I'm a what?

Chapter 9

Clarissa POV

I popped outside the room in the top tower. I knew I should have stayed with Kale, but after seeing where she was I knew I could ‘pop’ myself there straight away. I took a deep breath to steady myself before I opened the door. I could hear running and looked around at the other end of the long hall I could just make out the shape of Kale. Then he turned and left, my heart lurched.

‘He left me…’ was my first thought ‘The bastard!’ was the second and the third I sent directly to him ‘I need you, please don’t run from me. I am not strong enough without you!’ Tears threatened to spill but I shook off the feeling of self pity and opened the door.

There she was, sat by the window looking out at the barren land. “Mother…?” She turned to me then and smiled a smile that made me feel as if I had come home. Her hair floated to her waist, thick waves of golden blonde and piercing blue eyes that seemed full of love and hope. She nodded and held her arms open to me, I ran to embrace her. She seemed so frail, but not old. I could see so many similarities between us, our eyes, nose, lips and ears. “It really is you” I smiled and hugged her again.

She let out a laugh “Yes my dear it is me. We should leave, but I have a feeling that leaving will be harder than getting in. Please do not tell me you came alone?”

“No, I have Kale and 7 other fighters. I am just quicker at moving around than they are” I said with a smile. She took my hand and I closed my eyes and readied myself to send out a broadcast to the men ‘I have found her, meet us at the entrance’ with that we popped and my mother and I found ourselves at the main entrance.

All around us the ground was littered with the bodies of the men and in the corner was Bragg and Lore fighting. My instinct kicked in and I began to fight along side Bragg. Kale was right Lore was a good fighter however Bragg injured him and when Lore went down he stayed down. Bragg then looked around and took in the site around him. Confusion filled his face and I heard a gasp from behind me from my mother.

“Clarissa, move away from that man! He is dangerous”

I turned slightly to face her. “No mother do not worry, this is Bragg. He is Kale’s best friend, you have nothing to fear.” As I began to turn back to Bragg I saw a flash of metal and brought my short sword up. Shock filled my body as I took in the person wielding a weapon intent on harming me.

“Bragg…??” He sneered at me a kicked his foot in my stomach sending me backwards, almost flying. Before I could slam into the wall I called the wind to slow me down and settle me down again. ‘Kale, oh my god Kale it is Bragg. He is a traitor. Please where are you? I need you now. I am not strong enough to fight him’ I sobbed as I tried to send the same message to Kale repeatedly.

“Mother run!” I saw the material from her dress out of the corner of my eye. I hope she had listened, I did not think I could fight and protect her at the same time.

“Did you know Clarissa that my mother was to marry Lord Reinhart, many years before he married your mother. They had been happy and loved each other. Then she came along and took it all away! And instead of me being a Lord I am a puppet that Master Gregor keeps around. I ended up being the son of the stable manager. You do not deserve to be a Lady and your mother” He spat as he said this contempt filled his voice “I should have kept her more well hidden than I did”

“You, you’re the one that bought her here?”

“No. I am the one that found her at Gregors request. However, once I found her I realised that she should not be free. She should be as trapped as I was. I fought and killed your Uncle that was keeping her here and left her here. I have been back a few times to make sure she was still where she should be. I collapsed the floor of the corridor leading to her room so she could not leave even if she thought it safe to do so. She believed there to be a powerful guard here to keep her imprisoned when only it was just her fear. Ha, stupid woman. And now you, YOU have ruined it all! I should have killed you when I had the chance before you came into your powers. I do not want you to create a war. I. just. want. you. dead!”