Star-Crossed Enemies ✔️

Chapter 16

"Of sorts." he says enigmatic "Here." he passes me a small blue squared box. Eagerly, I open it and I'm surprised to see a silver necklace with the design of a tree in its pendant. I take a closer look and notice an inscription in Latin in the circle around the tree, it read "At mundus et ultra"".

"What does it mean?" I ask him intrigued.

He takes a hold of the necklace and gets up so he could place it on my neck.

"It means "To the world and beyond", or something like that." he tells me turning me around to look at him once the necklace was fastened. "Now you know, that's how much I love you. It's my promise to you, that no matter where I go, or how long I stay away, I will move heaven and earth to always come back for you, okay?"

"You're going away again, aren't you?" I ask him. He nods. "You just got here! Can't you ask father to send someone else? He's always sending you away!" I yell out angry.

"Hey! Hey! It's okay. I know we didn't get to spend a lot of time together but we're not going to let it ruin our evening, okay? I'm still here, and I still want to spend the day with my sister. What do you say? Want to spend the day with me? We could go see that movie I know your dying to see, I promise I won't tell dad."

"He'll find out. He always does." I tell him sad.

"Let me worry about our father." he says getting up and pulling me into a hug. He kisses my head. "God, you're getting too big. Did you like your necklace?"

I hug him tight taking in his familiar scent.

"I loved it. I promise to always wear it." I promise him.

"Good, then you will always wear my promise close to your heart. A little secret between us, yeah?"

"Yeah" I agree smiling at him "Our secret."

I'm taken out of my memories by the sound of a heavy door being opened and closed shut right after. I release my fingers from the necklace around my neck, the same necklace my brother had given me. I hadn't even realised I was holding it. I never took it off, just like I promised him. It was the last thing of his that I had. The last thing he ever gave me. A broken promise.

Footsteps start getting louder, meaning the person is getting closer to my cell. So they were finally going to interrogate me. I kind of expected for them to do so right away, or perhaps they prefer to make me suffer by anxiously wait for the unknown. I don't really know with these people. The General always did say to expect the unexpected with them. Probably one of the only good advice to come out of his mouth. On contrary to most fantasy books, my cell was actually quite bright. It had bright lights that allowed me to see the person on the other side of my cell with little difficulty. I admit, it was not what I expected. A woman stood in front of me. Older than me, but not by much. She was around 5"2, strawberry hair, green eyes, wearing red lipstick. She was watching me carefully. Studying my face, her eyes lingering on my exposed necklace for a second. Something seemed to flicker in her eyes. She smiled.

"Hello Hayley, it's very nice to finally meet you. Your brother always spoke very fondly of you." she says surprising me.

I can honestly say I did not expect that introduction. What? How did she know my brother? I look at her again, this time examining her the same way she examined me. And then there was this flicker of recognition.

"You're her, aren't you?" I ask her, getting closer to the cell's door. "You're the girl that was with my brother the day he died."

"I wasn't aware you knew that." she said with a sad smile "But yes, I was the last person to see him before he was taken."