I couldn't sleep after my encounter with Jared, but I needed that cry. I needed to scream and throw a fit—to feel every bubbling emotion that burst out of me, no matter how painful they were. I needed it so I could let go of whatever part of our relationship that I was still clinging to.
I embraced the sorrow and anger and went through every possible scenario that could have led me here—but the outcome was always the same. My mind would circle to the necklace and the last memory I had of my mother before she disappeared.
Her big doe-eyes held so much concern that day as she desperately searched for something and went through the house like a tornado until she found it.
I recalled her snatching my hand and rushing us out of the kitchen.
I was riding shotgun in her cobalt blue Cadillac, looking up at her—hypnotized as she drove us down the freeway. The windows were down and her long, black wavy hair whipped behind her as the hot air caressed our faces. Her tanned skin and dark eyes illuminated as the sun fell. The car wobbled each time it glided over a crack and bump in the road as she chanted along to the radio that blared through the speakers. Her signature cigarette in hand was perched slightly out the window.
At the time, I wasn't sure where we were headed or why she finally looked so free. All my five-year-old brain could think was, she looked happy and that made me happy. My feet dangled and I could barely see outside the window, but I caught quick glimpses of massive redwoods that hovered over us as we drove for hours and hours. I looked up at her and her eyes never left the road. We both hummed along to our favorite song as we stayed in multiple motels in California until we reached a worn-out cabin in the middle of nowhere. She may have looked free then but I still saw the irreversible damage someone had left on her and the spark of worry in her eyes as she opened the car door.
That was when my memory of her ended. I didn't remember walking into that place or anything after that. I didn't remember a goodbye. A hug. Nothing.
I just remembered waking up in the Kelley’s house, unaware that my mother had left me.
I had no idea what was so special about the necklace she gave me, or why it was just recently putting me in constant danger. Or why it even came back to me in the first place.
I mulled over the memory again and again, but nothing else came to mind.
I was desperate for more answers, and as of now, all I knew was that I needed to get rid of my connection with the necklace. Then maybe, I could go back to living my normal life—not that it was anything special, but it was a hell of a lot better than this.
I rolled to my side and checked the time. It was already 5:30 A.M. which meant the sun was about to rise, and I needed to prepare myself for wherever Kaschel planned on taking me. I was sure it wouldn't be a walk in the park.
I tried to text Lucien to tell him that I wouldn't be home for a while, but it kept saying the message failed.
I let out a frustrated sigh, rolled to my back, and stared at the black ceiling.
“You look like shit.”
I launched up and snatched the candelabra that was still at my side and waved it around.
Ryas walked out of the darkest corner of the room with a menacing smile on her face.
I wasn't sure how my heart was still beating from all the jump scares these psychos were putting me through. I had an inkling that it wouldn't be the last time either; these sadists definitely got a kick out of scaring me.
I also never wanted to see her crawl out of the darkness like the girl from The Grudge ever again. “What do you want? I'm sure I still have time before sunrise,” I asked. My irritation was evident in my tone.
Ryas tossed a bunch of clothes on the bed and crossed her arms. “Get ready. We have a small window of opportunity.”
I raised my eyebrow. “Opportunity for what?”
Ryas shook her head, tilted her chin up, and let out a dry laugh. “You really are ignorant to everything even with a familiar.”
That wasn't the first time one of them said the word, familiar.
All I could think of was witches with brooms and black cats, and maybe them making potions in a huge cauldron or some shit like that.
Gren popped into my mind. Was he a familiar?
God, he might be frantically looking for me after what happened.
I looked up at her and scrambled to my feet. “Could you possibly get my crow for me? He would be waiting at my place. Possibly by my window. Probably brooding or crying.” I rambled on, ignoring her detached expression.
I couldn't leave him. Not with what happened to his brothers, and I needed his moral support more than ever. I knew he couldn't protect me no matter how much he said he could, but that was okay. I just wanted his company.
She smiled. “Your familiar? Yeah, I grabbed him.” she reached her hand through the thick darkness and threw him to my side. “Now hurry and get ready.”
