“Hello?” I yelled as I came awake in an unfamiliar place.And maybe if at least a lamp brightened it, I might have recognised the location. My voice resounded in the empty room, and I could hear the gush of a stream nearby. Standing up, I used my hands to feel my surroundings. I noticed how rough the wall and ground were. It took me a minute to realise I was in a sort of cave, but the question was, how did I get there?“Oh, gods!” I muttered as I remembered what had happened. “Aiden!” I shouted, but I received no response. I remembered being with him and Sienna until the latter began to chant something which flung Aiden and me off balance.“Hello, anybody here?” I grimaced, breathing in and out as my leg slammed into a pebble.Aiden and his family might be worried sick about me right now, I thought whilst I caressed my sore toe in the dark.Despite the aches in my legs, I pushed forward. I didn't relent until I got to an opening brightened by a blazing torch.I wondered who was wi
ElenaTwo months laterI winced, rolling out of bed as soon as I heard Gemma's cry. I tried going back to sleep to see if anyone would attend to her, but I had no luck whatsoever as she screamed louder. Gemma had the complete gene of the Crooks in her since they didn't need a trumpet or any instruments for their voices to be heard. Gemma's voice, in particular, was ear-splitting, and I wondered if she was acting this way on purpose; to gain attention from me or her aunts and uncles.I shuffled out of the bedroom in a velvet robe reaching just below my knees. I bumped into Sparkles, who seemed a little cheery this morning. “Hey!” She mumbled, walking in the opposite direction. “Hi," I muttered back. Sparkles and I friendship seemed surreal, but I was happy that she was indeed a changed person. She took me like her younger sister even though I was a few months older than her. Also, she was even more protective of me than the rest of her siblings. “I wonder if that child knows wha
AidenSighing, I glanced at the gold wristwatch on my left hand.Sienna was an hour late, and the most irking thing was she would not apologise.She had once said it was normal for a woman to be later than men. However, I never knew where she saw that rule since she used it quite often.I glanced around the lush garden she had picked out for today's event. Aside from the undead armies surrounding the vicinity, which were invisible, the minister she had compelled into joining us, and I was the only one present. I gazed at the minister, who was staring blankly at nothing. Sienna had compelled him, and he would be in that state until she snapped him out.I knew how it was to be controlled since I was the first person she had experimented with her powers ever since she came back from the dead. It wasn't a fun thing to be compelled because you lose all the freedom you have that instant and want to do as the person desires. I was glad I had snapped out of it immediately, but I didn't kn
ElenaI didn't know the force that propelled me towards the evil witch. Despite the yell to get back into the protective circle, I still move on. Maybe because I knew who I was, I could face her one-on-one without flinching. My hair whipped around my face as the wind continued. It was a wonder I was the only one unaffected by it. Perhaps, it was the ball of wind that encompassed me like a shield that made me immune to her power.Sienna's gaze locked on mine, and I did the same as I stepped towards her. I didn't glance away for once until Aiden shouted my name.Frowning, I stared at him. He didn't look as if he never knew me. Instead, I saw fear in his eyes.The only time he had shown fear was whenever I was in distress. Now that I wasn't, I wondered what was frightening him. Perhaps, he was appalled about the face-off I would have with Sienna.Moreover, if he had remembered me all this while, why had he pretended? Possibly, it was for my protection, I answered myself. Because I
EpilogueElenaI smiled as I tucked a strand of white hair behind my ear.Glancing at my reflection in the enormous vanity mirror in front of me as Ellen redid my lipgloss that had smeared, I noticed the glow in my face. She had applied sparkling shadows to my eyelids. Initially, I objected as I didn't want to be too flashy or look like a clown, but I was glad I let her persuade me into using it.I swirled, and the pristine white gown I donned followed. Callista had let me borrow the vintage gown used on her wedding day, and Ellen and Sparkles had helped me to recreate it to make it look a little modern.“One more thing," Ellen mumbled. I grinned as she placed the two-tiered crystal veil onto my hair.Also, I noticed slight changes when it wasn't there.“You look like a real princess now." She smiled.“Thank you, Ellen."“Anything for my soon-to-be sister-in-law." She winked at me through the mirror, then went back to adding a bronze on her cheeks.“I like the sound of that." I gigg
“Drat!” As if my day wasn't shitty enough because of how late I had woken, an idiot splashed muddy water with his sleek red Audi on me. I didn't see my first ever interview to be this exasperating and exhausting, since I have never had a proper job before. This could be my first job or not, which solely depends on what would be the outcome of the interview. Luckily, the bastard that sped by me had only splashed water on my legs. I brought out the flask filled with water I always carried about and made use of some liquid in it to rinse my leg before stepping to the front of the company's gate. My jaw slackened, and a smile brightened my face as I gazed at the magnificent glass-walled, seven-storey structure which stood in front of me. Aiden Inc. was in the heart of West Vale, and it was hard to miss. It stood near another grand building, which was used as a bank. This side of the town, which was commonly known as District One by the locals, filled with grand corporations which we
AIDEN “Is that all?” The girl whose name on her tag reads Kate asked. Her eyebrows puckered, and a small smile played on her lush lips. Her brown eyes darted here and there as if she was frightened I would pounce on her any moment. People often have that impression whenever they come close to me. Except for those that knew how harmless I was. Perhaps it was my six feet, two inches height or the scowl I frequently spot on when I noticed girls were throwing a suggestive wink my way. Whichever it was, I didn't care. What I loathed the most was handling interviews with any applicants interested in the company because the people I frequently leave in charge, most especially Ellen, were too soft-hearted and terribly sympathetic. Thus, accepting the wrong people. It had always been like this since I opted to take care of the family's business. I was the oldest of five children, making it a good choice to take rein of things. Naturally, I was business orientated, whereas my other sibli
Elena Groaning, I stretched out my hand whilst searching for my phone, which was on the nightstand. I shielded my eyes as I saw the name on the screen. “How long had I slept for?” I questioned myself, gazing at the clock on the chipped wall, which reads 10: 45 PM. So early to be awake. I wouldn't have much time to sleep anymore, and I hoped that the reason Renee had disturbed my precious nap was for a good reason. I sat up on the small bed, which barely contained the space I had stationed it in. It was close to a small wooden wardrobe next to the nightstand, and my reading table was in the other corner. I did a semi-stretch and swiped up the screen of my phone to answer the call. “Hey,” I murmured, rubbing my eyes. “I'm sorry babes, I keep disturbing you whenever you are sleeping.” She pleaded, making me wonder if she was ever sorry. She said this word all the time, and I was pretty used to it now. “How did the interview go?” “I don't even want to talk or think about it,” I