Chapter 3

There was a special kind of fear when you were a mother. The type of fear that spurred you to stop your toddler from eating rocks and fussing over cuts or small bruises. Everything around you was a hazard and sometimes all you wanted to do was hide your child away from the outside world. Nothing was ever safe enough or good enough for them. For you. At some point you realize that you will never get to keep them from the real world forever. You start relaxing more and just enjoy the little things. Then there was real fear. The kind that brought you to your knees. Made you vomit up everything within your stomach. Gasping for air. For release from this awful grip. Neither of these fears are invalid, but the latter made me choke on the very air I breathed.

Elliana was elated to see me but sleep still blurred her vision. She had just woken up to a strange man in her home. This was her own version of fear, one I could never fully understand. Blood rushed to my ears, a dull roar for me to grab her. Run to my mother and let her come exterminate these rodents. But the man was smiling back at me with almost the same excitement as Elliana.

"Mommy!" My sweet girl called for me, happiness reaching its peak.

"Good morning, baby girl. Did you sleep well?" I asked, my voice breaking by the end. The man smiled even wider towards me. He knew he had me. Drew a check mate whilst I was away, busy bleeding his other men dry. How long until those others joined us? Were my shadows still dancing before their eyes? I tried my best at looking normal. Unfazed. The moment Elliana became aware of the situation, I lost. He would discard her without a second thought, breaking me in half before he had even touched me.

"Yes, mommy. Funny man woke me." She replied and rubbed at her eyes. The roaring within my ears grew silent at her voice. This might be the last time I saw her and I couldn't even fathom how they had found us. Broken in. Father had warded the place almost as much as Tenebris. His powers flowed through the fences. All just to protect his baby. The love of his life. Elliana.

"She first thought it was her father when she woke up. I was happy to surprise the little angel." The man said, ruffling Elliana's golden-brown hair. I wanted to growl. Rip out his throat and drop his body in front of the palace in Frazer. Let the world know what would happen when they touched the one whom I loved the most.

"What do you want?" I asked but kept my voice calm. Even. The battle wasn't lost yet, I just had to get Elliana away from him long enough to slit his throat. Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I asked again. "Who are you?"

A light chuckle vibrated his chest, making Elliana giggle in return. She always had a thing for men. It was strange how fast she grew comfortable around most of them. Women, on the other hand, was a completely different story. She often opted to cling to my side instead of going to another woman. Her instincts were so far off, but that was most likely her human side. The side I indulged in more often than I should have. Atarah had scolded me relentlessly for it, saying that Elliana wouldn't be able to hold her own one day. If I played this right, maybe she would live to prove her grandmother wrong. Even if I wasn't there to see it. Whatever happens, don't let this define you, my sweet girl. I whispered straight into her mind. Elliana frowned at me but didn't reply. Mommy's precious little thing.

"You already know who I am. Not my name, but where I come from. What I am meant to do. Sadly, this was not an order to kill. The king wants you alive by any means." Another twisted smile that made my stomach turn. Needing me alive meant that they wouldn't second guess killing Elliana if it meant I would put up a fight. Hurt them all. Even kill them but doom my daughter with them. Bile rose in my throat.

"Set the girl down and I will come willingly." I announced, putting my hands in the air. Another chuckle from him as he set his sights on Elliana. Mother should have set her time earlier. Came when dawn broke, but I had insisted upon a later time. To cook and clean and prepare. I should shoot myself for the mistake, but hindsight was twenty-twenty.

"Do you think me a fool? The moment I set her down, I become a living target for your shadows. Besides, I have grown so fond of her company. Maybe I will even take her in and raise her as my own." He mused and I hissed in response. No one would take her away from me. They would sooner land in a grave.

"Put her down or I promise I will make you a human pin cushion." I hissed again and Elliana recoiled at my tone. Her small sign of fear sent knives through my heart. She had never seen me like this. Seen me in all my horrid glory. I couldn't do this without her getting hurt some or other way. Be it through my words or his actions.

"Let me think about it. Once the rest of my knights reach you, I will have them cuff you. Upon you being restrained, I will let her go and you can say goodbye before we drag you away to the king. How does that sound?" He asked and looked between me and Elliana once more. She clung to his arm, but I could see her eye me. The need to hold her overwhelmed me. Parting with her felt like a damnation, but as long as she lived, I would fight until I found her again.

"All of the care takers are dead, I presume?" I asked. Footsteps sounded behind me, but I didn't move this time. Couldn't even breathe properly without triggering that killing instinct within the brute before me. My daughter's life was worth more than my dignity ever would be.

"Indeed. So, I'm not sure she will last the night, but that is your choice. Set her down. Leave her here. I am sure another day of her life is worth as much to you," They didn't know my mother was visiting. I hadn't told a single soul about it beside my staff. That narrowed down a few people. "And because I am in a forgiving mood, you may bid your farewells." He smiled at her again, a promise on his lips. His men finally reached me, but none dared touch me, not until he gave the order to do so.

"I will go with you. Please just don't harm her." I asked, my voice finally giving way to the grief that I felt. All the fear stinging the back of my throat.

"Consider it done." He answered and nodded towards the men. Rough hands grabbed for my wrists and shoved me to my knees. Rocks bit into my skin. Elliana watched silently, her small hands finally letting go of the man's arm. Those bright blue eyes studied me. Studied the men holding me down. She frowned and started wiggling in his arms. Fought to be let free. Her strength matched a full breed hatchlings' and I knew he wouldn't be able to hold her for much longer.

Just as Elliana started crying for me, the knights shoved cold cuffs around my wrists. My whole being revolted against the tainted material. Screamed at me to get them off and run as far as I could. My magic screeched and sputtered out in my veins, leaving a hole in my chest. Gasping at the sudden loss, air refused to enter my lungs. This was a different kind of fear than the first two. This was thick and oily and slithered its way into my mind. The fear that I had lost a part of myself that I had come to know and love all my life. I tried to reach my magic but was only left with a gaping cavity.

"Mommy!" Elliana exclaimed again and finally the brute let her go. Her small legs darted towards me, those soft feet getting cut from the small rocks. She ran straight for me and wrapped her arms around my neck. Tears lined my eyes at the embrace. So soft and small and all that was good in the world.

"My darling girl. Mommy has to go with these men, okay? Be good and go hide in your room. Daddy will come and find you soon. Just know that mommy loves you more than anything else in the world. I will find you, I promise." I assured her but couldn't keep the sadness from my voice. Heartbreak also came in many forms, this one I especially despised. Elliana pulled away and placed her hands on my cheeks, thumbs stroking my skin.

"I see you, mommy. Love you too." She replied. That was the girl I raised. The one who pleasantly surprised me in the most difficult of situations. Strong willed and extremely intelligent.

"I love you so much baby," I said again, Elliana wiping my tears away as they fell from my eyes. "Now go." She did as she was told and let go of my face. Taking a step back, Elliana turned around to come face to face with a knocked arrow. My heartbeat stopped in that moment. Those few second before I knew only to be my death. I memorized the curve of her back. Those unruly curls and small feet. He finally let the arrow fly, only seconds passing from me realizing he had knocked it until impact. Elliana rocketed backwards from the impact, her head colliding with the ground. My world stopped then. Ceased to be entirely.