Call Out My Name

EPISODE FOURTEEN

When I walked through the door, Grace was home and so was the little girl. She hopped down from the counter and came to me.

“I heard you saved my life” she said. “Thank you”

“What’s your name?” I inquired, bending down so I was at eye level with her.

“I’m Sareeta” I ruffled her hair and straightened up.

“How’d you get her here?”

“I kidn*pped her” Grace shrugged, sipping from her mug.

“Look who’s being reckless” I teased.

“I learnt from the best”

I laughed, pulling Sareeta close to me. She would be staying with us now.

Sareeta told us what happened to her. She was born in a huge dark room underground and she had stayed there all her life. She and other witches. Her mother died during labor and she didn’t know who her father was. There were men who put collars around their necks to repress their magic. It was only taken off when they needed a witch’s help. They would come in to ask the witches to grow plants, mix elixirs, heal someone, curse someone. She said there were thousands of witches down there—women and children. She had tried to escape, she took the elevator upstairs and got caught. Her throat was slit by a guard and her body was dumped at the river she was found.

Could she be talking about the same thing as Carl?

Poor thing. I needed to find all the first ladies, fast. Before more of them were killed

I excused myself to get ready for the ball. My heart was in my throat as I slipped into my blue silk dress. The black pencil heels would probably help me twist my neck but what the hell, we didn’t have heels like these back in Valrok. I put on fingerless leather gloves with a mini pocket knife stuck into a corner of it in case I had to really hurt someone.

From downstairs, I heard the voices of my friends as Grace welcomed them inside. I took one last look in the mirror. Should I have dyed my silver hair and wore contacts to hide the silver of my eyes? It was too late now. I grabbed my purse and hurried downstairs. Brady and Sareeta were chatting animatedly. Sareeta looked happy from where I stood.

“I’m here” I squealed, spinning around for good measure.

“You look amazing Alphy” Carl smiled. Brady and Leah gushed over my dress as Grace muttered another good luck spell.

Sareeta tugged on my dress and I dropped to my knees before her.

“You’ll free them all?” she asked sweetly. I did not want to let her down but I didn’t want to give her false hope either.

“I will do everything in my power to free them all” I nodded, pulling her into arms for a hug and squeezing her tightly. A few more strands of her hair had turned silver. I would deal with that when I got back. I stroked her hair one last time before releasing her. She grinned and walked me to Carl’s car with Grace trailing quietly behind.

The ride to the Belleforte mansion was very silent. Each of us was nervous and lost in their own thoughts. We could do this. I knew we could.

I hooked arms with Leah since Carl was Brady’s date. Something was up with those two. It was obvious.

“I’ll find the study. Let’s spread out. Carl try to find anything that could help you remember the way to the tunnel. Go with Brady and Leah. I need to go alone. Don’t draw attention to yourselves” I instructed, walking away.

Soren grabbed my arm, distracting me momentarily. We swayed to the gentle music pouring into the room.

“West wing, third floor. Last door on your right. Don’t get caught” he whispered before letting me go.

“I won’t. Thank you for the invitation and for directions to the bathroom” I forced a smile and headed towards the west wing.

The west wing was completely empty and dark. I followed his directions to the latter. As loyal as he was to his father, he wouldn’t set me up.

The door to the study creaked open, books lined the shelf and right in front of the window was a huge desk. I sat in the swirling chair, rummaging through the drawers. There was nothing there. I huffed, agitated.

Leaning in the seat, I stared at the picture of Soren’s parents that hanged at the far end of the study. I rose and walked down the aisle between the shelves. Behind the picture there was a safe. I didn’t know the code but it was nothing I couldn’t c***k with a little magic. I smiled to myself,my excitement getting the better of me.

The floor boards creaked, startling me. The sound didn’t come from me. There was someone at the door trying to leave. He wore an all black attire with a black cloth wrapped around his neck and covering his nose. He was holding something, I squinted my eyes to see in the dark.

Were those files?

Either way I couldn’t let him leave.

I muttered a spell that kept the door shut. He grunted as he tried to kick it down. When he saw that his efforts were useless, he faced me, c*****g his head. His eyes assessed me as he drew closer. He nodded towards the door.

“I’m not opening it” I stood defiantly as he drew closer. He grabbed me and spun me around, my back pressed against his chest. He wrapped a hand around my neck and the other around my waist.

I was an ant compared to his size.

“Open it” he ordered, squeezing my neck lightly.

I drove the back of my head into his face, his grip loosened and I rolled out of his hold. I licked my fangs as I thought of what to do next. I needed to think fast.

He drove his fist into a shelf, it fell backwards. Before it could crash to the ground, I screamed.

“Velarys” I chanted, throwing the ball of light that manifested in my hand upwards. It burst, spreading through the room. The shelves crashed to the ground but I was sure the sound wouldn’t be heard outside.

“I want those files” I told him. His eyes flashed purple. They stayed purple as he stared at me, fire twirling around his fingers. His eyes held amusement in them. He seemed amused that I was shocked.

He was a witch. But there were no male witches.

“Drop the spell Alphea. We’re way past parlor tricks” he said.

He knew my name. I could swear I had heard that statement before.

“Parlor tricks?” I gasped. “How dare you? That was a fine spell” I argued.

“Still so proud” he tsked, shaking his head and chuckling as he sniffed.

Oh s**t. I knew those eyes. I knew that chuckle too.

There was only one male witch and I had known him back in Valrok.

King Aysa’s son and the boy I kissed a few weeks ago. The boy I was completely in love with.

Prince Aysa Barrakys II.

This whole time, I had been worried about him, he hadn't even thought about me.

Was this the family emergency?

I could not help but notice that Aysa wasn't staring at me like he saved me three times.

When I looked into his eyes, all I saw was hate.