Chapter 21
A few days had passed since Roan had watched all the nine victims die right in front of her eyes. She had felt weak for the first couple of days and she stayed off school for while, just sitting and feeling lost. She had finally pulled herself together and was just glad it was now Friday. She was sat on one of the sofa's doing a bit of English work when she looked up suddenly. Darren had come in and placed something on the table. She pretended not to see him and he was gone just as quick as he arrived. She put down her stuff and went over to the table. There sat a little piece of paper. She didn't pick it up, just looked at it. It was a note from someone in very tiny writing. She took out her phone and took a quick photo of it, before quickly sitting back down with her work again. Lewis came in just as she was writing again, but this time he had come through the door. She looked at him in surprise and he smiled innocently as he picked up the paper and went up the back stairs to outside his office. Roan took out the photo of the paper and looked at the words. She could just about make it out. It read: He is still distracted, but going to get it out of him finally. Just loosening him up.
Roan read it a couple of times and didn't really understand it, so she just put it away and forgot about it.
After half an hour or so she jumped as she heard a door slam from across the hall. "This is hopeless!" Shouted Liam. "I don't want to do this anymore!"
"Liam!" Darren shouted. Roan heard a sigh and he came strolling in.
"What happened?" Roan asked half heartedly.
"He gave up, because he couldn't do it. Something is distracting him and I wish he would sort it out."
Roan nodded and looked back at her work. She decided to finish it in her room and got up heading to the door.
"If your going upstairs, will you take these files and papers to Lewis please?" He asked politely. She rolled her eyes and nodded, taking them from Darren putting them in a good position. She then went to the door and walked straight into the hall. She went up the stairs onto the landing and went across towards Lewis's office. As she passed Liam's room, he hurriedly ran out and crashed into her. The files went everywhere and bits of paper flew around.
"Oh Roan, I'm so sorry!" He bit his lip bending down to help her pick up all the papers.
"It's fine!" She said as she brought the papers back together. She just hoped it didn't mess anything up. It hadn't seemed to and Liam did a check enchantment on it as well and seemed to be all right.
"Sorry." He said again.
"It's fine honestly."
"Where are you going with that anyway?" He asked.
"Your dad's office, Darren asked if I would take them to him."
Liam rolled his eyes. Roan went passed him and drew closer to the door.
"Roan!" He called up the landing. She turned and faced him. "Would you... fancy going out tonight? It doesn't have to be...you know...a date, but..."
Roan let a small smile creep onto her lips.
"Are you asking me out?" She asked.
"N...well...maybe...yes." He answered. She smiled and turned to face him fully.
"I thought you'd never ask!" She winked. "I'll meet you outside at eight." She said turning back around and heading to the office. He mouthed a 'yes' and did a little victory dance. He then went back into his room having completely forgotten what he wanted to do. Roan separated her English work out of the pile and knocked on the office door, still beaming.
"Come in." Lewis said. she opened the door and Lewis's face fell. "What?" He asked.
"Darren told me to bring you these." She said handing over the files and paper shoved in between.
"thank you" he said as she put them on his desk. She then headed out and shut the door behind her. She then went into her own room and lay on her bed smiling. He had finally asked her! She was so happy, but she knew something would go wrong, so she was staying out of trouble to prevent that from happening.
At seven, Liam came downstairs to the sitting room where he sat by the fire just staring into the flames. Roan came in shortly after and saw him sitting there. She smiled and went to sit down next to him when Harold came in telling them both their dinner was ready. They both went and sat down and everyone began to gather and sit. When everyone was seated the food was placed in front of them and everyone began eating. It was really quiet as they went through the chicken. No one said anything, which was quite normal. Lewis came out with a few odd things and Darren replied. Liam and Jake made some effort to say something, but not much was said at all really. Everyone finished as quickly as they could and both Liam and Roan rushed upstairs to get ready.
