Reluctant Enemies

Chapter 6

Beth flopped across her bed, trembling. Her breath was coming in short gasps, her thoughts racing.

How was something like that even possible? What had happened to her back in that room? What was even in there? She'd seen nothing of the room itself, only the scenes of the past that it had showed her.

Beth had always enjoyed theorizing about the supernatural and the paranormal. But now that it was being thrown into her life, she wasn't sure what to think. Theories were all well and good, but what was she actually dealing with here?

Was Taehyung really a werewolf? If he was, then why had their ancestors been enemies? What had they been fighting over? Was Taehyung just trying to manipulate her so that he could get what he wanted? What did he want anyways? The staff her parents were looking for?

Bernard. Bernard had the sword. He'd made a blood oath to use that sword to protect her family and his. Did Bernard have family elsewhere? She understood why he would've left them someplace else, but surely he missed them. Beth also understood why he hadn't told her parents about the sword. Obviously he hadn't or they wouldn't be looking for it, they'd be trying to get it from Bernard.

What was the staff? She hadn't even seen it in any of the... the visions. Was that what the werewolves and vampires had been after? Why? What could they gain by having it? Hadn't they gotten to it years ago? How had it been taken from them if that was what they'd been fighting over? Obviously they had won, Taeron had killed her ancestor, Callum, after he'd created that spell to protect his family from Taeron and his vampire sweetheart.

Was Taehyung just trying to use her? Sure her parents had been acting weird, but they really did want her to just be safe. And what did she know about Taehyung? Bernard had said he was a good person, but her parents didn't trust him at all. Beth understood why now. She didn't know if she trusted him anymore.

Bernard surely knew something about Taehyung that he wasn't telling, but even as favorably as Bernard portrayed him, he had said Taehyung was haunted by his history.

Why had Beth trusted a complete stranger in the first place? Because he'd helped her out with some spilled groceries?

Beth laid there, trying to think about everything she'd just learned.

She didn't know what to think anymore. She didn't want any of this to be real. She just wanted to go back to the way things had been before.

Well... Not really. She would miss Bernard. And this crazy castle.

Suddenly TJ ran into her room, out of breath.

"BETH!! Hide me, Brandon's trying to tickle me!!"

Beth laughed. TJ hated tickles, so of course, Brandon was always trying to sneak attack him with that very thing: Tickles!

"Alright buddy you can hide under my bed." Beth reached down and lifted the cloth skirt at the base and TJ dove under.

"Beth!! It's dark under here!"

Ever the prepared big sister, Beth pulled a flashlight out of her drawer and passed it to her brother.

"Thanks Beth!" She heard the flashlight click on ad running feet approached.

"Shhh, I think Brandon's coming!" She whispered, and TJ went silent.

Beth grabbed her phone and pretended to be busy.

Sure enough, moments later Brandon raced into her room.

"Beth have you seen TJ?"

Beth glanced away from her phone to Brandon. "Hm?"