Chapter 4

There is a silhouette of a male figure standing on the beach. Not knowing who it is but thinking that it is Asher waiting for me, I approach it. "Hey Asher," I say softly.

The figure turns towards me. He has dark eyes that appear to be bottomless wells. An dangerous smile plays at the corners of his lips. "I'm afraid you have mistaken me for my cousin."

Asher's cousin? That means…

"My name is Nader and what is your name, dear?" My mouth falls open as I step backwards. "Where is Asher?" I whisper.

His smile fades and he steps towards me, "You never answered my question, Elizabeth." "How do you know my name?" I continue to walk backwards as he advances towards me.

"Where is he?" I repeat. "He is a little tied up at the moment," Nader smirks. "W..what do you mean?" I stutter. He grins mischievously and grabs my wrist, "Come with me, and you shall see."

He drags me with him and I make futile attempts at escaping. He tosses me into his car and I try to escape, but the child lock is on and I am unable to open the door.

Nader seems amused at my attempts to escape. "Silly girl, I am not that ignorant. If you would like to see your precious Asher, you must obey my commands and sit still."

At the mention of Asher's name, I stop struggling. "Very good," he says amused. Nader speeds past houses and soon we're on a remote road surrounded by trees on both sides.

"M..may I ask, where are you taking me?" I whisper. "I am taking you to your dear Asher," he says menacingly. The farther he drives, the less people I see.

After about two hours of driving, we finally reach the destination. He parks the car and opens the passenger door, pulling me out.

Despite the uncomfortable grasp he has on me, I stand in awe of the castle in front of me. It is a medieval gothic castle surrounded by woods all around.

Nader watches me with surprise and then I realize that there is nothing to be amazed about. I have been kidnapped by Nader. I am pulled into the castle and he abandons me in one of the rooms.

I walk around, fascinated by this unusual scenery. My fear of Nader is temporarily forgotten, until he returns. Nader smiles and holds out a knife. My face pales and instinctively I reverse.

"Don't be afraid my dear, you will not die." I am trapped between him and the wall. He holds the knife up to my face. My terror-filled eyes are pleading him to release me. "Please…please let me go," I whisper barely audibly.

His dark eyes show no emotion and his lips form a smirk. "Only you can lure Asher here," he says while pulling the knife across my cheek. The pain is intense, but I am more afraid for what lies in store for Asher.