As we climbed the stairs, the dungeon's damp, cold air gave way to a little draft. Every step we took was a calculated risk, and the sound of our footsteps was so loud it made my heart race. Anna, breathing steadily but shallowly, was directly behind me.
"Do you believe this leads out?" Her voice was hardly heard as she whispered.
I answered, "It has to," but I wasn't sure. "Stay close."
A massive wooden door marked the sudden conclusion of the stairs. I strained to hear any movement on the other side as I put my ear to it.
"Anything?" With her hand on the dagger's hilt that we had stolen from the guard, Anna asked.
I turned my head away. "It's silent."
I tried moving the handle, but it stayed in place. Locked. It was, of course, locked.
Anna pushed past me and said, "Step back. Let me try."
She took the stolen keys out of her pocket and started testing them one by one before I could object. It seemed to take forever for the tumblers to click.
"Hurry up," I said, looking over my shoulder. The stairway beneath us was still empty, but it wouldn't be for long.
With the door cracking open just enough for us to squeeze through, she said, "Got it."
We exited into a small, dimly lit hallway. I was somewhat pleased that the air was fresher here, but my chest still felt tense.
As Anna looked around the hallway, she mumbled, "This doesn't look like an exit."
I tightened my grip on the dagger and observed, "It's a step closer. Let's go."
We stayed as close to the shadows as possible as we moved along the passageway. We froze as we heard voices up ahead. I put a finger to my lips and drew Anna into a private alcove.
Two guards came around the bend, their rifles ready but their talk lighthearted.
One of them was saying, "He's angry. Said heads will roll if they aren't found by morning."
The other guard chuckled. "Glad my head isn't on the line."
With my heart racing, we slid out of the nook as soon as they were gone and continued. Kane was near. Too near.
Anna's voice faltered a little as she added, "Lucas, what if we don't make it?"
I strongly stated, "We will," yet my own voice betrayed me with its skepticism. "We must."
There was another door ahead, slightly open. I took a quick look inside and noticed what looked to be a garage. Barrels and containers were piled on shelves that ran the length of the walls.
I drew Anna in and said, "In here."
As she gathered her breath, she pressed her back against the door and shut it behind us. "Now what?"
I looked around the room for anything that would be useful to us. The window I saw was small enough for us to fit through, and it was close to the roof.
I pointed and said, "There."
Anna looked at me and scowled. "That fits really tight."
I walked over to the glass and said, "It's our only option." I made a temporary ladder by placing a few crates.
Anna stepped forward and said, "Give me a boost."
I nodded and lifted her up by linking my fingers. Climbing onto the crates, she grunted and reached for the window, pushing it open.
"Almost there," she stated in a strained tone.
My blood ran cold when I heard footsteps in the hallway.
I said, "Hurry," while turning to face the door.
Anna moved quickly but quietly as she dragged herself through the window. She gave me another look. "Come on."
I made my way up the crates and grabbed for the window, but before I could get through, the door flew open.
"They're there!"
With his blade shining in the low light, a guard lunged at me. He was knocked back against the other guard behind him when I kicked him out.
"Lucas!" Anna sounded frantic.
"I'll be right over!" I dashed through the window and yelled.
One of the guards grabbed my ankle as I tried to pull myself up, but they recovered swiftly. With my free foot, I kicked at him, causing him to stumble back.
Anna took hold of my arms and carried me the rest of the way. The chilly night air was a sharp contrast to the oppressive heat of the prison when we fell in a heap on the opposite side.
I pulled her to her feet and said, "We have to get moving."
Now the guards were yelling, their voices echoing through the darkness.
Anna said, "This way," and started to head for the tree line.
The sound of pursuit got louder behind us as I followed her. The darkness was deep and confusing, and the forest was thick, but we kept going.
With each step, the uneven ground threatened to trip me, and branches whipped at my face. Anna moved faster and more firmly than I did.
Even though the effort was burning my lungs, I forced them to keep going.
The howl of a wolf broke the atmosphere, sending shivers down my spine.
Anna's voice was tight with fear as she said, "They're shifting."
I pushed myself to run faster and yelled, "We can't let them catch us."
The trees started to thin, and I could make out the dim moonlight ahead. A clearing.
With hope and urgency in her voice, Anna stated, "We're almost there."
We rushed into the clearing, but we were only briefly relieved. Kane was standing at the edge of the forest, his eyes gleaming with focused predation.
"Well, well," he stated in a demeaning and icy tone. "You didn't think you could get away from me, did you?"
He moved closer, his presence exuding danger, and my heart fell.
I gripped the dagger tighter and whispered to Anna, "Run."
With a shaky but determined voice, she vowed, "I'm not leaving you."
With my gaze fixed on Kane, I stated, "We have no other option."
The promise of violence permeated the air, and the tension was clear.
