Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

Finale

Ava woke up in a spacious room. A large ornate bed frame around her and a soft, expensive mattress under her. The room was decorated rather gaudily and the smell of Eloxian herbs filled the chamber. Ava thought she was dreaming, transported back to her time at home in some sort of nightmare. Then she recalled the last thing that happened before losing consciousness.

Theo had suddenly stopped swimming when a large piece of something that Ava couldn't make out in the dark water had hit the captain in the head. Ava was running out of breath, and she was afraid that they would both drown but she acted quickly, grabbing Theo and kicking up and up and up until she breached the surface. It was near impossible to keep her head above water and also Theo's but she managed. Around her were several ships on fire and debris in the water. Dead bodies floated around her, and Ava couldn't make out which ships were friendly and which weren't.

Within a few minutes of trying to stay afloat, Theo was plucked from her arms and as Ava fought trying to keep hold of her captain, she was next. Large hands grabbed her and pulled her onto a boat. She had no energy, and no breath, from trying to keep them afloat that she couldn't fight who was grabbing her, but she knew the men who had picked her up were Eloxian from the glimpse she caught of their uniforms. She tried to scream for help, to sit up and catch her breath so someone on their side would be able to find them but as she opened her mouth to yell, she was knocked out.

The room around her reminded her of her old room aboard the Vaith lightbringer and Ava was positive that was where she was. Ava stood up slowly, looking around the room for anyone guarding her. There was no one with her so she gingerly made her way to the door. Careful to make as little noise as possible, she tried the door handle, but it was locked from the outside. In her frustration, she jiggled the handle just a bit before pulling away and looking around the room for something else to help her escape. Ava walked over to a large dresser with ornate pieces of decor laid out on it. A solid crystal ball, the size of her palm, was available and Ava took it, slipping her hand behind her back to hide it.

It was near perfect timing because the door opened, most likely the people outside had been alerted to her presence because of her trying the handle. A figure entered and closed the door behind him, she stumbled back a bit furthering herself from the man. Ava wasn't sure what to expect but it definitely wasn't her brother. He began to walk forward, poised in his stride. A mirror image of her father.

The closer he got, the more she backed away until she was pressed up against a night table with nowhere to go. In a panic and with hopes to escape the room and perhaps rescue others on the ship with her, she threw the ball at him. It barely missed his head, grazing past it as he moved slightly out of the way. His face went from expressionless to angry. He reached forward and gripped her wrist, pulling her away from her corner and dragging her to a table in the corner of the room; forcing her to sit down.

"Stay seated. You move and the friends you have on this ship die," her brother put his foot down.

Ava didn't say anything, she just looked up at him with hatred on her face. He stared back at her, again schooling his expression into one that gave away nothing. He was examining her, taking stock of who sat in front of him. He reached his hand down and moved some of her hair away from the side of her face, revealing her earring.

"What have you done to yourself?" Ulises said, sighing to express whatever disappointment he was feeling, "you look like a little boy. A dirty renouncer is what you've become. If father were to see you like this, I am sure he would send you straight to the gallows."

Ava slapped his hand away from her face and dug her heel into his foot as he stood in front of her. He lifted his hand and slapped her cheek with ease and Ava had immediate tears spring to her eyes.