Questions without Answers
Aria's POV
I jerked away from Kael's arms like he was made of fire. The claw marks on his skin looked fresh and angry, with tiny drops of blood still wet along the edges.
"Stay away from me!" I shouted, backing toward the far wall. My heart hammered so hard it hurt.
Kael looked down at his arm, then quickly pulled his sleeve down to hide the scratches. But it was too late. I'd already seen them.
"Aria, calm down," he said, reaching toward me with his other hand. "I can explain."
"Explain what?" I snapped. "How you got clawed by some animal? What kind of animal makes marks like that?"
"A bear," Kael said quickly. "I ran into a bear this morning while hunting. It's no big deal."
Liar. Those marks were too thin for bear claws. Too perfect. Too... deliberate.
"Show me," I demanded, crossing my arms. "If it's just a bear scratch, show me."
Kael's golden eyes darkened. "Aria, you need to trust me. I saved your life, remember?"
"That's what you keep saying," I shot back. "But how do I know that's true? I can't remember anything! For all I know, you're the one who hurt me in the first place!"
Pain flashed across Kael's face like I'd slapped him. "You really think I would hurt you?"
Something deep in my chest twisted at the hurt in his voice. Part of me wanted to apologize, to believe him, to let him hold me again. But the smart part of my brain screamed warnings.
"I don't know what to think," I whispered. "I don't know anything."
Kael stared at me for a long moment, then sighed heavily. "You're right. You deserve answers. Let me bring you some food, and we'll talk."
He turned toward the door, then paused. "Aria? Please don't try to leave this room while I'm gone. It really is dangerous out there."
After he left, I heard the lock click shut again. I was still a prisoner.
I spent the next hour pacing around the small room like a caged tiger. Questions bounced around in my head like ping-pong balls. Who was I really? Why couldn't I remember anything? What was Kael hiding? And most importantly - who had been screaming?
When Kael came back, he carried a tray with hot soup, crackers, and two white pills.
"Medicine for your headache," he explained, setting the tray on the bed. "Dr. Frost says you need to take them twice a day."
I picked up one of the pills and studied it. It was plain white with no markings. "What kind of medicine?"
"Pain medication," Kael said, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. "For the head injury."
Another lie. I could feel it.
"I'm not taking anything until you answer my questions," I said firmly. "Starting with those scratches on your arm."
Kael sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his dark hair. "It's complicated."
"Try me."
"The bear was protecting her cubs," he said carefully. "She caught me by surprise near the river. I had to fight her off."
"With what? Your bare hands?"
"I had a knife."
"Then why didn't you stab her instead of letting her claw you?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "I don't like hurting animals unless I have to."
I wanted to believe him. Everything about his voice and face seemed honest. But something still felt wrong.
"Fine," I said, picking up the soup spoon. "Next question. Why am I locked in here? If you really saved me, why am I your prisoner?"
"You're not my prisoner," Kael protested. "You're my patient. You have a serious head injury, and you're not strong enough to take care of yourself yet."
"Then why lock the door?"
"Because you might wander off and get lost. Or hurt. These mountains are full of dangerous animals and hidden cliffs."
I ate a spoonful of soup while thinking. It tasted good - like chicken and vegetables. But even good soup couldn't wash away my doubts.
"What about that window?" I asked, pointing to a small square of glass I'd just noticed high up on one wall. "I want to see outside."
Kael hesitated. "There's not much to see. Just snow and trees."
"I want to see for myself."
He sighed and helped me drag a chair over to the wall. I climbed up carefully, my head spinning a little from the effort.
The view made my heart sink.
Snow stretched in every direction like a white ocean. Tall pine trees covered the mountainsides, and jagged peaks rose up all around us like the teeth of some giant monster. No roads. No houses. No signs of other people anywhere.
We were in the middle of nowhere.
"See?" Kael said as he helped me down from the chair. "There's nothing out there. The nearest town is fifty miles away."
Fifty miles through mountains and snow. Even if I could escape this room, I'd never survive the journey.
"How did you find me if we're so far from everything?" I asked.
"I know these mountains well. I've lived here my whole life."
"With Dr. Frost?"
"Dr. Frost runs a research station here. I help him sometimes."
"What kind of research?"
Kael's golden eyes flickered away from mine. "Wildlife research. Studying animals and their behavior."
More half-truths. I was getting tired of them.
"I need some air," I said, feeling trapped and frustrated. "This room is too small."
"I'm sorry, but you need to stay here until Dr. Frost says you're ready."
"Ready for what?"
"To... to go home," Kael said, but his voice sounded uncertain.
I put down my soup bowl and stared at him hard. "Kael, I want you to tell me the truth. The real truth. What happened to me? Why can't I remember anything? And don't give me another story about a car crash."
For a moment, I thought he was going to tell me something real. His face looked torn, like he was fighting with himself inside.
Then his expression went blank again. "Eat your soup, Aria. You need your strength."
Angry tears burned my eyes. "Fine. Don't tell me. But I'm going to find out the truth one way or another."
I turned away from him and pretended to focus on eating. But really, I was planning. There had to be some way out of here. Some way to find answers.
After Kael left, I searched every inch of the room. Under the bed, behind the small dresser, in the corners where shadows gathered. I was looking for anything that might give me a clue about who I really was.
That's when I found it.
Tucked between the mattress and the wall was a folded piece of newspaper. It was old and wrinkled, like someone had hidden it there on purpose.
My hands shook as I unfolded it.
The headline hit me like a punch to the stomach:
"MAFIA PRINCESS MISSING - REWARD FOR SAFE RETURN"
Below the words was a picture of a girl with long dark hair and serious brown eyes. She looked exactly like me.
The article was dated two weeks ago.
I wasn't just some random girl who'd been in a car accident. According to this newspaper, I was t
he daughter of one of the most dangerous crime bosses in the country.
And someone was offering ten million dollars to get me back.