Shattered Promises 02 - Fractured Souls by Jessica Sorensen (motivational books for students TXT) 📕

head, and she’s wearing ratty pants with a t-shirt. She walks up to the throne and starts dusting it off with a white cloth. As she glances up, I catch the sight of her bright blue eyes. It’s my mother.

I gasp. “Oh my God.”

Nicholas brushes the dirt form his jeans as he steps up beside me. “What is it?”

“My mom,” I whisper, inching forward.

Moments later another woman enters the cave. She’s wearing a long, elegant, white dress and her eyes are two sunken holes. Her frosty hair veils down her back and she holds her head high as she crosses the cave floor

My mom bows as she walks by her, and then backs away as the woman sinks into her throne. She has to be the Queen of The Underworld.

“Where are they?” The Queen’s voice echoes out.

“I think Sarabella is bringing them in,” my mom answers quietly with her head still bowed as she stands in front of the throne.

The Queen stares at the arched entryway of the cave. “Does anyone know why they’re here?”

My mother shakes her head. “They haven’t said anything yet.”

Nicholas taps me on the shoulder, and demands for me to take us away, but I disregard him, my eyes are glued to the vision unfolding in front of me. When does this vision take place?

Another scream rings out and then a tall, thin-framed woman with the same frosted hair and pale skin as the Queen, strides into the cave accompanied by a tall, lean guy with messy brown hair and green eyes. On the other side of her is a brown haired, violet eyed me.

“Alex and me…” I gape. “What the hell?”

Alex remains close to me as we follow the woman across the cave and to the throne.

“Thank you, Sarabella,” the Queen says.

Sarabella smiles, her mouth a toothless hole. “You’re welcome my Queen,” she breathes, and then sweeps the tail of her white dress across the floor before she turns around, exiting the cave.

The Queen taps her fingers together, her eyes secured on Alex and me, her mouth set firmly in a line. “So, you two are the humans who dared to enter my world without my permission.” Alex starts to speak, but the Queen holds up her hand. “Silence. I do not want to hear your excuses. All that’s important is that there are going to be consequences for what you’ve done.” She glances us over. “You look familiar,” the Queen remarks to Alex. “Have you been here before?”

Alex shakes his head and intertwines his fingers through mine. “I haven’t.”

“Are you sure?” The Queen’s empty gaze bores into Alex. “There’s something about you that’s so…familiar.”

Alex shakes his head again. “I swear, I’ve never been here before.”

“Tell me then, why you’ve entered my world?” she asks.

My mother steps out from behind the throne and the vision version of me smiles, my violet eyes lighting up with excitement.

“For her,” Alex tells the Queen, giving a nod at my mother.

My mother stares robotically at us. “I have no idea who they are, my Queen.”

“She doesn’t know who you are,” the Queen says with a grin.

“That doesn’t matter.” Alex steps forward, pulling me with him. “We need to take her.”

“That’s impossible,” the Queen roars, hammering her fist on the armrest of the throne. The ceiling shakes from the bellowing sound and pieces of loose rock fall to the ground. “No one ever leaves The Underworld. Ever! Something you probably should have considered before you entered here.”

“We entered here in a way that you have no control over whether we get to leave or not,” Alex says with an arrogant grin.

“You better watch your tone, boy,” the Queen warns, leaning forward in the throne. “I’ve cut off the tongues of those who dared show such disrespect to me.” But then her grin fades. “Which one of you is the Foreseer?”

“What do you mean?” Alex asks, discretely inching himself in front of me to block me out of the Queens restless gaze.

“Don’t play stupid with me, boy. The only way you could enter my world and still get out is by entering with the Ira, something that can only be used by a Foreseer. So, is it you? Or is it her?” The Queen’s gaze lands on the vision version of me. “Tell me, girl, what is your name?”

“Gemma,” I tell her in a surprisingly confident tone as I step forward.

“Gemma, would you please explain to me what your interest in this woman is?” She gestures her hand at my mother who’s knelt down on the ground.

“She’s…” she trails off. “We just know her,”

She glances at my mother. “Why would I let you take my best slave? Are you really that stupid? Did you really think you could simply walk in here and persuade me to hand over someone because you know her?”

Alex reaches in the pocket of his jeans and retrieves a sparkly blue object. I shuffle forward into the cave, squinting to see what it is. I need to find out so that Alex and I can come do this exact same thing and free my mother, which is hopefully the end to this vision.

It’s sparkling blue and I’ve seen it before… somewhere. Oh my God. I saw it in the mysterious hideout. I was holding a large, sapphire gem and Alex took it from me and tossed in into a trunk. Is that what I need? When I come here to save her?

I’m waiting to find out when Nicholas lurches up behind me and shoves me against the wall, his fingers wrapping around my throat. I’d almost forgotten he was there and he takes me completely off guard.

“Take me back,” he demands, leaning into my face as his nails cut through my neck. “Or I’ll kill you where you stand.”

“Let me go,” I choke as I shove my hands against Nicholas’s chest, but it barely fazes him. I try to glance into the cave, but he tightens his grip and my air supply is nearly cut off.

“Take. Us.