She disappeared and left me shell-shocked. I looked down at Gren who was shaking his feathers out like he had just gone through something slimy.
“Hi.” I couldn't think of anything else.
He lifted his beak, turned his one eye at me, and squinted. “You are a walking-talking danger magnet. I can't leave your side for a second.”
“Hey, I didn't have a choice.” Or maybe I did, I just didn't want to find out if Kaschel’s words were true.
Gren sighed. “He’s coming for you, Adeline. We need to disappear. I couldn't hold the barrier any longer without my brothers. I'm—I'm sorry.”
He had said that multiple times now.
I looked at him and settled his feathers down with a pat. “Who's coming for me? Gren… I need answers this time, please. Are you my familiar?”
God, it sounded even more ridiculous coming out of my mouth.
He stared at me for a second until he spoke again, “Kind of. I'm sorry. I would tell you more if I could. I'm under a sworn oath. It would destroy me if...” He gave me a defeated look as he lowered his head to the bed.
How frustrating—although, it was somehow reassuring to know he wasn't keeping things from me just because he could.
“Okay, I won't pry any further, but that doesn't mean I won't try to find out another way.”
Gren nodded his beak in agreement. “I won't stop you.”
I smiled. “Good, but I can't run away. They will harm Lucien if I even think about it, and I don't think we can figure a way out of this haunted mansion even if we tried… I mean, are we safe here?”
“Ah, I’m not sure. I don't have much information on the Unseelie. He comes from a different world, and I'm only versed in the dark arts of ours. Not theirs. I also only know about the beings of our world, and that's it.” Gren shrugged his wings like it was common knowledge for anyone.
I erupted into a fit of laughter.
This was all so crazy. I wondered if it was more plausible that I was locked up in a psych ward right now, and imagining all this in a straight jacket—rocking back and forth while they heavily medicated me—yeah, I wouldn't take that off the table just yet.
I patted Gren again. “Alright, thanks for trying to explain.”
I looked at the clothes Ryas brought me, and of course, it was my graphic tee shirts. At least, she brought me a pair of black jeans and boots too. I wouldn't look that ridiculous.
I grabbed the dark green shirt and groaned, frowning at the dark bold letters like it would somehow change them, but they stayed the same and read, Life’s too short, so let's fuck.
I thought, at least the lettering wasn't eye-catching, so maybe no one would notice.
Well, it wasn't that important, considering I was locked up and forced into this deal, and the terms weren't exactly in my favor. So, who cared if my outfit looked like a teenager dressed me?
I quickly changed my outfit and looked at my reflection in the mirror.
I tried to detangle my hair as I used my other shirt to wipe the smudged mascara from under my eyes. The hell if I was wearing this outfit and looking like a scared raccoon at the same time—I had to maintain some of my dignity, no matter how small it was.
I couldn't tell if the sun was rising since I was locked in a dungeon of a room without any source of natural light.
I agreed to this shitty deal, so why did he have to lock me up like a prisoner? Trust was a two-way street, asshole.
“Try not to disappear from my side so much,” I told Gren as I turned away from the mirror and looked at him as he pecked the bed like he was trying to make a comfy spot for himself.
“Of course.”
I let out a breath of relief and shook out my hands. The anticipation sent shivers down my spine.
The door swung open, and Kaschel stood there in odd attire.
Where the hell were we going that required a sword and sheath? It was like he was wearing medieval-times chic with leather pants.
Again, he had questionable taste.
“Ah, so the little flea isn't going to make me drag her this time.” The side of Kaschel’s mouth twitched up like he was about to smirk, but it instantly vanished as he fully took me in. He turned his back to me; his tight black tunic had a deep v-cut that left nothing to the imagination as his broad shoulders practically devoured the door frame as he walked through it. “Let's go, and make sure you bring the necklace with you. We don't have time if you forget it.” That's all he said to me before he disappeared into the hallway.
Something told me that this trip was going to be one hell of a ride, and obviously, not the good kind.
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