Chapter 82 CHAPTER THREE

Chapter 82 CHAPTER THREE

HAVEN

Pain!

That's the first thing I register as I open my eyes to pitch black darkness. My entire body is in severe pain and for a long moment, I can't seem to register what actually happened.

I got to Nana's house and opened the door only to find her sitting on the chair practically lifeless and…

My heart races at the possibility that Nana might be dead. I rise to my feet and surprise surprise, I'm not tied or chained. I find my way across the dark room to the door and push it open.

I'm standing in a large living room with a single sofa on which seats the man who practically killed my grandmother.

" What did you do to my grandmother, and who are you?” I snap.

The man who looks oddly familiar just chuckles and points to a chair opposite him. " Have a seat, Haven. I've been waiting to talk to you."

" Where is my grandmother?” I ask again and he sighs.

" Your grandmother is fine and unharmed. Matter of fact you'll be seeing her soon. But I'll suggest you sit the fuck down or I'll make you.

I don't trust him enough to have a civil conversation, but I know him " making me “ won't be in a friendly type of way so I stroll over to the chair and sit. I don't know why I feel so nervous and anxious around him.

“I've been waiting for this moment for a very, very long time, sweet Aurian," he says again leaning forward in his seat. “I didn't plan for you to be reborn so far into the future. Three centuries is such a painfully long time.”

"Excuse me?”

" Everyone's been anticipating your rebirth, Sweet Haven.” He continues. " Your husband, your daughter, your sister and everyone else. But no one has been as restless as I.”

Okay, now I'm confused. "I don't get what you are saying. What do you mean everyone's been anticipating my rebirth? What husband, daughter and sister are you talking about? Look, I'm not in the mood for a joke right now. If you have nothing to say then tell me where my grandma is so I can be on my way."

He laughs. Not friendly, nor calmly. Nope. This laughter is pure evil and manic. Irritated, I get up to leave but before I can take two steps towards the door, I'm being thrown back by a gust of wind and slammed against the wall.

What the fuck!

I watch in utter and complete horror as hands – literal hands that are made of dark smoke – wrap around me and keep me pinned to the wall. Pain shoots through my body and I can't recognize the raw scream that leaves my throat.

" You wound me, Fae princess. I never imagined overpowering you would be this easy.” He chuckles mockingly. “And yet you're supposed to be the destined fae queen." He scoffs.

I struggle against the smoke hand, ignoring the pain that zaps through my entire body. How is this even happening? I feel like I'm part of an ancient fairytale movie, or the stories Nana is fond of telling me.

“You will only make it more painful. I just want to have a little chat with you.”

"I'm not interested in having any form of discussion with you.” I tell him, still struggling. " Now if you would just have your – whatever it's called – let go of me, I'll be on my way."

He tsks and shakes his head, turning behind him and yelling. “Isolde, I don't think Haven wants to talk to me."

Isolde? Nana?

Imagine my surprise when Nana walks into the room from a door I never noticed before. I stop fighting for a moment and just stare at her, my mouth open, too shocked to even speak.

She walks to me and gently tucks my hair behind my ear and sighs. “You don't have to restrain her. You're hurting her."

“She didn't want to talk to me," he shrugs. “I have no choice."

“Nana?" I manage to croak out, disbelief making me lightheaded and blurring my vision so much that I can't believe I'm actually seeing clearly. " Please tell me this man is crazy and you're here to take me home.”

I stare at her expectantly and she gently shakes her head. " I've been looking after you ever since your rebirth, waiting for him to find you so we can finally tell you the truth.”

" Truth?”

Nana nods. I struggle to free myself once more and the smoke hands tighter their grip so hard that I choke on air.

" Loosen the restraints. She won't be of any use to us if she's dead." Nana says, turning to the man. He snaps his fingers and the smoke hands loosen their grip, but don't let me go.

Nana wipes a hand over her face and I choke again, harder this time. A moment ago, she was all old and weary, with white hair held back in a bun, and a stern yet gentle face, and now…

Now she's a young woman appearing to be in her mid thirties with pretty black hair that frames her face and a beautiful expression that's rather cold and empty.

I blink, to make sure the pain is not causing me any hallucinations. It isn't.

" What's…what's happening?” I ask, my voice coming out in barely a whisper. " How did you…”

I pause at the lack of what to say. I search for the best words in my mind to ask my question, but I still come up empty.

Nana laughs softly, a laugh that doesn't reach her eyes. “This is how I look. I'm a witch my dear."

" A …a what?”

She sighs and sits down on the sofa beside the man who brought me here. " See, Haven there's more to this world than the humans know. There's a whole other realm of supernaturals, and that's where you – we come from. I'm a witch and you're a Fae, a mistake I intend to rectify as soon as possible."

“You're crazy," is all I can bring myself to say in the midst of all the disbelief.

“I'll show you." She rises to her feet once more and moves to me. She places her hands on my forehead and mutters some words to herself. My vision darkens for a moment, and when it clears off, it's like I'm watching a movie play out before me.

A girl – me – is being taken from her home by a dragon and his entourage. A sharp pain erupts in my head and I scream.

It's like my brain is on fire and my head is burning from the heat. I struggle against the restraints and the pain only increases.

The more the more the scenes play out in front of me, the more I see them happening in my mind, like a part of my memory that has been suppressed and is just being released.

The day they came for me in our village, the journey to the dragon kingdom, the wedding to the dragon king, the ritual where I almost lost my life, my sister being stabbed and every other memory.

They all flow into my head as the scenes unfold before me like they're being poured into my mind. The more I recall, the more I feel like my head is about to explode.

By the time it ends, I'm panting and I realize with horror two things.

Isolde didn't stay locked up in Euron even after I sacrificed myself to keep her there. For some reason she escaped and raised me after my rebirth.

Secondly, Draven, Auren's best friend and right hand man is possibly the main mastermind behind the whole thing all this time.