The Darkness Within

Chapter 34

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Chapter 34 

Caitirina~ 

"Ava?" 

"Hey neighbor." She replied, and gave me a wide smile. 

"I don't understand." I replied.

"Nor do I, who is this Caitirina?" Lorcan asked as he moved protectively close to me. 

"She's my...uh."

"Let's just say I was her guardian while she was away."  She replied. 

"But I don't understand, how did you know?" I asked. 

"Your father and I are old friends, he asked me if I'd look after you. And that I did."  

"But, why didn't you tell me who you were? Who I was?" I asked in frustration, if she had only told me we could have bypassed a lot of this mess.

"It was not my place to, if I had told you..." She paused and sighed heavily. "It just doesn't work like that. By learning of who you were through old memories you became you quicker. If I had told you it would have only made things more difficult, you wouldn't have believed me."

"I might have..."

"Cat, come on. We both know it would have taken a lot more than just me telling you. I bet it was hard enough coming to terms with it the way you have." She gave a pointed look at Lorcan who nodded and heavily sighed. 

I elbowed him in the side. "Hey! I wasn't that bad, you didn't seem to believe it yourself right away either." 

He only grunted a reply in return.

 "So...what exactly are you Ava? Are you one of the Hargoss?" I asked. 

"Yes and no." She replied and walked over to some chairs that I had sworn hadn't been there a moment before. I turned to Guraund, but realized he hadn't followed us in. Where was he? Lorcanmust have noticed to but he just shrugged.

Ava sat down gracefully in one chair and motioned for us to sit as well. "I was part of your father's court, but when Narishka took over...well I could either stay and be turned like the others, or flee. I know it doesn't sound very brave, but I did it for the good of Lumina. I managed to slip through one of the portals before they were sealed off. Some others had thought to do the same, but they didn't survive. Narishka had left some of her minions here to take out any that tried to escape. I tried to save some of the others but it was no use, I almost died myself." She smiled as she recalled a memory. "Fortunately Isay found me. Ever since then I have been with the Hargoss, and with you. It seems I kept one of our own alive." 

"That you did, and I must thank you for it. I only wish I remembered you." I said quietly. Guilt over coming me. All this woman had done for me and my people, and all I thought of her was as myneighbor. Wait, my people. When had I started that? I kinda liked it...I had people. 

"Do not worry, it will all soon come to you. I promise you this." She replied.

"I hope so." 

"I don't mean to change the subject." Lorcan suddenly said after a long pause. "But does that mean that you had contact with Vaettur? 

"Yes, I did. But it has been quiet some time since. I'm not sure what that means." She replied.

"You don't think he's hurt, do you?" I asked.

"Oh no. At least not a lot, I would have felt something. Your father and his court are very connected. It is more likely that someone is blocking me."

"Like physically?" I asked.

"I did try to see him several times in person, but most of the time we talked telepathically." 

"Oh, so they have but up some shield that is blocking you mind from his?"

"Yes, unfortunately that is most likely what has happened." She replied.

"That doesn't matter, we intend to go there ourselves and save Lumina."  Lorcan replied.

"That is very brave of you. But you are going to need much more than just you three. You will need an army." Ava replied.

"Ye wouldn't happen to know where I could find some willing fighters? Would ye?"

"I am sure most here would join you." She sniffed the air. "You brought a dragon with you?" 

"Umm, yes? Is that a problem?" I asked, Lorcan had said they would shoot him down...

"Oh no, it is very could. Most of Intuneric are very scared of the particular Dragon. It is Balaur is it not? 

"Aye, he is an old friend of mine." Lorcan replied. 

"That is very good, very good in deed." She smiled deeply. "Now, is there anything else you'd like to know at the moment?" 

"Yes actually, what did you me by "turned like the others". Did something happen to them?" I asked. I cringed at any of my Father's people being turned into anything that Narishka would have created.

Ava sighed unhappily. "Yes, when Narishka overtook the kingdom. She changed some people." 

"Aye, I know of her "changing", she tried it on me." Lorcan said suddenly. 

"Oh no, I know of what you speak of Panther. But this was much more than what she had done to you. She didn't try to kill them, well not all of them, she tried to convert them."

"Convert them? What to the dark side?" I joked trying to lighted the mood. Ava didn't understand my reference it seemed. 

"Yes, you could call it that. She took everything that was good in them and turned it to evil. It did not work as well as some, and didn't change some at all. But for those that did they became her slaves, her workers."

She stood then and strode to the open door and looked out to at as if trying to clear her mind.

"But there was, is, one that it worked well on. He was turned from a respectable kind man of theLumina court, in an evil monster." 

I gasped. "Who?" 

She paused before she answered. "Victor." 

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DUN DUN DUUUUHHHHH....

Did anybody guess that would happen! Victor, used to be good? If so, good job. I was planning to reveal that since the beginning. 

If you're having trouble remembering Victor he was the mean guy that was Narishka's henchman from when Lorcan and Caitirina were in Lumina. You may remember him from the scene where Caitirina made the food for the Guards? Ring any bells? 

Well I hope you found the chapter (at least the ending) interesting. Sorry it's not too long, but I figured a shorter chapter was better than waiting a few days. 

Tell me what you think! 

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PLEASE! I want feedback! What do you think of the book so far? 

-Morgan :D 

P.S Thanks for reading!