Forgotten Monsters

Chapter 21- Betrayed

Serena couldn’t find Cain. Usually he wasn’t more than a few miles away, but she had been scanning the surrounding areas for hours and still had not touched his mind. A hand to her head she reached further, stretching to the outer reaches of the city. It had been some time since she had last had to search for him.

Occasionally he would disappear for a few days and she would find him lying in an alleyway, having drunk away the night. Serena allowed it, so long as he came back when she called him. But this time he had travelled far beyond where she could easily find him.

Her eyes snapped open and she sucked in a breath. The only other time he had travelled this far was a year ago. The memory of how close she had been to losing him gave her strength. She stretched farther. Just as she was about to dissolve into tears she felt him. Fearfully, she checked to see if he was in danger, but when she found him safe, she relaxed slightly. Surveying his surroundings she was surprised to see him conversing with a young man of about the same age. He looked familiar. Suddenly she remembered. He had been the man walking with the girl who had escaped. He had fought Cain after she had killed the girl.

Serena slipped into Cain’s mind. She didn’t make a sound, simply sliding among his thoughts like a fish in the sea. She gasped at the pain she felt, his guilt overwhelmed her, his agony making her fall to her knees. She was about to take his mind to bring him home and end the roaring chaos that had inhabited her mind when a girl appeared at the doorway.

Cain looked up and she felt the weight of his mind lift slightly. He experienced something like… hope? Cain gave her a name, Resa. Resa had also been there when she had killed that girl. She had spoken of a promise made to Serena’s nephew, before the queen had lost her grip on him. Intrigued, she slipped out of Cain’s head and enveloped Resa in her mind.

Immediately she withdrew. Resa burned with a startling intensity. Everyone’s heart exuded a warm glow, but Resa’s blazed white hot. Serena yearned for her heart. That amount of power could keep her young for thousands of years. It held the energy of a thousand suns. She would have that heart. Picking herself off the ground, she retreated back into herself.

A soldier marched into the throne room, bowing low, and waiting for her signal to rise.

“Speak.” She ordered.

He rose hesitantly, keeping his eyes on the polished floor as he spoke, “We have a man here who says he has found your nephew. He also claims to have captured the escaped prisoner and her rescuer.”

Serena’s interest sparked. So the man and Resa were the escapees.

“Retrieve my nephew and the girl. I don’t want them hurt. You can kill the man.” He bowed again before scurrying away. “Stop!” He froze and turned about to apologize but she cut him off.

“If my nephew or the girl is harmed I will dispatch of you, your men, and all of your families. Tell them that. You may go now.” The man scurried away, shades whiter than he was before. Serena felt anticipation rise inside of her. Soon that heart would be hers, and with it she would be unstoppable.

           

Cain leapt to his feet. Reaching across the table, he grabbed ahold of Matthew’s shirt, bringing them face to face.

             “You little rat, you’ve betrayed us! Where is Wicks?” Cain hissed. Matthew tried to shrug him off, but Cain would not let go.

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about! I haven’t done anything, and neither has Wicks.” Matthew spat back.

            “You lied to me; you told me he was trustworthy.”