Severed Ties

Even in Death

She seemed to be taking the words to heart, folding them into a tight corner where they would be safe, so she could call on them again in a time of need, "What's your superpower Alara?"

"Well-"

"Kindness," the word flowed through the small room, strong and sure of itself, a smooth voice that commanded the room but hailed that it spoke nothing but the truth, "Alara is the kindest person ever, she was able to heal this heart," Cameron crouched down beside us, he kept a safe distance still knowing that Kira was afraid, but he held a palm to his chest, "This heart was so very broken before I met her," still he did not look at me, and I was grateful for had he looked at me while saying the words he spoke next I would have shattered, "Without her, I would be in a really dark place. Without the light and the warmth she gave me, I would still be a bad man, not a good one. She makes me better, she made me a protector, without her I am nothing,"

Kira began to show more of herself slipping from my grasp and fulling looking at Cameron taking in his frame, "Are you going to save us, mister?"

"I'm damn well going to try," he breathed out before reaching a hand towards me, pulling me from the ground and hugging me tightly. His strong arms wrapped around me and I felt the most comfort I had in years,  I felt safe pressed against his chest with his beating heart frantic and fast against my ear, I couldn't cry not in front of Kira so after a single tear fell from my eyes I made sure that it pressed into his shirt, that it sunk in and that he would carry it with him.

He pulled back slightly, cupping my cheeks in his warm palms, "You're ok," and then he paused a moment looking over my dress and once again there was that sharp breath like he couldn't quite believe what was in front of him, "And you are ethereal,"

A deep blush rose to my cheeks, heat and warmth and all things good rushing through me and I couldn't stop myself, I lightly pressed my lips against his in the swiftest of kisses knowing that Kira was still in the room I kept it brief but he understood, he let it just be that, a chaste and meaningful kiss, a promise of something more, a promise for the future. 

"We're getting married today," I whispered my voice small and saddened, full of untapped melancholy that continuously flowed through me, I let the tears prick at my eyes but they didn't fall. Mr Grayson would not have that satisfaction. He had taken everything from me, my happiness, access to my family, my ability to choose, my freedom. 

And he had taken so much from the little girl with us, no 15-year old should go through what she had, she should be in school, experiencing life with friends, going out on weekends, with a family by her side, not trapped in this life, surrounded by never-ending violence, alone and forced to serve a man who had hurt her father. 

I had grown up in this world and knew it was no place for a young girl, and I vowed to protect her from any more hurt. 

"Cameron, we need to get out of here," I looked back down at my wrist still cuffed with the biometrically locked handcuffs, still providing me with little movement. 

"The wedding is the key, darling," and I still couldn't believe it was happening. This was not what I wanted to happen, I wanted it to be a choice, I wanted to choose the venue the gown I wore, who was there, not be rushed into it with strangers greedy for the secrets my body hid, "During the wedding, you can't be cuffed, it will look too suspicious and father is all about appearances also it would nullify the marriage it would be seen to be under coercion and any with half a brain would be able to put the dots together. No, my father needs this marriage to be official, watertight, no hitches, that's when we strike, when we're together at the alter, they will have to have an officiary marry us, they will need to leave us be to say I do without anyone objecting. That's when we strike, I'll give you the signal,"

"What signal?"

He merely chuckled lowly, "He looked over at the corner of the room, analysing the small divet I too had noticed there was definitely a camera, and probably an audio device, luckily we hadn't said too much and it was unlikely that it was a very good chip as Kira had told me a lot of secrets I am sure Mr Grasyon would not want me to know. Even still, Cameron leaned forward, whispering, "Oh you'll know, sweetheart,"

And there it was again the fluttering of my heart like it was going to beat out of my chest. I took a deep breath just as there was a loud banging at the door, I recognised the voice immediately and it just raised the pressure in my veins, "Times up mes amis,"

Cameron took one last swift glance at me waking kindly at Kira before shoving his hands into his pockets and walking towards the door, he turned and paused at the door before looking back, with a devilish grin on his face he spoke, "Oh and darling?"

"Yes?"

"Promise me that when we make our vows you don't say till death do us part, because even in death, we will be together,"

"Even in death," I echoed.

And then he was gone.