Ch. 13

As we walked on, leaves crunching beneath our feet, hands intertwined together, the sounds of the battle began to dim. The leaves on the trees stayed still, not wanting to give away if Mrs. Bethany had kept going this way. I squeezed Lucas' hand and he stopped. I looked at him and was about to ask what was wrong when he put his finger to his lips, signaling for me to be quiet.

"Don't talk too loud, I think she's up ahead," he whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

I nodded quickly as he let go of my hand. We began tip toeing our way towards…somewhere. Lucas brushed some bushes and thickets out of our way and stepped over a log. He gestured for me to follow. I stepped over the log and took his outstretched hand. We hid behind a large oak tree and peered on either side.

Mrs. Bethany was standing in the centre of my view, clutching my necklace on her throat. She bit her lip every once in a while. I looked over at Lucas. His eyebrows mashed together. I mouthed him the words 'what's she doing'?

He shrugged his shoulders and looked back. Mrs. Bethany looked around the forest…in search of someone? Who the else in the world would be friends with her? (Besides my parents.)

I crept over to Lucas and grabbed his arm he looked at me and back at Mrs. Bethany. We needed to end this. We'd always be running away instead of running to. It would always be because of Mrs. Bethany. I nodded to him and I could tell he was thinking of If to bring me with him to end this or tell me to wait here.

It seemed as If he would take forever to answer. Fine, I'll do it for you. I slid my hand down to his and gripped it tightly. With that being done, I pushed the branches and leaves in our way and hoped I was making the right decision. Mrs. Bethany had our back towards us so we might have the slight chance of catching her by surprise. I checked myself for any weapons-wow I didn't know I could be so-so vicious-was disappointed to find none.

Lucas pulled out a wooden stake from his belt and gripped his firmly in his free hand. Wood, that's good enough. We couldn't really kill her yet. But we'd get some time to figure out what to do with her once we called Black Cross.

Lucas let go of my hand and gestured for me to stay a safe distance away from her and him as well. I started to shake with fear, not wanting Lucas to leave my side. He was nowhere close to Mrs. Bethany when she chuckled and turned around. Lucas froze and backed a few steps away. A few steps too far away from me too.

"You thought I couldn't hear you coming?" She said with a pathetic smile on her face, one I just felt like slapping off right now.

"It was worth a try though," He replied, dropping the stake. My eyebrows furrowed together. What was he doing? I thought we were supposed to- No he couldn't surrender!

"Lucas, do you honestly think you can put an end to me?" She said taking a step forward. Lucas took a step back and stretched his arm towards me. I took his hand as he pulled me close to his side. He held me tightly, making sure I wouldn't bolt and try to finish the job myself.

And trust me, I would.

"Bianca, my dear, what about your parents? Are you just going to leave them?" She purred at me.

"Who said I was leaving?" I retorted.

"I didn't mean leave in that…"

Twigs snapped and Lucas and I whipped our heads around. Mrs. Bethany didn't bother to look at all. I looked back to see her smiling her infamous smile-knowing she planned everything.

Lucas stepped in front of me, taking head on whatever was coming. The leaves swayed one after the other, trailing their path.

My breathing started to speed up, in unison with my heartbeat. Lucas stayed focus, looking at the spot they were going to enter. Mrs. Bethany clasped her hand behind her back and cocked her head to the side.

A few seconds later, out appeared Adrian and Celia-my parents. Lucas tensed and I felt my body sag. My mother's face reflected no expression, mirroring my father's.

She held a crumpled piece of paper and looked at me. Tears built up in her eyes as she looked towards the sky, smoothing out the piece of parchment. I let out a small yelp as I realized it was the letter I wrote.

My father took my mother's hand and led her to Mrs. Bethany. He stood by her side, resembling someone second in command.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"How could you do this to us?" My mother whispered. I looked at her confusingly.

"What are you talking about…"

"Don't lie anymore, Bianca," My dad started. "You made us think you were dead! You twisted your fate with Black Cross. You were going to run away. You were going to kill us again, Bianca. We love you so much. Just come back. Let's live together, the way we're supposed to…" My dad finished his sentence fading.

"Get away from Mrs. Bethany," Lucas started. "She's nothing but a lie. She's going to kill you!"

"That's pretty big coming from someone who started all this," my father snarled.

"WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE US?!" I shrieked at my parents.

My mother's tears fell across her cheeks as she buried her face in my father's shoulder. My body threatened to do the same but I refused. "Dad, believe me. I'm your daughter! She's nothing to you!" I pointed at Mrs. Bethany.

"BECAUSE SHE SEES RIGHT IN THIS WORLD!" My dad roared. My mother cringed against him. I don't think I've ever heard him yell at me like this before.

"How could you side by her? You know I'm right. You know she's going to kill you!" I said. I let out another sob and Lucas pulled me tighter.

"Bianca, just let this end…"Mrs. Bethany started saying. My father put a hand to her, signaling her to stop. Mrs. Bethany's face contorted with rage before she set it back to expressionless.

