Chained (The Siren Series #2) (14 page)

“
Would you miss him?” she
asked.

I tried to find the words but my brain failed
me.

“
I see the looks you give him.” Sophia
commented.

“
No, I do not.” I replied.

“
He’s really interested in
you.”

“
Well it’s his job, he has to be
interested.”

“
But some of the
looks
he’s given you.” Sophia fanned herself.

My cheeks started to flare.” Really?”

“
Ha, so you do like him then?” she said
with a giggle.

“
Yeah, he’s ok, but I don’t think its
right, I mean look at what we are dealing with?”

Behind us Marcus gave a little snore and
Sophia and I started giggling like two school girls.

“
That’s why you’re much stronger then I
am, Ellie.”

“
No, not really, I’m just trying to
deal like everyone else. We all have our ways of coping with
things.” I said.

“
Yeah, I’m just hoping that the council
will help us.” Sophia brought her knees up to her chest and hugged
herself.

“
I am nervous about it, do you know
what they are like?” I asked.

“
Everyone has their own view on them, I
haven’t had any dealings with them and hope not to either.” Sophia
regretted her words as soon as they left her pink lips.

“
I’m sorry, it just-.” She tried to
apologies.

“
No, it’s ok.” I replied.

I felt a chill come over me and I shuffled
myself closer to the fire.

There was another odd silence between us.

“
Ellie, what happened to your mother?”
Her words took me aback. “Rhea has told me a few things but nothing
else. I hope I’m not being nosey.”

I didn’t really know how to answer her
question, no one had ever really asked before. Not even I know what
happened to my mother, I was too young at the time but my Dad had
said that she had died of an illness. I didn’t ask questions at the
time nor did I want to, we just never talked about it. It was a
sore subject and nether one of us wanted to upset the other. I took
a deep breath and answered her.

“
She died when I was very young, I
don’t even remember what she looked like since there are not many
pictures in the house. I think my Dad just couldn’t bear seeing
pictures of her, It was really hard for him.” My stomach tightly
knotted itself and I felt sick. Guilt flooded in like a burst dam.
I tried to hold back the tears.

“
Don’t worry, Ellie. You’ll see your
Dad again.” Sophia could see how upset I was.

“
Yeah, I hope.” I whispered. “I just
miss him so much, but what I’m doing is good for him, otherwise I
would be putting him in danger.” Those words I spoke over and over
again gave little comfort. Was I doing the right thing?

“
So what do you think of Naaz then?”
Sophia quickly threw the question at me.

“
Well, I know that you hate her.” I
said.

“
With good reason!” Sophia replied
“look at what she did to you.”

“
I know, but there’s something about
her, but I cannot put my finger on it.”

“
That she’s evil, that’s
what.”

“
Well there
is
that, but it’s something about her that just feels
wrong.”

“
I think we should stay away from her.”
Sophia said.

“
You don’t like it, because she an old
friend of Rhea’s.” I said.

“
That’s not it.” She quickly
said.

I just stared at her with two raised
eyebrows.

“
Fine. But there
is
something about her though.” Sophia
said.

“
Agreed, but for now we are under her
roof and I don’t want to do anything that could upset her right
now.” I looked at the room around me, I could hardly call this a
stable living area but for now it would do. It was better than
living in a dark pit for two weeks.

“
I think we should call it a night,
we’ve got a big day tomorrow.” Sophia stood up and brushed herself
down.

“
Night.” I whispered.

I curled up on the battered brown sofa that
had a chunk of stuffing pulled from it. I closed my eyes and hoped
sleep would claim me.

I was pulled from my comfy sofa into a crowd
of the sewer creatures. I could feel my body being pulled either
side by the disgusting leaches. They wanted revenge, and by ripping
me apart that’s how they would be appeased. I tried to pull against
the horde but they had strength in numbers and I was just one
little girl, scared and alone, fighting against the horde.

“
Let go!” I screamed at
them.

Tighter they gripped their black talon nails
around my arms until scarlet drops trickled down my skin. I was
forced down onto my knees, waiting to face their judgment. The
floor then pounded as someone strong approached my vision. It was
Barbus, his long matted dark hair hung around him like rats tails.
He almost smelled as bad as the leaches. They threw me at him and
Barbus caught me around the waist and pulled me closer until it
hurt.

“
I told you I would find you.” His voice
rang through my ears. “Do you think
she
can protect you? You are mine!” his voice vibrated
throughout my body.

“
I am no ones, let me go.” I
screamed.

“
You murdered their mother.” Barbus
pointed to the group of leaches that lay in waiting. “They want
their revenge and they will come for you and your
friends.”

“
It wasn’t me, I didn’t kill her!” I
yelled.

His strong hands gripped my face until it
hurt. “You stood by and did nothing! You are equally guilty!”

“
I tried to stop them.” I tried to
explain myself but it was no use.

Barbus laughed in my face and I felt
hopeless. “I will let my leaches tear apart your friends as you
watch.”

“
I won’t let you!” I yelled.

“
You don’t have a choice. I’ll be
seeing you very soon.” Barbus laughed as searing hot pain drove
through my chest.

I threw myself off the sofa expecting to take
on the leaches, but found myself in the living room with Marcus
staring at me.

“
Bad dream.” I muttered.

“
Oh, I’ve had my share of them.” Marcus
replied.

I didn’t know whether or not to ask him about
Barbus. Did he even know about him?

“
Uh, Marcus?”

“
Yeah?” he answered.

“
Do you know anyone called Barbus?” I
waited for his reply.

