Chapter 2

I woke to find that I was still lying on the blankets on the floor of the cavern. My captor was no longer lying next to me. I felt a strange longing deep inside of me for him. Maybe it was just fear. Like the fear of realizing that I was alone in the darkness of the cave and far away from home. I rolled onto my back to look around, but he was not there.

The fire still burned but it was starting to fizzle out. I glanced toward the ceiling only to realize that it must have been really tall, because all that I could see in the glow of the fire was darkness.

Sitting up was difficult. My ribs ached from being clutched so tightly for so long the day before. I struggled to get to my feet. I had no idea what time it was but my stomach was definitely growling at me.

“Hello?” I called quietly into the darkness, but all that I heard in return was my echo. I was not sure what I should do, but I knew that I needed to do something. I searched the cavern walls until I spotted the entrance and slowly I walked through it and out into the tunnel.

The darkness of the tunnel was disorienting and I thought hard trying to retrace my steps from the day before. I walked a little at a time with one hand trailing gently across the rocky wall.

I stumbled and nearly lost my balance when I stubbed my toe on an outcrop of rock. I cried out briefly, sending echoes of my stunted scream throughout the darkness. The pain shot through my foot and up my leg. A dull throbbing settled into my big toe. I slid down the wall onto my butt on the cold floor, clutching my foot.

How far did I really think that I was going to go with no shoes? I was leaned back against the cool stone waiting for the throbbing in my toe to pass when I heard a low rumbling growl.

I froze, not even wanting to breathe. The growling echoed around the cave walls and slowly seemed to be getting closer. It felt as if it were right in front of me and getting more ferocious. I clamped my eyes shut tightly, afraid of what I might see if I opened them. Suddenly, I felt what I was sure was the creature’s hot breath on my face. I could smell the rot and decay of its last meal filling my nostrils. I wanted to gag at the thought of it.

Fear ripped through me. All that I could think about was that I was about to be ripped apart by some crazed animal in a cave, in the middle of I had no idea where, and no one would ever be able to find me.

“Callie!” The sound of my name rang loudly in my ears and I flinched for fear that I was about to be torn to shreds. The noise must have distracted the beast because he turned away from me to see who was making such a commotion.

“Callie!” I heard again. Then, all that I could see was the flash of a blade as it sunk down into the animals back. There was a grotesque crunching sound and then a gurgling as it fell onto its side with a thud. Soon it was flying across the tunnel away from me. I continued to hear a lot of loud strange noises, mostly grunts and slashing.

All of a sudden, my captor was bent over in front of me. He was frantically searching my body for any sign of injury. His face was smeared with blood, and fear had shown brightly in his eyes. He grabbed my face in his blood soaked hands and stared into my eyes.

“Callie.” He said in a trembling voice.

“I’m alright.” I said breathlessly as he pulled me to my feet and wrapped me tightly in an embrace.

“I am so sorry that I left you like that, Callie. I knew that you would need some food when you woke up and I went out to find something for you to eat. I should never have left you alone. Callie, I hope that you can forgive me.” He said in a shaky voice as he buried his face in the crook of my neck and wrapped his hands with my hair.

I could feel him trembling as he held me. We stayed there like that for several minutes. I could not imagine how one minute he could be a crazed kidnapper and the next be so sweet and vulnerable. What was with this guy? I needed some answers and I needed them now.

“Please, tell me who you are.” I whispered into his ear as his head was still pinned to my shoulder. “I just do not understand what is happening to me. At least tell me what your name is.” I pleaded.

He lifted his head and those pleading blue eyes locked with mine again. He reached up and embraced my face in both of his hands. For just a second, I thought maybe he was about to kiss me. Would it be so bad if he did? I was beginning to think no.

I had never kissed a boy before, but I bet this stranger’s kisses would be tender and full of passion. I found myself glancing down at his soft full lips, as I bit my own bottom lip in anticipation.

I had to shake myself so that I would snap back to reality.

“Callie,” he whispered. “I’m Brokk. I know that you say that you do not remember me but, you belong to me.” I pulled back, raising my eyebrows in shock.

