Shadow Girl

Chapter 17

It all made sense now. Why dad was their biggest threat. The reason behind them not killing him wasn't because he bribed them, it was because they simply couldn't! But if dad was so strong why didn't he just kill the shadow leaders in the first place? It just doesn't add up...

"He was scared of us hurting you" Murdoch said out of no where, "That's why he didn't attack us.

I emerged from the shadows to face him. "Where is dad now?" I asked

"In the shadow world, where all the other victims are," he said with a grin

"B.... but isn't that what happened when I attacked him... when I was younger?"

"We let him out simply because he had the necklace, no reason more,"

"So... are you going to kill him now?"

Before he could answer a second figure approached from the shadows. Eris.

"Murdoch hurry! Daren has found a way out and now him and the others have escaped into the shadow kingdom! If we don't stop them he'll destroy the-" Murdoch cut her off and pointed to me. Destroy what? It's obviously important to them if Eris is that worried. 

"My dad's alive!" I shouted. I thought for sure that I'd killed him in the blast, "Take me to him, please!"

Eris glared at me, but to her (and my) surprise he agreed that she should once again bring me to the shadow world. She walked towards me until we were face to face, and, just like that, we were surrounded by black mist.

                                                XXX

I felt a shock of pain throughout my whole body. Just as I thought - I'd fallen flat on my face again. Eris sighed in impatience.

"It's really not that difficult to stay standing when you transport to the shadow world,"

"Apologies," I said sarcastically, "I'm out of practice" She rolled her eyes then turned her back and headed towards the castle. I suddenly remembered that I was still wearing the black dress from before. It made it pretty much impossible to run very fast in, so I bent down quickly and tore it until it only came down to my knees. Much better. 

"You know Murdoch won't be very happy about that," Eris hissed at me without even turnng her head to look at my face.

"Yeah well I'm not very happy with him, so I guess we're even," I replied coldly. "Hey Eris, where are we even going?"

"You're the one who wanted to see your dad," she answered, with an ever so slight smirk on her face.

"Why did you smirk just then?"

"I didn't."

"You did, I saw you."

"Just remember who you're talking to." She said sternly, "I can kill you instantly."

"Well you couldn't do that before," I mumbled. She darted around and grabbed my both of my shoulders.

"You think you're so clever, don't you? Well just wait and see what I've got in store for you!" She shouted.

We walked in silence until we got to the castle.

                XXX

The castle hall-room had a differen't atmosphere to it. I was never happy and bubbly, but right now it felt like I was being... watched. Not just by one person, but by  hundreds.

"Stand in the centre of the room," Eris commanded. When she spoke like this I didn't dare do anything other than what she told me to do. She headed to her throne, which seemed a lot further away that normal, then once she was sitting down, she clicked her fingers.

With a flash the empty hall walls transformed into what seemed to be an arena audience, with hundreds of people screaming and cheering. My head darted back and forth as I tried to comprehend in my brain what was going on. I tried to move but Eris shot her hand out towards me and surrounded my feet in black fog. I was trapped.

"Do you want to tell me WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" I screamed at her.

She looked at me with evil eyes, and a wide smirk spread across her face. "You said you wanted to see your dad, didn't you?" I scanned the audience of cheering people for him, but no luck. The audience seemed as if they were at a sporting event or something.

"He's not in the audience you stupid girl, he's right here!" and with the click of her finger he appeared in his throne. But on both of his sides stood Murdoch and Calina, and tiny spurts of black mist had started emerging from their hands.

"Dad!" I screamed!

"You have a choice, Ciara." Said Eris, "you can either stand there and watch us kill you father slowly and painfully," She took a break to let Murdoch touch dad's temple and I saw him wince in pain. "Or I will release him, and you can both fight to the death!"

The crowd cheered a bloodthirsty roar. There was no way I could fight my dad, but I couldn't stand here and watch him die! There was only one thing I could do... The only way he could survive was if I let him kill me.

 I took a deep breath in before shouting up to Eris, "Okay, I'll fight him."