Whipping Girl

Chapter 23: Looming Silence

The night betrays me. My eyes fluttering shut and its dark abyss corrupting my chest. Filling me with things I had pushed so far back not even my unconscious dare speak the thoughts. Yet now like lids had never relaxed, it comes crashing around me. Hoping the darkness would protect it from the anger I only wish I could lash out at it, to hide the ache. An ache that pumped with each beat of my chest as I laid in Xiang's arms. Remembering him. 

Years ago, on Devaleon.

Wasn't Elias quieter then? If it wasn't for that damn scar.

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My pants underneath my dress we covered in dirt and torn slightly where my boots met the seam. It hid the other darkening as my sweat slowly covered the fabric. I still wished they hadn't gotten so stained, but it was the best thing that could happen as the top of my dress had flung out of place when I'd landed on the ground with my face against the grass, cutting against the skin. My hands too were covered in cuts and healing non stop until I lifted them from the ground. The blood poured down in a horrific sort of way, but that didn't cause my shock, nor satiate my fear. 

I'd been dead just moments ago after all.  The last thing covering my vision was the fresh scar on his face that always seemed there, and his wings overshadowing me. Before I started spitting blood and the world faded to black. 

The blood was still fresh tasting in my mouth as a grey eyed woman grabbed my raised hand and pulled me up.  Another werewolf like me, but she was on another level. So graceful with elegant muscles along her flexing as continued to hold me up. Tall and pretty. Nothing like my mother. A perfect fit for the terrifying man beside her, wasn't she? 

His blood colored irises and vertical darker grey pupils unchanged in this whole event. No not like the shorter grandpa aged man beside him, whose also vertical pupils narrowed like slits as he glared at me. Making the lavender surrounding them give off a more startling appearance. If I hadn't been used to them since helping my father, I would have been even more afraid than I already was. 

There were guards everywhere around us, far off I could see my father with even more anger than the grandpa. Red anger flashing against him for just a second before he switched his composure back to the usual uncaring man he pretended to be. 

I tried to step back and pull away from the lady, but accidentally hit the chin of the one behind me. I could feel his arms grab my shoulders to steady me. Below me, the shadows gave away it was him again, his wings still out. 

While looking right at my father the grandpa yelled, "Who of you people were so foolish to allow a child near the Long Second Prince?!" As if we were not the same age.

My father with a click to his tone answered, "My daughter is always causing trouble, my apologies to King Yuen and his family." As he said it, he only looked at the red eyed king. Ignoring the lady, the Queen, who still held me, and the second prince who kept me in his grasp as well. I looked down. Not daring the gaze at anyone.  My breath still unsteady from what happened. 

Suddenly I could hear the Queen whisper to my ear, "I didn't mean to kill you," I continued to try to get away from her grip, "but now you can do it too." 

I stopped. What did she say?!

The fear left me and I immediately against the pull, shot her the hardest of looks. She smiled softly. My father reached us and almost backhanded me, but the prince stopped him. I dipped slight looking back down as I gave into the pull. Then shifted so I was out of everyone's grasp, and ran like I'd never run before. 

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Only as an adult would I learn what her words meant. Another regretful day just as this one, and many more to follow until I ended up at Terra. This clan has become the only good thing in my life. I can't jeopardize that.   

Hopefully I'm doing the right thing. 

Though the pain in my chest doesn't seem to agree. I open my eyes and steal a glance of Xiang's face. He's awake staring at the ceiling. His cheeks looking stiff with his lips relaxed as he didn't bother to pay mind to my sudden movement. 

I moved off of him but grabbed his arm to hold against my chest as I turned around and pressed my back into his side. A soft scoff sound followed, coming from him.

My eyes forcefully closed shut and I pretended to fall asleep until I finally did. Just before the sun rose.