Of course, Alexandra noticed. Nothing’s ever private around here.
"I was trying to convince him not to go through with this stupid plan, but he's refusing to back down," I explain, feeling tired again. "Don't get me wrong. He’s treating me better, and I guess he doesn't hate me anymore, but we still need time to heal."
Alex chews her bottom lip and her expression shifts into a much more serious one. She glances around, like she wants to make sure that no one’s listening in.
"Astri, you know I love you and turning yourself in is the last thing that I want for you, but I have to agree. Attacking Ruscal with the numbers that we have is silly. Most of these shifters don't even know how to fight. And Emilia doesn't have her magic," she explains. "But Tim thinks that we should do this and I disagree. I'm sorry, Astri. I know this is—"
"No, shhhh, please don't even apologise. You're right, but Jorgen can't see it. I don't want anyone to risk their life for me," I cut her off, annoyed that the vote wasn't united. I should have spoken up. Apparently, Jorgen didn't want to lead in the beginning, but that trip to the Neverworld changed everything.
Anxiety rises inside me, but it's too late to do anything.
"We’ll fight, but I'm afraid that this might not end well for anyone. A few of our friends are already dead. For Hommis, this whole situation is so tragic," she admits.
"Just leave this to me. I'll figure something out," I tell her, but she grabs my hand just before I head downstairs.
"Just talk to Jorgen. He's fighting his feelings, but we both know that he can't resist you for long. I think he’s already forgiven you," she adds in a whisper. "Did anything happened between you two, you know, after you crossed into the Neverworld?"
"No, but he did save my life. I think hearing the prophecy about his own brother shook him up. He wasn't expecting to hear that his brother was supposed to be the one for me," I admit, feeling sick even thinking about Ruscal like that. The man is a coward, and all his humanity was lost the moment he decided to target the Wyvern clan.
"I bet. All right, just try to talk to him again, then maybe you both can come up with another idea," she suggests, leaving me alone.
She has no idea that it’s going to be almost impossible for me to change Jorgen's mind. Deep down, I know that there’s only one thing left for me to do. Maybe I'm too selfish to let other people risk their lives for me.
Then Jetli appears next to me; she sits on my shoulder staring at me intensely. She most likely senses that there’s something wrong.
I smile at her, feeling terrible that I'm hiding stuff from her now. For this plan to work, I have to make sure that no one knows what I'm planning, so acting normal is the way to go.
Later on, I join the others in the dining room. Some shifters are having a heated discussion about Ruscal's abilities. Others are more interested in joining Jorgen’s army. I gently try to talk people out of it, but without much success. Besides, Lenin isn't helping much either.
"Astri, we’re ready and I want to fight that pig mage!" he shouts, waving his little wooden sword.
The raid starts at midnight, so I just have to sneak out sometime before that, using my invisibility spell to my advantage.
No one’s going to talk me out of it, and I won't allow anyone else to fight for my life. Aria seems depressed; she’s worried about her father. She knows that this whole thing is a bad idea.
I keep my act up until the evening, trying to show everyone that I'm one hundred percent behind Jorgen's plan. No one can suspect anything and I know that Jetli’s watching me.
Eventually I head upstairs again, telling the others that I need to be alone. I suspect that most of the them are going to stay up until late, so it's going to be difficult to leave unnoticed.
A few of the other mages are still in the city trying to convince other shifters to join us. Jorgen’s avoiding me, which is a good thing. Others are trying to rest before the fight, and the sun is slowly starting to set.
Jetli keeps following me around like a shadow and I know that she senses that I might be up to something. Luckily, Lenin’s hanging with the men, feeling important and brave. I love Jetli to bits, but somehow, I need to find a way to get her to back off for bit.
"I'm going to have a quick nap, you know, before tonight. Why don't you join Emilia downstairs?" I suggest. She sighs loudly, pulls a face and vanishes. I’ve never lied to her, and I hate doing it right now, but it's necessary for the greater good.