“At least you did once.” He said as his head dropped and his chin rested on his chest.

“I do not know you and I do not belong to anybody.” My voice was fierce and he looked up again. “You are truly crazy.” I whispered.

He dropped his head back down and stared at the floor. He released my face and his arms fell to his sides in defeat.

“Brokk, listen. I don’t know why you are doing this, but it’s not too late. If you would just take me back home.” I pleaded. “I promise that I would never tell anybody or call the police or anything like that. You can go back to where ever you came from and I can forget this ever happened. You do not have to do this.”

He just stood there shaking his head as it hung toward the ground.

“We need to get you some food.” He said quietly as he pulled himself together and walked away.

I ducked back into the cavern and walked over to warm myself by the few remaining embers in the pit. They were glowing a bright shade of red and snapped and crackled as I stood watching them. I just could not seem to sort out all of the different emotions that were running through my head. I was actually feeling bad for this guy. He looked at me like I was breaking his heart when I talked about wanting to go home. So strange. What was even stranger is that I was not really sure that I wanted to go. At least not without him.

He finally came back to the cavern, his arms were full of wood for the fire, and some sort of meat and what looked like roots. He did not even look at me. I felt a pang of regret rip through me once again. I was compelled to say something. To say anything, just so that he was talking to me again.

“What is all of that?” I asked softly, trying to break the mood.

“Food.” He said simply, still not willing to look at me.

I was afraid to ask what kind of food. It was probably some poor forest creature and I was too hungry to think about that right then. I was not sure what else to say so I just stood in silence, watching him.

He set about building the fire back up. It started to blaze beautiful orange and yellows. Once it was burning to his satisfaction, he situated the food around it. The smell of the cooking meat filled the room and smelled wonderful. My mouth was beginning to water as I watched him slowly turning the food from side to side.

I watched him as he kneeled on the floor in the fire light. He never looked back up at me and I wondered what he might be thinking. I still could not shake the feeling that I got when he looked at me. I knew that I should be afraid of him. That is what a normal person would be feeling, but somehow I just was not. I never could be. He could kill me right now and I was not afraid.

I continued to stare at him for a long time. I noticed the rippling of his strong arm muscles as he worked the fire. The way his tight shirt pulled across his rigid chest. The way the fire made is face glow with its warming light. Just watching him like that had my body tingling from head to toe.

I dropped my gaze to the floor. I was embarrassed by what I was thinking and feeling. I should not have been reacting to him like that, but I just could not seem to help myself.

I believed him when he said that he would never hurt me. He had plenty of opportunity to do something if he really wanted and he had not even laid a hand on me. I thought about the way that he trembled after the animal nearly attacked me, it really had scared him.

What was it about this boy? What did he mean when he said that I belonged to him? He did not even know me, did he? He keeps saying that I should remember him, but I had no idea what he was talking about. I did not remember anyone like him from school, and I think that I would certainly remember those eyes. I definitely felt something though. I just did not know how to explain it. Maybe it was just the after effects of the adrenaline in my body from nearly losing my life. That would be enough to scramble anybody’s brain, wouldn’t it?

Brokk finally turned and stared up at me. I glanced back at him and searched his face for some kind of understanding. It only lasted a moment. It was as if he sensed me looking at him, like I had called to him or something. He met my eyes briefly and then he quickly turned away and went back to preparing the meal.

When he was certain that everything had been cooked enough, he arranged the food on a flat rock and offered for me to come and eat. I was so hungry by then that I did not hesitate. It all smelled so good and I tore into the meat without any delay.

It was heavenly. The savory juices of the meat washed over my pallet and only left me craving more. I looked for Brokk, he had not come to sit with me.

“You are not going to eat?” I asked as he stood a few feet away, watching me.

“I will eat when I am sure that you have had enough.” He said with his arms folded across his chest.

“But there is plenty!” I said as I gestured toward the spread of food that he had created. “There is no way that I can eat all of this. Please, come and sit. Plus, I can not take you just standing there staring at me like that.”

