Bonds that bind us novel Chapter 2

Brax

Indy allows Amy to drag her through the crumbling hallways. I stay close, ready to rip Indy away the moment something changes. Amy’s soul is a mess. I knew she was helping, but I still didn’t trust her.

There are cracks, and then there are holes, and sadly, the remainder of her soul is riddled with them. She is more than broken, the worst I have seen in a long time. How she is still alive is impressive, but Neah has taught me that Kitson blood is strong and that no matter how close to the edge she got, she had always found her way back. But that was Neah.

And it still didn’t make Amy trustworthy.

Amy hums to herself as she shuffles along another hallway, unaware of our eagerness to get out of this shit hole.

Coming to a stop, Indy is wide-eyed as she watches Amy. “We have to keep moving,” Indy whispers, gesturing for her to move on.

“Baby girl, we are here,” Amy mutters as she smiles at a stone wall. She drops Indy’s hand and drags her thin fingers across the wall as if searching for something.

“Secret door,” Klaus mutters to the white Wolf. “Like the other one.”

Amy’s humming grows louder as she squats. She moves her fingers over the grooves of the stones, almost as if she is counting.

Pushing a stone, it sinks into the wall, and something clicks into place. A ridge appears in the shape of a door. As it pulls back, the sound of stone grinding on stone fills the air.

Amy laughs to herself as she stands. She spins around, her attention is solely on Indy. “Your home, baby girl.”

Klaus glances at me, and I shrug. Amy believed that Indy was Samara, though she had given Samara up after birth. Did Amy not remember the colour of her daughter's eyes?

I know Dorothy’s mother would have recognised our daughters. I had watched my first mate suck in every inch of our daughter, memorising her features. If only she could see our little girl now.

Or maybe Amy was teetering on the edge, and unlike Neah, she couldn’t make it back. Trapped hovering between life and death.

Indy is the first to slip through the narrow door, and Amy follows her as she starts humming again.

“Guys, you need to see this!” Indy calls out.

One by one, we move through the narrow door into an even smaller passageway. My shoulders pressed to both walls as I shuffled forward. I push my way through hanging clothes and stumble into a well-lit bedroom, where Indy seems to be amazed as she spins around, taking it all in. It is bright and airy compared to her home.

“This is beautiful!” She chirps.

High ceilings with walls that are littered in colourful stained glass windows. I hadn’t seen this from the outside. Almost like it’s some sort of secret part of the castle, or maybe that was the point. Who knows how Serkan and Thalia work?!

The room had clearly not been used for some time. Cobwebs appeared in every corner, and a thick layer of dust coated every surface. It made sense if it was Amy’s room.

“Is this your room?” Klaus asks Amy as Orion starts barricading the main door with random bits of furniture.

Amy pats her chest and nods at Klaus with a smile, “Mine.”

In this light, her skin is an odd shade of grey, and I see how she squints as the sunlight hits her face. Years of being trapped deep within the castle would do that to anyone.

“Does Thalia know about the passageway?” I question.

“Witch!” Amy snaps, curling her lip up in anger.

Indy takes Amy’s hands in hers. “We know. Does she know about the secret walk-through?”

“Does it not count that she has already tried to help us?” I challenge.

Klaus sighs and rolls his eyes. “Witches only do things for themselves.” He hated being the third person in the conversation and passing messages to me.

I glance over to Indy and Amy. Indy is pulling out clothes for Amy as Amy smiles and claps her hands like a toddler. Being locked up had really fucked her over.

Indy glares at us while holding up a finger and swivelling it around. We face the opposite way, giving Amy some privacy to dress.

“Does that look like she is doing things for herself?” I snap at Xavi, “She could have let me drown or let the river take me over the cliff edge, but she didn’t. She tried to stop you from going up the tower to look for those people. Every chance she has had, she has helped. She has answered questions. She provided us with a hideout, with food and water.” I pause and look at my hand. I had never defended anyone as much as I was defending Indy right now. Blood ties were fucking strong. “Can you not give her a break?”

“That is why he hasn’t done anything.” Klaus smiles. “I’ve told him he needs to understand that you see more than most.”

“I would like it to stay that way.” I turn back to Xavi, “You may kill Witches for a living, and we know how rare they are, but I have put more bullets in creatures than you’ve had hot dinners; I’m watching you.”

Klaus sighs and shakes his head. “He says he is watching you.”

“Good. At least we know where each other stands.”

“When you are done arguing about me,” Indy tuts, “ You can turn around because Amy has told me there is another way out.”

“Where?”

She takes a deep breath, “We have to jump.”