Love, War, and Flight

Chapter 14 - Wingless Territory

I woke up to find myself in a dark, cold room, with no windows, lying on concrete. “What the hell?” I muttered to myself. I got up to walk around, but I found my ankle in some kind of bracket that was chained to the wall, ten links between the brackets. I brought a candle-flame to my index finger, and looked around. The room was small, and looked like a ten-by-ten. I brought more flame to my hand and threw it at the wall. It wasn’t affected. “Crap.” I sighed as I put my hand on the concrete wall. I had no idea where I was, and no idea where my friends were—Ezami! Was she ever found? Did others know where I was? Was I ever getting out?

My thoughts were interrupted when a man with red and black clothes and a giant metal axe opened the big, stone door. I guessed he was a guard. He unhooked the chain from the wall and pushed me forward. “Walk, traitor.” The man demanded.

We walked past the hallways and rooms until we were in Talamaki’s throne room. Talamaki, with his red, ruby-encrusted shirt and black pants, piercing red eyes and dark hair stood up from his throne and walked up to me slowly, and I heard his footsteps echo on every step. “Hello, my dear niece.” Talamaki said as he walked around me in circles. “Isn’t this a nice surprise.”

“Niece? I’m not your niece. I could never be related to someone as evil as you!” I yelled confusingly but angrily, but quickly eased. “I don’t have any living family, so you must be mistaken.”

“Oh, but I’m not.” He stopped walking in circles and faced me. “You see, I used to have a brother named Dulvok, but he disappeared fifteen years ago. He was the oldest of the three of us. But after his wife’s accident and his daughter’s disappearance, he was gone, without a trace.” I stared at him, jaw-dropped, mind racing with thoughts. Could Talamaki really be my uncle? I shuddered at that thought. But there was another sibling? I disappeared somewhere, as well? “I know your dear aunt Holly never told you. She didn’t want you to figure out the truth, because it would be too much for you to handle. Well, the truth must be learned. Our family last name is Lufrewop. My sister is Holly Lufrewop, or, for you, Queen Lufrewop. So, yes, there were three of us; Dulvok, Holly, and I; Talamaki Lufrewop.” I stood shocked, but didn’t argue. I did look a lot like Talamaki; we both had brown hair, were medium height, big eyes. The only thing off was the color of our eyes; Mine were purple and Talamaki’s were red. “Now, Calia, I don’t know what I can say about your brother, but-”

“Brother!?” I cut him off, overwhelmed by all the new information. “I have a brother!? That’s impossible! My Mom died and my Dad disappeared fifteen years ago! There’s no possible way I-”

“Unless you were a twin.” Talamaki cut in again.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I was finding more and more about my family by the minute, but for what purpose? Why was he telling me all this?

“Do you know who my brother is?” I finally asked, now anxiously curious.

“Yeah. Also a traitor.” He muttered and made a disgusted noise with his throat.

“Who? Please, I really want to know.” I begged, giving him puppy eyes.

“Ha, your Mom used to do the same thing with her eyes.” He laughed, but he continued. “Isn’t it obvious?”