The Falling (Book I)

Struck

I awoke to Mikayla shaking me, tittering anxiously about Father.

He wanted to see me in his study.

Zane had tucked me into bed after I fell asleep. I dressed into a red gown and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I grew more alert when I saw the look on my sister's face. She was playing with her hair and her eyes never lingered too long on any object. She had not looked that anxious in centuries.

"He is furious, Melly-bean. You better have a good reason as to why you were gone so long." She whispered, hands on my shoulders as we went down the stairs.

I said nothing, my stomach twisting itself into a knot.

Mikayla grabbed my hand, squeezed it once, and swiftly retreated back upstairs. I walked down the hallway to the right of the staircase, which only had one door.

Father's study was large and immaculate, everything perfectly in place. His papers were stacked neatly on his desk, books organized in alphabetical order. His oak door was closed and I placed my hand on the brass knob. I felt my fear rise, certain he could probably smell it by now. I lifted my other hand to knock, steeling myself.

"Enter." He did not sound any angrier than usual, though that meant little. It took very little to set him off.

With a deep breath, I turned the knob and slipped inside his study. I closed the door and leaned against it, my hands behind my back.

"You wished to see me, Father?" I queried, my voice soft.

He sat at his desk, signing his name on a sheet of paper. He did not look up right away, but I saw the way his left hand clenched itself around the quill. With an impatient gesture, he beckoned me closer. My back leaving the safety of the door, I stepped forward, my arms coming round to hug my midsection.

"Yes. I was wondering where my truant daughter ran off to yesterday. Someone else was curious as well. Would you like to know who?" He spoke in a monotonous staccato, each word carefully enunciated.

"Who?" Before I had even gotten the word out, Father was in front of me, his nails biting into my shoulders. I bit my lip from whimpering when he shook me once.

"The king. He was very curious as to where his betrothed was, to the point he had some guards look for you. Where were you?" Despite his aggressive body language and tone, he was not yelling yet, but I could tell he longed to.

"The Human World; I had a contract!" I stammered.

Father's face went blank and he freed my arms. I opened my mouth to continue and he slapped me. I bit down on my tongue, blood filling my mouth as my head snapped to the side. Tears pricked my eyes and I brought my hand to my stinging cheek. My fingers came away wet with blood.

"Do not lie to me! What were you really doing?!" He screamed, his large frame towering over me.

I cowered, backing up until the door stopped my retreat. "I-I am not lying, it was a d-difficult contract!"

He lifted his hand to strike me again and I flinched, shutting my eyes. The blow did not come and I dared to open one eye. Father was glaring daggers at me, his eyes alight with rage. I stared at my feet.

"You are a coward. Everything about you is craven; the way you walk, your lack of battle sense.If I had not seen you leave your mother's womb I would never have thought you a demon! You cannot even complete a contract in a timely fashion!" He whirled away from me.

I breathed heavily, my hand fondling for the knob. I squeezed the knob once my hand found it. My heart pounded as if I had run for miles and the urge to flee was powerful.