TWENTY: DAPHNE

“Avery, you’re safe okay” she assured, “Here” She handed me her gold key.

“You can hold onto it, until we return safely," she said and I nodded and without thinking, I took a deep breath and jumped inside. Not long after Ember jumped inside too, closing the door and we were met with total darkness.

“Hold on” I heard Ember moving but couldn’t see her, suddenly the place was illuminated as fire spewed from her mouth until a torch lit where we were.

The place looked like some medieval dungeon.

We walked down and saw different metal doors where we couldn’t even see who was inside.

Ember touched each door closing her eyes and stopped at one.

She opened her eyes and turned to me, “She’s here”

I made my way to the door where Ember was and slotted in her golden key and sure enough the key opened the door.

Ember held the torch at the door and I entered, I found a figure crouched down on the dirty ground and noticing the lights and footsteps, she looked up.

A frown marred my face as I took in the sight.

“A...Avery?” Daphne whispered, squinting her eyes.

“Daphne” I rushed to her side and pulled her into a hug and she winced, making me pull backwards.

“I’m sorry” I said and noticed her eyes were golden, no longer ice blue and her slits were dilated.

She had suddenly slimmed down and had bags under her eyes.

“What did they do to you?” I asked about taking in her form and then noticed the bruises on her body which made tears reach my eyes.

“Just a little starvation” her voice came out cracked, also her lips were badly chapped.

“I’m sorry Daphne, this is my fault” I sighed, holding back the tears.

“What are you doing here, if the headmistress catches you this time, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill you” Daphne warned, making me freeze.

“How are you even here?” She asked, finally raising her eyes to meet the eyes of Ember behind me.

“You!” Daphne screamed and suddenly stood up and rushed then pounced on Ember taking her down to the ground making her drop the torch.

“Daphne!” I shouted, while Daphne’s cracked voice screamed as she choked Ember hard and suddenly Daphne’s muscles began to grow bigger and Ember began to turn red but nevertheless, she still smiled.

“Daphne please!” I begged but her eyes were fixated on Ember and she looked like she wanted to kill her. The veins on Ember’s head became obvious and I screamed trying to pull Daphne off her.

Suddenly with such majestic ease, Ember bent Daphne’s hand who screamed, forced the siren off her and pinned her to the ground, bending her hand behind her causing her to cry out.

“That’s enough punishment don’t you think?” Ember asked in between coughs as she tried to catch her breath.

“No, never!” Daphne screamed. “Even death is not enough for you” She seethed and Ember’s creepy smile reduced.

“I’m truly sorry for what happened” Ember said in a low tone.

“Get off me!” Daphne screamed and her eyes held tears.

“I’m sorry,” Ember repeated.

“Avery we have to go” She turned to me.

“You fool, what are you doing with the most dangerous person in this school?” Daphne shouted at me, before I could reply, Ember hit her neck causing Daphne to fall unconscious.

“She’ll be fine, we need to leave” Ember told me and I nodded.

She rested Daphne against the wall and we locked the door and quickly left the place.

“We still have thirty minutes before dinner is over, we have to hurry” Ember said and I nodded following her.

For some reason I felt like someone was watching me but I looked round and found nothing, so I ignored it and followed Ember.

We were close to the dining hall when we saw the headmistress standing in front of the door. She looked at her wrist watch then up at us with a smile and I felt blood drain from my body.

“Very interesting combination I must say, the princess and well” she looked me up and down smile intact “a dhampir,”

“Where are you people coming from, you’ve almost missed dinner?” She asked.

“But we’re here now headmistress and you’re obstructing us” Ember said rather rudely and the headmistress turned her eyes to Ember without moving her head.

“Of course my princess, please go in” The headmistress moved away from the door for us to enter and Ember entered, just as I was about to follow suit, she grabbed my hand.

“It’s only a matter of time Avery, don’t make me push the clock” Then she let go of me and walked away. I stopped midway of entering the dining room and began hyperventilating. I grabbed my chest as I felt pain.

I looked around, my head felt dizzy, I see Ember smiling at me as she makes her order,

I take a step forward but my knees suddenly grow weak and I’m about to fall when a hand reaches out to catch me.

“Thank you” I mutter trying to calm my breathing, and my dizzy eyes look up to see who caught me

“R...Raphael” I muttered and he suddenly scooped me up in his arms