The One Who Was Chained

11

The stairs were just as steep as I remembered. My legs were strained and sore, but I knew I had to keep going. Alan was at the top. I could just sense it. I would finally have my revenge. I reached the top floor, almost to the point of crawling. I let myself rest for a second, but not any longer. I had to stay alert. I took out my knife from where I had tucked it in my belt.

"This way." Queenie flew off my shoulder into the next room over. Something wasn't right.

"I never told you which way I was going, did I?" I tested her.

"You-"

"You're not Queenie."

"Well, you figured it out much faster than I would have anticipated. But you're still exactly where I want you. Alone and trapped." The hawk shifted and grew, until Alan stood before me.

"What did I do to deserve this? Just let me leave with Queenie and I won't hurt you or anyone else here." I held out my knife, keeping distance between us.

"Why would I let you leave?"

"Because I have something you want." It was the one bargaining chip I had left. I slipped my hand into the pocket of my cloak, feeling the cold metal against my fingers. I pulled out the necklace, examining it. Nothing had changed since my mother had given it to me. The day she had died. A small black stone hung from the thin chain, small bursts of gold glistened in the soft light. I had never worn it. In fact, I feared it. "You know what this is, what it does?"

"Yes, I do." A smile crept over Alan's face. "Now hand it over." Alan held out his hand, but I pulled the necklace back.

"Not until you answer one question. Why did you conspire with the mortals?" Necklace in one hand, knife in the other, I was ready. There was no way Alan could just brush off the question. Not with the necklace on the line.

"Because if I have their protection, I won't die when they come for us. It was inevitable that the borders were going to collapse. So I made myself an ally that would make me untouchable. And yes, I've been destroying the towers. Now, the necklace, if you please."

"Never." I stuffed it back in my pocket and lunged with my knife. Alan easily stepped to the side, and drew his own blade. I had never been the best at fighting, let alone with a kitchen knife, but I could hold my own for long enough. Maybe Queenie would be able to escape and warn someone. Alan slipped past my meager defenses, scraping my shoulder with the edge of his blade. It wasn't deep, but the cut was long, and it weakened me. It stung every time I raised my arm to block him. And he was cornering me. I felt the blood dripping down my back, my muscles straining to keep up. The knife was knocked from my hands, Alan's sword crashing down onto my forearm. I pulled away quick, but not quick enough. Blood was already dripping to the floor. It was all over. I let him drag me down the stairs to the dungeons and throw me into a damp cell. This was it. I was going to die like this.

"You put up quite a fight for a girl with a steak knife. It's too bad you're down here now. You have potential. But you made the fatal mistake of challenging me. And I always get what I want." He swung the necklace over his palm to taunt me.

"I guess that's it then." I whispered. The pain was horrible now, my arm was throbbing, blood covering my other hand as I tried to staunch the bleeding. And Alan left me there to die. He didn't care. But I still did. I tore a piece of fabric from my cloak, wincing as I tied it tightly around the wound on my forearm. The blood soaked right through it. I tied two more scraps of my cloak on top of the first one and hope for the best. I knew that I was foolish to believe that anyone would value my life enough to rescue me. But something deep inside me told me that it wasn't over yet. No. It had only just begun.