Stolen Hearts

Chapter 6

Byrne once again made his way to the engine room, preparing to steer the train towards the tower and stop in the station at the bottom level; Cole had refused to steer the train simply because he believed he was above it, so Byrne was the one who had to conduct it. But he didn't really mind, after having been experienced with them since he had taken care of.....no, he wouldn't think on that now. He had become on edge with all the strange emotions swirling within him, and he wanted nothing more than to be alone and sort out his thoughts. That would have to wait, however, because he was still on this forsaken train with the chancellor, a passed out princess, and...Audrey. How one girl could throw his mind into such turmoil and chaos was beyond him. Every time she looked up at him with those eyes, or when he heard her soft voice and held her hand in his, it was as if something had crumbled within his soul. He had felt guilt and sadness at seeing her injured and crying, and had felt lifted when she gave him a smile. He was happy to have taken her pain away and felt relieved at being able to fix her shoulder. He and Cole had been the reason she was hurt in the first place, so it was the least he could do. Very few others had ever made him feel any sort of strong emotion in his past centuries, but this was something on a completely different level.

All the emotions had come as a surprise to him, and he was bewildered at how even the smallest things she would do would send his heart galloping in his chest and a hurricane raging withing his stomach. But the one emotion he really hadn't anticipated was the anger. It wasn't directed towards her, no not at all. But every time the thought of the other man would flash across his mind, annoyance would pinch at him and his hands would clench into fists. It frustrated him that she was so close with this 'Alfonzo' while he knew nothing about her. The way he had protected her and when she cried out his name had made Byrne's blood boil without warning and when she had even thought to ask if he had killed her beloved, he almost wished he had. He did not want to harm her in his blind fury at her mentioning the engineer again, so he had left the room as quickly as possible. He had to admit that his temper could very quickly get the best of him, it had happened before. Something would spark within him and he could see nothing but red. He supposed it was because of everything that had happened to him these past few years. He'd had his hope ripped away from him in the blink of an eye and was left with a broken soul and a bitterness in his heart.

More than anything, he yearned for revenge. He craved it and when he wanted something, he would work for it nonstop until it was in his grasp. Someone had once told him that he was choosing the wrong path and that he was being a fool. But he hadn't really been given a choice. To fall back to where he had started was out of the question, and so he had found others to help him in his climb to power. The spirits may have denied him the gift of their power, but it was no matter; he would find a power even greater and darker than theirs and he would show them along with all who doubted him that he was capable of anything. In due time, he would succeed in gaining what he wanted and no one would stand in his way.

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Audrey paced back and forth in the isle of the train car, worrying at he bottom lip with her teeth. It had been about a half hour since Byrne had left and she had taken the chance to try and devise a plan to get herself and Zelda out of there and to safety. She had regained feeling in her arm once again, and as Byrne promised, it was incredibly sore. The jolting pain was now gone however, and she was thankful that he had helped her. 'Such a strange man' she thought. He had been so willing to help her right after he'd kidnapped her and it truly made her head spin when his mood did a complete turn. But she supposed working with someone like Cole could make you that way. She wanted to be as far away as possible from the chancellor at all times, of that she had no doubt. But Byrne.....he was...different. On the outside he was a cold, deadly warrior with a need for vengeance. But every time she looked into his eyes, she saw something through his rough exterior; she saw someone with a lost soul, someone who had gone through more struggle than anyone should have to endure. There was so much confusion and turmoil raging through those golden pools, that every time she looked up into them, it tugged at her heart and she couldn't help but feel sad for him. She knew nothing about him, and yet she felt she could see right into his tormented soul. Why he had acted the way he did towards her she still couldn't understand, but it only added to her belief that he had a kind heart under that cold hard shell. 'Perhaps he just needs his space?' She wondered. He did seem like a man who preferred his personal space, but he had been so close to her, and had even spoken with her and fixed her injury!