Chapter 65

Elika never expected that sitting through a full day of classes with an absent mind would be so hard, but it was, she couldn’t keep her mind from wondering towards her uncle and what he was doing in the city and exactly when he has arrived.

Why was he outside of her favourite book shop? Did he know that she often visited there, was he watching her from a distance?

She hoped not, she hoped that it was just a coincidence, a terrible, fear inducing coincidence.

Sarah tried her best to keep her distracted whenever she noticed her mind slipping back into a dark place. But she struggled. She couldn’t concentrate on both her lessons and her friend. She had to pick one.

But she couldn’t, and Elika couldn’t stop herself from trembling whenever she thought of those mechanical white eyes.

The crack of his fist against her skin, the feel of the leather collar around her neck. It was destroying her.

The memories were crippling her. She couldn’t handle it. She needed to get far, far away before he noticed her presence.

If he hadn’t already.

Fuck, she thought. I can’t let him find me, not now.

She had just built a life for herself, she had a friend, she had Mrs Taner and the children of the orphanage.

She actually got a present today, on her birthday. It was her first ever present. Not even her parents cared about her birthday, they never had, they were forced to throw her a party a year ago because she came of age. Not because they wanted to.

She was a black stain on the family, much like Darkous and hades were, but they would never accept her either. No one would. Not truly.

“Try not to think about it.” Sarah whispers as the history teacher turns his back on them to write on the whiteboard. “You are going to put yourself into a panic attack.”

The princess laughs bitterly, grabbing the attention of a few other students, “I think I’ve gone past a simple panic attack.” She remarks.

Sarah looks concerned, “Please, just take some deep breaths, think of all the wonderful things we are going to do after we finish this class.”

Elika wanted to listen to her, she wanted to calm down, but she couldn’t breathe, her lungs had forgotten how to take in oxygen and her mind had suddenly forgotten how to think straight.

The world was crumbling around her, and she just might scream if the walls get any closer to her.

I have to get out of here. She decides, picking up her backpack and running from the room before Sarah could move to stop her.

She didn’t care if she got a demerit. She didn’t care if she was kicked out of school all together, she was drowning in her own mind, and she couldn’t stop it.

School wouldn’t matter when she was trapped down in the hell dimension as a slave to her uncle.

I can’t go back to that life. She sobs, pulling at her hair as she runs down the corridor towards the front of the school, she needs to get back to the orphanage and pack. She needs to leave now before he gets too close.

She has precious little time, and she needs to utilise every second.

Elika had no choice but to leave Sarah and her life behind, she would have to start all over agin somewhere else. She’d have to get a new identity in case this one was compromised.

She runs out into the open street, panting for breath, but just as she heads to the bottom of the steps, she freezes.

Her worst nightmare was there, not even five steps away from her, watching her with his hands in his pockets.

Darkous.

“Don’t run.” He says gently, “I have my men with me, and they will sedate you before you can call for help.”

The world shatters into a thousand tiny pieces at her feet.

She had failed.

“I can’t go back.” She says, taking a slight step back. “I won’t ever be what you want me to be.”

“You are already exactly who I want you to be, Elika.” He says, taking a step towards her. “You have always been there, right in front of me..” he says. “But I was too blinded by rage to see it.”

She frowns, confused, scared, unsure.

What was he trying to say?

“He’s right.” comes the voice of Michael, she spins to see him walking closer. “You are exactly what the family needs, an innocent. Someone who wants and craves change.”

She’s surrounded.

No escape.

No hope.

“I can’t go back.” She says again, hyperventilating.

The world tilts sideways.

She is going to faint, she can’t breathe.

“Just think of your little human friend.” Darkous says with a cruel smile. “Think of what I could do to her delicate body. All the ways I could torture her before she dies.”

She’s going to vomit.

Elika can’t let Sarah suffer, not because of her, not because of the choices she made.

“She doesn’t know anything.” She says hurriedly. “I never told her.”

“That’s good.” Darkous says with a nod, “you saved her life then, but you must still come. Class ends in minutes and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be responsible for the deaths of the entire school.”

He’s evil. He’s a monster.

She has to go with him.

Her life is over. Her freedom ripped from her.

It’s all going to begin again.