Celeste's life is far from the enchanting fairy tale one might expect from a princess. Her father, a ruthless and self-absorbed king, leaves a trail of death and destruction in his wake. To seal alliances and maintain his power, he arranges for Cele...
The endless tunnels twist like snakes through the walls and beneath the floors of the castle. It's dark, pitch dark, and ice-cold.
Elien doesn't say a word, and I remain deathly still.
The only sound is the echo of Elien's shoes on the stones.
My bare feet ache from the cold and rough ground. I haven't longed for a warm bath in a long time.
Could Novak, Alisha, or Micca be searching for me? Novak would be insane if he was. I've been ignoring him for weeks, cheated on him, and haven't spoken a kind word. His life would be more peaceful and happier without me.
'Celeste,' Elien's soft voice sounds behind me.
'Yes?' I ask, continuing to walk without pause.
There is no immediate response to his remark. The sound of his footsteps slowly fades, his breathing quickens, and it feels even colder around us.
'Celeste,' he repeats. I don't answer, and he doesn't need to say anything further to tell me what's going on.
Clutching the knife in my hand, I stop walking. My gut feeling starts to grow with worry.
The tunnels have three exits, and we're not close to any of them.
'Celeste... run.' That's when I turn around and hurl Elien against the tunnel walls with a strong gust of wind. My little brother lands far beyond my sight on the ground. I don't have time to see if he's okay.
I start running as fast as I can.
I had hoped Elien's antidote would last long enough to get through the tunnels, but Diana has ruined that plan.
I'll never be faster than Elien. My only hope is to keep him at bay long enough to reach the end of the tunnels.
It takes longer than last time for Elien to rise and transform into his raven form. The silence of the darkness makes his silent wings barely audible.
Before the raven can soar above me, I strike him with a powerful gust of wind against the ceiling. He falls soundlessly to the ground.
Normally, I would run to my brother to see if he's unharmed, but this isn't my brother. This is a murderer.
I keep running, my feet turning corners without glancing back. Sweat beads on my forehead as I slowly see the exit on the side of the forest come into view. The old iron door, my only way out.
With a pounding heart, I reach the heavy door. I place my hand on the cold doorknob and pull, but nothing happens. A wave of panic washes over me. I rattle the door, desperately trying to use my magic to force it open, but it remains securely locked.
It's locked.
Before I can turn around, I'm forcefully grabbed by the shoulder and pulled to the ground with a thud. I land on the cold stones, a painful groan escaping my lips.
I try to turn around, but Elien is stronger than he appears. In one swift motion, he turns me around and clasps his hands around my throat. My breath catches, and I grab at his wrists in a desperate attempt to break his grip.
His grip tightens, and I feel the pain spreading. I can barely breathe, my vision blurs, and despair overwhelms me.
'Elien, stop,' I shout through the icy silence with the little breath I have left.
Elien's eyes are even darker than before, devoid of humanity.
Gasping for air, I try to organize all the possibilities I can think of. The door is locked, no one will come to help me in the castle, and Elien won't stop.
My grip on his wrists tightens, and in an attempt to find a solution, I gather my magic and channel it into my palms.
My vision starts to blur, the pressure in my head intensifies, and breathing becomes impossible until Elien suddenly releases my throat with a groan.
He grasps at his smoking wrists. Smoke, smoke is coming from his skin.
Coughing and gasping for breath, I clutch my bruised throat. Coughing, I can only cough.
Only when I see Elien coming back towards me in my peripheral vision do I gather all the magic and energy I have and strike him with the strongest gust of wind I can produce, slamming him against the wall. He slumps to the ground unconscious.
I don't know how quickly I push myself off the ground and make another attempt at the door. Pushing, pulling, and even the strongest magic has no effect.
I'm trapped.
Once again, I start running, this time back into the long corridors. There must be another open door, there has to be.
My legs ache from running, my throat from Elien's attempted murder, and with each use of my magic, my lifelines burn even more intensely.
I run and run without looking back, my bare feet flying over the stones.
It's silent in the tunnels for a long time, except for my breathing and the sound of my feet.
The moment I hear the wings echoing against the stones again, my courage falters.
My legs feel heavy as lead, my breathing becomes increasingly difficult. The darkness seems to dance around me, playful shadows threatening to engulf me. My vision blurs, but I force myself to remain focused. I have to find another door, an escape from this nightmare.
I don't know how long I run, how many turns I take in the labyrinth of tunnels. The pain in my feet is almost unbearable, my breathing erratic.
Suddenly, like a glimmer of hope in the darkness, I see a faint light at the end of a corridor. My heart leaps with joy. This must be an exit, a chance to escape.
With the last shreds of energy within me, I pick up my pace. I run like a madwoman, my feet barely touching the ground. The light grows brighter and closer, I can almost smell the fresh outdoor air.
But just as I think I've made it, I feel a sudden grip on my back. Elien seizes me, his hands clawing into my dress.
A cry of desperation escapes my throat. I struggle free, my body screaming with pain and exhaustion. But Elien is relentless, his grip stronger than ever.
Before I can use my magic, he grabs me by the hair, pulls me to the ground, slams my head against the stones, and everything goes black.
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
