He mouthed.

"I can't." Vidia said. She couldn't leave Dain.

"If you're dad did this to you, I can't stay. And you can't stop me." Dain said and for the first time in a while, Vidia actually heard him. "I will come back to unlock you both."

Dain's friend said something and Dain ran out of the palace.

"Vidia, if he kills your dad, you know he can never live here. Killing him will be the thing that makes him a Nyx." Elian said.

"I know. But my dad won't stop. He tied me in a chair and almost made me watch my friends die in my face." Vidia replied. She wouldn't care if Dain killed him. She just wanted to se shin again. For one more... kiss.

"So now what?" Elian asked. "We wait here until he comes back?"

"Well We can't get out. Unless..." Vidia ran over to her desk. "I could send a message."

"Saying what? You might cause panic."

"What if I send it only to Shay? I could only send it to her wristband."

"That could work." Elian agreed.

Vidia broke a button off her desk and flipped it over so the wires were showing. She retired it and connected it back on.

"Now this should work." Vidia said to no one in particular.

She pressed the button. "Shay, come to my office in the castle. ASAP." Vidia ended the message. She was relieved when the button showed that only one message was sent. It worked.

"Now we wait until Shay comes." Vidia said. Although deep down, she knew that Dain would stop at nothing to kill her dad. He had to stop him. She knew if Dain killed him, she would never look at him the same. She would look at him like he was a Nyx.

Vidia prayed that Shay would look at the message and be here soon. She had to stop Dain. She knew that there was some good in him. After all, an elf like her, the queen, loved him.

Maybe Dain is just manipulating her. What if he doesn't love Vidia? That was Vidia's worst fear. Perhaps a Nyx can't be changed.