A Baby For The Beast

17. Finding the Key

Her crimson hair swarm widely, as she flipped some pages of her book. I inhaled nervously.

What was she doing telling me to be free?

I pressed my lips firmly, deciding to do as she said. Maybe she’ll tell me what I needed to know.

“S-sure,”

I muttered, reaching for the books in the shelf. My hands scanned through before taking one of them in my hands. I carefully observed it, as I did.

Maybe it was a hint? Or was it?

The book I took had an old brownish cover. It seemed dusty and ancient. But surprisingly, it was locked. With a padlock and it seemed like it needed a key.

“It’s locked, Lady Archer.”

“Yes dear, it is.”

“For now, though. It’s left to you to open it; I’ve played my part.”

“But I don’t have the key. How do I unlock it?” I asked frightfully.

What if the answer to everything was inside the book? What if I never open it?

“You’ve come across the key before but you don’t just know it’s the key.”

She weirdly said.

Okay…this was getting complex by the minute.

“And what does this book entail? How’s it supposed to help me?”

I breathed out, asking her.

“You asked if I thought you can be like him, right?”

I moved my chin from the book to look at her. In her face was a warm and kind smile. I nodded a ‘yes’ at her words.

“Well I do, Ava dear.”

“Now go look for the key.”

I gave her one last look, before bowing in respect to the amount of help she had just given me.

I moved to go, turning my back at her.

“Ava?”

Her hands crept into mine, saying. I noticed her hands were extremely cold and she started to look really pale. I arched a brow at her grip on mine. She had to be really dead.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you...”

She muttered.

“For?”

“Not giving up on my son. For seeing him beyond the beast he’s whispered to be.”

As I nodded a ‘yes’ once more. Her grip on my hands loosened. Suddenly, it began to feel like she was slowly fading.

“My time is up, I guess.”

She muttered. It was just like pieces being removed slowly. Starting from her hands, next to her beautiful crimson hair then her body started to slowly disfigure.

“Wait, please wait. H-how do I find the key? Where is the key!”

I asked curiously, panting a lot.

“You’re a smart one dear... the chosen one. I believe in you...”

“Just tell me! It will make things faster; the battle is in a few days!!”

I yelled at the peak of my voice this time.

“It’s not my place to tell... I already fulfilled my part in fate.”

“But--"

I wasn’t even given time to finish. Suddenly, what seemed like a whirlpool surrounded me. It didn’t even give me time to think. Immediately, I was flashed back to reality.