Darkness Within the Light

Chapter 10: The Family's Heritage

“How are you settling into school? Have you made friends?" Pride questioned as he twisted the ring on his pinky finger.

“Y-yes. I've made a few."

“Ha! I doubt it. Who would want to be friends with this dull girl?" Envy instigated as she raised her brows at me.

Pride silenced her with an intense stare before turning back to me. “Who are your friends?"

“Rachel Flynn and Hannah Trout."

“Interesting," Pride said as he used a flashy walking cane to lift himself from his seat. “I'm surprised that you believe Rachel is your friend after she attacked you the other day." He was inching closer to me.

Panic began to grow with each intense step he took.

“It was an accident. She wasn't herself," I rebelled.

“If you believe so, Miss Willows," he chuckled, antagonizing me. “Defending against a serpent is not an easy task. Tell me, how did you do it?" He rested on his cane as he leaned forward towards me.

“Do what?"

“Stop your friend."

Don't answer any more questions, Katie Anne! Do not tell them about the light! Please, trust me! Shadow begged as I heard distress build in his voice.

“My friend stopped her." I lied.

“Hannah Trout?"

“No," I nervously shook my head, “another friend."

“You only mention those two ladies, Miss Willows. Did you forget to mention another?"

“I suppose," I paused. “Him and I hang out apart from Hannah and Rachel."

“Who might that be?"

“Shadow Dark." The room gasped with disgust and for a moment they seemed frightened. Pride's eyes opened wide as he leaned out of my personal space.

“I can't believe you accompany yourself with those ghastly people. They are not tasteful," Greed chimed in as he polished a large gold coin.

“I see. There was some mention of the Dark boys being present in this incident." Pride stepped closer to me and then leaned in only a few inches from my face. I recoiled into my chair. “But, I was told a different story."

“Which was?" I replied, trying to regain my courage.

“You blasted Miss Flynn away with a ball of light."

“I don't know what you are talking about," I lied trying to maintain a straight face.

They know, Shadow.

Wrath exploded from her chair and transformed into a ball of fire. The flames rushed through the air towards me. Wrath reappeared in human form, straddling my legs. I choked on the smoke that radiated from her red leather suit. “You know exactly what we are talking about! Don't try to play games! Are you like her?!" Wrath gripped the headrest to my chair, locking me inside of her arms.

“Who?!" I cried as I felt my seat beginning to melt from her burning palms.

“Don't play stupid with me! You know exactly who I'm talking about!"

“Wrath, this is not subtle like we discussed." Pride lightly gripped her shoulder and raised a brow.

“Screw subtle!" Her eyes were roaring like an out-of-control wildfire. “Answer me, you little sh*t! Are you like her?!"

At this moment, I was crying uncontrollably. I didn't understand what she was asking me but if I didn't give her an answer, I was afraid she would kill me.

Lucky for me, the door to the conference room exploded open and Wrath was blasted to the ground by a bright light. Within a blink of an eye, I was lifted from my chair and cradled behind a woman's back, barricading me from the Fellowship.

It was my mother.

Shadow stood in the door frame out of breath and concerned.

“She is nothing like me! She is human. Nothing more. I thought we had already talked about this, Pride," my mother declared as she nudged me towards Shadow.

“Ah. Mary Anne Ellis. So happy for you to finally join us." Pride clasped his hands together with amusement.

“Finally join you? I was never called!" my mother growled as Shadow engulfed my trembling body into his chest. “Now, since this interrogation is completely illegal, I will be taking my daughter home!"

“Of course, Ms. Ellis." Pride flashed a wicked grin as we scurried out of the conference room. My mother rushed me towards the parking lot as Shadow hastily followed.

Before we entered the car, my mother stopped him.

“I'm assuming the tincture Nova gave Katie Anne didn't work."

“What do you mean?" Shadow replied.

“How else would you have known that she was in trouble?" My mother was angry. I leaned against the car, paralyzed by shock.

“She was called out of class."

“She could have been called out for anything, Mister Dark." She raised a suspicious brow. “The tincture did not work."

“I suppose it's a good thing that it didn't," Shadow shrugged, unimpressed by my mother's harshness.

“Even though you helped her today, I still mean what I said before." She assisted me into the car and then, walked around to the driver's side. “Stay the h*ll away from my daughter."