“
Barbus, name does ring a bell but
cannot think where I’ve heard it before.”

“
Oh, it’s ok, never min-.”

“
Got it!” Marcus blurted out “that’s
where I know the name from. He’s wanted by the Protectors, nasty
piece of work, he’s killed many of us. Why do you ask?”

“
He’s the one that captured me.” I
replied.

“
Oh, I’m sorry.”

“
It’s ok, I’m slowly getting over
it.”

“
Well, he’ll get what coming to him
very soon.” he said.

Marcus then dropped down to the floor and
began his exercises.

I tried to hide my embarrassment and it
felt even weirder because of what Sophia had said last night. I
tried to steal a glance at him while he did his routine stretches
and exercises, his strong body began to tense and release as while
puffing and pant while he counted.

“
Do you do that every day?” I asked
him.

“
Yes, every day, got to keep my body in
good shape.” He panted.

“
You look fine to me.” I blurted out
and my face flushed with colour. Crap, crap.

Marcus chuckled to himself.” Oh, you noticed
did you?”

“
Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.” I
quickly said.

Marcus stopped and picked himself up from his
pushups. He pulled his t-shirt off revealing his flat strong
stomach.

I quickly spun around. “Do you really have to
do that?” I asked.

“
What?” he chuckled “I don’t want to
get my shirt sweaty do I?”

“
Oh yeah, I guess you’re
right.”

“
Sorry if I’m embarrassing you.” He
said.

I cleared my throat. “No, no you’re not.”

I decided to leave the hot awkward room, but
Marcus followed behind me. As soon as I opened the door, Sophia
spun on the spot and greeted us with a shocked expression.

“
So what have you
two
been doing then?” Sophia asked.

“
What?” I asked.

“
Well, you come out of a room all hot
and bothered, and Marcus follows with his top off and a sweaty
body?” Sophia’s eyebrows went up and down suggestively.

“
Uh, no, you’ve got it all wrong.” I
tried to say but there was no point.

“
Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep your secret
safe.” she winked.

Marcus walked passed me and headed up the
stairs. “Off for a shower.” He said.

As he ascended the stairs I caught a glimpse
of his strong sweaty back. It was covered with tattooed words that
I could not make out. I tried to get a closer look but he quickly
turned around and I had to drop my gaze.

“
There’s only cold water left.” Sophia
reminded him.

“
That’s fine with me.” He said with a
wink and disappeared off upstairs.

Sophia turned back to me. “Now tell me all
the details.”

“
There’s nothing to tell.” I
mumbled.

“
Liar, I saw the two of you coming out
of that room, and I’m sure I heard some huffing and puffing in
there.”

“
No, there was nothing like that!” I
blurted out.

“
Liar.” laughed Sophia.

“
Oh yeah did you see the writing on
Marcus’s back?” I asked.

“
No not really, I wasn’t looking. Oh,
and I thought you weren’t interested?”

“
I’m not, it just caught my eye.” I
replied.

We were soon interrupted by Rhea and Naaz
entering from the kitchen with faces like stone.

“
Ellie, a moment.” Rhea called me over
to her and I knew this was going to be bad news.

“
I want to speak to you about the
council.” she said.

“
Is it bad?” I asked.

“
No, it’s just the do’s and don’ts.
Don’t speak to them unless spoken to. You will probably want to
voice your opinion, but don’t. Address them as either lord or lady
if spoken to and just let others do the talking, ok?”

I took a moment to think it over. I just had
to remain quiet until they wanted me to speak. Just by thinking
about the council made me very nervous. My stomach knotted tightly
and I thought I was going to throw up. I took a few deep breaths
and tried to steady my nerves.

“
Are you ok, Ellie?”

“
Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” I
lied.

Rhea gave me one last look and joined up with
Sophia. I just stood there thinking of what the council could do to
me. Torture, capture, or even just straight out kill me? I put the
last suggestion to the back of my mind and hoped it would never
come true.

“
Where’s Marcus? We don’t need to keep
them waiting.” asked Naaz.

“
He’s uh, in the shower.” I
said.

“
Well, we haven’t got all day to wait
for him.” She said “Go get him.”

“
But he’s in the shower, he’ll be out
when he’s ready.” I said nervously.

Naaz stared at me and raised one curious
eyebrow. “Good god girl, please tell me you’ve..”

I quickly interrupted her. “No, I haven’t and
if I go up there he’ll think I’m stalking him or something.”

“
Fine, I’ll go.” Naaz said and quickly
walked up the stairs.

Something inside me didn’t want Naaz going
anywhere near Marcus, but I didn’t know why. Was I starting to fall
for him, I didn’t have time for that right now.

Naaz was at the top of the stairs but before
she could enter, Marcus came out towel drying his hair. I breathed
a sigh of relief and blushed just by thinking about him.

Get a grip girl. We’ve got more
important things to do then to fawn over some guy.

“
Right, now that everyone is here, we
can get this over and done with.” Rhea said.

Like many times before we stood in a circle
and I grabbed onto Rhea’s hand, Marcus stood next to me and for
once I would have like to have held his hand.

Focus Ellie.
I told myself again.

We were pulled away from Naaz’s home and
hurtling towards the unknown. I still couldn’t get use to
teleporting, but at least I
didn’t throw up anymore.

We arrived at the front of what looked like a
very large courthouse. Large stone walls covered around the
building with large intimidating metal gate standing proudly at the
front. A large brass knocker had attached itself to gate that took
the shaped of a mocking grin. I turned to Rhea and she gave me an
encouraging smile. The fear inside me built and I tried to hide it
as best as I could.