The Storm Ahead

twenty eight

Caroline's POV

When the man barged into the room i'd been staying in, he looked anxious for a fight. I guess thats a valid expectation.

What he didn't know was that I had a vision of him coming about three hours ago. He was one of Beatrice's henchmen, big surprise.

"You're coming with me," He snarled.

"Okay," I said, my voice void of any emotion.

He blinked.

I walked by him, turning at the door to find him in the same place watching me.

"Come on," I said.

"You're not going to struggle?"

"Would it make a difference?"

"Not really," He admitted.

"Well, then why should I try?"

~~~

The room was lit by the sunlight streaming in from the windows. I wasn't tied to the chair, probably because I wouldn't be able to escape anyway with the number of guards in the room.

I think my body sensed her before I had time to realize she was there. The hair on my arm stood straight, goose bumps freckled my skin, and my stomach lurched.

"Beatrice," I greeted, still unable to summon emotion. I thought of greeting her son, but deciding ignoring the swine would go over better.

"Sweet Caroline," She said, and I couldn't help but notice that the grin she wore was a bit unsettling. "I heard you came peacefully?"

"Yeah,"

"That doesn't sound like the girl I know,"

"Knew," I corrected and something in her face changed. "Visions of the past can go a lot further back than one would expect."

"So it would seem," She said with a forced smile, "Well then, Anna, you surely know the reasoning for all of this silliness?"

"I'm not Anna,"

"Cut the games," She replied sharply, "You were her, and she was you. You're as guilty of her actions as you are your own. You took Caleb, you knew what he meant, what he was to me, and you took him!"

"Beatrice, I don't even know who Caleb is! Are you really going to kill me for taking a boyfriend in a past life, that I don't even know?"

"Oh you know him," She hissed, "His name might've changed but he's the same boy. He goes by Aiden these days. You think of me as some kind of evil because I brought them into our fight, but you my dear sweet girl, you did it first."

"If you want to kill me, just do it already."

"Oh Anna-"

"It's Caroline," I growled.

"I want you dead, but I want you to fight. It's not fun if i've waited decades to kill you, and it's over in seconds."

"Come on Lovey," Felix whispered behind me, "Go play."

Leo's POV

A frantic knocking brought me stumbling to the door at three in the morning. I yanked the door open.

"What do you- oh." I paused at the sight of Caroline's mother in front of me. Dark bags hung in under her eyes, her hair was in a tangled mess on her head, and her skin was a sickly color close to grey.

"Where is she?" She asked, her voice frenetic.

"Upstairs, second door on the right."

She shoved past me and rushed up the stairs. I yawned and followed behind her. When she barged through the door and froze, I cocked my head. I walked in behind her and saw what she was looking at. Caroline's blankets were cluttered around her bed, and her pajamas were folded neatly on the desk.

The one thing missing was Caroline.