As soon as I'm alone, I start packing what I need in my old bag. Lenin has the upside-down mirror and it's better if I leave it behind for now. After making sure everything’s prepared, I take an herbal mixture with light sleeping potion. Jorgen and no doubt some of the others will come to check on me. When they see that I'm sleeping they’ll leave me alone.
I drink the bitter liquid, throw the flask out the window and then instantly drift away. I jump straight away into a dream. I'm with my parents; we’re standing outside a house that I don't recognise. Even in a dream like this, seeing them seems unbelievable. I'm an adult and we’re walking around a beautiful garden. My mother has dark brown hair and blue eyes. She's stunning and I have her smile.
"You have to trust us, Astri," my mum tells me, placing her arms on my shoulders and her expression is growing serious. I frown, having no idea what she’s talking about.
"I do, but I don't understand any of it," I say.
"You're the only one who can defeat Ruscal, but you must do it alone. The others are only going to distract you," she adds.
I wake up sometime later a little disoriented. My eyes are slowly getting used to the darkness. There’s at least dozen shifters downstairs and I'm hoping they’re resting right now.
When I glance at the clock, it's after ten, and the Pixies aren't in my room. They must still be downstairs trying to console Aria. I quickly turn invisible and grab the bag that I prepared earlier on.
It's been a while since I’ve been hunting in the forest, but I have my bow and arrows. I rub my deformed cheek, asking myself if I'm doing the right thing. Jorgen and everyone else is going to be furious. Hopefully, by the time they realise that I vanished, I'll already be in the castle, sneaking in to kill Ruscal.
I use the front window leading to the roof to get out of the mill. When I lived with my aunt and uncle, I used to sneak out like that all the time. Usually from higher floors just so I could avoid them. The old tiles on the roof are slippery, but I can't afford to be seen by anyone.
I attach the rope to the chimney, and then slide down the wall all the way to the back exit.
The streets are empty, not even cars are passing through tonight. Energy moves through my veins, vibrating over my shoulders. I never thought I would admit it, but I hope my aunt and uncle managed to cross the border to another city.
Fear heats up my muscles, but I remind myself that I had to be a lot braver during the contest. Ruscal must be waiting for me, and I have a plan.
I keep walking the streets, going over my plan in my head. The truth is, after what happened with Jorgen and then Emilia, I know the taste of true fear. No matter what I do, Ruscal isn't going to just magically disappear. He wants to fulfill the prophecy, and he wants me dead.
I see the towers of the castle in the distance, slowly vanishing behind heavy clouds. I suspect that the weather might change for the worse; a storm is approaching from the north. I can feel the pressure in the air dropping.
Soon, I finally reach the shifter and mages neighbourhood. The streets are livelier here. The shops and cafes are still open, and in the distance, I see two wild shifters patrolling the area. My senses keep exploding: magic rises in the pit of my stomach.
The faint scent of sage drifts around. Someone must be brewing potions nearby, but right now I haven't got time to worry about illegal activities. I must get to the castle before any of my friends realise that I've disappeared.
Five minutes later, I finally start climbing the hill leading to the castle gate and grounds.
I remember the moment when I told my uncle that I was moving out; that I was taking part in the contest. He and my aunt were certain that I would be the first person to be eliminated. Bizarrely, I won and I'm no longer angry about the way they treated me in the past.
My heart keeps pounding insanely fast. Everything about that day when my life changed is still fresh in my memory. I pass the alley where Sebastian ambushed me, ordering me to stay away from him. He was so certain that he was going to win, but it was his own arrogance that made him lose his mind. I helped, but I was only trying to survive in the mountains.
The gate stretches right in front of me. I sense Ruscal's men standing outside, so I turn to the right. The grounds aren't as well protected at the other parts of the city and thanks to my invisibility spell, no one will notice me sneaking towards the other entrance.
I have to find out where Edvard’s being kept and if he’s all right. A harsh wind starts blowing from the north and I feel a little cold, wearing only my old jacket that I made using dead ferrets. It's calm until a few shifters approach from the outbuildings. I hide in the old stable, the same one where Jorgen nearly kissed me right after the first or second task. I don't quite remember now. The scar doesn't bother me anymore, but these memories keep drilling holes in my stomach.
