Fractured Minds ( AoR #2)

Chapter One

Madeline

Hayden stood in front of me, blocking Campbell's path to me. "You aren't taking her anywhere."

Campbell gave a pointed glance down at the chains on Hayden's wrists and chuckled, but his hand rested on the gun holstered at his hip. "I don't think you want to be standing between me and my niece anymore, sir."

Campbell's expression terrified me. He would kill Hayden without a second thought for standing there, I had no doubt about that. Hayden couldn't stop Campbell, and they both knew it. But I could tell if Hayden didn't back down, Campbell would kill him anyway.

I stepped around Hayden with my head held high. "Stop fighting over me like I'm not here." I turned to Hayden and tried to give him a look of warning. "If the Lord Commander wants me to go with him, I will. And I'll be fine," I tried to assure him.

Hayden's stern countenance melted, and the fear he felt for me reflected on his face. He pulled me into the best hug our chains would allow. "Be strong, Little Miracle," he whispered into my hair. "You're a survivor. You've proven that. Don't let him make you doubt that."

I nodded into his chest. "You be strong, too. I will come back for you. I promise."

Campbell pulled me away from Hayden, and it took everything I had not to protest. Instead, I let him guide me out of the trailer he had us locked in. Outside, the pitch black night threatened to envelope everything, but I could see enough to recognize that we were on a huge plantation. He led me away from the trailers, but I was slow moving. I struggled to make out my surroundings in the darkness. The area behind us was littered with beat up old doublewides. There must have been two dozen scattered around. At first I thought they must be homes, but then I noticed the guards and the boards on the windows.

Campbell placed his hand in between my shoulder blades, urging me forward and causing me to stumble. "Oh, darling. I forgot about the chains. I'm so sorry," he said as he pulled out a key and unlocked them. "It's standard procedure for captives, you understand. My men weren't exactly sure which side you were on."

I rubbed my wrists and sneered up at him. "They were right to assume I'm not on yours."

He actually smiled at me, which only infuriated me even more. "You don't know what side you're on. But you will soon. Come with me. I'll take you to your room."

"My room? Don't you mean my cell?"

The Lord Commander burst out laughing. "Your cell? That's no way to treat a guest. Especially not family."

"We're not family."

"I can understand your anger towards me, but don't you go saying that around your mother. It'll break her heart, and she's already been through far too much."

"She's stronger than you think."

"I'm reminded of that every day, and every day I love her more for it," he said with awe as he led me through the grounds.

His response shocked me. I expected him to try to demean her or control her, not be amazed by her spunk and tenacity. You'd think those qualities would be frowned upon by a tyrannical dictator like the Lord Commander, but maybe he saw it as a challenge of some kind. I didn't care enough to try to figure him out. I returned my attention to my surroundings. We walked from the edge of the property, where the trailers were, and passed little houses along the way. I could see trees in the distance, and structures that might be greenhouses. The darkness only offered shadows and shapes, so I was left to guess. Before long, we stood before a sprawling white house with a large fountain out front. I thought it might be the Governor's Mansion, having visited it on school trips. The setting appeared too familiar. The house was two stories, but structured in layers leading away from the main entrance.