Hellfire - The Awakening (Complete)

Chapter Seventeen *

With shaking hands, I dumped the flower at the foot of my bed. My stomach flipped as I took in the sight of the stiff petals and slender stem and I forced myself to swallow the bile which had risen up in my throat. There was a cold draught in my room and I shivered, I felt like I as being watched.

I double checked that my window was locked before hurriedly changing into my pyjamas and checking my bathroom. Thankfully everything was clear.

There was a shuffling noise outside of my door and my heart hammered as I paused and trained my heightened senses on the door. The shuffling noise sounded again before fading into silence and panicked tears began to stream down my face. I ignored the door and prayed that Cinder would return soon. He should have finished by now but what if he'd been attacked? What if the shuffling sound as another rogue just waiting to pounce on him? What if a rogue broke into my room?

There was a sudden thudding against my door and I leapt up in fright. My heart was pounding, my throat felt dry and my back was bathed in cold sweat. I waited with baited breath the silence had descended once more. A minute passed, then another, then another. I edged towards my wardrobe and returned with a shoe with the highest heel I could find and brandishing it like a knife I slipped back into my room.

The thudding sounded again and I stuffed my hand into my mouth to prevent myself from sobbing out loud. I took a deep breath and mustered all of the courage that I had.

“Who is it?” I called trying to keep my voice steady.

“It's Cinder, let me in!” He replied urgently.

Sighing in relief I opened the door and Cinder stepped in quickly, I locked the door behind him and turned, gasping when I realised that he was right behind me.

“Hey, you're crying, come on sit down, it's okay, what happened?” He asked tripping over his own words.

I dropped the shoe and it landed with a soft thump on the carpet, I struggled to regulate my breathing and my hands shook as I attempted to point towards the end of my bed.

“Come on deep breath in, deep breath out, do it with me,” encouraged Cinder.

I followed his instructions until the lump in my throat faded and my ragged breathing became slow and even.

“What's happened?” Cinder asked gently once I had calmed down.

“When I got undressed...I found another one...” I stammered as I pointed to the foot of my bed.

Cinder stood up, checked the floor at the end of the bed and retreived the flower. “I don't understand how this was planted in your dress...” He started.

I turned to him, “The rogue wasn't close enough to touch me, the only person who was close enough was you,” I said slowly.

He shook his head, “You're not thinking clearly,” he said as he reached for my hand.

I jerked my hand away, “Prove that you're not the rogue!” I ordered hysterically.

“The morning when we found Belladonna, I was with you the whole time all night and all morning, we left your room together, how could I have got out, killed her and got in without you noticing?” He asked.

I bit my lip, my fear and paranoia had overwhelmed me and I had overlooked the minor details surrounding the discovery or Belladonna. But things still didn't add up, who else could it have been?
Cinder sighed, “Someone could have tampered with your present and hid the flower in the dress, if they tucked it in correctly it wouldn't have fallen out. You need rest Salazar will guard mother and Petrick will be outside your room. I will spend the night here and tomorrow we will see mother,” said Cinder.

I bowed my head in silent agreement and twisted the quilt in my hands as Cinder reached in his pocket for a phial and passed it to me.

“Drink it, it will help you sleep, Desdemona had it already brewed, it will prevent the nightmares,” he commanded.

“What's in it?” I asked suspiciously.

He smiled, “Desdemona taught you well to question the ingredients, it's simply chamomile, lavender and linden flower mixed with holy water, is that okay?” He asked.

I ran over the properties of each component in my head: Chamomile for calming a person and as a sleep aid, lavender for balance and contentment and linden flower for protection and as a sleep aid, the holy water would help dilute the ingredients so I didn't fall into a coma, it was a well prepared concoction.

“Okay,” I nodded my approval and drained the viscous liquid. It tasted vile but instantly a sense of peace washed over me and I could feel my eyelids droop. Cinder eased me into bed and shortly after I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I woke up early, the sleep had been that refreshing that I hadn't needed as much as a regular night, I checked the time, it was nine am.

Cinder had already prepared a breakfast of various flavoured muffins, two cups of tea and bagged blood, the contrasting scents mingled in the air making my stomach cramp with hunger and my mouth water.