Keeper's Oath

Chapter 18: Blind Loyalty

Hope had decided to spend a bit more time with Forgo She realized that it must be getting late by how dark it was outside. That was when she decided that she should head back to the Shadowlight court.

The sky was dark as snowflakes fluttered down. The clouds swirled above her, the lamps within the grounds of the Court lit up her path. A chill swept by her which made Hope withdraw further into her hoodie. She wished that she would have gotten something warmer. Though again, she was thankful that she didn't have to walk too far.

Livius and Ritter must be wondering where she was, Hope thought to herself as she walked up to the entrance. The snow was now past her ankles. She cursed as her socks got wet. Whenever she'd go inside, she would have to change them.

She went up to the doors and opened them. Warmth welcomed her, she slammed her feet onto the carpet at the entrance so she wouldn't slip on the floor. The doors closed behind her. There wasn't anyone in sight that Hope could see. The hallways didn't have anyone there at all. She was rather surprised by this. Hope had gotten used to there being someone at least after the holidays.

Behind Hope, the doors swung wide open. At first she thought the wind had blown the doors wide open. She jumped to see that it wasn't the wind after all but a red headed woman. She had short red hair that was in a pixie cut. The doors closed yet again as the woman stopped to her tracks looking wildly around. Her fierce green eyes landed on Hope.

The red head walked up to Hope just to stand a foot away from her. She was slightly taller than Hope.

"Where is Valko?" The young woman demanded, she was breathing hard. Hope noticed that her eyes were puffy and red. Her tone had been aggressive which made Hope draw further away from her.

"I... I don't know." Hope gulped wondering if this was Valko's girlfriend or someone like that. "Doesn't he work in the Shadowlight Keep? Did you check-"

"I already checked there! I was told he came here with that Gresham Nass-"

She stopped and looked to her left. The woman's anger seemed to have been directed elsewhere. Hope soon realized why.

The tall young man with the long black ponytail was standing at the end of the hallway. His light brown eyes rested on the young woman who was in front of Hope. The red headed woman started to run towards Valko who was backing away slowly. Valko nearly stumbled onto his back.

"Hari-"

"There's nothing you can say that will make me ever forgive you!" The young woman named Hari yelled on top of her lungs. Hope could hear her trying to hold back her tears. She wondered what on earth was going on. The guardian edged a bit closer to the two towards the hallway.

"Hari-"

"Don't you Hari me! You didn't bother to acknowledge what happened. If you would have been there. Then maybe Mom and Dad would still be here!" Hari cried, wiping her tears aside. The young woman was a few inches away from Valko's face now. "You just left us behind, not caring how we felt when you turned your back on your family! Gresham Nass is a monster and you know it!"

Hope saw something change in Valko's expression that she had never seen the few times she had seen the young man. There was anger in his eyes that flared up at his younger sister.

"Turned my back on you? None of you ever took me seriously. Gresham Nass took me under his wing. He taught me things that you three don't know. In this world, we are alone. In this world, we can only have what we seek." Valko snarled back at Hari. Hope expected the young woman to back away but instead she stood motionless in front of Valko.