The Fairytale Life of Doris McQueen [#1] ✓

FOURTEEN

Chapter 14

Doris was confused. Why wouldn't Shika allow them to leave?

Adam walked to Shika and asked, "Look here. You can't just keep us here."

Shika glared at Adam and when he spoke his voice had a dangerous edge to it, "Shut up or I may make you leave this world."

"Don't threaten me!" Adam scoffed.

Shika stared at him through his emotionless eyes and Adam found that he couldn't talk anymore.

Not again, Adam mouthed.

Doris could have smacked herself. Of course, Shika was a faerie. A faerie with strong powers. She looked at Madeleine accusingly. She had got them out of the frying pan and into the fire.

"Nobody leaves this place," Shika repeated coldly.

"I am your father's friend," started Madeleine.

Shika laughed bitterly, "Friend? You call yourself a friend? Where were you when Father needed help? Where were you when The Court sent an armed squad to kill him? Huh? Where were you?"

Madeleine blinked, "I-I didn't know. I would have helped. He was my friend and I cared for him."

"No," Shika said, "you're lying. I was the only one who cared for him and I watched him die right before my eyes."

"Look, Shika," Doris tried, "I know its tough-"

"You don't know anything," shouted Shika. "You don't know how it's like to see people kill your family, to want revenge, to get revenge..."

Gemima scowled, "If you're done with your little speech, emo-boy, we're going and no little faerie with issues can stop us." Immediately a ring of fire surrounded Shika. "Don't try to jump over!"

Shika didn't look perturbed, "Jump over? Why would I do that when I can do this?" Sharp shards of ice sprang up from the floor and the fire easily fizzled out.

It was the first time Doris saw an ice faerie apart from her. Shika didn't need to concentrate. His powers worked without a hitch, flawlessly.

Shika pointed his palm towards Gemima and a huge iceberg began to grow from his palm in her direction. Gemima lighted a flame but was quickly pinned to the wall by ice arms that held her hands and feet.

Doris' narrowed her eyes and lifted up a wall of thick ice in front of Shika's advancing iceberg. Even though she had easily copied Shika's hand manipulation of his powers, weakness spread through her body.

Shika paused, "Do not underestimate me. I have been alone in this house for eight years. I never go out. I never see anyone. I never do anything apart from practicing. I'm very, very strong, Doris." He pushed forward and the iceberg tip broke through Doris' wall of ice. Small ice shards flew in different directions.

Doris couldn't watch Gemima die but at the same time she knew she couldn't defeat Shika. So, even though she would have never recommended such a stupid option, she grabbed Shika's arm and pushed it away.

Time slowed down and then stood still. Doris could feel herself suspended in mid-air. Shika's huge, surprised eyes were trained on her.

Memories flashed through Doris' mind. Some she didn't even remember. A two-year-old Doris being hugged by a smiling woman...Dad crying...Aunt Gemima in her old avatar sitting on her bed telling stories...Little Doris asking why Beauty didn't go back to the Beast...Doris alone, crying...shouting for Mom...Doris alone in the house, suffocating by the silence...Doris working on a project and smiling when Dad told her it was perfect...Doris fighting with Dad to go to school...Doris finally going to school...A simple brick building where loads of students were going. A sidewalk and Doris staring enviously at a long-haired boy who was accompanied by his parents and little sister...Doris fighting with the long-haired boy, Adam...Doris feeling broken, alone and helpless after learning about her Dad's imprisonment...Doris taking on a hopeless deal...Doris trying to fulfil the deal always afraid that she would lose someone...Doris feeling the guilt and fear of having killed a faerie...Doris scared that Jasper was dead...Doris scared that Shika would kill Gemima...