His mouth started to turn up into a small grin, and he moved toward me. He sat onto the ground on the opposite side of the rock from where I was sitting and began to eat.

The meal was delicious and though Brokk did not say very much his eyes never left me as we ate. I started feeling a little bit self-conscious. I had suddenly remembered that I had not bathed or brushed my teeth, and my hair felt like it was in tangles. I was still in my pajamas from the night before. I looked down at myself in dismay. I started to rake my fingers through my knotted blonde hair as I scrutinized my now tattered and stained T-shirt and sighed.

“You have grown to be so beautiful, it has been far too long since I have been able to look at you like this.” Brokk said in a whisper that made my heart skip a few beats.

I looked up at him, studying him hard in the hope of finding some answers. “Why do you keep talking as if you have known me all of my life? I have tried really hard but I just can’t seem to remember you at all.”

He looked a little hurt by my comment, but in a hushed voice he answered. “We knew each other when we were very young, before you and your family were forced to flee Petrona.”

I stared back at him for a moment. “How can that be? I was born in Baton Rouge. I have lived my whole life in the house that you took me from. I don’t think that I am the girl that you were looking for. I really wish that you could see that and take me back home, back to my real home.” It actually hurt a little to say those words, but it must be true. I never lived anywhere other than my home in Louisiana. I did not even have a clue where in the heck Petrona was.

He looked down briefly. I thought maybe I was starting to get through to him, but then he looked back up and met my eyes. “I know exactly who you are, Callie Rose. There is no mistaking you. Soon you will see it too. I do not understand why you can’t remember me. Maybe it will come to you once I get you back home to Petrona. You are one of us, Callie. Just trust me. All of this will be explained to you soon. They need you there more than you could ever understand.”

Those blue eyes pleaded with me once again and I was too mesmerized to think of a decent reply. I opted for nodding my head like an idiot instead. I was turning into a complete loon.

Brokk sat for a few more moments just staring off. Then quickly he said. “We need to be moving. They have been waiting for you to return for a long time.”

There he went again. Who was he talking about? He kept saying things like they need me and you are one of us, like I was supposed to know who he was talking about. Maybe he really was crazy.

He stood and offered me his hand. I took it hesitantly, I was afraid of what touching him might do to me. The last thing that I needed was to have my brain scrambled anymore than it already was. He pulled me to my feet.

He turned to start cleaning up and to put out the fire.

“Wait, I can’t go anywhere like this.” I said gesturing to myself. “I am not even wearing shoes and the ground here has already done a number on my feet.”

“Then I will carry you.” He answered without looking up.

“No way!” I said holding my hands up and taking a step backwards. “I am already going to have major bruises from the way that you carried me yesterday! You are not about to do that again!”

He furrowed his brow and stepped towards me hesitantly. “I never meant to hurt you Callie. Please, let me have a look to be sure that your injuries are not serious. I promise, I am not going to harm you further.”

He held my eyes with his and against my better judgment, I found myself wanting to trust him again. I began lifting my shirt just enough to expose my sore and aching ribs.

“Oh no! What have I done!” He gasped as he collapsed to the floor on his knees in front of me. He held out his hands as if he wanted to touch me, but stopped as if he were afraid that he might hurt me more. I looked down at myself to see a dark purple band spread across my entire lower chest. No wonder I was so sore.

“I’m okay, really. It is just a little uncomfortable, but I do not think that I could spend another day traveling like that.” I shrugged.

He looked down at my bare feet for a moment, then picked up the blankets from the ground and began tearing them into long strips. When he was satisfied with his little pile of scraps, he nodded to himself and turned to me.

“Sit.” He said and so of course, I did. He took my feet into his lap and started to wrap the strips of torn blanket around each foot like huge bandages.

When he was finished, he helped me back onto my feet. It was a bit awkward, but I could stand and walk if I leaned on him for support. He cautiously led me out of the cavern and back into the tunnel. It was slow going with my mummy feet. Plus, I was back in the complete darkness again. I could not see two inches in front of me, so of course, I tripped and stumbled over every little bump.