I rush towards an older run-down building when someone grabs me. Shockwaves erupt throughout my body, and I try to fight with the stranger, kicking and screaming.
"Calm down, Astri. It's only me. I never thought you would be this stupid. If you wouldn't have told me about the invisibility spell, then maybe this would’ve worked out like you planned," Jorgen voice hisses into my ear. I stop struggling. He holds me tight, and my thoughts are racing. He wasn't supposed to see me. I lose the inability spell and turn around. He’s holding my wrists, sitting on top of me, looking furious.
"Get off me," I tell him, confused, but very much aware of the heat that suddenly slides down to places it doesn’t need to be right now. "How did you even see me?"
"I asked Lenin for some pixie dust and smudged your knives with it. I had a feeling that you might try sneaking out before everyone else and I was bloody right," he snaps and his blue eyes are penetrating. Anger rolls off his features, and the calm, almost docile expression vanishes.
I'm irritated with my own self. Damn it! I shouldn't have told him about my special ability. This ruined everything.
"Are you going to let me go or not?" I ask. He leans over closer then and I stop breathing for several seconds, wondering if he’s going to kiss me this time. My heart rate kicks up as I stare at him. Unexpected waves of desire tickle my insides.
"That depends, Astri. You can't turn yourself in, I won't allow it. We can figure something else out together," he says, and I shake my head. Maybe this is the worst possible time, but I want him to kiss me. He’s forgiven me, he must have. There’s only so much more that I can take.
"I'm sorry to ruin your romantic moment Duke, but it’s too late. No one’s going to believe that we caught the Wyvern girl tonight," another voice startles both of us. Jorgen shoots back on his feet, but he’s hit over the head with a giant log and slams back on to the ground, unconscious.
I glance up seeing three wild shifters standing a meter away from us, smiling with satisfaction. It's done—we’re done. They have me and it's too late to run.
Chapter Fifteen
The trial.
"Jorgen!" I shout, hoping to reach for my knives, but the wild shifters grab me before I can even blink. The other one kicks me with his heavy boot, most likely cracking my ribs. The pain knocks the breath out of me.
The other one grabs Jorgen and throws him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The outbuilding’s dark and gloomy, so I can't quite see their faces, but their magic is already invading my beast. It spreads around my body like a poison, pounding through my nervous system, instantly weakening me.
I try to fight them off, but their spells are blocking my abilities. I have no idea what’s happening. They shouldn't even have the ability to possess this kind of magic.
Soon after, I'm being dragged towards the castle walls, beating myself up over the fact that I haven't been more careful. Now, after risking my life to get Jorgen out, he's just been caught again.
"We’ll be generously rewarded for bringing the master the scarred dragon shifter. Now Ruscal can kill them both," another one of the wild shifter says, laughing. When I glance at him in the moonlight, I notice his dark hair and an axe hanging by his side. If I unleash my fire magic, maybe I’ll have a chance to fight them, but after all, he’s still twice my and Jorgen's size.
The duke had been hit pretty hard, and I expect him to have a concussion once he wakes up.
They’re taking us to the castle, and I hear other guards shouting towards our group. My breathing is laboured, and I know my ribs must be broken because the pain is unbelievable. I have no doubt that Ruscal’s going to be delighted with the fact that he doesn't have to look for his brother anymore. Now he can kill both of us. I have to do something.
I pant, attempting to bring forth my fire magic—the energy that normally feeds on the soil and pressure in the air.
Unfortunately, I get pushed towards the wall, landing awkwardly, and seconds later, everything goes dark.
Pain, there’s so much pain, and every damn move makes it worse. My inner beast stirs inside me, reminding me that it's time to kick some arse around here. Then a sharp, new slice of pain shoots up my spine.
I hear someone laughing, but can't recall if I'm still in the castle or maybe somewhere else. Either way, I don't have much time left.
