Realm Drifter: Cruel King

~Chapter Thirty-Three~

Chapter Thirty-Three; Interrogation

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... "Nila?"

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I couldn't believe my eyes, but yet here she was. Her figure slim but strong, her eyes harsh and unforgiving as she gazed upon me. 

"What... have you done?" The facade had dropped, her voice going into a quiet whisper as her eyes softened. 

No longer was she my mentor, now, she had become another victim. 

I couldn't speak, my eyes wide as I stumbled back in shock. 

'What was she doing here?' ... 'What have I done?"  ... 'Did mama send her?'

Thoughts raced through my head, my body feeling faint as everything crashed down around me. I had contained myself as much as I could these few days, but the moment I saw her... it was lost. A tidal wave of emotions swept me under the current and I was struggling to breathe. 

"Compose yourself at once, I don't have much time before they find me." She said, coming closer. Her footsteps silent and nimble. 

"I-I don't... what's going on? What are you doing here? Where is mama?" The words struggled to come about but once they did, I couldn't control them. 

"I didn't know- I'm so sorry! I-I... I thought he wouldn't- but he did. Oh my- what have I done?" The tears poured down my face as I sobbed, my words stumbling over each other as I hyperventilated. 

"Breathe! Breathe, dear child. We don't have time for this, the guards will be around any minute now. You need to run, get out of here as quickly as you can. 

"The realm is unstable, there is too much damage and there is chaos all around us. Until it stabilises we are all in jeopardy. I don't know how long it will take, but we need to leave." She was frantic, her hand ushering me to quickly start gathering my things. But I didn't move. 

"I can't." 

Confusion spread itself across her face as I uttered those words. 

"Why not? I don't have time for these silly games, Alannah. Let's go." She demanded, before turning to open the closet door. 

"I have hurt, ruined, tortured and killed too many lives. Enough is enough, I need to end this. You need to find a way out; if this goes wrong the entire realm can collapse." 

"What? No. Alannah, listen to me. I have orders- I need to protect you. Please, just come with me. We don't have much time!" She quietly shouted, her voice firm but worried. 

"Wait... orders? From who." I demanded. I quickly stood up, dropping the book onto the chair behind me. 

"It doesn't matter. If you don't come with me willingly, I'm taking you by force." 

"Orders from whom?" Each word and syllable pronounced slowly and deep.

"I cannot tell you. Last chance, Alannah." 

We were in a standoff. Standing opposite each other, the air thick with tension as we glared hard down at each other. It was a challenge.- from an old mentor to its mentoree.