Chapter Nineteen

The entire group of friends is reunited once again however their peace doesn't last long when they find Twilight waiting for them...

    “Ah, what happened?” Rose groaned after awakening in a strange room. She moved her arms but found that her wrists were shackled to the wall. She gasped frantically pulling at the chains. She heard a quiet laugh come from the left side of the room. Her eyes shot over to that direction and saw a man leaning against the wall watching her. “W-who are you?” She asked, pulling at the chains once more.

    Rose could see the man push away from the wall, his arms folded over his chest. “The name’s Gage.” He said as he came closer to her.

    “What’s going on? Why did that woman bring me here?” She questioned, feeling heart racing within her chest.

    He stopped before her, placing his hands flat up against the wall on either side of her. “Are you scared?” He asked, ignoring her question.

    Rose’s breath began to quicken. She turned her head, avoiding his eyes. Gage placed his hand on the side of her face and turned her face back to his. Tears began to form in her eyes as fear began to take over. “Please.” She began in a weak tone. “Please, let me go.”

    Gage let out a little laugh. “Now if I did that, what would Caleb have to say about that?” He smiled. “Besides, I need you here in order to get your friend.”

    “Friend?” Rose asked, noting he only meant one.

    “Yes, well, it seems we have a traitor in our midst. We don’t know who as of yet.”

 

     Does he mean Katrina?  She looked to the floor thinking hard.

    Gage cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her face back up to his. “But enough about that.” He said leaning in closer. Rose pushed herself away from him but to no prevail as she pressed herself against the wall. Gage let out a laugh. “Where do you think you are going to go?” He questioned in amazement. “You can’t go through the wall.”

    “Please, stop.” Rose said through tears as he leaned in closer. “Please…” she said once more then he kissed her.

    “Get away from her!” A voice sounded as Rose’s eyes popped open in time to see Gage being pulled away. He stumbled back a few feet.

    Rose looked to her rescuer and gasped. “Drake!”

    Drake looked back to Rose, then Gage. “Don’t you have anything else to do than torture poor girls?”

    Gage smiled as he looked back to Rose. “My objective was to catch you in the act.” He turned back to Drake and came towards him, stopping at his side. “Caleb thought you could be the traitor, but wanted proof before he had you killed.”

    “But you haven’t proved anything.” Drake said in a sly tone of voice.

    Rose looked to the two men before her frantically. Oh, god…I’m never going to get out of here!

    “So, you’re telling me, you don’t care what becomes of this girl?” Gage asked then quickly drew his dagger, placing its tip to her throat. Rose let out a whimper as the cold metal touched her throat.

    “I don’t think you have the guts to kill her.” Drake said.

    “Really now?” Gage asked. Facing Rose he pressed the blade tighter against her skin. “It would be a shame for me to kill her.” He looked back to Drake. “But if you insist.”

    “No please.” Rose pleaded as she looked into Gage’s eyes.

    There was a short pause where Gage did nothing but watch her. Drake then came up from behind him and grabbed a hold of his arm with the dagger, pulling him away from Rose. They both fought for the dagger when Drake put his leg out behind Gage knocking him to the ground, the dagger falling to Gage’s side.

    Gage grabbed the dagger, quickly getting to his feet and swiped at Drake. Drake jumped back as Gage took another swing at him. Drake grabbed a hold of his arm, twisting it painfully causing him to drop the dagger. Drake caught the dagger with his free hand before it could hit the floor and as Gage attacked him again, he brought the dagger up, stabbing him in the chest.

    Drake let the dagger fall as he watched Gage stumble down to the floor. After a moment, Drake walked over toward him, and rolled Gage to his back. He pulled a key out from his pocket then stood to his feet facing Rose.

    Rose stared at him wide eyed as he came towards her. “Are you alright?” He asked as he unlocked the shackles. Once she was free, she quickly moved away from him. Drake let the key fall to the floor. “Hey Rose-” he began placing a hand to her shoulder.