Then Kane lunged without notice.
With my luggage draped over my shoulder and a weary but determined heart, I stood at the edge of the woodland. Beside me were Lucas and Maia, whose faces reflected mine: a mixture of resolve and melancholy.Cain came toward us, his eyes full of resolution but his face etched with fatigue. Although he had been among Oliver's most devoted soldiers, the insurrection had altered him. We were leaving him in control after he had fought with us and put his life in danger for the pack."Are you sure about this?" he said softly.I gave a nod. "Cain, you're the greatest option. You are trusted by the pack. They will follow you."He paused, his eyes darting between Maia and Lucas. "How about the three of you? Where are you going?""Somewhere new," was all I said. "A place where we can start again."Cain's face softened as he nodded. "You've done enough for this pack. More than sufficient. Go if this is what you need. We'll be alright."I said my
In the broken remnants of Nightshade's great hall, the firelight wavered, creating unsettling shadows on the stone walls. I had nothing left to offer the pack, but they continued to hover, perhaps awaiting guidance. There was still a weight in my chest. I didn't feel like I had won, even though Oliver was defeated and his rule was overthrown by the people he used to rule.Sitting next to me on a splintered wooden bench, Maia was looking off into space as she absently traced a scar over her arm. Ever the guardian, Lucas stood a few feet away, his gaze sweeping the still audience.After a long pause, Lucas whispered, "They need a leader." He spoke in a quiet, wary tone. "Someone to rebuild what's left."Slowly, I nodded. "They need someone," I said, then looked over at Maia.She stiffened as I stared at her. "Don't even think about it."I cocked my head. "Why not?"She gave a dry laugh, but it was devoid of any humor. "Becaus
The trumpet's call echoed through the broken remains of Nightshade, a sound that once sent fear rippling through the pack but now carried a different weight. A summons. A reckoning.I stood in the heart of the pack's gathering grounds, where months ago, I had watched Leo be condemned to death. My fingers tightened into fists at my sides as I forced myself to take in every detail... the stone platform, the lofty arches, the wooden beams above that had once felt oppressive. The torches flickered, casting long shadows against the walls, just like they had that night.Only this time, it wasn't Leo standing before the pack.It was Oliver.He was on his knees in the center of the hall, bound, his body battered and broken. Blood matted his dark hair, his once-imposing body slumped forward in exhaustion. The very warriors who had formerly battled under him stood around the perimeter of the hall, their gazes flitting between me and the fall
There was silence on the battlefield.The silence was not one that resulted from relief or tranquility. It was the thick, stifling type that comes after a storm, as though the world itself was holding its breath. The ground was covered in fallen people, and the air was heavy with the smell of smoke and blood. With a mixture of amazement and incredulity, the rebels who had survived the slaughter and were still standing glanced at Anna.Oliver was lying at her feet, immobile and broken. His burnt body stood out sharply against the blood-soaked ground below, and his once-imposing figure had now collapsed into a crumpled heap. He was not yet dead, but he was very nearly so. His chest rose and fell in weak, irregular spasms, and his breaths were shallow.With her shoulders heaving and her hands still burning dimly from the last of her power, Anna stood over him. Her hair was knotted and wild, and her face was stained with blood and filth, but her ey
All I could do was observe.My entire existence begged me to step in, step in, and support Anna as she faced Oliver alone. However, I was unable to.I shouldn't.This was her fight.Standing opposite Oliver, Anna's body was bruised and covered in blood, yet her unwavering will remained burning. I had never seen the raw electricity crackle in the air around her before. It was hazardous, untamed, and wild. There was nothing weak about the dim glow that flickered from her palms, like a fading ember. The ground beneath her boots seemed to be reacting to her, quivering in expectation of what lay ahead.Oliver rolled his shoulders and grinned as though this were merely a minor annoyance. I shuddered at his self-assurance. For so long, he had ruled by terror, destroying anybody who tried to oppose him. He now considered Anna to be simply another idiot who believed they could prevail.However, she wasn't.
The battlefield was a bloody, chaotic nightmare.The night was filled with screams as the rebels gave it their all in battle, but Oliver's forces were unrelenting and mercilessly defeated us. My muscles ached from the never ending battle, and I was breathing in ragged breaths, but there was no time to pause. Another life was lost with every second that passed.Maia was down.Across the field, I saw her fall, hitting the ground with a horrible crack. As I surged at her, avoiding an enemy's claws at the last second, my stomach knotted in terror."Maia!" I fell on my knees next to her. Her breathing was shallow, and blood was leaking from a deep wound along her shoulder.Her body trembled uncontrollably as she attempted to push herself up. "I'm fine," she rasped, but I could tell she wasn't."You're not," I said as I applied pressure to the cut. My palm was stained by the warmth of her blood, and my chest developed a hollow hole.Lucas s