The first thing Liam started looking for was his wallet. He searched in the drawer by his bed and he was worried to find that it wasn't in there. He began looking though everything and he just couldn't find it anywhere. Quickly, he flung open his door and knocked on Roan's. She opened it and frowned at Liam's anxious face.
"Is everything all right?" She asked.
"You haven't seen my wallet have you?" He asked. Roan shook her head.
"No, have you left it downstairs in your school bag?" She suggested.
"I'll have a look." He turned around and went downstairs. Roan narrowed her eyebrows and shut her door. She almost screamed when she found Lewis standing right in front of her. He moved too quickly and shoved his hand over her mouth whilst straining her. She wriggled furiously and tried to lash out, but it was hopeless. They disappeared and Roan felt for a second that she couldn't breathe. She was suddenly released and she found herself in what could've been a conservatory.
"I wouldn't try and use the click trick in here Roan, it wont work." Lewis said.
"What are you doing?" She asked. "I've done nothing to you!"
"Except that my son takes a fancy to you. When he gets distracted, things start to go wrong. If you get hurt or killed he will have nothing left to feel for. Having you out of the way will do him a favour." He said.
"He'll find me." Roan said. Lewis shook his head and laughed.
"No he will know that you left him to go off with someone else. That you took his wallet to pay for everything and to leave and never come back. When he is out of the house hunting you down, I will get rid of you once and for all."
With that, Lewis waved Liam's wallet around and then left the room, locking it behind him.
Liam couldn't find his wallet and as he passed Lewis to go back upstairs he asked if he had seen it.
"No sorry Liam. Have you checked with Roan? Last time I saw it was a few minutes ago when she just left through the back door. I thought she might have been looking for you out there."
"What?" Liam asked.
"Wait isn't that her?" Lewis asked pointing to the window, Liam turned around to find no one outside." "And she's gone, with your wallet. That's girls for you."
"She wouldn't do that." Liam said running to the window.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Lewis challenged raising an eyebrow.
"No of course not. Where could she be going?" Liam asked.
"To meet a boy probably. Or runaway from us, wouldn't surprise me to be honest. She didn't care for any of us, well that's the impression I got from her. She just went with the flow."
Liam nodded and ran upstairs. Lewis listened for the slam of his bedroom door and smiled. He was winning now and no one could do anything about it. He went into the living room feeling all smug and he saw Darren sat at the table drinking a rather large glass of Human spirit.
"Get Liam to work Darren. He needs his mind taken off things for awhile." Lewis said.
"I thought he was going out with Roan, it's Jake's turn in five minutes." Darren said.
"Change of plan. Train them both together then. They could do with a bit of competition." Lewis suggested. He then walked up the back stairs to his office. Darren narrowed his eyebrows and got up. He sped up the stairs and appeared at Liam's door. He knocked three times and waited for a reply.
"Go away." Was all he got.
"Liam it's me, do you want to tell me what's going on?"
"No, get lost!" Liam shouted.
"Liam I want to help!"
"I don't want you help, I want answers. I thought I was enough for Roan, but I guess I was wrong."
"Maybe she just had to go for urgent reasons."
"What like there are better guys out there then me?"
"Look we're getting off the point. Your father insists that we do some training to take your mind of it."
"No, it's Jakes turn."
"Both of you are coming down. I expect to see you in three minutes downstairs." Darren said, he then went back downstairs again..
Liam lay on his bed quite still, he was still upset and annoyed, but not as much as Roan. She banged on the door really hard to try and get someone's attention. No one was coming. She sat in the middle of the floor and burst into tears. Again this was a complete disaster. She was trapped and would probably be dead by midday tomorrow. She tried to breathe steadily, but she was shaking. She just wanted a nice evening out with Liam, was it too much to ask? She tried banging on the door and she tried shouting, but no one could hear her, it was hopeless. As the minutes went by she began losing what faith she had left. It was a bad idea to come here and it was a mistake she couldn't take back. She tried kicking down the door, however it wouldn't budge. She didn't even have her phone on her. This had to be almost as bad as being locked in that cell once again awaiting her death.
