Hunted Memories

21- Numb

A few hours passed before Kathy woke up. From what she could feel, she was laying on a bed. How did she get there? She pulled herself into a sitting position but a dull pain stopped her in her tracks. She had forgotten about the wound which was now bandaged and almost healed.  

The door was wide open and she slowly left the room. Not a single soul was found on her way. She recalled the last place she saw her family, the throne room then hurried to that place. Luckily, Hala and Aerial were there.

But something was off. 

At that moment she couldn't tell what it was until she saw a figure on the throne, a person that wasn't Hala, everything came flying back to her. 

The battle.

The defeat. 

The aftermath. 

April.

The pain of the betrayal came running back to her mind. All her life, she had been lied to and falsely loved by one person she could have given her life for.  

Her heart thumped slowly as realization dawned on her. She had once again been used. 

April.  

Who was now signaling for her to come forward. But she couldn't, her feet seemed to be planted to the ground. Yet Kathy needed answers and let determination take her to where her mum stood. 

"Why?" That was all Kathy could mutter. Hurt was painted over her features. 

"Simple, I needed a child of my own. What's better than taking my sister's child?" April replied in a passive tone. Kathy looked for traces of the mum she knew and loved in the woman who sat before her but couldn't find any. 

"Sister?" Kathy turned to Hala who looked back at her with numerous emotions oozing off her. Pain stood out as the greatest. 

April crossed her right leg over the left, Calypso protectively stood by her side. 

"Yes…" April turned to Hala, then said," Sadly." 

"You see after I escaped from the wolves, I had to hide in a place I knew no one would find me or even think I would be. I fled to earth and used my powers to obtain a new identity, April Mallory," April explained. 

Kathy's heart sank. Everything was a big lie and there was no April Mallory, to begin with. 

"So, you knew all along who and what I was. Why then did you act like you were surprised when I started showing weird features?" Kathy spoke angrily. "You used me my whole life! Made me think you cared for me, loved me!" 

April waved her fingers in a dismissing way. 

"I truly did care. After all, I raised you for thirteen years. As a shadow magician, it was difficult for me to procreate, almost impossible even. I knew I needed to do something to get a child, preferably someone of my bloodline. My sister had just given birth then so I waited for the right time to take it," April said, staring at Hala. 

Hala's eyes were heavy with tears she refused to let fall. Her sister had taken so much from her. Kathy realized that she could finally feel emotions again but she was in too much pain to feel relief. 

"Lena, You took away my chances of raising my daughter all for what? Just so you could work out your barrenness?" Hala asked, teary-eyed. Aerial wrapped his arm around her shoulder, consoling her with anger oozing off him. 

April, now known as Lena rolled her eyes then stood up slowly. She climbed down the stairs to the throne with Calypso trailing behind her. 

"Relax, sister, we are family here, there is no need for all these hard feelings."