Chapter 6

Eirene's pov

The bile in my empty stomach revolts and I push my palms on the floor to get up. Gagging out the shit I sigh to breathe.

My heavy eyes look around at the dark dungeon.

No one is here.

Not even that woman Raven.

She hadn’t returned in the last seven days. And nor did anyone else come in to give me food or even water since then.

Hold on…

Her last words reverberate in my mind and that’s all I have been trying to do. To survive.

Looking around at the dark stoned walls, my eyes stop at a water ingress on the roof of the old worn-out place.

Pushing my numb legs. I reach the wall right under it. Pressing my fingers on the stone wall, I feel something wet touch my finger pad and a smile forms on my lips.

Water.

Leaning on the wall, I lick the wall of all traces of water. Each drop felt like heaven.

Desperate? Crazy? I know. But one needs to do a lot of things to survive.

At least I am not asking those fuc*ers.

Sucking off all the remnants of traces, I lean my head back on the wall to lean down. My eyes shift down to my stomach and I make sure to keep it covered with the worn-out shawl I have.

My baby.

I am sorry I am not able to feed you properly.

But just wait. We will be out of here in a few days.

Hopefully, your daddy will come for you. And till then.

I will not let anyone touch my baby, let alone hurt him/her.

You are mine.

And I will burn the entire world if I have, to bring you to life.

Concentrating the little energy in me on my palms, I try to light up a spark. To get nothing. Dammit!

Sometimes I wonder if my power is a good thing or bad. It never comes when I need it.

Settling down back in a corner, I wrap myself in my arms and blankly stare at a spot on the wall. I must be crazy but I can't help seeing those eyes.

I wonder what he is doing.

Did he fuc*ed Emerald already?

He could have. They are mates after all. And the worst thing? I wouldn't even know if they did.

I am just his ex-wife now.

My fingers trail up to my neck and I feel no mark there. His claim on me has faded, just like his love for me after knowing my betrayal.

The very fact that he was ready to see me die, proves there is no hope for us.

The only reason he may save me now is because of our child.

He may hate me but he can’t hate our child. I just know it.

He would never hurt an innocent.

Yet , he still moved on too easily from me.

It's either my love for him wasn't enough or Phoenix's hate for him was much more than it.

Biting my lip, I still feel his taste. As if we just kissed yesterday. And involuntarily a strange feeling of emptiness fills my inside.

I miss the warmth of his embrace.

His kisses.

His palm on my head, telling me it's all gonna be fine.

His huge warm hands tracing my skin.

His smile.

That dimple.

Our cuddles.

I miss running my fingers through the silky strands of his hair and staring at his face.

God. I wonder what my child's hair is going to be like. Curly dark black like mine or soft brown tendrils of silk-like his.

I prefer the latter.

He is an adonis. I won't mind if my child is a replica of his. He is way more beautiful than me.

His grey eyes are mysterious and attractive, unlike my boring browns.

His skin is flawless unlike mine filled with freckles and scars.

He is just perfect.

But then again, he is not mine.

What was I expecting? Love wasn’t something I ever got. He wasn’t someone I deserved. Darkness was all that I ever got, and the little light that entered my life was bound to be choked.

What will happen now?

What if after our child’s birth , he snatches our child from me.

What if he makes Emerald our child’s step mother and sends me for execution?

A knot of dread twists in my stomach. No! My child will not have a childhood like me.

A distant memory hits me and I just close my eyes to hug myself together. Rolling my body back and forth.

18 Years Ago


Crescent Moon Territory

The cupboard smelled of cedarwood and dust, its small confines barely holding my trembling body. My heart hammered in my chest as my mother's words replayed in my head.

"Hide, Ren. Don’t make a sound and don’t come out. No matter what, okay? It will be over soon."

I’d believed her, clutching my knees to my chest, my brown ponytails sticking to my tear-streaked face. But I didn’t understand what “over” really meant until I heard the first smack.

The sound rang out like a gunshot, followed by her soft cry.

"Where were you? Did you open your legs to that bastard again like the slt you are?"*

His voice was venomous, the kind that made your skin crawl. London—he wasn’t just a man. He was a monster. And he was my father.

"London, please listen to me. I just went to take—"

The second blow came before she could finish, a sickening thud as her frail body hit the floor. Through the slats of the cupboard door, I saw her clutch her cheek, tears spilling from her brown eyes like broken pearls.

