Chapter 172 The Prisoner
Alessia's POV
I make my way down the stone corridors alone, the council members seem to have all gone their seperate ways .The quiet makes me edgy but I continue to walk with purpose.This is Miranda's life , I can't hesitate. My moves must seem flawless .I take the next left and walk down the dreary corridor. A fleet of stairs appear on my right and I hesitate . I seem to have missed my way. Recalling thr map in my head I don't remember seeing a fleet of stairs.
I stop the air feels denser here,looking around the lights are dimmer and the it's dingy .
Where am I ?
The Servant Quarters?
I look up and spot a camera trained on me. I remember who I am and I straighten my shoulders my shoulders I have no choice but to take the steps.
Where is it leading me? I do not know but I must take it and appear like I know what I am doing.
At the end of the stairs low wailings of pain reach my ears and I freeze .I take one more cautious turn and I see what I never expected to see ..
Cells
I am in their dungeon
I didn't even know they had one!
My stomach clenches in fear
I look around quuckly the guard on duty must have stepped away for a minute. I contrmplate going back but my curiosity gets the better of me and I step into the dungeon before I can talk myself out of it. A low cough echoes from one of the cells ,Low wailings from another ,Silent tears from my right .The air is thick with pain and unbearable sadness it almost takes my breath away .The walls are rough and dirty .The men and women all skinny and malnourished with metal cuffs around their wrists and legs they watch me proceed unanimateu as if they have lost the will to fight or live .
My chest tightenes as sympathy fills me and I blink back my unshed tears keeping in mind if I lose control of myself my mask will slip.
Slowly I feel a tug on my consciousness and I stop at the last cell .An old man is seated against the wall ,very thin his clasped hands and legs wrapped around his body .He looks like he hasn't seen light in decades .Or eated any proper food .His Head is bowed low and something in my chest twists
Why do I feel so much empathy for him.?
I have never seen him before but...
But my body is reacting as if he is a familiar
Before even my mind can recognize him.
He feels my presence and lifts his head ,our eyes meets and my eyes grow blurry for a moment as my entire world tilts.
His eyes are the exact same shade of green as mine!
My breath comes out in short spurts
My eyes wide in shock
"Who?"his voice is low and weak
My spine tingles in pain
My glamour ripples
"Oh Dios !This cannot happen now"
I am not in Apartment 14c
I am in the dungeon
But I can't stop it
Pain spreads through my face my bones shifting rapidly. Miranda's face ripples and mine- Alessia surges forward!!!
My knees almost give out and I grab the cold iron bars to steady myself. The man says nothing as he continues to look at me .
"Who are ?"He whispers and something inside me shatters as my mark begins to burn hot.I feel the last mental barriers between me and Alex crumble
I fall on the ground in pain
White hot blinding pain
I gasp for what little air is available in the dungeon
My vision blurs as hot tears fall down my cheeks . I turn around quickly clenching my hands in pain as I force the shift back.
I have to get out of here!
My whole body is creaming in protests!
I let out another low strangeld moan of pain and finally Miranda reforms again
I dust off my shoulder slowly
Behind me the Old man is still whispering but I do not turn back. If I look at him again my mask will slip and I may not be able to turn back to Miranda immediately. I need to get out of here with that urgency in mind I walk away almost running in a haste up the stairs and down the corridor. Lucky for me the entire walk back to the council chambers I do not run into a single soul .
By the time I reach the council chambers I have started to compose myself . Stepping into the lift this time I press 14c and lean on the rail, feeling emotionally and magically drained barely holding on to Miranda. As soon as the elevator stops on my floor I take a deep breath and purposely slow down. I know they are watching me. I take calculated steps to the apartment. As I reach the apartment I press my hand on the panel and slide in shutting the door closed behind me .Leaning on the door I let out a sigh of relief whispering words of gratitude into the empty room . “Thank you Dios”
"Thank you Natura for making me this powerful”
“Thank you Mother for only binding my powers temporarily”
I slowly slip to the floor as I transform back to myself quickly and painfully my face ripples into place.
Panting and out of breath
My chest still feels like it is caving in
My spine feels like its been bent in two amidst all my pain. Suddenly I can feel Alex from the safe house. His emotions, it seems like he is is in shock he knows the mental barrier between us has shattered now.
Did he see the dungeon?
Does he know the man?
He screams in my head "Alessia that Man…. That... Man....is ...Your.... father !Gabriel Sirrano”
Alex's words echo like a boomerang in my skull.
Gabreal Sirrano!
My father is alive!
I am no longer an orphan!
And I just met him in the dungeon at La Geneva. Thats why my mark grew hot it felt a connection to him. Suddenly I recall as Per Imelda’s Instructions .I am supposed to interview them Alex later.Reaching for the burner phone I type in a message to Alex,mind reading is good but he may not get all the details that way.
“Lemons are ripe for plucking arrive at 06:00 hours” and I hit send hoping he will understand my message. For a moment I sit in silence replaying my fathers condition in that dingy old cell . I clench my fists tightly as I pound into the ground in frustration not caring about the pain or noise.
I only have seventy two hours!
My vision narrows as my eyes flash pure gold for a moment ,power surging through me. And with this development?All our plans has to change because I wont leave the only Parent I have left to continue rotting in a dungeon at La Geneva!