Page 239 of Nobody's Girl

Is that what happened to me? I transformed and can’t remember anything?

Running my hands over my body, I find my wedding dress is gone and another much lighter dress has been put on me.

When did I change clothes?

The sound of water dripping echoes around me as if I’m in a cave. The ground is hard, possibly cement. It’s so damn dark. A dim light shines in the distance.

I suppose I need to get to that. What the hell happened to me and why can’t I communicate with Eden?

Pushing myself up to my feet, I find them bare. When I spread my arms out I find a wet rock wall to my right. I use that to keep me steady as I move towards the light. Something squishes between my toes, making me flinch at the thought of what it might be.

This is taking an eternity!

As I near the opening, which is round, I can see it’s made from rocks; old, grey, ancient-looking rocks.

Ouch! Crap, I stepped on something.

I look down. The light shines in enough for me to make out a circle on the rock floor. As I reach for it, I can tell it’s a large metal ring with an old fashioned key hanging from it. My head jerks up as a loud roar fills the cavern.

What the hell was that?

My body clings to the cold and wet wall. The sound came from outside and now I think going out there would be a terrible mistake.

You have to go somewhere, girl!

Slowly, I creep towards the opening, staying close to the wall. Peeking out, I see dirt, then across from me two huge cages swing on chains hung from the rafters of a giant structure, much like an arena. On one side people fill stands. They’re far away, but I can still hear their yells and applause.

Dangerously close to me, a male lion paces back and forth, seemingly unaware of my existence. The large cat stops and watches something. I follow its gaze to see someone pulling themselves up inside one of the cages. The cat darts away, roaring like crazy.

Apparently, the animal does not want the person to stand up.

“No!” I hear a male voice yell, and immediately I know that voice.

God! No! It’s Kyle!

The familiar sound of Galchobar’s voice fills the open arena, yet I don’t see him. “Only minutes until the spell wears off and all will be known by the future Phoenixes. Will she make it? Or will all be lost? Once the cages open, the lion will be able to attack them. Will the male Phoenix be able to handle him on his own and save the mortal?”

What the hell is going on?

Chains rattle as the cat bats at the cage which holds my Kyle. Movement in the other cage catches my eye. It’s Eden.

What am I supposed to do?

I lay my head back on the cold wall and try my best to think of a plan.

The key on the ground has to open the cages. If I can open them and get the lion to chase me, they can go out the gate I saw at the end of the arena. I’ll have to run faster than the damn cat.

I grab the key and take advantage of the cat’s preoccupation with hitting the cages and roaring as they spin, and occasionally clank against the other.

A tall stone wall runs behind the cages, so that’s where I’m headed. Noticing my clothes, I find I’m in a knee-high, solid-white dress with a haltered top. I take a quick moment to be sure I have panties on, because how embarrassing would that be if I didn’t?

Yeah, they left them on me. Thank God!

The lack of shoes comes in handy as I begin my entrance into the arena. The cat is unaware of me until the crowd goes wild with my presence. Kyle and Eden both shout at me. I can’t make out what either of them says.

Focused on the wall, I find three stones which jut out. With my way up the wall figured out, I’m almost home free. The first step up, I feel the wind behind me as the lion swipes a huge paw, just missing me. I make it up the wall and turn to look at the lion. He’s on his hind legs, trying his hardest to reach me.

I stick my tongue out at him. “Not this time, kitten.”