The Silent One: Cursed Daughter (Book 1)

Hope

(Tate's POV)

I knew this would happen. As soon as she knew what Alice was, her whole demeanor changed. She isn't taking this lightly at all. There's something about banshees that she just couldn't get past. The grudge she has towards them is unlike anything.

She argued with me, mostly because I broke one of her roles. The role I broke is that I'm not supposed to bring visitors into her domain, whether they're humans or not. Especially without her knowing if they're safe to have around.

"What were you thinking?" my grandma asked me while shaking her head.

Before I could even mutter a single word, she continued to lecture me.

"She could kill us both, if she decides to use her deadly screams," she said while placing her hands on her hips.

"I know you have something against her kind, but that doesn't mean she is bad," I tried to plead with he. "Just hear me out. Her friend was taken by those men, the same men that attacked me. Please will you just help us find her?"

"You've got to give me one damn reason, Tate, and it better be a good one," my gram said while narrowing her eyes at me.

I watched, as her eyes quickly glanced over at Alice, then back at me. If only she could see Alice the way I do. Maybe then she would understand. My grandmother has always been a stubborn woman. I needed to find a way to get through to her.

"She's different, I can feel it. There's something about her that I can't quite wrap my head around. I think I might even like her," I said nervously as I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I should have just homeschooled you," she began by saying.

"I actually like this school, and Alice and Anna are sweet girls. If you give them a chance, you just might like them too," I said sincerely.

"Oh really? Because I received a call from your principal earlier," she stated.

"So what? I put a girl in her place for being a bully," I said unapologetically.

"Let me guess. Alice was the reason behind it?" My grandma asked me.

"That is beside the point. All I'm asking is for you to help her find her friend," I replied.

"Don't you see? The reason you were attacked was because you were with her. You stood in the way of what they wanted. They could come after anyone around her," My grandmother explained as her voice grew louder.

She pulled me into the kitchen, where she began searching through the bottom drawer of her China cabinet. After she finds what she is looking for, she places it on the dining room table in the corner of the kitchen. While she browses her grimoire, which is an ancient book that contains spells and lists of ingredients for potions, I watch her flip through the pages. In the back of the book are descriptive characteristics about creatures and other beings. She basically knew everything there was to know about each one.

"Right here, it says banshees are a rare species. Very few of them exist, because they are either born that way, or they have the curse passed onto them through a blood bond." She explained.

"So, how does that make Alice a threat?" I asked.

"Many beings would use them as slaves, guards, and killing machines, during the dark ages when humans and creatures were at war. Most creatures were hunted down by bounty hunters at the time. The ones that didn't die chose to hide, until the world had forgotten them," she further explained.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with Alice," I said.

"The world may have forgotten, but hunters still exist. When they get the slightest scent of a creature, they will stop at nothing to eliminate them," she said angrily.

"Anna is human, and the people who took her are not. These aren't hunters," I argued.

"It doesn't matter. I've been able to lay low for this long, and you bringing her here is putting us both in danger. I can't let you help her. End of discussion," she said before slamming the grimoire shut.

I know she is just trying to protect me, but I'm not the one who needs to be protected. All I want to do is protect Alice and help her save Anna. My grandmother was being ridiculous and overreacting to this whole situation. This wouldn't stop me from helping her. I don't know why I am so drawn to her, but I am.

"If you refuse to help us that's fine. We'll find another way. I'm not letting her do this on her own. I'll do this with or without your help," I said as I turned away from her.

Just as I'm about to enter the living room, I hear the front door close.

" Great! She left," I said before chasing after her.

I quickly opened the door and ran down the stairs after her. She was almost at the library entrance when I grabbed her arm.

"Let me go, Tate. If you can't help me, that's fine. I don't care, but I don't have time to waste," she said.

Her face suddenly became puffy and tears formed in her eyes. I tried to pull her close to me, but she held her hands out between us. She shook her head, as a single tear slid down her red cheek. I never took my eyes off her.

"I can't stop thinking about Anna. Who knows what they are doing to her? She could already be dead for all I know," she said as she looked away.

"She is still alive. My grandmother told me that they were more than likely after you," I assured her.

"I already knew that, Tate," she replied.

"They're simply using Anna as bait, or perhaps they mistakenly identified her as you," I said while lifting her head up.

"We'll find her, don't worry."

"How? I don't even know who or what took her. I'm in the dark with no leads or clues to help me find her," she said.

"You just have to have hope, but you also need to let me help you," I said while looking into her eyes.

"Tate, I-," she said before I cut her off.

"We will find a way," I said as I held onto both of her arms.

Just then I heard someone clear their throat behind us. We both turned around, only to see that my grandmother had joined us in the library. Her arms were crossed, but her face showed a different expression.

"I see my grandson has taken a liking to you. He cares deeply for you," she says hesitantly.

"I really do," I said, chiming in with a sincere smile.

"I've decided that I will help you find Anna. Come on upstairs," she said as she turned around.

Alice looked at me with confusion. It was as if she was shocked that my grandmother had changed her mind. Though even I am shocked at her sudden change of heart.

"I told you. All you need is hope," I said before pulling her along behind me.