188- Backrests and basements


    I consider this new information for a few minutes while Bemy eats another serving of eggs on toast.


    Actually, he seems really hungry. Did he wait for me to eat?


    “Cheryl being able to avoid yourmands is… inconvenient. But I suppose if you’re going to go


    around killing and kidnapping, it makes sense that you would practise something like that. Plus


    obviously she taught Tristain some weird tricks too.” I think aloud.


    “What do you mean by that?” He pauses eating. I tell Bemy how everyone was frozen in ce at


    Megan’s wedding. Much like Cheryl was, at least they were until I interrupted. Bemy looks fascinated


    and pleased.


    “Well, people did report being frozen in ce, but I didn’t realise that you were the one who freed them,


    although it does make sense. You should be able to order them around the same way I do, we are


    equally dominant after all. It just might take a little practice.” He considers. I scrunch.


    up my face.


    “I’m not sure I want to be able to boss people around.” I admit. He shrugs.


    “You don’t have to. It’s up to you to use it or not. I generally will try not to force people to do things, but


    situations like Cheryl are different. Dominant Shifters, and apparently you, have the ability but it’s


    mostly intended so that we don’t have to fight weaker individuals. The dominance thing is sort of like


    skipping the argument or physical fight that might result from it and getting to the end result which is the


    dominant Shifter winning.” He says I roll my eyes at him.


    That doesn’t make sense at all. I couldn’t win a fight against anyone.” I point out. He shrugs.


    “You don’t have to be the one fighting. You tend to collect friends and loyalties. That’s a different form of


    strength.” He reasons. The more I hear about the Shifter dominance stuff the more sketchy it seems.


    Do they just make up the rules as they go along? I’m starting to think they do. But whatever. It is what it


    is. It would be interesting to see how some of my other non–Shifter friends fit into the hierarchy. Harry


    for example. He loves challenging people, particrly those whoe across as authority figures. I


    should get him to test it sometime. Actually, I should update him and Amber on what happenedst


    night. Although I suspect Amber already knows. Maybe I should tell Cam too since we’ve kind of


    dragged her into it all. I just wish we had better news. I know we caught Cheryl, but Kiara is still missing


    and captured by… whoever the partner is. Actually, taking Cheryl might have upset the partner. This


    could be bad for Kiara. Why didn’t I think about it earlier? Oh shoot I feel dizzy. Am I breathing?


    In a second Bemy is at my side. He cups his hand to my cheek and forces me to meet his golden


    eyes.


    “Hey, shh, take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong.” He says gently, coaxing it out of me.


    *Kiara, we took Cheryl. What if the partner is upset or retaliates. Taking Kiara was Cheryl’s idea, what if


    the partner doesn’t want her anymore or gets angry and hurts her.” The more I think about it the worse


    it gets. The more awful the oue gets. I think I’m shaking, I’m just so scared for Kiara. She’s so


    small and she’s been through so much already.


    “Bemy… What if she’s already dead.” I whisper in horror. He immediately shakes his head in denial.


    “I don’t think she is. I think you would know. You have a connection to her.” He reminds me. I frown.


    1/2


    188- Backrests and basements


    “I didn’t dream of herst night. For the first time in ages.” I tell him. Bemy keeps his expression calm


    but I can see that he’s paled a little. He’s acting confident for my sake, but he isn’t sure.


    “You were exhausted. I doubt you would remember even if you did dream. I literally carried you to bed.


    I’m sure that when you try again you’ll be able to see her.” He assures me. I move so quickly it shoves


    my seat back.


    “I’m going upstairs to meditate and ch*ck on Kiara. I won’t be able to think about anything else until I


    know she’s alive. That we didn’t make things worse for her.” I dere. Bemy nods his eptance


    and gets me a ss of water which he encourages me to take upstairs with me.


    Upstairs in the bedroom I decide not to lie in the bed this time. I’m still a little tired and I don’t want to


    fall asleep. Instead, I grab a couple pillows off the bed and ce them on the floor next to it. One to sit


    on, and one to use as a backrest up against the side of the bed. I am really anxious, so getting myself


    calm enough for this to work is going to be difficult, but I’m determined to do it. I NEED to know that


    Kiara is still waiting for me toe find her. That she hasn’t been hurt. I need her to know that I’m still


    looking for her. I can’t make myself less stressed, so I start with the things that I can control. First my


    breathing. Taking deep measured breaths until my lungs no longer feel like they’re closing up. Next I


    work on rxing my b*dy. Resting my head back against the bed, focusing on each b*dy part in turn.


    until I feel the tension bleeding away. Only then, do I turn my thoughts to Kiara. I try not to think about


    my worries for her. Just the things I know for sure. How her hair and eyes look. Her mark, her magic


    and connection to me. The soft sound of her small voice. As I focus, other things start toe to me,


    the aches in her b*dy. How she feels cold and hungry. She has a headache and her throat is scratchy


    and dry. Everything smells unpleasant and she wants a bath. Lastly I start to feel how she does.


    Scared, lonely, exhausted, but determined she hasn’t given up. I can’t help the gasp of relief I let out


    when she finallyes into my view. She looks much the same asst time. The bruising on her face


    is nasty, but she doesn’t have any new marks. At least not anywhere visible to me. She is sitting with


    her legs. pulled up to her chest, her chin on her knees. She seems to sense that I’m watching though


    because her head lifts and she looks around before dropping down to her knees again.


    “Hello Lady. I think you’re here again. I’m not sure though… I- I think something happened. One of the


    meandies has been yelling a lot. She came down here and she broke a bunch of things. It was scary,


    but she didn’t hurt me at least.” She whispers as if afraid someone will hear her.


    “Where?” 1 push the question towards her and she perks up a little.


    “Oh I was right. You are here. Where? You mean where am I? I don’t really know. A house I think.


    Downstairs in a basement. It’s cold and dirty down here. There are lots of shelves with old books and


    stuff like you find in the stores


    the Witches run. Mum never let me touch any of that stuff or go near it though so I can’t be sure. I’d


    look around more but I can’t. The meandy did something when they first made mee here. Now I


    can’t really move more than a little bit away from this spot. Maybe like two steps? Then I get stuck and I


    have to sit down again. My legs get sore sitting here so much. But it’s better than when they make me


    go out.” She shudders and I’m fairly sure she is talking about the murders. The poor thing, I imagine


    pulling her into a hug. I wish I could do that so badly. Kiara goes quiet for a while, clearly struggling with


    something. I wait.


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