Liam and Jake stood in the training room, both of their eyes fixed on the box. Liam kept blinking and shaking his head, he was distracted and couldn't concentrate.
"Liam, what is that matter with you?"
"I don't want to be here, I want to find her." He answered. Darren sighed.
"Not happening Liam, so brighten up a little." Darren warned. Liam then stormed out of the room. He went outside and clicked his fingers, disappearing into the night.
Three hours later her returned having looked everywhere he could think of. She was either long gone or well hidden. Liam collapsed on a sofa and stared deeply into the flames of the burning fire. He searched through all the possibilities of where she could be in his head, but he just couldn't decide. He was tired and just wanted to sleep. That was when he heard shouting and yelling from upstairs. Lewis came charging down the back steps and into the living room.
"Where is it?" He asked stomping around the room, lifting up and moving everything. He was searching for something.
"What've you lost?" Liam asked rolling his eyes.
"My ring. It's been gone ever since Roan disappeared." Lewis said in a panic. It was true it had, but it couldn't have been her. However, this did give Lewis an idea. "She must've taken it." He said. Jake and Hazel came in Darren right behind them.
"What's up?" Jake asked and Lewis explained.
"What cheek!" Darren said.
"It'll turn up dad." Hazel said. "It is only a ring."
"Only a ring? That ring shows that I passed challenges that you will never have to face. I've fought battles you have never dreamed of. It is a special and powerful ring." Lewis snapped. Hazel rolled her eyes.
"Still I'm sure it will turn up." Liam said. Lewis stormed back upstairs.
"Darren put some of those boxes on the floor under one of the windows in the ball room please. Get them out of the way." Lewis said without really thinking. Darren did as he was told and picked up two boxes and carried them across the hall and into the ballroom. He collected all six boxes and just as he was about to leave he heard sobs and banging on a door. He went through the back door and he came into a long corridor at the back of the house. He went passed the back door and a bit further on, then he heard the noise getting louder until he was outside a wooden door.
"Hello." Darren said. Roan looked up from the floor inside the conservatory and screamed out his name.
"Darren get me out of here!"
"What are you doing in there."
"Lewis locked me in hours ago. I'm starving, thirsty and really want to shout at someone. Please just get me out!" She repeated desperately.
"Fine, I'll get you out. On one condition." He said.
"Anything."
"I want you to sign a little contract saying you will protect Liam whatever the cost."
"Fine whatever. Sounds easy enough."
"That means you would have to die for him if needs be." Darren started to smile. Roan was history.
"Deal." Roan said without really thinking about it. She would die for Liam anyway, so it was just making it a bit more real. Darren stared at the keyhole and managed to use his mind to unlock it. It did take a few minutes, but Roan finally got out. She had tear stains all down her cheeks and as soon as she came out she thanked Darren.
"Now where is Lewis?" She asked narrowing her eyebrows.
"I wouldn't Roan. He is trying to accuse you of stealing something now. I would stay out of his way until someone is framed for it." Darren suggested.
"I've taken nothing."
"I know, but no one is going to believe you. Liam thinks you've gone off with some other guy and they all think you stole a very special ring."
Roan sighed and tensed her fists. She then stormed out of the ballroom and into the hall. She pushed open the door of the living room and marched straight through.
"Roan where've you been?" Jake asked.
"Let's ask Lewis shall we?" She asked heading up the back stairs to Lewis's office. Jake, Hazel and Liam followed. She barged in on Lewis who jumped as he saw her.
"Roan have you come home to return it to me?"
"No I've come here for an apology." She spat.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Roan." Liam warned.
"you locked me in the conservatory. You would hurt the feelings of your own son to make him spiteful. Just stop trying to get rid of me because I am useful to you! And I didn't steal anything off you."
"How did you know about that?" Hazel asked.
"What? The ring? Darren told me. He will clarify that." She said.
"Fine I will do a search of all your room's to find it. So watch out." Lewis snarled.