Copyright © 2012 Danielle Moynihan
All rights reserved
Chapter 4
***Althaia's POV***
"Remember, Althaia," My father said as he bent down to my height. He forced me to look him in the eye. "That, no matter what, you are a Nox. Just like me. Just like your mother, and like your siblings. One day, you will question this. One day you will run from this. But we are all the same."
"What?" I asked, very confused.
"We all have our part to play...." My dad murmured thoughtfully. Then, he stood up. "No. Not yet...you're too young. Maybe later..." He walked away, down a dark tunnel.
"Dad!" I called after him, but he didn't look back.
"Dad!" I repeated, and this time, he turned around.
"Althaia, always remember who you are..." My dad called back regretfully, then he vanished.
My eyes snapped open, and I was in the back of a van. Caden lay across from me, her brown hair flung around her. Her eyes were closed, and, panicking, I nudged her with my foot.
"Wow, family means more to you than escape," A voice next to me commented.
I turned to see a girl sitting next to me. She had silvery-blond hair, and milky-pale skin identical to my own, but where my eyes were blue-greeny-grey, hers were a startling shade of iridescent electric purple.
"Caden's okay, in case you're wondering," She added.
"Who are you?" I asked, slowly sliding back away from her.
She smiled. "I'm -"
"Ah, Sleeping Beauty awakens," a voice from the front of the van called.
The Me-Look-A-Like's face turned pale, and she vanished.
I froze as the voice continued speaking. "Come on, Althaia, aren't you hungry?"
Then, they did the most torturous thing they could've done- the whiff of greasy double-bacon cheese burgers came through from the front of the van.
It sounds gross, but, I swear- best food in the world, especially with a black and white shake.
My stomach growled, but I totally ignored it, and remained silent.
"C'mon, Althaia. Ash tells me it's your favorite food."
"Yeah, Ash tells people a lot of things," I retorted before I could stop myself.
Ash's voice joined the conversation. "Don't worry, Ally," She said, using my old childhood nickname. "I remembered the black and white shake."
"What's wrong with Caden?" I asked, gaining me a sigh.
"Caden was....er, how do you put it? Going with a struggle?" The unfamiliar voice spoke again.
I rolled my eyes. Of course. I mean, she's my sister, and I'd probably do the same, but seriously? I had seen her go off the bridge before Ash and Asher had abducted me, so she must've gone up to them!
Idiot move, Caden. I thought, trying not to sigh-they would hear me. Now, we've both been abducted, and the others have no idea where we are.
The van abruptly stopped, and I went tumbling into the back of the seats.
"God!" I hissed in annoyance before I could stop myself.
YOU ARE READING
The Runaways
FantasyWhat if, one day, your parents abandoned you? What if you were hunted by nature's darkest shadows? What if they would stop at nothing to find you? What if you had been betrayed by some of the only people you could trust? What if, one day, you could...
