Chapter 8

Queen Miranda could not believe it. Her daughter had run away. She felt like she was going to go insane with grief and worry just like that night. The night her

world ended for the first time. She had collapsed on Sofia's bed when they first discovered her missing and then when she looked to the window, her heart

sank. There was the drawing Sofia had made of them happily back when they lived in the village. The sight of this made her cry even more. "Your majesty we

have searched all over the castle grounds. There is no sign of her. She must have snuck out before we put the castle on lockdown." Lyra gasped. "Oh mom. I

am so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have come back… I" Miranda looked up at her daughter and touched her face gently. "No sweetie don't ever say

things like that again. I'm glad you came back to me." Lyra's heart melted for a moment before she realized something in horror. "Mom what if she gets

kidnapped? By our biological father?" Roland panicked at this remembering all of what Lyra went through. "Have the guards search the whole kingdom. I want

my youngest daughter brought home safely." "I'm going too." "Lyra no ple…" "Mom it's my fault my little sister did this. I have to. I have to protect her from

that man. If he kept me locked up for years just to hurt you, imagine what would happen to Sofia. I have to find her and bring her home, Mom. I will find her. I

promise." Sofia had no clue where she was going to stay the night. She figured she could go to her old home but there was nothing there and she needed to

stay somewhere for several days. Sofia felt a little bad for leaving her mom like that but she couldn't help it. She felt so betrayed. She was walking around

aimlessly when she bumped into someone. "Oh I'm sor…" "Sofia what are you doing out so late?" Sofia found that she had bumped into Ruby's mom. "Umm…

Would it be alright if I stayed with you and Ruby for a few days?" "Oh sweetie you know you don't have to ask. As it so happens Jade is spending a few days

over too." Sofia was extremely happy that both her best friends were there and she needed desperately to talk to them and gets some things off her chest.

"Come on honey. It's pretty dark out." "Ok." She followed to her best friend's house. "Jade? Ruby?" "Sofia?!" Both her friends were both happy and surprised

that Sofia was there but took her upstairs to Ruby's room. "Sofia we are so happy you to see you, but what are you doing here? You never come out this

late." "Oh girls, I ran away." "What?!" She knew her friends would react like this but she had to tell them. Jade was the first to calm down and began to try to

get to the root of the problem. "Okay, Sofia. Tell us what happened." Sofia sighed and began her story. "I found out mom has another daughter. Her name is

Lyra. I know mom loves her more than me because she and dad want to immediately make her part of the family." "Sofia you're not making any sense. Your

mom loves you no matter what." "Apparently, James managed to hear that Lyra was kidnapped by someone long time ago. I don't know by whom, but all I

know is that I only have one older sister. Her name is Amber. I don't know…" Ruby's mom comes in and lets out a small gasp. "Did you say Lyra is back?" "You

know her?" Sofia was surprised at this. "I've known your mom for many years. She, myself, and Jade's mom were all childhood friends. We were always

together when one day Miranda met a young man named Eric." She sighed. "They dated for a while then one night during a celebration Eric got drunk. He hurt

your mom and she ended up pregnant with Lyra. He swore he didn't know what happened to him when he became sober and decided to stay by her side to

raise the child. They never got married but raised Lyra for fourteen years when it happened again. Eric hurt Miranda and she ended up pregnant again. He was

furious and demanded that she end the pregnancy. Your mother refused and he stormed out of the house leaving your mother and Lyra terrified. Two days

later during the night while they slept Eric broke into the house and kidnapped Lyra. Your mother begged and pleaded for him not to take her and was forced

to hear her screams into the night. She searched for months until she had to lay in bed for she was about to give birth. The baby she gave birth to was you,

Sofia. That man that hurt your mother so was your real father." Sofia felt tears running down her face. She had no clue to any of this. "I have to get home."

"No, Sofia. I can't let you out at night. Tomorrow I will take you home to the castle myse…" A crash was heard downstairs and before anyone knew it standing

before them was a ghost from the past. A loud gasp escaped Ruby's mom's lips. "Eric…" was the last this Ruby's mom said before she saw nothing but

darkness. He kidnapped all three girls hoping to make some money and get revenge on the woman he hated most, Miranda.