    “No, don’t!” She cried backing away from him, frantically looking around the room.

    “Rose. Rose, it’s me Drake.”

    She looked up to him. “How can I be sure?” She questioned fearfully as she looked to the ground at Gage. “I went to Katrina when she needed me…and it turned out to be that crazy woman! How can I be sure you’re who you claim to be?”

    “Because I came here to get you out of here-”

    “But you killed a man!” She shrieked. “The Drake I know wouldn’t kill anyone!”

    “He wasn’t going to just let us go Rose, you know that.” Drake said, keeping a calm tone. “I had to do what I did so I can get you out of here.”

    “No, don’t say that.” She said raising her hands to her face. “Don’t tell me you killed him for me!”

    Drake watched her for a long moment, choosing his words carefully. “Rose.” She looked to him, her tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “I can’t tell you that I regret what I did, because I don’t. You and the others mean too much to me to loose you. Especially when I can do something about it.”

    “But-”

    “No, Rose. I did what I did to protect you. And I would do it again in a heartbeat if need be.” He reached his hand out to her. “I would do it for Jade, Asha…Tygra…I won’t let anyone of us be taken away again.” Rose looked down to his hand, wiping her tears free from her face. She carefully raised her right hand, placing it within his. He smiled as she looked up to him. “Come on. We have to get back to the others.”

 

 

    The three girls walked aimlessly through the castle, not knowing in what direction they should really go. Eventually, they came across a set of double door which were embellished in deep blood red gems and golden trims. Each girl looked to one another before Jade placed her hands onto the two handles.

    She turned back to look at Tygra and Asha. "Unless you have some sort of objection?"

    Asha sighed in frustration. "How many times are you going to ask us that? Just open the damn door!"

    Tygra giggled slightly. She knew why Jade had been asking the two of them if they had any objections at every single door they had come across. It was because she knew it would eventually get to Asha and keep Tygra laughing. This way, their minds wouldn't be set on the worst case scenarios of the 'what ifs' of finding their friends.

    Jade turned back to the doors. "Alright, if you say so."

    Asha groaned angrily as Jade pulled open the two doors. Asha took a few steps forward, stopping just within the entrance. "Oh wow."

    This room was thought rather highly of by their enemies, they could tell. It was well taken care of with its dark oak floors and flawlessly etched walls of some more symbols the girls have come across on their journey. Set in the back of the room on a platform was a throne, lined in gold trimming and set with blood red cushions. They must have stumbled upon the room of the Dark Lord Caleb…however the Dark Lord seemed to be absent at the moment.

    “There you are!” A voice called from behind. The girls turned back towards the hallway, not quite sure what to expect when they saw Rose and Drake walking towards them. “God! You don’t know how glad I am to see you guys!” Rose cried running up to them.

    “Nice to have you back.” Jade said relieved as Rose hugged her.

    Once Tygra saw Drake, she ran to him, wrapping her arms around him, giving him a long hug. “I’m so glad that you’re alright.” She whispered.

    “Tygra I-”

    She pulled back shaking her head. “No, don’t worry about it.” She turned looking to the rest of the group, her gaze stopping at Jade. “We’re finally back together.”

    Jade came towards her and Drake, a blank expression set upon her features as she stopped before Drake, smacking him hard across the face.

    “Jade!” Tygra exclaimed, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

    Drake placed his hand to his face, rubbing where she had hit him. He looked down at her in confusion and anger. “What did you do that for?”

    She then took a step towards him, wrapping her arms around him in an embracing hug. “You had me so damn worried.” there was a small silence as the rest of the girls watched Drake wrap his arms around Jade for a moment when she pushed him away, causing him to stumble back a little. “If you have me worry about you like that again,” she began, wiping her eyes free of fresh tears, “I’ll have to kill you.” She turned to Rose. “The same goes for you.”

    “Oh, such a touching scene. Really.”

    The group turned to the back of the room where the throne was set. There was now somebody sitting within the throne; Twilight.