The promise

Katherine Pov 

I find myself descending downwards in a black void of emptiness. I couldn't see my hands or feet though. I was just...there. 

"Where am I?" I asked not waiting to hear a reply but out of the darkness came light from above. 

And descending from the light in a white apparel was Selena herself, the moon goddess. 

"Are you awake now, Katherine?" Selena inquired, extending her hands out to me. "Are you ready to come home with me?"

I shook my head. "No"

"Why?"

"Father, my brother..I have to avenge them and I need to protect the palace against the likes of Castro and Jasmine," I explained. "If I don't do this, I'm not sure my spirit can be at rest"

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

"Please Selena, give me a second chance at life. I have to protect all that I couldn't do before because I was blindsided by love"

"Why don't I give you that second chance but take away your past memories?. It won't do you good if you are driven by revenge--"

"Revenge is the only reason I want to live. Please.." I besseched  "Make this possible for me, Selena"

Selena remained silent as if I'd just laid a heavy burden on her shoulders. After much pondering, she replies. "Fine, I'll give into your demand but it would come at a price. Are you ready to pay that price?"

"Yes" I reply in a heartbeat. 

"Very well then. By the time you wake up, you won't remember our deal or how your rebirth came out to be. Now, go. "

The light began to shine brighter and with a powerful force, I started to fall down with a loud scream forcing it's way out through my throat. 

Landing on the ground with a powerful thud, a loud groan escaped my lips. "That hurts"

Rising up from the ground, I gazed around the unfamiliar place I was in that seemed like a deserted forest. How did I end up here?. The last thing I remembered was getting stabbed by Castro. 

I gasped as realization hit me; throwing my hands to where Castro's sword had pierced me but there was no hole there...nothing. "How am I still alive?"

Shaking my head, I decided that wasn't the right question to ask but rather I should be grateful for a second chance to exact my revenge on Castro and Jasmine. 

"You two should wait for me. I promise to find you" I muttered under my breath. 

"First, let's find a way to leave this forest or wherever this place is" Fera, my wolf says. 

I couldn't agree less with Fera. Passing through the thick forest, anger coursed through my veins as I kept on walking around in circles with a way out or a single food in sight. 

Crashing to the ground, I take in deep breaths completely exhausted. 

"We have to keep going" Fera declares."Or else we might die here"

"I wished I had died for real. This situation is real agony"

"Don't say what you don't mean, Katherine"

"How would you know what I mean, Fera" I mumbled under my breath, rising up to my feet to continue looking for edibles to eat it a place to rest my head. 

As sun slowly descended, my efforts had proven futile as I was still stuck in the forest, drenched in my own sweat and thirst. 

Breathing heavily, I lament. "It's been a whole full day and no sign of any food or water here. What's all this, really?"

There was not a single sign of life here. Just me and an uncomfortable silence and it was a suffocating feeling. 

Crashing to the ground, I picked up a nearby leaf, wrapped it around itself to form a pillow to rest my head. 

Laying my head on top of it, I gazed up at the stars which I hadn't taken note of in a long time since I opened my eyes. 

"What are thinking of, Katherine?" Fera asked. 

"Just..alot"

"Castro again?"

I shook my head. "Father and Jethro jr. They haven't had a proper burial yet. They must feel so lonely wherever they are"

"One thing at a time, Katherine. Let's figure out how we would get out of this forest first"

"No. I might not be able to last for that long." Closing my eyes, I added. "So I'll just do it first thing tomorrow morning"

"Anything that brings you consolence"

The only thing that was possibly going to bring me consolence was getting my revenge on Castro. 

"I don't think I'm ever going to get over the fact that father died because of me" Slowly opening my eyes, I add. "If only I knew..."

"You can't possibly blame yourself, Katherine. You've known Castro since you were small"

"And that's why I feel worse. Now that I think about it, Father must have had his suspicions about Castro. It seemed weird that he didn't approve of one of his closest friend's son"

Wait a minute!. This means that not only Castro but his father had planned this coup. 

That stinged. Not only was I backstabbed by Castro but his father had also betrayed Father's trust. Hell, his entire family had. 

"Father must be weeping in his grave" I concluded. "He must be feeling so sad"

"At least he has Jethro jr to keep him company"

Jethro jr. My little brother who hadn't even clocked his 13th years old birthday. Gone just like that. "That's not much of a consolation"

 "I apologize then. What can I do or say to console you?"

I closed my eyes. "Just do nothing. I just want silence"

The next day when morning came, I prepared a small grave made out of stone for father and Jethro jr.

Providing myself that this would be the last time that I would sob over their death, I made an oath "I swear by this grave, father" I promised. "I will avenge you. At. All. Cost"