[1] Rising Atrocities

26

“I like her style, you know. Of course not in a way you do.” Julian mumbles, I gradually look at him, annoyance smeared over my face. We are in a prison that smells of death and suffering and here is Julian being, I don't know what word should I use. ‘Yes! Himself!’ “I mean she is so cool, but she is older than both of us. She is twenty-one.”

“Shut up, Julian!” I mumble.

Quintus looks hurt, betrayed. He gazes at the floor and then at us, “What will I get if I tell you everything.”

Charlotte finally gazes at Quintus, “What do you want? Don't say freedom, I can't promise you that.” She says, “And don't say blood, it's restricted.”

“I want you to look into someone for me.” A tint of confusion smears over my heart.

“I am not going to kill anyone for you.”

“I am a prisoner, not a monster. ” He says, “I just want you to check a vampire named ‘Ella Johnson’. I just want you to check if she is okay.” Charlotte gave a nod.

“He seems nice.” Amber says I look at her, “Don't mind me, I have vampire sickness.” That's when I remember her whole thing with Zara. Julian gazes at Amber, and shakes his eyebrows towards me,
Rolling my eyes, I gaze back at Charlotte and the prisoner.

“So, what do you want to know?”

Charlotte turns towards us, “Go ahead, don't just stand there like idiots.”

“You ask, ” Julian and Amber pat on my shoulder in unison, “Go ahead, ” Gently pushing me forward, They take a step backward. ‘Seriously!’

“Real bravery, guys,” I mutter.

I turn towards the prisoner, who stares at me with numbness, I cough and take a deep breath before asking, “We want to know about Balrus.”

He shrugs, “Ah. Leo. First of all, let me tell you that whatever is happening, it is his fault. He let that Elizabeth Abbington escape. He always ruins everything. ”

I turn to look at Amber, as a sign that her theory was right. “Leo is-” He continued, “-a special person. I mean that what Rosaline Abbington used to say. I have no idea how such devotion was born in that soulless woman. She loved him like his son. How can a soulless person love someone? Even Johnathan Abbington, Rosaline's husband loved him. When rest of the servants ate their meal on that field, Leo used to have his food with the rest of the family member.”

“Leo willingly sold himself to the family to save his mother, I guess that is what caught the Abbington's attention.” He mumbles. He was quiet for some time, “But their devotion towards Leo, it was the reason for their downfall.”

“So, this Elizabeth Abbington? Do you know where Balrus sent her?”

“An orphanage in somewhere near Virginia.” He replies, “So, what you are going to stop them?”

I was about to answer. When Charlotte answers, “I will talk to Balrus, he is a smart guy, he will understand.”

“Smart.” He repeats and burst into laughter, “He is a coward. He is a bloody coward. You think he doesn't understand what's going on. He knows everything. He is too scared to act on it. ” He scratches his chin and continues laughing.

“So, what do you think we should do?” Julian asks.

“Run.” He says, “Run away from this place and never come back. I know what they are going to do when they are fully back. They will kill every family who went against them” His words ran a shiver through my spine. A lot of innocent people are going to die. “-then they are going to do what they always dreamt to do, wipe off the human race. ”

“We are not the running away type.” Charlotte says, “At least, not me.”

“You all are so young, you are yet to see a lot of things and most importantly live a life.” Something tells me that he is a good man.“It's not your fight, you all are innocent.”

“You are a good man, Mister Tate,” Amber says. She takes a deep breath and asks, “Why did you refuse to embrace your clan? They were ready to have you.”

He smiles and replies, “I had done some pretty awful things when I worked for them. I had hurt the people I love. Looking back I feel the biggest mistake I made was taking their side in that war. After that war, I don't think they would love me the same way they once used to. I just couldn't face them. I guess you are familiar with the rule that a vampire living without a clan is a crime. ”

“I think we should go now,” Charlotte says.

She turns to leave, shaking her head as an indication to follow. Quintus says, “I know why Leo choose you to be the warden.”

Charlotte peers over her shoulder and turns to glance at the man, cocking her head to a side, she says, “Go ahead, tell me about your observation. I would love to hear another theory about myself.” She clicks her tongue, “If you are going to say I am a Monstrosity, then you are not the first person.”

“He sees a part of himself in you,” Quintus replies. I always wanted to know Charlotte's story, his words just increased my wanting. “You are a victim-.”He says, Charlotte looks downward at her feet, “-just like him. You pretend to be a tough person but deep inside you are just a broken girl. Just because your fa-”

“Let's go.” Charlotte intrudes, She turns her face away and walks away.

We start to follow her when I hear footsteps. All of us froze as a figure appears in front of us, running a shiver down my spine. “What the hell!” Luna Hendrix, our literature teacher shouts standing in our way, glaring at the four of us.

°°°

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