Searching for Ghosts--The Ro'meave Sister, Book 2 [MCD Fanfic] ✔︎

XVII

The next thing I knew, I was awake, in Hyria's tower. I groan a bit and rub my eyes.

"Hyria?" I stare at my mother tiredly. "What happened?"

Hyria's eyes lock onto mine. "I cast a sleep spell on you."

I furrow my brow and sit up, so I'm propped up on my elbows. "What? Why the hell--"

Hyria touches my elbow a little to stop my steadily raising voice. "I needed to get you back here without you..."

I raise my eyebrow. "Without me what?"

Her eyes dart over to the wall. "Without you running away," she says hesitantly.

I sit on my bottom. My fists clench slightly as realization passes through me. She said she knew where my brother was.

"You've already run away once, Cassandra." Hyria's voice drops into her 'scolding tone'. "I wasn't able to protect you from the Ro'meaves then. But I will now. Just stay here."

I glare at her. "Hyria." I stand up angrily. "You are not my mother."

Her face hardens. "What in Irene's name do you think you're saying?!"

I cross my arms on my chest. "I said you're not my mother. Zianna is, and now she's gone. As far as I know, Vylad is the only true family I've got left." My voice lowers. "So tell me where he is."

She stands up to face me. I'm just a few centimeters taller, but she's still as scary as she was when I was a kid. "Vylad is in Tu'la," she states.

"Liar."

Hyria shrugs and adjusts her sleeve. "Believe what you want. Just know that you will never ever see him. You'll stay here for the rest of your life because you are my daughter."

I take a step back and grab my bow, which somehow, Hyria got, and the quiver of arrows resting beside it on the wall. "Screw you."

"What did you say, young lady?!"

I turn my back to her and walk over to the desk and grab a map, examining it. I feel Hyria's aura of anger after seeing the village I never wanted to return to, circled hastily with a red marker. Phoenix Drop.

I shove the map in my pocket. "Good bye. I'm going to meet my family. I'm done."

Her pale eyes dance with fury. "You will stay."

I jiggle the handle on the door. A wave of panic washes over me realizing she locked it... from across the room.

"Why?!" I yell at her. "Why do you want to keep me from seeing my true family?!"

"You want to know the real reason?!" She takes a few slow steps closer. "You're a relative of Vylad! So Zane will be after you!"

"Zane is dead!" I bite my lower lip, trying to contain myself. Images of my age-old fight with Ivy fly through my mind, and I remember how I went crazy, turning into the... the monstrous girl I never wanted to be.

Suddenly, it dawns on me. That was no Jury of Nine relic.

That was the Ro'meave relic.

Dozens of questions race through my mind. Why is it in me? I'm not even biologically Ro'meave... my father was a one-night-stand.

But I've got no time to think about this now.

"Zane's body is dead sure! His soul... it's very much alive," Hyria replies. "As a shadow knight, he'll look for you and Vylad. Garroth too. He wants you dead, and I want to be able to protect you."

I step closer to her. "I don't need protecting, Hyria."

Her faces softens a little... just a little. "Cass... you do. You're an idiot who ran away from the comforts on this house to go to the most hostile village in all of Ru'aun and join its corrupt guard force for personal pleasure. You have no judgement, Cassie. Zero."

I smile slightly, trying to guilt her into letting me go. "I know. But please... let me find my brother."

She takes a deep breath. Then, she cracks an unusual smile. I hear the click of the lock on the door behind me. I smile and wave, walking out.

"Wait," she commands.

Against my will, my body freezes. It's her doing, of course, but I have a feeling she has good intentions. Hyria walks over to me and gives me something.

It's a small lavender gem, the same color as her hair.

I roll the gem in my palm, puzzling over it.

"Have it made into a necklace or something," Hyria says. "If you're never coming back, you're going to forget your mother after all those lies the dumb Ro'meaves will feed you."

I feel the spell release. I stumble backwards and see Hyria slowly walking away from me. She folds her hands in front of her body and gives a forced smile.

"Good-bye, Cass. Safe travels to Phoenix Drop."

Aww~ Next chapter is the last one, I overestimated a little haha. I hope you will enjoy the finale next chapter.

It will NOT be a repeat of the prologue.

xxx,
vylad