Hidden Shadows
1141 Words
Chapter Five:
Isabelle woke to the murmur of voices and soft humming machinery. Her head throbbed, her body heavy. She opened her eyes to a small, dimly lit room. The air was cold and clean. Banks of strange machines lined the walls, each softly aglow in the darkness.
Klinn stood by his side, anxious. To his right stood a squat, elderly woman, her face soft with kindness, her hands lived in lines of meekness. She saw Isabelle moving and hurried over.
"You're awake," crooned a voice softly. "My name is Elara. You're safe for now, but we really need to move quicker." She helped Isabelle into a sitting position, and Isabelle's mind raced with questions. "Where am I? What happened?"
Klinn came near them, his face grave. "We found an old safe house," he proceeded to explain. "Elara is a healer. She's been taking care of you and the baby."
"The baby." Isabelle's hand instinctively went to her stomach, relief washing over her as she felt the reassuring flutter, faint but there. She looked at Elara then with gratitude. "Thank you."
Her eyes both kind and urgent, Elara nodded. "Your child is strong, but there is dark magic attending upon you. It's the one trying to hurt you both. We need to clear it before it grows in strength."
Isabelle shuddered at the dark magic comment. It made her think about Seraphine and that right sinister presence enemy. "Can you rid it?"
Worried, Elara glanced at Klinn. "I can try, but time and focus are required. We need to stay hidden while I do the work."
Klinn nodded his head, his face drawn taut. "I have wards up around the building. They will hold for a little while, not much longer than that. Seraphine will find us eventually."
She drew a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Do whatever you have to do," she said to Elara. "I just want my baby safe."
Elara moved into the center, laying out bunches of dried herbs and lit crystals. As she worked, Klinn moved over, took Isabelle's hand in his. His grasp was warm, comforting. "We'll get through this," he said softly and rubbed her hand gently.
As soon as Elara began to consecrate, light bathed the room softly. Isabelle closed her eyes, feeling a soft gentle warmth course through her. Her stomach ached and tightened from fear that now dissolved into peace, so deep that she almost felt it.
A sudden cold wind whipped across the room, snuffing out the glow. Isabelle's eyes jerked open as she saw Elara stumble, her face white with shock.
"The wards!" Klinn exclaimed, surging to his feet. "They're breaking!"
None of them had time to even react before the door burst open, and a tide of dark figures poured inside. Seraphine was at the head, her eyes blazing with victory.
"You really think you could hide from me?" Seraphine scorned, her tone chilled. "How naive."
Klinn transformed into a beast to shield Isabelle. He began his spell, but Seraphine only gestured with her wrist, and Elara went flying back to shatter against the wall.
Her heart was pounding then—the way Seraphine advanced on her, with those gleaming eyes on her belly. "You cannot outrun destiny," Seraphine hissed. "The child shall be mine."
Isabelle was washed over with desperation. She reached out, trying to shield herself and the baby with whatever power she could conjure. To her great surprise, a soft blue light appeared at her hands, and soon enough, it formed a protective barrier around her.
Seraphine stopped, her narrowed eyes resting on Isabelle. "Do you have some power?" she murmured, more to herself than to Isabelle. "Interesting."
Klinn launched herself at Seraphine, who sidestepped easily and cut back with the dark energy. Klinn fell to the ground, bloodied but not defeated. Isabelle's barrier sputtered, leaching her strength as she held it.
Elara gained her feet, the cut to her forehead lacing her face with blood. "Isabelle," she gasped, "you must hold out. Your power is all that keeps her off."
But the barrier was wearing away, its power sliding from her grasp, and Seraphine's dark power washing in. She could barely hold on.
If she felt Seraphine's sense of desperation, she mocked at her, raising her hand in her palm, swirled a dark orb. "Say goodbye," she gloated, readying her strike.
The air seemed to crackle with energy at that very moment. The room was suffused with light, and he stood so tall, so imposing, with power radiating from every inch. Isabelle knew it was him—Alaric.
He advanced toward them, his eyes ablaze in a very determined glow. "Enough, Seraphine," he ordered in a very sharp authoritative voice. "You shall not hurt her."
Seraphine's face twisted in anger. "Stop me?" she spat, hurling the orb at Alaric.
With a quick flick of his wrist, Alaric raised his hand, and the orb exploded into sparks that did no damage. He moved forward, his presence smothering. "I won't let you take her," he said, his voice low but rife with power.
Seraphine hissed, but before she could say anything, Alaric raised his other hand, and a bright light, golden in hue, bathed her and her followers. They screamed in pain and fury as they were shoved backwards and disappeared into the shadows.
As the light faded away, complete silence fell in the room. He turned to Isabell; his expression softened. "You're safe now," he assured her, his voice gentle.
Relief whisked past Isabelle as swiftly as it gave way to exhaustion. She hardly even noticed the fact that Klinn had shifted human again now and had hobbled toward her. Elara rushed up to the group of them, looking her over and the baby.
But before they could say anything, Alaric's eyes had gone wide again, and he spun on his heel toward the door. His face had gone startlingly pale, and his voice shook. "No," he breathed.
Isabelle followed his line of sight and her heart seemed to stop. There was another figure standing in the doorway, however, cloaked in darkness. As the figure moved into the light, though, Isabelle's breath stopped in her throat.
It was a woman, uncannily familiar in features. Her eyes felt cold, calculating, and haunted by a haunting sadness. Isabelle's mind was racing with ideas of a face so far yet so near.
Then the woman spoke, and her cold tone sent shivers down Isabelle's spine.
"Hello, Isabelle," the woman said, twisting her face into a smile. "It has been ages."
Isabelle eyed, horrified by the bombshell, galloping in shock as her mind caught up with the speed of light. The following words threw her world into another spin.
"You do not know who I am?" continued the woman, mocking. "I am your mother."
To be continued....
- Writer