I locked myself in my room for a couple hours. I stared out the bayfront window contemplating everything that has happened since I arrived in Eldritch. I had so many questions, but everyone insisted on leaving me in the dark.

I urged myself to try one more time because there was one thing that I had to know. I scurried down the hall and made my way to the kitchen.

My mother sat quietly at the breakfast table sipping a cup of soothing tea just like she always did before bedtime. She was wearing her royal blue silk robe and her dark hair was twisted into a tight ballerina bun. Even at nighttime, she appeared neat and kept together.

“You're up late, dear. Everything okay?" My mother pried as I sat down next to her.

“I was scared today." I was honest with her for the first time in a while. Even though we didn't always see eye-to-eye, I loved her, and she made me feel secure.

“I know," she bowed her head as she adjusted in her seat, “No matter our differences, I will always protect you, Katie Anne. I am your mother and I love you. I will never let anything happen to you. I wish I could tell you everything, sweetheart, but the less you know, the safer you will be. You have to believe me." She seemed desperate for my understanding. She could tell that I was hurt and confused. She wanted to comfort me but also maintain my safety.

In this moment, I finally understood her.

“I know, mom, and I am so sorry that I have been giving you such a hard time."

“It's okay, dear. I understand that everything in Eldritch is confusing and surreal. It's hard to grasp, but my secrecy is what I feel is the best way to keep you safe. If you don't know anything then the Fellowship can't question you about your heritage." She fidgeted with her teacup as she exhaled a deep sigh. She wanted to tell me everything, but she also felt she was revealing too much.

“My heritage?"

“There is no one left like us, Katie Anne. We are special."

“And Aunt Verna? Is she—"

“No. She has other special talents," she grinned as if she told herself a joke. I stared off into the distance feeling defeated. I was just more perplexed than I was before.

“Look, I know my explanations are extremely vague as if I'm speaking in code so I will tell you what I believe you should know and then you just trust me on the rest. Deal?"

I nodded, “deal."

“When the Fellowship found me in Seattle, I did not fight them. I agreed to come back to Eldritch to keep you and your father safe. I knew that they would find me one day. Everyone gets found." She cleared her throat as she tapped her nails on her mug.

“I kept you hidden as best as I could but they already knew about you, so they demanded I bring you too. I pleaded with them—told them I would leave my life behind and come quietly—but they were so sure you were just like me. I tried telling them that you were only human, nothing more, but they wanted to see for themselves. So, I made a deal with them. They agreed that if they didn't see any signs of you being more than human, they would let you leave when you graduated high school. I figured I could keep your gift quiet for the school year. My plan was to send you off to college and never see you again. I knew you wouldn't be alone because you would have your father." My mother started sobbing. She covered her eyes with her palms as her chest heaved.

“Did my father know?"

“He knew everything, dear. He knew one day I would have to abandon him and you. We just prayed that it would be after you turned eighteen. He was prepared for me to leave one day. So, we spent as much time as we could together loving each other to the fullest. I miss him so much, Katie Anne." Her shoulders slumped as her sobs transitioned into a breakdown. I raised from my seat and cradled her in my arms.

“So, he never hurt you like you said?"

“No. He is the most amazing man in my life, and it just hurt to leave him. I was unsure of how to explain our sudden separation to you, so I just said the first thing that came into my mind. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to paint an ugly picture of your father. That was unfair. None of this is fair to you, because while you are here, you won't be able to talk to your father, and when you leave, you won't be able to talk or see me ever again. Either way, you will lose one of us." I embraced my mother into my chest as her tears soaked into my shirt.

“Why don't we escape?"

“Because everyone gets found. If we follow through with the deal I made at least you will be free. That's all I care about. I don't want you trapped here like I am. This town is a prison, and the Fellowship is the warden. They can take your gift. They can take your soul. They can take your light and I won't allow that to happen. I will sacrifice my freedom so you can gain yours." I knelt beside her as I wiped her tears with my thumb.

“I love you, mom, no matter what. I trust you. Thank you for telling me." I brushed her cheek with my fingertips as she lightly smiled.

“I love you, too," she sighed as she tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. “I'm going to head to bed now. You should do the same." I nodded. We embraced in a hug before she crept to her room.