My Master (intersex x woman)

Chapter 10 - Surprise Visit

She grabbed onto the floating device, struggling to lift herself out of the water. Halfway onto the raft, something slimy and cold wrapped around her legs, dragging her underwater. Air bubbles rose to the surface from her muffled screams as the creature pulled her deeper underwater.

Soon enough, she was face to face with a massive, dark creature. Its tentacles slithered along the ocean floor and the most chilling, maniacal laugh escaped its mouth. She was running out of air. Her chest felt tight, the last bit of oxygen she'd managed to hold in quickly dissolving in panic. She tried fighting, but was tossed around easily by the large, abominable creature.

A shadow appeared moving towards them, approaching the beast at full speed. It lounged at the creature, tearing its limbs off bit by bit before giving a finishing blow. Strong arms wrapped around Emily, just she'd drifted unconscious.

Her eyes flew open again on the surface, and the scene changed. They were now on a beach, the ocean in the distance. She was wrapped in the strong arms of the man who saved her. He placed her onto the creamy sand, the coconut trees providing minimal shade. His back faced her as he rustled through a bush nearby, fiddling with a shrub.

The young man was tanned, and his head topped with sunset red hair. There was a wooden bowl in his hand when he returned and in it, a herbal mixture.

"This should help." The man finally spoke.

He massaged the mixture onto the bruise that mimicked a burn on her leg. She hadn't even noticed it—there was no pain.

Emily's breath caught in her chest when the man's eyes met her own. Grey eyes with specks of gold stared back at her. In that moment, she'd felt something strange. The grey eyes, dimpled cheeks—he reminded her so much of Annabelle that it was almost painful to look at.

"You're not safe in the castle anymore." He went back to massaging her leg. "It's time for us to go."

"Us?" she questioned.
"Yes, us." He tugged her onto her feet. "We aren't safe there anymore Mom."

There was a sharp pain at the back of her head and her world went dark again.

***

"Hey," Victoria shook her gently. "Wake up."

Emily groaned, peeking an eye open. "Victoria?"

"It's not safe out here, don't you see what's happening?"

"Nothing's happening on the east end." Emily shrugged before standing to her feet. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, Annabelle has forbidden anyone from coming to the east wing—not like I would have actually had the time to these past few months anyway."

The two walked back to the castle together, Victoria filling her in on the recent developments. There had been more than fifteen battles at the castle since Emily was moved to the room in the east. Tristan was badly injured twice, and Annabelle was simply a walking target. She'd said that Geoffrey had mysteriously vanished a few days ago, and they were all unsure of whether or not he'd been taken. Victoria had also been away for some time, offering her support in the north when things began to get overwhelming.

"It's not getting any better, and we are no closer to finding the witch behind it."

The taller woman's hair was in a neat, single braid that hung against her back. She looked beautiful but tired. Emily could only imagine the tumultuous life they'd been living the past three months.

"Are there just not enough clues? I thought that was the witch-hunter's job."

"With all the attacks happening, Tristan hasn't been able to focus much on the hunting part of his title." Victoria pointed out.