Chapter 2

NAT’S POV

"No," I shook my head, horrified as I watched the two men charge toward King Draven. He stood tall, a menacing grin on his face as he sliced through their throats with his blade. 

They fell to the ground, dead at his feet. I felt the blood drain from my face, my heart pounding in my chest. "I should run," I said, panic rising in my voice. "I can't just wait here for death."

"I won't die with them," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper. I turned and started to run, my heart pounding in my chest. "Not today," I said, my voice stronger this time. "Today is not the day I die."

I was still running, my heart pounding in my chest. The sound of footsteps behind me made my pulse quicken, and my breath caught in my throat as I heard a man yell, "Get that bastard, he's not the rogue king!" 

I tried to turn, but my legs faltered beneath me and I landed hard on my backside. The rogue king was upon me in an instant, his breathing ragged as he leaned over me. "Get up," he gasped, "you have to keep running." I looked up at him, my eyes wide in disbelief as he suddenly shifted forms. 

The man standing before me was now a woman, her features strikingly similar to my own. "I'm not the rogue king," she said, her voice now soft and feminine, "I'm a shapeshifter."

The breath I'd been holding finally escaped in a rush, my eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Why would she cause herself trouble by coming to save me when I didn't even know her? "I... I don't know what to say," I stammered, my gaze falling to the woman's leg, where I saw a deep gash oozing blood. "You're injured," I said, my voice suddenly urgent.

She hadn't even seemed aware of the wound until I mentioned it, but now her face was contorted in pain. The men were getting closer, their footsteps crunching through the brush. "We don't have time," she hissed, shaking her head in frustration. 

"You need to get out of here." She turned to look back at the men, her expression one of terror. "They may have needed you alive before, but now that they know someone is trying to help you, they'll kill us both. You have to get out of here. You have to save yourself."

She collapsed beside me, her face a mask of pain. I shook my head. I couldn't just leave her here to die after she'd risked so much to save me. 

"Let me help you," I said, reaching for the dagger sheathed at her side. She tried to protest, but I ignored her, grabbing the dagger and slicing my palm.

A hot red line of blood welled up from the wound. "My blood can heal," I explained. "I can help you." I shifted closer to her, pressing my bleeding hand against the wound in her leg. The blood began to flow over my fingers, seeping into her skin.

"You are a fool," she hissed, her eyes dark with anger. "If you think I don't already know that." She threw her head back and winced in pain as my blood slowly healed her wound. "You should leave me and go to safety," she pleaded. "Get out of here before it's too late." I smiled in relief as the wound closed completely, but the sound of footsteps echoed in my ears.

“Here you are?” A chorus of mocking laughter filled the air as I spun around, facing the group of men who had been chasing me. They stood in a semicircle around us, their weapons drawn and their faces twisted in anger. 

"You thought you could escape us?" one of them said, his voice dripping with venom. 

"You thought this little shapeshifter could help you escape?" Another man stepped forward, his sword raised menacingly. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt myself trembling with fear. Beside me, the shapeshifter stood, her expression cold and unafraid.

"Let the young woman go," the shapeshifter said, her voice cool and commanding. "Or you'll face my full wrath." The men looked at each other, their eyes filled with mockery. 

"Why waste your time chasing someone so harmless?" she continued, her gaze hardening. The dagger she held trembled slightly in her hand, betraying her fear. 

I could see that she was putting on a brave front, but I was afraid she wouldn't be able to defend us if the men decided to attack.

I leaned closer and tugged at her arm. "They could kill you," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Don't sacrifice yourself for me." But the shapeshifter only smiled, her eyes glinting with defiance. 

"It's not about you," she said, her voice low and fierce. "It's about what's right. I won't let them hurt you." I looked at her, my heart filled with gratitude and admiration. 

"That’s not right," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm so grateful for what you're doing. But you can't die for me.”

She glared at me, her eyes fierce. "I'll distract them," she whispered, "while you run. Don't hesitate, don't look back. Just get as far away as you can." I stared at her, my mind racing. 

"You wretched things are getting on my skin," one of the men growled, his eyes dark with malice. "You think you can get away with this?" He held up his arm, the wound still raw and red, and I saw the shapeshifter flinch at the sight. "And you," he snarled, his eyes fixed on the shapeshifter. "You'll pay for what you've done." His voice was filled with a cold, deadly rage, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Don't touch her," I cried, shoving the shapeshifter aside and retrieving the dagger from her hands. "You want me, not her." I held the dagger tightly, my knuckles turning white. "Take me, and let her go." The men looked at me, their eyes gleaming with malevolent satisfaction. 

"Ah, a brave soul," one of them said, a cruel smile on his lips. "Or a foolish one." The others laughed, but I stood my ground, refusing to back down.

"I'm going to kill you both," one of them roared, charging towards me with his sword raised. I dropped the dagger, my hands trembling with fear, and a sudden gust of wind knocked me to the ground. I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing, as the men moved back in shock.

"You should have known when to back down," a husky voice growled from behind me. I whirled around, and the rogue king stood there, his eyes glowing with a fierce, triumphant light. 

“I know he will come.” she smiled, “I know he will come to save us.” her smile was blinding and I blinked back nervously.

"You know who the rogue king is?" I started to ask, but before I could finish the sentence, a bloodcurdling scream split the air. 

I spun around, my heart hammering in my chest, and saw the bodies of the men flying through the air, crashing into the trees with a sickening crunch. They hit the ground with a heavy thud, and the silence that followed was deafening.

"The…the rogue king came to save me?" I sputtered, my mouth dried with fear. “What do they want from me?” But before I could finish my question, the man's hand lashed out, and I felt something hard and heavy collide with my skull. 

The world went black. I slumped back to the ground, darkness engulfing me. I drifted into unconsciousness, the last thing I heard was the sound of my own heartbeat, echoing in my ears like a mournful drum.