An Angel in the Dark

32- What's going on?

Aurora's POV

"Where are you taking me?" I whisper as Ethan drags me through the empty halls of the castle while the moon's glow shines through the windows. His hand holds a firm grip on my arm as he continues to drag me further down the stairs. "Ethan! What's going on?" I quietly yell but he only briefly glances at me. 

"To your birthday present," he says but never looks my way. I wrinkle my brows at his words. 

"But my birthday isn't until tomorrow." 

"The time's 12:01, so technically it is your birthday," he says while giving me a soft smile over his shoulder before returning his gaze back to the path in front of us.

Something about his whole demeanor seems absent. It bothers me. 

"Ethan, where are you taking me?!" I whisper louder while trying to pull my arm away. 

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise," he whispers while forcing a smile onto his lips. At last, I manage to yank my arm away before Ethan turns around to face me. "Aurora, c'mon." 

"Not before you tell me what's going on and why you're acting so strange!" His gaze wanders around the halls, looking at everything except for me. Even his hands shake a little as tiny sweatdrops from on his forehead.  "Ethan," I growl lowly, warning him. Still, he refuses to look me in my eyes. 

Finally, he sighs in defeat while his head falls. After a while, he looks up at me and finally meets my gaze. I raise a brow at him, showing him that I want him to continue. Once again his head falls as a groan leaves his lips. 

"FINE! Xander wants you in training," he says as he looks up at me, "That's why your clothes have been disappearing, I didn't want you to worry so I didn't say anything," he sighs, like he's disappointed in himself. 

"When did he decide this?" I ask as we start walking downstairs again. Ethan looks at me, begging me with his eyes not to fore him into telling me. Once he realizes that I'm not bugging, he sighs. 

"Weeks ago." A huff leaves my lips. 

"Unbelievable!" A soft chuckle leaves Ethan's lips before I cast him a glare, "You're not off the hook so don't even start." 

His head whips in my direction, almost like he's in shock. Once he sees that I'm serious his bottom lip pouts out, making him look like a small child. 

"Where are you taking me anyway?" 

"The dungeon." I stop dead in my tracks. With wide eyes, I stare at Ethan who looks at me like he doesn't know what he said wrong. 

"Like the place where they torture people?"

"Well, it hasn't been used for over a millennium," Ethan explains as if the whole thing isn't life-threatening for me. 

"Was I that bad? So bad that he has to use the dungeon again?" I ask as panic takes over. Ethan looks at me as tears trickle down my cheeks. 

"Ari, it's not like that! We rebuilt the whole thing for training, you aren't getting tortured!" he shouts as his arms wrap around my tine body-frame. 

"So I'm not gonna be tortured?" 

"No darling, no," he whispers into my hair as he hugs me tighter.