Her Fated Haunting (Mad Protector Series #2)

~Chapter 4~

AN: Hello, wonderful people! This chapter is quieter and a small break from the craziness of before. Not super proud of it, but we cannot always have drama, right? :)

Thanks a lot for reading, leave some love maybe? Peace out!

Fearsome Hamster

The moment the demonic entity disappeared, Elyse dashed out of the basement. Or at least tried to move as quickly as possible, given her limp and frayed nerves. Even her reliable crutches had been forgotten in her mad haste. By the time she had realised their loss, the cellar was too haunting of a place to return to. 

The ordeal had definitely left its ugly mark on her once adventurous nature. A mark that would continue bleeding for as long as the monster remained in her life.

With a resounding bang, she closed the trap door and leaned her still shaking frame on the nearest wall. What a terrible evening that had turned out to be...From believing demons were just a bed tale for disobedient children to becoming such a beast's Mistress. Or whatever Azrael had so fervidly claimed her to be–she had no inkling as to what the title even entailed.

I need to make sure the girls are indeed alive.  Although the monster's eyes had showed no deceit, Elyse would be a fool to trust him. Not after experiencing his misplaced morbid sense of justice.

Tiredly peeling her form from the wall, she went in search of Rosanna. Worry started gnawing at her insides when the girl was nowhere to be found.  

Walking past eerily empty dorms, the sound of clattering pots downstairs drew her attention. A sigh of relief passed her lips. She should have guessed–everyone in the orphanage was probably preparing dinner, a habit Sister Ann, the institute's motherly principal, had ingrained in them. 

She looked outside the window. The bleeding sun was setting over the kingdom. She had to hurry.

She finally found Rosanna in the dinning hall. The young woman was dusting off the dishware for the upcoming meal, doing quite a poor job of it. Lost in her own world, Rosanna robotically rubbed the cleaning cloth over and over the same plate, mindless to the stares she was receiving from others. 

"Rosanna," Elyse stepped forward from her hiding spot. Immediately, haunted hazel eyes found her and the girl ceased all movement, the forgotten plate smashing unceremoniously on the wooden floor. Just like their sanity shattered that night.

Rosanna was staring at her like she had seen a ghost.

"Rosanna, you are alive," relief flooded her voice. "I need to talk to–"

"Don't,"instead of the mocking tone Rosanna usually addressed her with, now her voice came out trembling. The frightened girls' gaze darted wildly around, as if she were hapless prey in the presence of a bloodthirsty predator. The very though was laughable. At her short stature and thin frame, Elyse could never pose danger to anyone, especially not to the tall older teenager.

"Please, I just want to clear what–," Elyse tried again.

"Do not come closer. Leave me alone, please." The sight before her was pitiful indeed. Her once cruel tormentor was now visibly shaking because of her. Or was it because of her? Watching more closely, Elyse noticed that the older girl's gaze was actually not trained on her, but on something behind her. It was a subtle difference that chilled her blood.

Cautiously turning, she observed nothing but the old stone fireplace burning peacefully in its hearth. There was no living soul behind her. 

However, the other girl seemed to believe otherwise. Giving her another terror-filled look, Rosanna sprinted away from the dining hall. She would have wanted to follow her and inquire more about the summoning, but her fragile knees strongly disagreed.