Part of Them

Part 18

"What do you mean by A-alerus returning soon? Where are we?"

I was utterly confused at this point. I thought we escaped the others, including Alerus.

"He's out with the others settling some business matters but he will come home a little earlier to take care of you," Spoke Rayi, who was now crouching down next to the bed frame while looking at me with a kind smile on his face.

That expression really didn't match his character...

"You didn't answer the last question. Where am I?"

I was starting to grow impatient by now. What was he talking about?

"Where do you think we are? I thought it was quite obvious. Why are you acting so strange, little one?"

His caring expression switched into something serious and he was looking at me while squinting his eyes in a calculating manner now.

"Where the hell are we, Rayi?!"

"Calm down, no cursing in this household!"

He shook his head disapprovingly before continuing.

"We are back at the mansion, obviously. Why are you making such a fuss about this?"

"Oh... I thought..." I stammered helplessly.

How could I have been so dumb to assume such a thing out of nowhere?

I'm such an idiot.

What am I supposed to do now? This truly was a nightmare of mine come alive.

"Is everything alright Faer?" Rayi was now gazing at me with a worried expression on his face.

"It's nothing, please let me sleep now," I demanded in a calm manner.

But as I said so, Rayi's face changed from worried to understanding. It looked as though a lightbulb had been switched on in his head.

"Look, I think I know what's going on. I'm just trying to protect you and keep you safe and it's a matter of fact that you're the safest with your brothers and me. I couldn't protect you enough alone so I'm relying on the others just like they're relying on me.

I get that this is quite a shitty situation for you to be in but it's what's best for you,"

Waiting for my response Rayi started to chew on his lip and continued.

"Let us take care of you, please. We just want to keep you safe,"

Swallowing hard, I looked down at the bed sheets to avoid Rayi's soft gaze and mumbled under my breath.

"What are you protecting me from anyways?"

When I couldn't take the silence I turned around in bed to face away from him. I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up again.

Rayi sighed in response and got back up.

"Right, I'll just leave you alone for now."

Only when I heard the door close was I able to relax again and let the tears fall freely.

Staring at the closet door from my bed I tried to think of a way out of this situation.

I didn't have a clue how I could continue hiding my secrets like this. Alerus is going to come back anytime soon from wherever he was attending that weird business that I never knew of. Then he'd also find out about all of my old wounds, countless scars, bruises and fractured ribs.

Hell, I didn't even want to know what else he would find on my body. I probably still have those old scars from when Linda, my human mother figure who I was living with some time ago, carved something with a knife in my back after she found out about me being a "monster".

I haven't dared to look at my back to see what she carved into my flesh yet as I've been too scared.

If anybody saw the horrifying scars, they would surely force me to explain everything and I most definitely didn't want that. I'm extremely ashamed of how careless I was back then.

How could I have been so dumb to trust somebody like that? Not to mention a human.

But I was also embarrassed by the fact that I, as an adult in my mind, dared to act like a child again and enjoyed the relationship with my "mother". There's no way that I'm going to tell my brothers that I was actually craving affection and care. But who could blame me? I've been all by myself for such a long time.

Staring at the wooden pattern of the old closet door I suddenly got an idea.

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Sorry for not updating yesterday. The next chapter will be out next Monday ;)