Chapter 7

    " I... am not... a thief," I stuttered, trying to explain to the guard, but he wasn’t listening. His grip on my arm was like iron, and he started dragging me out of the castle without a second thought.

    " Merilla!" I called out, hoping my spirit animal would come to my rescue. But there was no sign of her. The guard kept dragging me away from the palace, towards an old stone building with small metal rod windows that looked anything but inviting.

    " You will be staying in the dungeon until the king decides what to do with you," he said, his voice cold and unyielding. He shoved me into a tiny, dark cell so hard that I fell to the ground, scraping my knees through my jeans.

    I winced in pain as I sat up, looking around the dark, cramped space. The walls were damp, the air was thick, and the only light came from a small, barred window high above. My heart pounded in my chest as the reality of my situation sank in. I was locked in a dungeon, accused of being a thief, and I had no idea what was going to happen next.

    I  bit down on my lower lip, desperately trying to hold back the tears that kept threatening to spill over. But no matter how hard I tried; they came streaming down my cheeks.

    I cried until there were no more tears left to shed, my eyes puffy and sore from the relentless outpour. MY situation felt unbelievable. I should never have followed Merilla into the woods. If I had stayed on the farm, none of this would have happened.

   Now, here I was, locked in a dark dungeon, in an unknown world, feeling utterly alone and defeated. The cold, stone walls seemed to close in on me, making the despair even more overwhelming. I wrapped my arms around my knees, feeling the chill seep through my jeans. Every sob felt like it echoed off the walls, making it sound even louder.

    After there weren’t any tears left to cry, I stood up from the ground and surveyed the cell. In the right corner, there’s a pile of hay with a blanket on it. I would assume that is the bed, and in the left corner is a metal bucket with a reeking stench coming from it. I approach the bucket with much caution, covering my nose in the prosses. As I peek over the edge of the bucket, I could feel the vomit appearing in the back of my throat. I gagged, and luckily, I didn’t throw up. The bucket is used for a toilet. It is absolutely revolting. How could they just leave it here to rot? They are supposed to dispose of it.

    Late that night, I was still locked up in the little cell, and no king had shown up to decide my fate, or he did, and that is why I am still stuck in this cold dungeon. I wanted to cry, but all my tears were all dried up from the crying earlier. This is all so unbelievable. If I ever get out of here, the first thing I am going to do is go back home and never leave again.

    On that note, I hear footsteps approaching from down the hall, and it sounds like more than one person. Shivers run down my spine as I hear them getting closer. It must be the king finally coming to decide whether I am a thief or not. To my surprise, it is the guy from earlier who kissed me and not the king.

    “ Well, if it isn’t my sleeping beauty,” a smooth voice cut through the darkness. His voice made me want to rage. Why was he here? Was he the king’s right-hand man, the one who did all the dirty work?

    I wanted to lash out, but I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to make things worse.

    “ I heard you tried to steal from the castle,” he said in his deep, tantalizing voice.

    “ I didn’t try to steal anything,” I snapped back. A smile played at the corner of his mouth.

    “ So you’re saying the guard is lying?”

 “ I’m saying the guard should get some glasses and stop assuming things that aren’t true.”

    “ So, you did not try to steal gold from the pillars in the castle?”

    “ Are you as dense as the guard?” My blood began to boil. “ No, I did not try to steal gold. I was just admiring the details. When I went to touch it, the guard called me a thief and dragged me here.”

    The man stayed quiet, looking at the guard. Something changed in his gaze, and a low grunt came from his voice. The guard went pale and lowered his head in submission.

    “ Is this true?” he asked the guard. The guard hesitated, then nodded.

    “ I’ll deal with you later,” he said harshly to the guard, before turning back to me. “What are you doing in Valtor?”

    “ My spirit animal, Merilla, brought me here. She said I might find answers about my biological parents.”

    He stared at me with a scrutinizing look. Then he unlocked the cell door.

    “ You are free to go,” he said, motioning for me to come out. Without hesitation, I rushed out. But as I stepped through the door, a strong hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me back, slamming me into a broad, muscular chest. Looking up, I saw his caramel eyes. For a moment, I noticed a hint of red in them, distracting me. The warmth from his body was overpowering, drawing me in.

    I shook my head, trying to snap out of it and push myself away, but he was too strong. He leaned close to my ear, and I froze.