Chapter 6: Avalyn's POV
The next morning, I woke up before either of my parents did. I wanted to make up for the trouble I had caused them the previous day. It was my father's birthday, and I really didn't want to upset them on a day like that. But it had happened, and there was nothing I could do except take the beating and clean myself up afterward.
This morning, I planned to right the wrongs I had made yesterday. I walked to the kitchen and started the coffee pot. My father always loved his coffee black first thing in the morning, while my stepmother preferred hers caramel.
As the water began to boil, I scrubbed and cleaned all the pots and pans I had used the previous day. I couldn't remember when they had eaten, but I found enough dirty dishes in the sink to indicate they had some sort of feast without me.
When I finished, I took a tray and placed two coffee mugs on it. I poured the coffee into the mugs and stirred them to their specifications. Satisfied with how they looked, I carried the tray up the stairs to my parents' room.
As I was about to knock on the door, I heard my stepmother's voice.
"She is of no use to us dead or alive, George. Let's take her to the chief. I am sure the werewolves would have a purpose for her," she said, and I froze.
She wanted my father to take me to the werewolves. No, that couldn't be possible. I thought, shaking my head. She had made that threat too many times before; I was sure this was just another one of those moments when she got tired of me.
I took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door.
"Who is there!?" Her sharp voice rang out, causing me to tremble.
"Urm... I brought breakfast—" my voice was drowned out by the sound of the doorbell downstairs.
The door to my parents' bedroom suddenly opened, and my father hurried out.
"Who could that be this early in the morning?" He whispered harshly as he made his way downstairs.
My stepmother followed after him. "I hope your daughter didn't do something stupid again!" She hissed.
I stood there with the tray in my hands, feeling uncertain about whether I should enter their room or go downstairs after them. After a moment of contemplation, I moved to the railing and watched from there.
My father opened the door just as the bell rang again.
There stood a tall man with eyes so grey I didn't think humans could possess such an eye color; they almost looked white. He was flanked by two females dressed like warriors. They couldn't have been his guards, as he looked like he could protect himself just fine. Only a fool would find them on the road and decide to attack; they were so menacing that a single blow from any one of them would likely be fatal.
"I presume you are George?" the towering man said.
My father turned pale and stared as if he were looking at a ghost. My stepmother quickly nudged him on the side to snap him out of his trance.
"Y—yes, I am," he stuttered, trying to compose himself.
"He is George Howard, sir," my stepmother chimed in from behind my father, her smile so forced that even a cat could tell it was fake.
The towering man turned his attention to her, and I watched as she cowered into my father.
"I didn't ask for your opinion, woman. Hold your tongue or lose it!" he growled. It wasn't a deep growl, but I felt it deep within my stomach. At this point, I realized I had made the right decision by staying upstairs.
"Now, George, I have a proposal for your daughter. The king wants her. How much do you need?"
At first, my brain processed it as if I weren't the one the man had mentioned. Then it struck me—he had mentioned me.
My eyes widened, and I felt my lungs freeze. My hands began to tremble, and I knew that if I didn't set the tray of coffee down, it was going to break.
Slowly, I lowered it to the ground and sat there, watching them. Their king wanted me? Why? Had I done something wrong? Could my father reject this? I helped them around the house with every chore; my stepmother did nothing. I was useful to them. If they sold me to this king, who would do all of the things I did?
My father whispered something to my stepmother, and she shook her head, bringing relief to my heart. They were going to reject this.
To my horror, I heard my father, the one who had supposedly raised me, give the man his price.
"Twenty bags of silver coins and ten bags of gold..." he said. All the fear he had shown a minute ago for the towering man was gone, replaced by greed and arrogance.
No! This couldn't be happening. I felt the blood drain completely out of my body and started gasping for air. This couldn't be real.
"Okay, I'll give you thirty bags of silver and twenty bags of gold coins, deal?" the towering man bellowed again.
My stepmother's face was euphoric with excitement; she was almost squeaking behind my father until the towering man glared at her. They hadn't even asked for his name. What if he was lying? What would they do to me? Shouldn't my parents find out any of these?
The towering man gave silent orders to the guard on his right, and she nodded gruffly before disappearing from my view.
My parents hadn't even offered them seats! How did they expect them to treat me when I got to their place?
My heart raced, and I was slowly starting to lose my mind. Everything happening couldn't be real; it had to be a joke.
"Where is the girl?" I heard, and my heart froze. The man was asking about me!
No! I wouldn't let them take me.
I looked back down at them and noticed that the guard had returned with three more guards carrying bags of coins.
"I'll go get her!" my stepmother chirped as she started for the stairs.
Panic settled within me as I watched her begin to ascend. I couldn't sit there on the ground and watch them sell me to a stranger. No.
I crawled away from the spot I had occupied and found my way to my room as fast as I could. Once I got there, I locked the door and started pacing. I had to run. I couldn't wait here for them to take me.
I looked out the window and noticed the five SUVs that lined the street. There was a muscled guard in front of each vehicle. Even if I made it out, those men were going to catch me no matter how far I ran.
"Avalyn!" my stepmother called, pounding on my door. "I know you're in there, you silly child! Open up!" She yelled authoritatively.
Tears filled my eyes, and I felt helpless. I couldn't move. Up until this moment, I had never hated my stepmother, despite all the things she had done. I still respected and treated her like a true mother.
But my heart shattered. She was no mother of mine. My true mother would never sell me out like this. My heart was breaking as I scanned the room with my eyes. There was no escape; the longer I stayed here, the worse things would get.
I took a deep breath, wiped my tears, and pulled the door open.
Her eyes had turned into slits as she laid them on me.
"What stupid game did you think you were playing?" She hissed, grabbing my hand.
"For the first time, your very existence has brought something good to us so early in the morning, and you want to mess it up? I would rather grill you alive myself!"
I couldn't do it anymore. I thought I could stay numb until everything was over, but I couldn't. I stopped walking, and a stream of tears flooded my face again.
"Mother, please... Don't do this... I will do anything you want. But please don't give me to those people..." My voice broke, and my tears choked up my throat.
I couldn't breathe properly, and even my nose became blocked.
"Oh, shut up!" She hissed, pulling me to the stairs. "I will throw you down if I have to! Come on, move!"
There was truly no turning back for me. This was it. I was doomed forever. I swallowed my tears and followed her like an obedient little dog. She pushed me toward my father, who wiped an imaginary speck of dust from the ragged dress I wore and held my jaw so I could face him.
"Do not try anything stupid, because the moment you leave here, we are taking all of this money and going somewhere much better. Do you understand?"
Another trail of tears trickled down my face as I stared at him. There was no point in pleading with him, because he wouldn't say no to all of that money after just seeing it.
"Confirm your payment and hand me the girl!" The towering man growled again.