"Now you’re lying to me, huh? It seems you’re forgetting your place."

His voice dripped with fury, each word cutting like shards of glass.

"I just went to buy the medicine. I swear—"

Another smack.

"Keep your trap shut. Now be a good little mate and come here."

"No. Please."

My mother's voice was barely audible, pleading, as he locked the door behind him. He had no idea I was there, watching, shaking, hating.

I pressed my palms tighter over my mouth, stifling the sobs that threatened to escape. I couldn’t cry. I couldn’t move. Momma’s orders were clear.

But then I heard her scream.

"No, London! Please! Trust me! The child is yours!"

Her cries sliced through me like a blade, but his reply was colder than death.

"Shut up! I’m going to kill that bastard child—and you!"

My blood froze, my heart dropping into my stomach. The cupboard felt suffocating, my small frame shaking with fear and rage.

And then, I smelled it.

Blood.

It was metallic, thick in the air, making my head spin. I pushed the door open, unable to stay hidden any longer, and stepped out.

What I saw shattered me.

Momma lay on the floor, barely clothed, her stomach bleeding out where a knife had pierced her. The very stomach where my little sister was growing.

He… killed her.

Blood pooled beneath her, staining the wooden floor like an ugly curse.

And he…he was still kicking her.

"Will you leave again without informing me? Answer me, bitch!"

Her body barely moved, her eyes half-closed, as his voice roared above her.

"Why don’t you speak—"

"Leave my mother! Don’t you dare touch her!"

My voice was small but steady, the words rising from the fire in my chest. His head snapped toward me, his face a mask of disbelief.

"You little piece of shit!"

He lunged, grabbing me by the collar and lifting me off the ground. I kicked and struggled, but he was too strong.

"No, London! Leave her. She’s just a child! I beg you!"

Momma clung to his feet, begging with what little strength she had left. But I couldn’t let him win.

I spat in his face.

His rage was instant, his grip tightening as he threw me across the room. My small body collided with the wall, pain exploding in my back and head as I crumbled to the floor.

"Ren!" Momma’s scream echoed, raw and desperate.

"I’m going to kill both of you bitches today!"

He grabbed her by the hair, dragging her up before wrapping his hands around her neck. She thrashed weakly, her breaths turning ragged, her eyes dimming.

"No…no…let her gooooo! Nooooo!"

Her gaze found mine, soft even in agony.

"I…love…you, my Ren. More…than anything."

Tears blurred my vision as her voice grew weaker.

"Goodbye…R…e…n."

Her body went limp, the last light leaving her eyes.

"No!"

Something inside me snapped.

The fire that had simmered in my chest exploded into an uncontrollable inferno. A burning energy surged through me, my small palms glowing with a fiery light.

"Aghhhh!"

London screamed as flames erupted around him, engulfing his body in an unrelenting blaze. He clawed at his skin, begging for mercy, but I felt none. I stood frozen, watching him burn, the fire consuming him until he was nothing but ash.

I turned to Momma, dropping to my knees beside her. Her breaths were shallow, her voice a faint whisper.

"What…what did I do, Momma?"

She smiled weakly, tears streaming down her face as she kissed my hands.

"Ren, my daughter. You’re the special one. The Moon Goddess has chosen you."

Her trembling fingers gripped mine as she fought to speak.

"You have a power, my child. Protect yourself with it. I won’t be there to save you. Be strong…confident…never be afraid."

"But Mom—"

"Shh…promise me, Ren." Her voice cracked. "Promise me you’ll rise back…as a phoenix."

I nodded through my tears, my small hands wiping hers away.

"I promise."

And then, she was gone.

I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat as the room erupted in flames around me. The fire burned wild and bright, but it didn’t touch me.

And when the light faded, I was alone.

Back in my cell.

( flashback ends)

It was the first time I came to know I was special, a fire elemental. But I got late that day, my powers couldn’t save my momma.

That day everything, our home, my parents got burned down to ashes. Except for me.

I was found sitting in the middle of burnt wreckage untouched.

And that was how I became a murderer at the mere age of ten.

Yet, despite everything. I held my promise to momma. I became strong, fearless, brave. Everything she couldn’t be.

And I promise to hold to it till my last breath.

I hope you are proud of me momma. Proud of your Phoenix.