Young Writers Society

Ariana

The demon grabs my neck and starts throwing me down the cave. I knew that the extend of my injuries wouldn't allow me to move myself, but I couldn't force myself to be grateful to his "assistance".

He threw me around a corner straight into Riley, his arms came around me as he realized who I was.

"Fly!" I said.

"I can't see," he protested.

"I'll be your eyes."

Riley-

Picking up Ariana, i yell, "Which way?"

She hesitates for a moment. "Right!"

I spin around and start off in the direction Ariana indicated.

"Let me know when i need to change directions!" i tell her while running at top speed, using my wings to help us along. I could feel the wing rushing againt my face.

"We're almost out. Veer slightly left...now!"

I changed direction slightly and suddenly felt a warm burst of sunlight hit my face, though my vision was still black. I lifted up into the air, as high as i dared to go.

"Did we lose him?" i ask

Ariana

I look down behind us, "for now." Then the gut wrenching fear shows up. He's going to come find me. I thought, He's going to come get us!

You betcha.

Please just let me go!

No, you are mine Ariana, and I won't let you go.

"Ariana?" Riley's voice asks, "where are we?"

"I see the tower coming up in site, and Isabella is directly below, drop down."

We start to go down.

Riley-

"Let me know when we're about thirty feet above the tree line." i warn. "Or else we'll be in for a rough landing."

I feel her nod. After a moment, she says, "Thirty feet above the tree line."

I pull up hard, spreading my wings. Our descent slows.

"How far from the ground?" i ask quietly.

"About ten feet."

After a second my feet touch the ground. I let go of Ariana before i tumble to the ground, doing a somersault before coming to a stop, lying on my back. I get to my feet slowly and wait for Ariana to rejoin me as i hear Isabella and Trent's startled exclaims.

Ariana

I quickly walk back over to Riley and worm my arm around his waist, his finds mine.

"Where'd you guys come from?" Trent asks.

I point up.

"You guys just fell out of the sky?" Isabella clarifies.

"And back that way a bit," Riley says not pointing any direction.

I silently tell Isabella and Trent what happened to Riley, the demon made him blind, I don't know why but saying it out loud seemed impossible.

"We need to get back to the tower before he comes back," I say.

I'm already here love, His voice rings in my ears, I'm right beside you.

I casually glance to both my sides, but he is not there. Only Riley, and I knew that the demon wasn't pretending to be Riley, I'd know him anywhere.

Riley-

I nod. "Yes, please lets get back to the tower."

Ariana guides me through the woods as we near the tower. Her hands are sweaty and i can feel her head turning in each direction, making sure he isn't following.

After a moment i hear Ariana and Isabella gasp.

"What?" i ask, reaching for my sword only to find it wasn't there. I feel a restraining hand on my arm.

"It's alright, it's just my uncle and Natan."

"Natan?" the name startles me. "I thought he had bee affected."

"I am healed." came the smooth voice. "Though now it seems to be you who needs healing."

As Ariana explains what happened i cast my head from side to side, trying to stretch out my senses, trying to detect whether or not he was getting close. I felt nothing, though nervousness clenched at my guts.

"We should get back to the tower," i say quietly. "Something doesn't feel right."

Ariana

"He is here," I whisper against him, "I don't know where, but here."

His arms tighten around me. "I'm not going to lose you," he promises.

I continue to lead him along the path, "Uncle Nat," I ask worriedly, "how long will it be before we return to the tower?"

"Not too long, and then I'll want an explination to say to your parents."

I cringe, damn.

Riley-

We reach the tower after a few more minutes of walking. Ariana helps me through the maze or corridors until we reach our room. I hear the door shut behind us, but feel that there is more people in this room than were traveling with us.

"Who else is here?" i ask.

"Everyone else. They've been healed." Ariana responds.

"Now, Ariana, what is your excuse for me to tell your parents? And why did you go running off to that demon again, after what he did to you those years ago?" Nathaniel's voice asks from a few feet away.

I squeeze Ariana's hand in reassurance.

Ariana

I look down at my hands, I don't know why saying this outloud petrifies me so, "h-h-he said that if I didn't come willingly, he'd kill all you." Sobs threaten to cut off my breath and every one feels like a knife stabbing me in the chest, something wasn't right there. But I ignored it, focusing more on what I was saying.

"What do you mean?" Uncle Nathan said.

"If I didn't go to him, he'd come get me, and everyone else. Making us all suffer because I was too afraid to face my fears myself." Then forcing myself to say the words aloud I say, "he does own me actually, he paid for me..." I couldn't breathe.

Natan-

I snorted. "Ariana, you don't actually believe that do you?" i ask. "Because first off, you have to be up for sale to be able to be sold. He just wasted his money.

She looks up at me. "But..."

I shake my head as Riley lays a hand on her shoulder.

"He doesn't own you, Ariana," he says quietly. "And if he does come here, to the tower, he will be killed. By the mages or myself, i don't care."

Ariana

I felt slight relief wash over me, but I still found it hard to breathe. Why was he doing this to me? What was so special about me?

"But," I sobbed, I didn't know why I was continuing to argue with his side, but I couldn't stop it, "that woman said I was up for sale." I close my eyes and lower my head. Riley must have sensed it because he crushed me against him and held me close.

Riley-

"Ariana, you were never up for sale and never will be. A human being cannot be sold, no matter what or who they are and despite what anyone else thinks."

She nodded against me softly, even as tears continued to run down her cheeks.

Suddenly a loud bang shakes the tower. I hear Nathaniel and Natan curse.

"He's here," Ariana whispers against my chest, beginning to sob again. "He'll kill you all!"

"No he won't. It will be he who dies today." i tell her. Then taking her hand, i lead her to where i thought the door was. "I won't let him take you, Ariana. I promise."

Ariana

"I wouldn't trust her out there," Nat said, "she's got too much of her mother in her, as soon as she's able she'll go back and try to save us all."

I didn't like the sound of that. "Uncle Nat," I pleaded. But my plea was short lived. He grabbed my other arm and away from Riley. He hearded me towards a different door. It opened and he shoved me through and shut the door.

The bastard locked me in a closet!

"Uncle Nathan!" I shouted and banged against the door, he also used a magical lock.

Nathaniel-

I turned around and looked to Riley, who was regarding me in confusion.

"What did you do." he asks.

"I locked her in a room so that she can't hand herself over to the demon again. Precautions."

Riley nodded slowly. "Can you heal my sight, though?"

I frowned and stepped closer to him, putting my hand under his chin and raising his head so i could see his eyes clearly.

"I'm sorry, but no. Your blindness is magical and a spell i do not recognize."

I did not add that only one eye was magically blinded. The other was permanently damaged, and mages cannot cure blindness or those who are or become deaf.

Allowing the young avian to take my arm, i led him down the stairs and closer to the battle. Max, Isabella, Trent, Davnix, and the others were already there, save for Natan who followed close at our heels.