As the first sign of light glowed off the walls, Eileen was in the hallway instantly. Which way was the dungeon again? Her eyes flickered down the hallway. Which way was it? Her hands clenched. The castle was unusually quiet.
"If I were you, I would have stayed in the room." Eileen jumped. Donovan's eyes narrowed on her. "You never know who's watching around these castles."
Her hand dropped from her startled heart. "Like you?"
"How cute." He chuckled, "You actually think I care about you that much." He stepped forward. "Unfortunately for the both of us, I was given the great honor of guiding you to the dungeons, hybrid lover."
Eileen's jaw clenched. "I have a name."
He smiled. "I know." With that he turned and walked away, causing Eileen to hurry after him. "Wait, wait up-" She turned a corner. Umph!
Crash! Thousands of diamond shards littered the floor. Before she could speak, the woman dropped to her knees.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Shaky hands picked up the tiny pieces, seemingly uncaring about the tiny cuts that drew blood.
"No, wait." Eileen reached down to help her. "Let me help, you'll get hurt!"
"No!" Donovan snapped. His gaze flickered to the hybrid with annoyance. "She dropped it."
"But I ran into her."
"So what?" His eyes narrowed. "Her clumsy fingers can't drop everything that she runs into." He glanced toward her. "Now, are you going to follow me to the dougeons or not?" Eileen's jaw clenched. "Wait up!" She called after him. "Why are you being so mean to them? Hybrids are just like you and-"
"Hybrids are nothing like the pure!" Donovan swirled around. Gray eyes burned into her own. "And you have no idea what you're walking into. You know nothing of our history or the pain we went through!" Eileen stepped back as he towered over her. "And you will never know." Turning, he stormed off.
Eileen's hands clenched. Anger burned in her chest before it deflated just ask quickly. He's right. She bit her lip. I have no idea about their history. Still, she followed after her, that doesn't mean I can't learn.
Donovan's hand pressed against the metal keypad. "Hurry up. The prince is waiting for us in the meeting room." Stepping through the doorway, the cold embraced her in a chilling hug. It's even colder than last night. Her feet took the stairs two at a time until she reached the bottom. Her legs moved her through the chill silence until she came across the curled up figure.
"Eileen?" A voice croaked.
Her heart stilled.
"Ursus." As the bars opened, she knelt down. Dark bags hung under his eyes while her arms wrapped around his trembling body. His face nuzzled into her neck, enjoying the warmth of her body heat.
"Wrap it up you two." Click. The chains around his limbs dropped back against the walls. "Your brother is waiting in the meeting room." Eileen glared at Donovan before she glanced back at Ursus. She didn't miss the slight redness around his wrists.
"Are you alright?" He grabbed her hand.
Their fingers entwined. "I am now."
Her heart leaped into her chest.
"Come on!" At Donovan's shout, they finally headed out the dungeon.
Inside the meeting room, a holographic map of what looked like three continents floated in a large gray sea. Pavel glanced up at the door shutting behind them. "Ah, you made it." His gaze flickered to Ursus. "How do you feel?"
YOU ARE READING
To The Ends of The Universe (ONC 2024 ✔)
Science Fiction"When just being alive makes you a target, you learn to keep your head low." Being a nurse in an ER clinic, Eileen never had much time for romance. Especially, when job and education often came before everything else she's ever known. That is until...
