Lightning and Storm

Chapter Four: Let the Devil Play

"I already have everything I need." He said as he took my hand.
I tried to pull away but he held on tight.
"Where are you from?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the warm sensation in my chest. The last thing I wanted to do was catch feelings.
"Alzarea. I grew up there with my parents and my sister, Stellah."
I gasped. "I recognize that name. My parents used to tell me a story about how the King and Queen of Palania went to war with a woman named Stellah. I hate to tell you this but I think your sister is dead,"
Menxa seemed more overjoyed than sad, "We weren't very close anyway. She hated me from the moment I was born,"
I can see why. "Where did you take me?" There was something about being alone in a room with him that was making me uncomfortable.
"I think this is the ballroom." Menxa sat down at a piano in the corner and ran his fingers along the dark wood.
"What kind of kidnapper are you?" I couldn't figure out why he was being so nice to me.
Menxa looked confused, "I thought you would have run by now."
He's right why the hell am I still here? "I want to get to know you first." The words felt gross on my tongue but he was growing on me nonetheless.
Menxa looked down at the piano, "I used to play, I'm probably terrible at it now,"
"Play something for me," I insisted.
He blinked, "Like what?"
I laughed at that, "I don't know, something random."
Menxa tapped out a random gentle tune and gradually turned it into a song that was almost impossible not to dance to. He finished with a high note, waiting patiently for me to say something.
"That was....beautiful," I mumbled, unable to think of a better word.
"I guess I'm better than I thought I was,"
"Mirabella!" Darla slammed open the door to the ballroom.
Menxa tapped out a sad tune on the piano and wrapped one arm around my waist, holding a knife to my throat with the other. "Come any closer and she dies!"
I didn't expect kidnappers to be so stupid.
Darla threw down his sword, holding up both hands. "Give me my daughter and I won't harm you," I had never seen him throw down his weapon like this, he had always taught me to never let go of my weapon. You drop your weapon you let the enemy win the fight.
I had never been a very good fighting student but it didn't mean I didn't pay attention during lessons.
Menxa laughed and I felt the knife's blade press up against my throat.
"If you're going to kill me you should have done it by now," I choked out.
He lowered the knife and turned me so I was facing him. "I need you alive. I just have to make it seem like I'm going to kill you." Menxa whispered in my ear.
I let out a scream as the blade of his knife ran along my arm and he held me in his arms forcing me to rest my head on his chest. Menxa's cold skin was almost unbearable.
"You better have a plan," I whispered.
Menxa smiled down at me as he leaned on the ballroom wall almost falling down the stairs behind the secret door.
He turned around, Menxa's hands finding my waist before I could fall after him.
"I can't believe I trusted you, you barely even deserve to be called a kidnapper after how clumsily you have handled your job." I laughed, as I took the stairs two at a time.
He let go of my waist and took a torch out of its holder, its light creating a golden glow.
"You remind me of my sister."
I stopped abruptly, almost losing my balance. "Stellah used to insult me the way you do."
That wasn't an insult it was the truth.
"I have never been around a boy before. My parents made sure of that."
This made Menxa snort. "I guess that explains your attitude."
The stairs stopped and the passage forked into two hallways. "Which way?"
Menxa pointed straight ahead. "Right, left leads to the basement.
"How do you know?" I retorted.
"If you didn't have a good sense of direction in Alzarea you were dead by nightfall."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Of course."
I sped up my pace just enough that Menxa would have to run to keep up, snorting when he shoved me in the shoulder.
"You surprise me, Mirabella. I can never predict a single thing you do."
I smiled, "Good, I would like to keep it that way. Makes life more interesting."
He opened the door that led outside and we were greeted by Damian and Azekial.
"What the hell are you doing!" Damian yelled.
I ignored him, following Menxa around him and allowing him to pull me into the depths of the forest.
"You are smarter than you look, cockalorum."
"That's not even an insult!" Menxa laughed.
I frowned, "Yes, it is, and it  describes you perfectly."
"What does it mean, then?"
I grinned, "It means you are excessively prideful in your abilities,"
Menxa stared at me in silence, "You are cute when you're mad,"