Secrets Unfold

Swift steps, I was trying not to make too much noise. There was monster in my house, I could hear it breathing. The house was silent except for the occasional creak of wood under my steps. Heat, that's all I felt, it was coursing through my body. The adrenaline rush I had was not helping, I wanted to run for my life but something told me I couldn't run from the monster. I was trapped in this house with a monster, for once in years I was actually scared but something was telling me to fight. 'Demons, demons, demons..', those were the words going through my head. Something was coming for me, this I now knew.

I rolled my eyes awake to the sound of my alarm breaking the silence in my room. It was the day of the banquet now. Willow and I had been running around to prepare for this banquet for the last day and a half, I was exhausted more mentally the physically. I feel like I just went to sleep but now it was morning, 'not enough sleep…', I thought getting out of bed. Today had to go right otherwise I might as well be screwed. The dream I had was flashing through my mind as I got ready, remembering this dream was making me even more tired than I already am. I get these dreams once in a while, I wouldn't say they were visions, I'm not psychic but I would say they are a bad omen. Just as I thought in the dream, something was coming for me and it wasn't a joke. I sighed knowing that things were going to get so much more complicated after today.

"Hey!", Willow popped in the room, she was quite chipper considering I was being awfully pessimistic today. "Hey.", I replied to my friend signaling her to come in. "Jesus, you look like you got no sleep at all.", I rolled my eyes at my friend, "You're stating the obvious why?", Willow was looking at me with a funny look for a second and then spoke, "you're being sarcastic today, I pray to the gods that you're bad temper doesn't show with this sarcastic phase.", Willow was making the action of praying and I couldn't help but roll my eyes again. "Let's get the make-up part over with please.", Willow was very good with make-up and although I don't hate it, today I was not feeling particularly happy sitting through the process. "Yes, my princess.", now my friend was being sarcastic. "All the preparations for the banquet are set right?", I asked Willow while she was quite literally beating my face with the beauty blender. "Yes everything is ready you don't need to worry, I took care of the details as we discussed.", my friend replied. I didn't ask any further questions because they weren't needed, I trusted Willow with the details for the banquet.

Willow finished my make-up thirty minutes later and I put on the dress I had picked out. It was my mothers, a blue sweetheart necked and silky gown that only went up to my knees. The blue was the color of sapphire, there was black net extending from the sweet heart neck line and I wore black net tights too. I choose the dress because it gave my the confidence my mother would have given me if she was here. I paired it with a silver necklace with a small drop of emerald as the pendent. The necklace gave me the same confidence as it was a gift from my father, he chose it because he said it reminded him of my eyes. I told him that was cheesy but I never forgot his words as I grew older. My hair was worn down although I prefer a bun or a ponytail but Willow insisted I where it down because apparently that looked more elegant and pretty. Although I do want to look nice I didn't care too much about peoples opinions but tonight had to go perfect, well as perfect as it could go. My bangs were annoying me as I quietly watched the people come in to the ballroom. The last time there was a banquet, it was my birthday banquet. I didn't want to celebrate my birthday so big but my mom and Willow insisted that I should go big for my eighteenth birthday.

'How unfortunate it was that my mother died the same night', I thought shaking me head at the memories I did not want to remember tonight of all nights. "In, you okay?", Willow rested her hand on my shoulder looking at me shaking my head like a maniac at the pesky memories. "Yeah, who's left to come?", I asked my concerned friend changing the subject. "The Archer's and Kane's have arrived the other two families are still pending.", Willow spoke seriously and it was a bit odd since I haven't heard that voice in a while. Nevertheless, this banquet was important, I was now the only one who could represent the Nyx family and that has its own pressure. I had to keep my demonic side at bay tonight otherwise things could go so wrong. Even though it doesn't seem like it all I do is worry about the demon in my head, 'so annoying, so tiring..', I thought as I rolled my eyes, luckily Willow was busy yelling at a worker for being to slow. I shook my head at her, I might have a temper but so does my friend. After Willow walked away I went and apologized to the worker who was shaking a little after my friend's rough words.

