The Darkest Eternities

XXXII. Menacing

Cara

And only I can protect her ,the words echoed relentlessly in my mind.

Without knowing what I was doing, I jumped out from where I was hiding behind the wall, at the staircase. I did not care that they now knew I had been eavesdropping. Ivan had probably already known.

"Protect me? Protect me from what?"

Both men turned to me. Ivan's dark grey orbs were glued on me. As always, I felt stark naked under his stare.

"It's difficult to explain," answered Ivan. He pursed his lips, avoiding my eyes as if they burned his own.

"Try. Explain." Enough was enough. I was adamant on getting the answers I wanted.

"There's a witch. She will stop at nothing to...harm you. She wants to...to kill you," he faltered. Surprisingly, my father did not even flinch.

He knows.

"She attacked Liza and if you do not get away from here, she will strike again." The world suddenly feel in, the room closing in on me. Ivan rushed to me but I stepped back,   refusing him to touch me.

What I got from his statement was that my friend was hurt because of me. Had it not been for me, she would have been off somewhere - probably at a party- safe, unharmed.

"Why?!" My voice cracked.

"To punish me. Revenge."

"So this all is your fault!" My father boomed. His face was angry. His eyes held deep emotion.

"It is. But I'll fix it. She will not be harmed." This time Ivan addressed my father. He continued in a tone of determination,"none of you will. I'll take you somewhere safe. Under my care, no such thing will happen."

"I have said you are not taking her anywhere!" Hostility was thick in my father's tone. Both men were mad as hatters. By the look of it, a fight would break out at any moment.

Studying Ivan, I noticed a few silver specks on his suit. I had no idea what had taken place since I had only heard the last part of their conversations.

"I must. If not...everyone else will be in danger."
Ivan's words burned like vodka does to your throat. It then became clear to me that by being here, I jeopardised everyone else's safety.

Liza was hurt. She had barely recovered. Who was next? Alice? My father?

As long as I was around, no one was safe. I was a menace. My presence was menacing.

The silence was deafening. A heavy tension hung in the air, it was almost physical, its weight pressing on my chest. "I'll  go with you," I decided out loud.

My announcement was met with a loud gasp from my father. "Cara, no! It is my duty to protect you,"he pleaded, puffing. "We'll go somewhere. They'll never get to you."

'They' meant Ivan and everyone else in his world, all the creatures and all the dangers that came along with them. But there was no running from them. We humans were so oblivious to them yet they controlled everything. They were practically the government. They made the rules and without knowing, we obeyed.

"No, dad! I have to go."

"You can't!"

"Yes I can."

He advanced towards me, placing his hand on my shoulder. His globes looked pleadingly into mine but I did not waver. I'd made my decision." Cara, listen to me, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into."