Chapter 43

Heavy footsteps bound towards me. The Black hooded people run in our direction.
"Don't worry, Kayla, we are going to take you home." Justin holds out his hand. I turn away unsure. These people lied to me. They all betrayed me in some way. But what other choice do I have? My mind starts to second guess my decision. I can either stay here in the kingdom of darkness or go with people where honesty means nothing.
A hand entwines with mine. My body tingles as an electric current render me breathless. Minutes later we appear next to the same waterfall where the beast attacked me. It feels like a lifetime ago now. Chris drags me forward, and the familiar electric current runs through my veins, which tells me it is him. Some of the hooded people stay back while others follow us.
Chris drags me into a large black hole hidden behind the waterfall. My body feels as if it is being pulled and pushed in all directions and angles at once.
I land on solid ground, surprisingly, on my feet. Chris still grips my hand, cutting off my circulation. His face is still hidden by his hood, but I know it’s him. Bright lights hurt my eyes, and I squeeze them shut. Slowly, I open them and squint. Clear blue skies run for miles. Large circular islands float in mid-air. I open my eyes fully, bewildered by the view. It truly looks like a fantasy land with pure white fluffy clouds and a brilliant blue sky.
"Where are we?"
Chris looks down at me. Anger flashes in his eyes. He doesn’t respond to my question. Instead, he whistles loudly, and the others follow suit.
Multicolored horses come into view. They hover a few feet in the air. Chris heaves us onto the back of one of them. It’s Shadow, his own huge, towering steed. As soon as I hit the horse’s back, he soars into the sky. Wings that were not present the last time I saw him spread out wide as he glides effortlessly over the floating islands. As we fly onwards, small villages appear on the islands. An hour later we descend towards a large white stone house surrounded by acres of vast green fields and countryside. We land outside the house.
No one speaks as we get off the horses and walk into what looks like another kingdom. Polished white marble floor tiles gleam and reflect both us and the room itself. The whitewashed walls are scattered with paintings of waterfalls. Directly ahead of us is an open staircase that has a galleried landing at the top with wrought iron black railings. We head straight to the stairs and climb them.
At the top, we walk down a corridor and stop about halfway down. The rest of the group split off at this point, heading into different rooms. Chris pulls me into one of them. The walls are cream, and plush white rugs cover the wooden floor. He pulls me into the middle of the room and tells me to wait, then walks through a door to the side. The sound of water echoes loudly around the silent room.
I eye the large four-poster bed with its soft looking cream comforters. It looks so inviting. I can’t help myself. I lay down, letting my head sink into the welcoming pillows.
"Kayla." Someone gently shakes me. I look up into soft blue eyes. The memory of him pinning me to a tree trunk flashes in my mind. I jump into a sitting position and bow my head low, letting my knotted curls frame my disfigured features.
He lifts my chin and looks into my tear-filled eyes. I look ugly. Yet he looks at me. Not with disgust but with something I can’t place.
"Kayla, what is wrong?" he asks as if it’s not obvious.
"I look like a zombie bride who’s been burned."
"You are not ugly, Kayla, even with your wounded face." He runs his hand gently down my cheek. His touch is as light as a feather. Millions of butterflies erupt in my stomach. He pulls back, putting distance between us.
"Tomorrowwhen I am stronger, I will fix your face.”
"You can fix it?” I ask as excitement overwhelms me. After weeks of feeling numb or angry, this small bit of happiness feels odd.
"Yes, of course, it is a simple matter. It looks as if it has not fully healed, so it should not be a problem. I have run you a bath. Misty will bring you some fresh clothes." With one last sorrowful glance at me, he quietly leaves the room.
The bath is wonderful, and I wallow for some time in its luxuriousness. Eventually, I wrap a fluffy white towel around my body and go back into the bedroom.
Misty lies on her stomach wearing pink flannel pajama bottoms and a matching top. She casually flicks through what I presume is a fashion magazine.
" Did you have a nice bath?" she asks as she dives off the bed, her brown hair sways with the motion and she wraps her arms around me, hugging me tightly. "I’m so glad you’re back!" she near enough yells with glee. She has tears of joy in her eyes.
I nod, unsure how to handle the mad rush of emotions. For weeks now I’ve shut myself off, closed my heart from any kind of feelings. Right now, I don’t know if I am happy or sad.
"Here I brought you these." Misty thrusts a pair of light blue pajamas into my hands. Unfolding them, I roll my eyes. Cute kittens sit in the middle of the top. Just Misty’s style.
I dress quickly, wanting nothing more than to curl up and let sleep take me. Misty has other plans though.
"What happened?"
"I had a fight with a giant wall of fire. No biggie." I shrug, just wanting to sleep after my near wedding but mainly because I feel exhausted.
"Misty, if you don't mind, I am rather tired."
She looks at me with sad eyes, like a child who’s been told no. "Yes, of course, you must get some sleep. My room is next door if you need anything."
As she leaves, she says, "I am really glad you are back and safe."
Finally alone, I curl up under the soft covers. As tired as I am, I just cannot sleep. I stare at the cream walls for hours. My thoughts are so jumbled. Do I trust them? That single question floats around my mind stronger than any other thought.