DUCHAS (The Drive Within, Book 2 in Baile series)

Chapter 16 Suspended

Isla

'Come one, come all, witness the terrifying appearance of the wolf man!' A man dressed in Victorian era garb called through a megaphone to passers by.

I found myself being ushered by the crowd into a large red and white striped tent. The tent opened up into a cavernous space lit with large floodlights, all directed towards the centre of the tent. I weaved my way to the front of the crowd.

I gasped at the sight before me. Riley, in his Werewolf form was confined to an iron cage, his mouth muzzled and straps and chains crisscrossing his naked body. I was horrified at the mockery that had been made of him.

'Oh Riley.' I stepped forward into the array of lights.

'You did this.' His voice was muffled and strained.

I shook my head. 'No, I would never...' I took another step forward.

'You did this!' His roar had me reeling. I had never seen him so enraged. 'You're killing me.'

I stood frozen in place as I heard a mechanism ticking within his prison, right before spikes were stabbed into his skin from the straps and bars. His wailing cries drilled through my mind.

I opened my eyes, reaching for my journal to record my dream before slipping out of bed. I took a quick shower in April's private bathroom. I made generous use of her body scrubs that smelt of vanilla and strawberries in an attempt to clear my senses of my horrific dream.

As I stepped out of the shower I wrapped a spare towel around myself, looking in the fogged mirror to find words had been written with someone's finger on it. I stepped forward, reading a command to Return to the Isle. At first I thought I was seeing things, as it wouldn't have been the first time. I pressed a finger to the mirror, realising that it was no figment of my imagination. I didn't dwell on the message's meaning as I continued on my way to my suitcase.

"Morning sunshine." I greeted April as she stirred under the covers.

She grumbled in response while I changed into my school uniform. I was braiding my hair into two Dutch braids when April finally woke. Her eyes were a blazing shade of red.

"I am starving." Her fangs were on show as she crawled out of bed.

"I bathed in garlic." I met her eyes in her mirror as she approached a minifridge, pulling out a blood bag. I gagged as she guzzled it hungrily. A part of me still believed drinking blood was unnatural for people who looked so human.

I tied my braids off with ribbons before turning around, catching April licking the blood that had slipped down her chin.

"Unsettled?" April smirked.

I bent down to zip my suitcase closed. "Always." I returned a smile.

"Eleanor better not continue pushing me to audition this week again." April dumped the empty bag.

"Some of us already did." I lifted the handle of my suitcase, waiting for April to be ready so we could head to school together.

"And you fancy yourself a Queen?" April began tossing clothes all over the floor.

"No." I didn't want to offend the real Faerie Queens.

"Me neither." April eyed me up and down. I knew April considered herself the epitome of a Queen.

Once April had finished getting changed we made our way downstairs. I bid goodbye to my parents, as they were heading back to Scotland.

"I'll meet you back home this weekend." I hugged them both before dumping my luggage into April's mother's car.