"You hit the Duke pretty hard. Are you sure he’s still alive? Ruscal’s going to be pissed if you accidentally killed him," someone says, and my heart rate picks up.
Sometime later, I'm finally conscious enough to figure out that I’m still in the castle. The chamber around me looks familiar, but the odour of sweat and blood, not so much.
My limbs are stiff, and when I try to move the pain in my ribcage nearly makes me pass out again. I try to pull my arm up, but my movements are limited.
Those crazy shifters chained me to the damn wall. Deep pain slices across my chest, and the metal chains are ringing in my ears. I finally manage to keep my eyes open for longer than a minute and I spot them sitting around a table.
Jorgen’s chained up right across from me and he’s still unconscious, laying in a pool of blood. We’re both screwed when I realise that I can't sense my beast anymore. Something’s wrong and even my energy seems absent, like it's gone forever. I wonder why Bratlav or Ruscal aren't here yet.
"Look Malcolm, the Wyvern girl is awake. I think we waited long enough," one of the wild shifter states, nudging the big one who broke my ribs.
Every muscle in my body seizes as my eyes pick up a drifting, unexplained energy around the chamber. I move closer to the wall, trying to breathe at the same time. I suspect that I’ve been sitting here an hour or longer. Something must be keeping Ruscal away, otherwise he would have been here already.
On top of that, my group was supposed to ambush the castle, Jorgen was planning an attack just after midnight. Pain bursts and rushes down my stomach when I try to make myself more comfortable. Silent snippets of energy start caressing my skin. My inner dragon needs to wake up and show those motherfuckers that I'm not giving up so easily.
Normally my beast is alert and ready at my call, but there’s something really wrong with me. I suspect that it's the chains or the spell that those fuckers used earlier on to make sure that I wouldn't cause them any trouble.
Cowards!
I can't hear my inner dragon or even sense her. Right now, I'm in danger and I need her to produce the fire magic—my unlimited deadly weapon. I pull the chains from the wall, but that only hurts my wrists more.
"Just wait a bit longer. We don't want to spoil the surprise," the giant shifter replies, and the group of arseholes laugh.
I keep sitting like that for several
minutes until the door bursts open. My blood runs cold when I see Bratlav entering the chamber. He looks so different without his colourful mask and usual colourful grotesque outfit. A new wave of fear trickles through my veins once his eyes meet mine.
Even though he’s my enemy, I have to admit that he’s a handsome shifter, with deep brown eyes and sharp Nordic features. His eyes narrow, filling every part of me with blazing power.
"No way, Malcolm. It looks like the bunch of you aren't as useless as I thought," he laughs, rubbing his palms together.
I straighten my back, and I tell myself that whatever happens, he won't intimidate me.
The problem is that my energy is dormant, like it had been for the past eleven years. Without it, I'm useless because shifting into a Wyvern creature isn't an option. Only the deformed warlock witch was able to trigger it. Maybe I waited too long to use it, and now it's gone forever.
The other three wild shifters abandon their card game at the table and stand up.
"We have the Duke too, sir. They were together. Ruscal was right, she must have come here to turn herself in, hoping to save that other Wyvern," the large shifter says, and Bratlav keeps stroking his chin, staring at me with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. I need my magic to defend myself, to kill him before he can hand me over to Ruscal.
"The last pure Wyvern dragon shifter left in this world. Now, I understand why Ruscal wants to end your life so badly. Too bad he's on the other side of the city conducting business with trolls," the leader of the wild shifters states, revealing his white teeth.
He glances over to Jorgen, but doesn't seem to be that interested in the duke. "So, before we call him, we’ll have a bit of fun with you first. The Duke isn't a mage—I’ve taken everything from him and more. You on the other hand, you're more interesting."
"Touch me and I'll rip your head off with my teeth," I bark, like a lost little dog. I feel vulnerable not sensing my beast.
Everyone laughs, and then Jorgen starts coming around. He quickly realises that he’s chained to the wall too.