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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

(Southern Svetyland)

•T–––M–––V–––P–––L•

The moment Elizabeth shut the door behind them, Elbert spun her around to face him. His hands were cold, as cold as ice. She wondered how he wasn’t shivering. But that thought would have to be stalled in the face of the drama that was ongoing now.

“We need to do something,” she said abruptly.

“I don’t think bringing me up like this to your room is going to solve anything,” Elbert said instead.

Elizabeth huffed in response. She didn’t need a class on how to act, especially not in this situation. There were a lot of things that were going off the charts, and she couldn’t understand. But, one thing she knew for a surety was that she was not going to get her mom harmed in any way or form.

“And, giving me this lecture isn’t going to solve anything. You have to understand that what we need is to figure out a way to leave this place,” she said in exasperation.

Elbert gave her space as he moved to the other side of the room. His fingers rubbed his chin slowly like he was trying to understand what to do in this sort of situation.

“You won’t like what I have to say, Elizabeth,” he warned softly.

Elizabeth huffed. “Just say it,” she said tersely.

Elbert's eyes narrowed. No one spoke to him like that. Even his love hadn’t. Maybe she wasn’t her, or… No, he would not suck himself into that line of questioning. Now wasn't the time.

“I would let that tone pass for now. We need to hypnotize them or better still, go through the act of compelling. It works every time,” he said softly.

Elizabeth glared at him. She didn’t know what all that entailed, but she knew it was not good. She also knew it wasn’t the same thing that the Oxford Dictionary spoke on. It was completely different, and not healthy in the least.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” she said as she folded her hands across her middle.

Elbert looked at her closely, taking in her response. “It’s the best way. They would easily let us go, and I would wipe their memories when it was over. It’s perfect that way,” he said with such confidence.

“No! No!” She unclasped her hands as she waved vigorously in front. Her fingers schemed through her hair, making Elbert's head move to the side in arousal. Her singular act was driving him insane without much work.

He moved close to her in seconds. Though, her heart fluttered in her chest. It wasn’t as it was previously. She simply looked at him, his glasses hindering her from seeing the redness of his eyes.

“Relax,” he said calmly.

Elizabeth took shaky breaths in a bid to control her emotions. She closed her eyes momentarily, despite the fear that consumed her. It hurt so much to breathe, but she had to breathe.

“Are you ok now?” He asked calmly.

She gave a slight nod. “I’m ok,” she managed.

“Good. Now, tell me what other idea do you have that is better than the one I had offered?” He asked calmly.

Elizabeth didn’t have any ideas. She was blank. She moved towards the window while Elbert watched her. His senses slowly took in everything in her room. It was so cute, and he could easily do it. Everything he saw was stored in his head.

“I think,” Elizabeth started, as she took a romance novel in her hands. “It would be nice if I act like I’m so in love with you. Mother was looking for me when I was at your place, and she confronted me. I told them I had gone with one of the people I had met over there. It was the perfect excuse at the time. Though, I knew she didn’t believe me. But, you coming here will make it all believable,” she said in a rush.

They could hear her mom threaten to come up if Elizabeth does not come down. It made her panic slightly. They had to decide, but the way Elbert was looking at her. She wasn’t sure that he believed her plan would work.

“Say something,” she pleaded.

Elbert glided to the door, his hand on the knob. “There is nothing to say, Elizabeth. We would go through with your plan, but if it falls through, then, my original idea would get us out of there,” he said simply.

She opened her mouth to argue, but he was already out the door. Damn it! He better not say something that will put them in a fix. Her mother may be a woman, but she was sharper than a sword.

Quickly, she ran down, sidestepping him. Her ankle twisted suddenly on the foot of the steps, and she literally thought she would fall right on her face, but Elbert’s hands pulled her forward. She rested her hands on his chest, while his hands snaked her waist, pinning her to him.

Moments seemed to pass, and time seemed to stall as she looked at his glasses preventing the world from knowing what he was. She imagined that he could pass as her boyfriend. Her mother would not doubt their relationship hopefully.

