by Tarisa Marie
I look at him like he’s fallen off of his rocker. “What?”
“That there is a soul,” Landon whispers. “Pearls hold souls. Question is, whose soul is it, and why is it locked up in that box so tightly?”
The door to my office bursts open and five or six guards bust in. “Mr. Castile, we have a breach in security. Someone has stolen the weapon used to kill your father from vault and is heading this way.”
Terry looks like someone has pinched him extremely hard. He assumes it’s Forrest obviously, but I have my doubts.
“Someone go make sure that the demidemons are still locked up downstairs!” I holler quickly. “Everyone out of my way! I need to go get Megan!”
Everyone begins moving out of my way reluctantly, glancing at me and one another. I speed out of the room, and it’s not until I’m halfway to Megan’s room that I realize Landon is following me.
“What are you doing?” I snarl. “Get out of here unless you want to get yourself killed.”
“She’s my sister,” he states, ignoring me.
I’m extremely thankful to see Megan safe, lying on her bed still asleep. I scoop her up in my arms. Now what? Where do I take her? Nowhere is safe, especially if she’s with me.
I cuss. This can’t be happening. I know what I have to do. There is only one person I know who will be able to get Megan out of here safely. It’s the same man who endangered her and played a part in her losing her soul, the same man who used her. Forrest. I will do anything to keep her safe even if that means letting him take her. I know Forrest. I know he’s a good guy deep down. I’ve known him almost three hundred year. I probably would have done what he did too if it meant saving me and my family, but that doesn’t mean that a part of me doesn’t want him dead for what he did to Megan.
What if Forrest is the one conducting this attack? Then what?
“Come with me,” I instruct Landon and head down to the basement.
I’m nearly ecstatic to see Forrest still locked up, looking bored in his cell. I use telekinesis to open the cell that usually contains only mortals. I’m partly surprised that he hasn’t gotten out of it yet actually. That guy is a sneaky bugger, a smart bugger too.
“Forrest. I have a task for you. Get Megan out of here safely, and I’ll get you and Maxwell out of this cell permanently. I’ll even let you out of hell a long as you behave,” I coerce.
Forrest looks up hastily, meeting my eyes. “I-I yeah, I can do it. What’s happening?” he asks. “Is everything okay? Is she okay?”
“Security breach. I’m not risking anything, especially not her life,” I explain. “She’s uh sleeping.”
“My dad?” he demands, and stands up in a rush.
“He was fine last I saw,” I answer hastily and swing open his cell door.
He hesitates. “Take her down to the basement, through the servant’s quarters to the last room at the end of the hall. It’s a boiler room. At the back of the room is a hatch in the floor. Take her down there. A few hundred feet and on the left is a tunnel. Follow it, and it’ll take you to the gate that leads near your place in Toronto.”
“I have to stay here and do my job. I run this place, I can’t abandon it. Especially right now. I have to stay,” I ramble quickly. I wish I could go with Megan so badly.
Forrest seems to understand. “Then make sure that my dad’s okay,” he pleads and then takes Megan in his arms. Although demidemons are more demon-like than halflings, they’re still not as fast or strong as a full demon. How is he going to go down a hatch while carrying her? He’s not.
“Landon, go with them. Carry Megan so you can move faster,” I instruct and then turn, taking off in the opposite direction.
When I reach the level above, absolute chaos has broken out. Everyone is rushing around in a hurry.
“Mr. Castile, you shouldn’t be out here!” a guard shouts at me. “It’s not safe, sir!”
“How many?” I ask.
“At least thirty,” he answers. Thirty invaders. Who are they? Why are they invading?
“Any idea why they’re here?” I demand.
“Sounds like they think you killed Lucian, and they think you’re too young for the job. They think they can do a better job,” the guard says. “Sounds like the rebels are back in two with your dad gone, Mr. Castile.”
Son of a bitch. Not these idiots. From what I hear, there ridiculously dense. These idiots have no idea what I’m capable of. Not a clue.
“Let’s go show them who’s boss then, shall we?” I mutter.
The guard looks taken aback, so does everyone else running amuck on this floor. They’re probably not used to their leader not locking himself away and expecting the guards to protect him. What’s a leader that’s afraid to fight for his own people? Not a leader that’s what. I am not my father.
“Mr. Castile, you really shouldn’t-” the guard begins.
“We’re wasting time blabbing while people are getting killed. Let’s go!” I shout, leaping for the set of stairs beside me. If these people want me and my position, they better come and get me.
About Me, the Author
I was born and raised in a small town in east central Alberta, Canada. I first discovered my love for writing at the young age of 13 when I wrote my first novel, it was a fan fiction and it was absolutely terrible. During my high school and post-secondary years I found it very tough to find time to write but after graduating college, I got back into writing and found myself spending hours of the day thinking up stories and characters and scenes and titles and plot twists and the whole bit. My dream is that one day I won’t have to have a day job and I can just write and write and write all day long. Yeah right, eh?
I’d never survive without my family, amazing friends, laptop, sea monkeys, cellphone, tacos, or my boyfriend. When I’m not writing I enjoy the sport of curling and spending time with loved ones. I’m also a mean scrabble player if any of you would like to challenge me.
I’d love to stay in touch with you all so feel free to reach me at my fan email address – [email protected]. I respond to every email when I get the chance. Thank you for reading “Halfling” and be sure to check out the next novel in the Black Petals series “Changeling” will be available for purchase in April 2016.
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