I started thinking that maybe Brokk was enjoying my handicap a little more than he thought that he would. Each trip over a rock sent me farther into his arms and he held me even tighter.

“Why are we going further into the cave?” I asked as I began to notice that we still had not made it back outside. “I thought we were going to that Petrona place?”

“We are going to Petrona, Callie.” He said. “It is beneath the surface. These tunnels will lead us there.” I stopped, pulling him back towards me.

“What do you mean beneath the surface?” I made little quote marks in the air with my fingers and mocked him. “Like underground? Are you telling me that you are taking me to a city that is under the ground? Like as in the Land of the Lost or something?”

He just laughed. “Something like that I guess. Callie, our people were forced to move underground. It was many years ago, after living in the upper world became too dangerous for us.”

He did it again. He said our people, as in something other than people, people. I thought back about how strong he must have been to be able to carry me for as long as he did. Plus he was so fast. I knew that he was not your average teenage guy, but what was he talking about?

“Brokk, what is going on? I have never heard of any underground city.” This was getting crazier by the minute. “Where are you taking me and who are you exactly?”

He let out a long sigh, and finally he began. “We are going to the true city of your birth. We are going to Petrona, the home of our people. The Fae, Callie.”

Okay, this boy has really lost his mind. “The Fae? As in fairy? Are you trying to tell me that you are a fairy? That we are fairies? That I am a fairy? Is this some kind of joke?” I started looking around for movie cameras.

He just stood there watching me for a few moments while I let all of what he said sink in.

“You are crazy.” I exclaimed. “You kidnapped me and brought into some strange underground tunnels, and now you are talking about fairies as if they truly exist. Is there some kind of dungeon or torture chamber down here that you are taking me to? Are you some kind of psychotic serial killer?”

He moved towards me and caught one of my hands in each of his. “Callie please, I know this must sound strange to you right now, but I am telling you the truth. I was sent to the surface by Queen Lilith to find you. She has been the acting queen since your family left. There has been talk of a revolt by some of the other Fae. She thinks that if she has a true heir to the throne to assist her, then she may be able to bring peace back to our people.”

I took a deep breath as I tried to understand all of this. “A true heir? Acting queen? What are you saying Brokk?”

He growled in frustration. “You Callie. You are the true heir. Your mother was queen when you were born, but a group of rogue Fae attempted to kidnap you. They were trying to force the queen to change some of the rules that were preventing them from coming to the surface and harming the humans. Your mother and father decided to take you away and hide with you until you were old enough to return and reclaim your title for yourself.”

“There was an old Fae woman.” He continued. “Some believed that she could foretell the future. She told your mother that you would someday become a great ruler to our people and that you would lead us out of the darkness and back to the surface where we can be free. After the rebels were stopped, your mother feared that others would try to harm you to get to her. That is when she gave up her throne and fled with you. It took me a long time to find you Callie, and now that I have, you can take your rightful place as the future queen. You are the chosen one, Callie. The one to free us all.”

He looked at me again with those pleading blue eyes, but I could not help but laugh. “You actually believe all of this.” I said. “You think that I am some chosen one, who is a fairy and supposed to save the world.”

“I am just a normal eighteen year old girl, Brokk. I live in a normal house. I go to a normal school. I do not have any super powers, and I am definitely not the savior of your people. My mother is not some fairy queen, she is just my mom. She cooks me dinner and helps me with my homework. My dad works for the phone company. He likes watching football and going fishing and hunting on his days off. He is not a king.”

He just shook his head. “Please Callie. Just trust me. Just come to Petrona with me and you can see for yourself that what I am saying is the truth.” He held out his hand to me. “Please Callie.”

What choice did I really have? He was not about to take me back home, there was no convincing him. I could not find my own way back, even if I really wanted to. I still was not sure what I really wanted anymore. All that I knew is that my heart and my body wanted to be wherever Brokk was going be. I nodded sheepishly at him and took his hand. He began to lead me further into the tunnels.