“Elizabeth, where are your manners?” Her mother’s shrill voice rang out, breaking the moment.

Elbert let her go, and she fell backwards, her heart racing frantically. It was time to put on a good show for her mom. She only hoped that her mother would believe her hook, line and sinker.

“I’m sorry, mother,” she said quietly, turning over to her mother.

The older woman was looking at her in worry. She couldn’t understand why her daughter was acting the way she was. And, worse, who was this young man who wanted her daughter to come with her by all means.

“You’re not sorry. If you were, you wouldn’t bring a stranger into our home to take you to some party.” She snapped, angrily.

Elizabeth, sighed as she walked over to her mom. “Don’t make this more difficult than it is. I’m not a kid anymore, and I’m old enough to make my own decisions. Elbert and I are…” she paused.

“You’re what?” Her mother snapped.

“We are in love. I should have told you this at first instead of beating around the bush, but I wasn’t so sure of how you will take it, mom,” she said softly.

Ms Pott staggered backwards, stunned. Her daughter was having a relationship all this time, and she had zero inkling about it. But, it didn’t make sense.

“Tell me, when did you both meet?” She asked quietly.

Elizabeth looked at Elbert, and he simply nodded, telling her she could go on.

“At the party. I was with him the whole night. That’s how I found out my feelings, and couldn’t think of staying away from him. I begged him to take me home, and…”

“Enough,” her mother said, with her hands projected upwards.

Elizabeth swallowed hard, feeling awful for lying to her mother, but she honestly had no choice. She had to do this.

“Sister,” Ethan said softly. She turned over to him, and a look of disbelief on his face. “I don’t believe a word you’re saying. Tell me, you don’t want to care for this man, right? You’re being threatened,” he said fiercely.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her brother. “Please, brother, no one is making me do anything. I’ve always done what I wanted, and this is what I want,” she slowly moved to Elbert, touching his arm. A zip of electricity shot through her hands, which she quickly masked. “I’m in love with Elbert, and I want to spend my summer with him,” she said softly.

Elbert and her mother exchanged looks. Elizabeth knew that they were finding it difficult to believe her. She didn’t have much time, because Elbert may soon lose his patience. That would not be good for them all.

“What are you thinking of, mom?” She said nervously.

Her mother shook her head vigorously. “None of this makes any sense. You told me that your friend was a girl, then how is it a boy now? You’re lying to me, and I don’t know why,” she said quickly.

“Madam,” Elbert said easily. Elizabeth went stiff, wondering what he was up to. “I honestly understand that you don’t understand what’s going on, but Elizabeth and I love each other. I can’t think of this summer without her, and I had promised to show her life away from home while teaching her what true independence means. Please, accept our request,” he pleaded.

Ms Pott looked at Elbert, to Elizabeth and back at Elbert. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

“My decision still stands,” she said firmly.

Elizabeth gasped, and then, moved quickly to her mother. “If that’s how it would be, then be prepared to lose a daughter. I will never come back to this house if I go with Elbert. But, if you want me to return, then, you would let me go,” she said fiercely.

Her mother stared at her, stunned. Elizabeth never spoke this way. She was a good child, and beyond respectful of the values that her mother held dear. And, here she was, lost in love, because of this man. A man that was too young to take care of a family, not more of Elizabeth.

“You’ve gone mad, sister,” Ethan stated.

Elizabeth turned to face him. “No, I’m not mad. You don’t know what love means. I’m living my best life, and I want nothing less than this.” She said firmly. Ethan scoffed in response. Elizabeth ignored him, and then faced her mother once more. “You’ve always wanted me to be independent, and mingle with my age group. What happened now?" She queried.

Her mother shook her vigorously. “Yes, I wanted that. But, I didn’t want you to lose your sense while at it. Try to understand, I know nothing about this man you brought home. If something goes wrong, where will I go? You can’t imagine how scared I and your brother were. I can’t just leave you like that to go to some summer exhibition,” she cried.

