Chapter 29: Hidden Suspicion

Grabbing his hand, I looked deep into his eyes. "I am grateful as well. You have both been very kind to me, and loving."

Before I could continue, a chilling voice called out, "My, my. What a touching moment. But you have no idea what we have in store for you." They spoke to us with malice in their voice.

A chill ran down my spine, something was wrong. Yet I was unaware of what they were implying. What's he saying? And how does he know about us? I thought to myself, as their hooded eyes found mine.

Unknowingly, I shivered as my mind raced to the next level of thought. Everything would be fine, yet I felt like something was wrong.

An idea popped into my head, causing me to think about the man's plan of action, which was unknown.

*Why did this random person enter the room? Does he want something from us? Or is he only here as a spectator?* *Who is this man, and why are they angry?* I contemplated while watching Gabriel and Elias's expressions change drastically. They went from being in awe of what was ahead of us, to being afraid.

Then I observed the figure of the man who was standing in front of us. He was idle, and he had his arms folded over his chest. He had a suspicious look on his face, and it was obvious that he was hiding something.

As I observed them more, concern about how they felt at the moment plagued my thoughts. *Are they too scared to continue on this journey with me? Or does this figure dressed all in black make them feel anxious? I don't know what their heart is telling them.*

Not wanting to wait, I spoke quietly to Elias and Gabriel. I needed to know how they were feeling right now. But would it be possible to get them to open up? I don't know if what I want to ask will help them be strong enough to overcome our struggles. But I know that I will always be there for them, no matter what comes our way.

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around the situation we placed ourselves in. I had to ensure they knew they didn't have to be quiet about it.

After I questioned them, the silence between us was thick with tension. Their eyes were on something behind me while I was trying to gauge a response.

Gabriel started to speak while Elias stood with his hands to the side, his face a mask of fear. His body was anxious, and he stared ahead at the man who had caused us all to lose our wits. Yet, I was still strong despite that fact.

"Who are you?" Gabriel asked, his voice rising with a sense of urgency. The figure didn't respond, it stood there with an expression of shock. Then it was gone within seconds, leaving us with a question: *Why is he so happy?*

The man started walking closer toward us with a determined look. The bones in my body felt like they were on fire, and I could feel everything in the room.

*I'm scared of what he's planning on doing to us. Will we ever get out of this alive? Or is this something we will die for?* I pondered as we slowly inched backward with our hands over our faces.

With each step we took, our nerves were tested. I was very nervous, but having them with me strengthened my resolve.

As we walked backward, his hands started moving faster and faster, and my mind was racing. Then suddenly, I felt something hard on my back.

*What is on my back? It doesn't feel like it is something that I know. It's unfamiliar to me, but I don't know what to do.*

**Slam...** Our backs hit the wall with a loud bang, causing us almost to stumble and fall. I don't understand what is going on.

Dara started to speak, her voice rising. "**How dare you say that! These people are not to be messed with!"**

I looked at her, my mind racing over everything happening around us. Her voice startled me, and I knew she was angry by the way her eyes were moving.

"You have no right to tell me what to do! The king and queen of our kingdom are the ones who told me to take care of intruders. They also told me not to let you talk me out of it." He spoke and looked in my direction.

The way he looked at me, my eyes widened with each word he said. "I don't want to do this, but I have to!" He spoke again, and his hand made its way to his pocket. The figure started to pull out an object from it, and he looked at it, then at us, an evil grin on his face.

And then my heart began pounding inside my chest. I was in shock, and quickly grabbed Elias's hand, squeezing it tightly. The warmth of his hand in mine sent a smile along my face.

*Wow, is she defending us? Or is she just saying that because she wants to be the one to tell us?* I thought to myself and smiled a little. I couldn't believe that she would do something like that.

While mid-thought, I was able to see the look on her face. She wore an almost smile-like expression, but was it only to ease the tension in the room? I was not sure how she would help us. By how she spoke to the man dressed in black, she was showing us a side of her that we had never seen before.

Dara turned toward me as if she could read my thoughts. Her eyes softened a little as she held her hand out. Curious, I looked between her and my two companions, and silently asked them, *"Should I trust her? Or should I be cautious of how she talks?"* I had to know what they thought.

"I mean no harm to you, Elias, and Gabriel, but I sense your trepidation. I want to ensure your safety. I want you to understand that this world is different from yours." She whispered to us, her voice soft and gentle.