Chapter 45: Inheritance

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Chapter 45: Inheritance


The escape from the mansion was an easy feat despite the fact that security personnel roamed its halls in regular intervals. A person only had to choose a rarely used hidden passage to disappear. That and knowledge of the tunnels directly connected to it was an edge Cheska possessed. Navigating in secret corridors were second nature to her. Once she crossed the false panel in her room, vision obscured by tears, Cheska let her feet take her away from the person she could only vaguely remember yet have the power to hurt her.

Dr. Frederick Williams. A successful doctor, co-founder of the International Association of Alternative Medicine, and one of the most sought after eligible bachelors in the world. How could she not have known him when Fred graced the news and magazines? Her friend had to point it out to her after Fred left with Tony that morning.

There was more to him than looks and reputation, though. It had drawn her to him. Their accidental meeting at the columbarium might have triggered her curiosity; he had secrets that was strangely connected to the tunnels where she felt at home. Then, at the park, her heart ached when he sat down at the opposite end of her bench with a troubled expression. It had urged her to draw Fred and leave the sketch as a gift. In spite of their brief encounters, Cheska had felt comfortable with him until her memories returned. Why? Why can't I remember you? Her vision blurred once more. Cheska took in a shaky breath then exhaled. The air in front of her fogged. Is it because of this? Did I not want to remember you?

The change in her surroundings brought her back from her reverie. The walls under the pads of her fingers were rough and damp. The scent of damp earth assimilated her nostrils.

She cast her eyes to her earthen surroundings. In her periphery, a silvery web held the tunnel's walls together. It was an enchantment that could only be seen and altered by either of the two parties, animal sentries and a group of guardians.

A small crease formed between her brows as she walked. Louis is guardian of the Mysts, but the tunnels still welcomed her presence. She could also feel the sentries roving deep within when non-guardians shouldn't. They too felt her presence and, yet, they let her roam free when she probably possessed one of the deadliest abilities on Earth. Cheska sighed. It was the ability that made it impossible for her to have a romantic relationship – let alone a normal life.

Cheska stooped down to remove her sandals. She hooked the straps on her fingers and proceeded forward. The dirt under her feet didn't bother her. It grounded her and expanded her awareness. I'm not a guardian but I can still feel this. A part of her revelled that she was still connected to the magic of the place. She closed her eyes and let her sixth sense guide her.

Her eyes opened when she sensed a door in front of her. A plain wooden thing, not the block of ice which would melt into a curtain of warm water at her touch. This wasn't the entrance to her beloved forest.

It was a strange door for the tunnel to have. Usually, the doorways took on the semblance of a common door with a handle and frame. The entrance before her looked like the bark of a tree; it didn't have a handle and its hinges were attached to the wall.

She placed her palm on its cracked, flaky surface. Should she go in? Her instincts had never failed her before and it had led her to this particular door. Cheska pushed and it surprisingly opened without a sound to a dark room.

Upon entering, the lights activated to reveal scattered art pieces covered in white cloths. In the middle of the room, an easel held a canvas, its back facing her. Cheska knew where she was and the story depicted in the exposed artwork even before her eyes rested on the painting of a stag standing in a forest.

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