Elizabeth stifled the pain she felt in her heart. She had to do this. She couldn’t afford to grow weak now. It was the time to fall, but to be strong. Her mother had stopped shaking her, and now, she lifted her hands to cup her mom’s cheeks.

“I understand how you may have felt, but think about it. I came back, right? I’m not lost. Now, I’m slowly moving out of my shell, please don’t drag me into it. Or, I’m afraid I might die.” She mumbled. “Die out of heartbreak. I can’t live with Elbert. It’s not possible.” She said firmly.

Behind her, Ethan swore loudly. She knew her brother didn’t believe her, but he had to accept it whether he liked it or not.

“Fine! You can go, but you must come back here after summer,” she warned, making Elizabeth smile.

She pulled her mother into a hug, and then ran up to her room to pack her things. In less than ten minutes, she came down with two suitcases. Ethan and mom were watching her. She knew they believed she might change her decision, and have some sense, but nothing like that was going to happen.

She turned to Elbert who was standing by the door and tried her best to look like she was in love with him. Her smile lit up when he looked at her like she was the only woman in the room. It wasn’t fake, it was the same way he had looked at her when he called her the name she hadn’t been christened with.

She slowly shifted her gaze from him to her family. “Wait in the car, baby,” she said softly.

Elbert grunted. He walked forward and grabbed her bags beside her, his arm lightly brushing her thigh. And, then, he walked out leaving them alone.

Ms Pott was still looking at her with a strange look in her eyes. They all knew that people changed, but didn’t change overnight. There was something wrong, and they didn’t know what that was.

“Mom, don’t brood. I’m closer than you think. I would have so much fun with Elbert and his friends, and before you can blink, I will be back,” she said softly.

Ms Pott sniffed as she walked over to her. She pulled Elizabeth’s hands in hers, slowly touching it like it could be the last time. Elizabeth tried hard not to think those morbid thoughts. It was going to be fine. She was leaving, but hopefully, it won’t be forever.

“No matter what you say, child. I only hope you know what you’re doing. He may not be worth all these,” she said softly.

Elizabeth shook her head, as she retracted her hand from her mother’s. “Mom, don’t start this all over again. I’m leaving. You have to take care of yourself, ok?” She said softly and turned to her brother. “Take care of the mother, Ethan.”

Without listening to the next words they’d utter for fear that she might not leave, and the intricate planning she had done with Elbert would be put to waste, she ran out of the house, and right into Elbert’s car.

Elbert drove them out of the compound and into the main road. Elizabeth tried not to cry, but as they passed through Freya’s home, she knew she had to see her friend again.

“Please, go back a bit. I need to see Freya for the last time,” she said softly.

Elbert said nothing and slowly drove back to the house. He parked at a mango shake, and Elizabeth got out. She walked as quickly as she could, and knocked at the door.

“Freya!” She called out.

There was no response.

“Freya!” She tried once more.

Nothing.

She wondered where her friend had gone. It wasn’t her way to leave home in the mornings. Freya always slept in. Elizabeth knocked once more, and still, there was no response.

She stepped down the porch and walked towards the side of the house. She couldn’t see anyone. She turned her gaze towards the gate, and there she saw the back view of a man, as he had a chat with Freya by the garden.

She walked over to them. “Freya!” She called once more.

The man suddenly moved forward, leaving Freya standing alone, and looking right at Elizabeth. Elizabeth grinned at her friend, oblivious of the fake smile that adorned her face.

“Elizabeth,” Freya said in acknowledgement, as she stepped forward to meet her.

Elizabeth smiled at her friend who was wearing her nighties. “I’ve been calling you for the past ten minutes. You truly are as silly as always,” she teased.

“I’m sorry. I was caught up with something. Did you want something?” She asked stiffly.

Elizabeth gave her one of her looks. “Do I need anything to see my best friend?” She queried.

A nervous laugh. “I was joking,” Freya mumbled.

Elizabeth playfully hit her friend on the arm. “I know. Who was that man?”