Clearly, there was nothing left to do. Their minds were set. I shook my head and asked the question that's been dying to be spoken by my mind, "What are you going to do, kill me?"

My parents were taken back. They looked at one another. Apparently they hadn't thought of what was going to happen if I refused to go back to them. They had probably hoped that I would leave Lucas and Black Cross and return with them. I'm sorry, but how could they be so naïve. I loved Lucas, couldn't they just open their eyes and actually see that?

"We would never do anything to hurt you, Bianca." My mother said with more tears. I sighed and bit my lip.

"Then why don't you believe me?"

I could see my father and mother replay the question again in their heads. Why were we doing this? I could picture them asking that one simple question to themselves. I saw a change of heart in both their eyes and smiled.

Lucas relaxed his grip on me and looked at me. He glared at Mrs. Bethany who was now turning beat red.

"Adrian, you vowed your loyalty to me and only me! Walk away, and I promise you an eternity of darkness." She shrieked at him.

My father took my mother by the hand and started to walk away from Mrs. Bethany.

"Lucas, we have to help them!" I whispered frantically. He nodded and took out a knife hidden in his belt. Without hesitation, he ran forward and pointed the sharp tool at Mrs. Bethany.

Lucas stepped between my parents and Mrs. Bethany, covering her view from them. My parents looked at me and smiled. My mother mouthed we love you and fled from the clearing. They disappeared into the security of the forest. Mrs. Bethany's face filled with sheer rage as she tried to bolt after them.

"Don't even try," Lucas spat through clenched teeth. Mrs. Bethany stopped dead in her tracks and realized that Lucas would 'kill' her if she made one more move. She started circling him, trying to find an opportunity to do the same.

I looked around for any weapon that could go against her. My eyes searched the ground for anything; a rock, branch…or the wooden stake!

The weapon caught my eye. It was out of my reach. I signaled Lucas with my eyes once Bethany's back was turned that I would use the stake. He nodded minutely and glared back at Mrs. Bethany. Lucas stalled by talking to her.

"So you want me dead, eh?" He sneered.

"Of course not, why would I want you dead?" She added sarcastically.

Lucas rolled his eyes and urged me to go faster. I reached the stake and began to stalk Bethany. My heart beat faster and my palms began to get sweaty. I gripped the stake harder. Come on, Bianca you can do this. Just make it hard and fast.

I reached Mrs. Bethany at striking distance and raised the stake. I guess she was too busy with Lucas to notice that she was going to 'die' in about three seconds.

I made my arm swing down as hard as it could.

It was caught in mid-air by a paler arm. My heart raced as I realized it wasn't Mrs. Bethany's.

My head mechanically turned to face the intruder. I nearly doubled over as I realized who it was.

"Hello, Bianca. Did you miss me?" Charity purred.

My teeth started to chatter. It was Charity, Balthazar's crazy little sister. Lucas couldn't believe his eyes either. Mrs. Bethany seized the opportunity and grabbed him by the neck. I yelped and leaped forward. Charity caught both my arms and pinned them behind my back.

"Let go of him!" I screeched. Mrs. Bethany grinned and tightened her grip. Lucas started clawing at her arms, trying to get some air.

I stopped flailing my arms. It was on use. If I tried to fight, Bethany would kill him.

"You're on her side," I said to Charity flatly. "I thought you hated the hag?"

Charity sighed. "I did, but you see, once I found out that Mrs. Bethany here would someday get control…well I might as well join her clan. I mean I do have something in return." She looked at Bethany with glazed eyes.

Mrs. Bethany returned the stare with triumphant ones. I couldn't believe this. Everything I thought to be impossible was suddenly…possible.

Mrs. Bethany let go of Lucas and he crashed to the floor, coughing and gasping for air. I sobbed and let the tears finally fall down. Bethany kicked his side and he howled in pain. I jerked like she hit me.

He landed on his back, looking straight at me. He mouthed something I couldn't understand before Mrs. Bethany came and took the knife out of his hands.

"Charity make sure, you don't let go of her." Mrs. Bethany stated.

"But why…"

"Just do it."

Charity gripped tighter on my arms. I couldn't care less of the pain shooting up them. Lucas, Lucas, I love you…I hadn't realized I'd been saying them out loud as well.

"Do you have anything else or should I say, anything last to say to him, Bianca?" Mrs. Bethany cooed at me. She was enjoying my pain. I gave her the nastiest glare I could do.

"I love you, Lucas. I love you. I truly, honestly do." I whispered.

"Don't-sa-say-i-i-it li-lik-like you-you're-sa-say-saying good-goodbye," He stuttered. He squinted his eyes and tried to keep them open.

"This is really romantic," Bethany cut in. "But your time is up, my dear."

Mrs. Bethany raised her arm over Lucas chest. I froze and let a single tear fall onto my cheek. I let out a heartbreaking wail as she brought her arm down, crushing my world.

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