"Hey, the Ryder's and the Spike's just arrived.", Willow came back in a rush. "Alright don't panic.", I told my friend but honestly I might have said that for myself. I gave Willow a minute to catch her breath from running, while I scolded her in my head for running in heels, afterwards we walked to the steps of in the center of the ballroom. I was getting even more frustrated as we walked up to the steps, I could see the families talking at the bottom of the stairs, probably trying to one up each other. Willow looked over at me with a reassuring look that said its going to be alright and to breathe, I gave her a small smile as she linked her arm with mine to walk down with me. Walking down was easier with Willow by my side, she reminded me of the courage I have, it was a warm feeling. I felt the eyes of the other families on me as me and Willow reached the bottom of the staircase. 'Hold your head up high even when your scared.', my mother's words stayed in my thoughts and I did as she told me before. I heard a few mumbles as I stopped walking, it was heard not to roll my eyes at the obviously jealous mumbles.

"Good evening, I'm not going to make this discussion long but I would like to finish it up before we get on with the enjoyments of the banquet.", Willow was standing beside me trying not to give a smack to Oakley Ryder's face for the fight that happened a few days ago. The judging looks were overwhelming but I wanted to get what I needed to say out of the way. "I'll keep it short, the death of my mother last year and my father a few years ago was not an accident.", there were more murmurs as I continued to talk, "You may have heard about this from your ancestors, whether what you heard was good or bad I do not know and do not wish to know but there is an enemy at large. It is not only my enemy but yours too, the death of you're ancestors were most likely caused by this unspoken enemy. My great grandfather is related to this enemy, a half demon brother that he never met and never knew of. I don't know much but my parents and whoever else were murdered but this monster, this is a warning that you will meet this enemy soon. I cannot decide what you want and I will not force you in any way but it was the will of my parents and mine to try to fight this enemy with the other four families.", I stopped after I said what I needed to say letting the others take in what I said. They had obviously heard of the story before but in different perspectives. Now they know my parents were murdered, this was new news. "I'll leave you with this, let me know you're decision sooner then later.", I bowed and left, Willow walking next to me. I walked towards the garden where I was most at peace. "You did well, your parents would be proud.", my friend smiled, "I'll go deal with their questions, scream if you need me.", Willow walked away from the garden, going to deal with the chaos of questions that she knew I couldn't deal with right now.

I sat there in the garden that my mother tended to everyday before she died. It was certainly peaceful but I did feel guilt with the peace. Ever since I found out about my family's horrid past, I feel guilty that I didn't know. I was just a kid but I would have found a way to help right? Maybe I could have helped them. The guilt of not helping my parents made me suffer daily. I brush it of though, if I wallow in those negative feelings I can't help find justice for the death of my parents now. "Indigo?", I turned around when I heard my name being called from the garden's entrance. It was Aries Archer. I gathered myself before continuing the conversation, 'deep breaths', I told myself. "Did you have a question Aries?", I asked the silver haired boy who was looking back at me with a serious expression. "I have a few questions but I want to ask if you're okay first.", the boy standing front of me seem to soften a bit. I don't know if his question caught me off guard or not. I never expected any of the kids from the other families to ask such a caring question but it seemed Aries was genuinely asking with no ill intent.

"I'm fine, I won't lie it does hurt but I can't let that hurt consume me, otherwise I can't focus on getting the justice my parents deserve.", I looked at the stars in the sky as I spoke. Since the boy's question was genuine I answered the same. Aries looked at me while I looked at the stars. I was counting them to help myself calm down and not breakdown into tears. "My family will help you.", Aries said after a while. I was a bit surprised that I got a reply from the Archer's just a few hours after I told them to truth but Mom always told me how the Archer's were the most reasonable out of the other families. She even told me that they are known to think with their hearts and understand emotions well. "That's good. I will give you and your parents another day to confirm but thank you.", I gave the silver haired boy a watery smile before turning back to my mothers garden.

"See Mom, everything is going to be fine.", I looked at the sky again as I spoke to my mother. I didn't know if I was trying to convince her or myself though.