The Immortal Secrets

Chapter 26

Jace and Erik.

 The whole carriage ride back to the castle was silent. Neither Jace or Erik spoke a word, both of them refusing to acknowledge what had happened. In their minds, they were contemplating what had just gone down between the three of them. Jace spent the ride wondering how he could have done things differently, and if he had if Kara would have stayed. Erik spent the whole ride thinking about what Kara had said to him. “She’s lost” he thought to himself. “She doesn’t know whats good or bad. She just wants this to end, and go home. That’s all she wanted. She never wanted to be here. Never wanted to meet you or Jace. There was some truth in what she said. We did ruin her life. That doesn’t matter now. She’s gone. Forever”. As soon as they arrived, they both exited the carriage and began to walk through the castle. “I wonder where she is” Erik said, speaking first. “We shouldn’t have just left her”. “She’s probably dead” Jace said, not looking at Erik. “He probably found her, and destroyed her. That’s the end of that”. Erik was silent. “We ruined her life you know”. “I know” Jace said bluntly. “But she ruined ours, so its about even now”. “Did you even hear what she was screaming about back there?” Erik said. “Yeah” Jace admitted, looking sad. “She doesn’t ever want to see us again, and frankly I’m glad. I don’t know if I could put up with her anymore”. “She was our friend” Erik said, pushing the door to his room open. “Key word, WAS” Jace said, turning and walking away.

 Kara

 After sitting for a few more hours, Kara felt completely broken. She sat up, her eyes puffy and red from crying. She thought about everything that had happened. Jace would never even look at her again, and  Erik had looked so hurt. "I just let those things fly out of my mouth...." she said as she stood up. She felt woozy, and put her hands against the tree to steady herself. She surveyed her surroundings, and with a  jolt she realized that she had no idea where she was. Panic set in, as she began to walk in the direction that she thought she had run. It took her a while to find the road, but she eventually did. The sun had begun to set, casting a golden haze over the forest. Kara looked down both directions of the road, not knowing what direction to go. Finally, she saw the imprint her body had made from her fall from the carriage. She used that to determine the way back to the small town where she Jace and Erik had stopped.

It took her most of the night to reach the small town, and when she did she was absolutely exhausted. She went to find a small inn, and pounded on the door. A woman came to answer, and when she opened the door she gave Kara a dirty look. "What do you want". "A room" Kara said sleepily. "We're closed" she woman snapped as she began to shut the door. "Please!" Kara cried! "I have no where else to stay....I was abandonded! Please!!!!!" The woman stopped and looked at Kara. "You were the girl with the King earlier today..." she said, her voice trailing of. "Are you some sort of spy?" her eyes narrowed. Kara started crying, feeling helpless. "Please!!" she began to wail, bringing her hands to her head. "I have nowhere else to go PLEASE!!" The old woman looked at her. "Why where you abandonded" the old woman said crossing her arms, sounding softer this time. "They captured me from my original home, and used me for some rituals. They abandonded me because they didn't need me, or want me aorund anymore. They left me in the forest to die." she was sobbing now. "You can stay here" the woman said finally, opening the door. "One night only". "That's all I need, thank you so much" Kara said, wiping her eyes and stepping in. "What's your name girl?" the woman asked. "Kara" Kara said. " Kara." the woman repeated. "I am so sorry".

Kara slept in a simple straw bed, and she slept for almost all of the day. She awoke to a knocking on her door and the old woman came in. "Your still sleeping?" she asked. "Theres a bathroom down the hall if you want to freshen up. Here are some clothes" Kara sat up in her bed and said "Thank you so much. For everything". The old woman looked uncomfortable. "Well..." she said "Just trying to be a good person". Kara smiled, and got out of her bed and walked over to the bathroom. After a long shower, she changed into the forest green dress, black leggings, and her black boots. "Thank you so much again" she said to the woman. The woman smiled and said "I hope you find your way home" "Thank you" Kara said, and she left.

"Oh hello. Didn't expect to see you here" said a familiar voice. Kara turned around, and saw Carson standing behind her. "What do you want" she said warily, eyeing him. " No need to be so defensive....I'm not going to attack you." he said. "I don't know that for sure" Kara said, crossing her arms. "Just get lost ok?" "No need to be so rude" Carson said, stepping towards her. "You and I aren't enemies anymore. I saw that whole fight. They won't let you leave. Why. What's the whole story". "Well, I was kidnapped by Erik." Kara started, beginning to lie. "He was going to use my blood for a ritual....but it didn't work. So Jace just kept me here. He said he was going to use me as a trap or something.....I've just been trying to find my way home." "Oh." Carson said looking disappointed. "Do you know who the person for the ritual is. The Isla." "The isla?" Kara repeated. "The induvidual used for the ritual.....it's the official term" he added. "Well.....there was a girl around the castle. She was kept in the dungeon. I heard Jace talking about it earlier, but I didn't think much of it. Wherever she is, she's well hidden.". "Listen Kara." Carson started. "I'm going to make you a deal. If you can help me find the Isla, I'll take you back home. But only if you help me find her, and take down Jace." Kara contemplated the question. "I don't know if i can do that to them....". "Kara listen. They used you. Tormented you. Made your life hell. You deserve to get back at them. They tore you from your normal life, your family. You mean nothing to them. This might be your only time for revenge. Or else they'll end up destroying you" Carson said, inches away from Kara's face. "All I have to do is help you find her." Kara repeated. The idea sounding better and better. Revenge. 

"It's a deal."