27
I’m running…
Not running away from something but running toward something. A voice. A plea. Obstacles seem to pop up in front of me at every step. First a tree and then a small cabin. Another tree.
Still I run.
Hannah!
My sister’s voice. Larissa.
“I’m coming, Larissa! I’m coming!”
Fear pricks up my spine, as if the pine needles I’m jumping over are attacking me, trying to slow me down. I nearly trip over a giant root in my path, but I catch myself and land on my left foot and continue to run, my breath catching.
Larissa.
Richard said he would harm Larissa.
No! No, no, no!
ISHUDDER.
Princess.
Then my eyes shoot open.
Rogan sits next to me, his hand on my shoulder.His touch soothes me.Still, my heart pounds like a bass drum.
“Rogan,” I say.“Richard, my stepfather.The demon king.He’s going to try to harm my sister.”
“He would do that?Do that to your mother?”
“He won’t kill her.He won’t kill me either.But he’s going to do something to her.Perhaps not hurt her physically, but he’s going to—”
Rogan places two fingers over my lips.“You’re getting yourself worked up over nothing.It was a nightmare, princess.Just a nightmare.”
His words make sense.And if I weren’t who I am, and Richard weren’t who he is, I might believe him.But I’ve known since the beginning that my stepfather is evil.The fact that he’s the demon king only clinches it.
Yes.Rest.I’m getting too worked up.Except…
My body shoots up into a sitting position.
“Princess, lie down.”
“Shit,” I say.
“Lie down,” Rogan says again.
But I stand.As much as I want to obey Rogan and lie down, I can’t.
“I need a phone,” I say.
“I have no idea what happened to your purse and your phone.”
“I need a fucking phone, Rogan.”
“Would you just lie down?”