“What’s with the wolf?” Arel curiously asks, but the witch ignores him.
Adrian has Andi locked in a dungeon somewhere, but how do we get to Zury undetected? The witch turns and walks away from us.
“Find the white wolf if you want answers.”
With a wave of her hand, smoke enshrouds her, and she disappears.
We stand in shock, immobile and bewildered. Although I have met the witch before—met being an understatement—I still find myself as mystified, unable to fully comprehend what I have witnessed. The smell, though, that will stay with me for my entire life.
“So... who knows where to find this white wolf?” Arel asks, I look around at everyone, their faces mimic my own confusion. We all watch Ronan, as he grumbles, walking away.
“She’s my sister.”
Epilogue
Andi
The last thing I remember was that…man, with the purple robe, walking through my flames like they were nothing. He should have been burned to ash or disintegrated into dust. What kind of magic was that?
He sauntered towards me with a growing smile, showing a hideous set of black, sharp teeth. My stomach dropped, and a bead of sweat slid down my back. Over the flickers of the fire, the two young Unbound who followed me into the clearing, were trying vigorously to beat back a formidable enemy.
Wyatt couldn’t get away from the constant line of soldiers, every time one was struck down, two more fell from the sky. Ronan yelled my name. I caught his eye for a brief moment, before the robed man grabbed hold of my neck, his fingers dug into my throat, stopping even the slightest smidgen of air. The corners of my eyes darkened, and the only clear image was the robed man. Figures were warped through my flames, unable to get through them.
My body warmed, and a heat flowed through my veins. A bright light blasted towards my attacker, loosening his grip, he threw me backwards through a ring of light, and my head hit the ground.
My head rattles, throbbing and pulsing sensations, pounding against every inch of my skull. I struggle to open my eyes, light bounces from the dazzling accents that fill the room, reflectingthe sun burning through my retinas. Using my hands to shield my eyes, I look around the room, trying to figure out where I am.
The walls and floor are coated in a glittery marble that shines an iridescent glare, and brightly coloured, garish rugs are sporadically spread across the floor. Fire roars in the extravagant fireplace with a tall wooden mantel. Much taller than me, with fruit carvings down either side. At the head of the bed, there is a cream patterned wallpaper and gold spirals. With orb lanterns at either side of the bed, high on the ceiling, floating like clouds, emitting a soft glow.
My legs fall out of the bed, the soft rugs tickle my toes. I hold my head in my hands as I force myself upright. With uneasy steps, I make my way to the door and twist the handle. Locked. I look around me, searching for another way out, a hidden door from my dreams. But there is nothing.
I stretch up on my tiptoes to look out of the window, taken aback by what appears to be a city. A large, glistening city, every inch is sparkling. It’s disconcerting. Who would want to live in a city that glows, risking their eyesight each time the sun shines in the sky? The door opposite the window creaks open, and two young maids enter without saying a word, walking past me.
“Hello? Can you tell me where I am? Who brought me here?”
They continue to ignore me. I grab one of them by her sleeve, spinning her round to face me, drawing on my fire, hoping to scare her into an answer. But there’s nothing. The young maid gently smiles. She looks about Elana’s age, seventeen, maybe younger. She’s shorter than me with cropped, mousey brown hair, despite her worn maid uniform, she wears a pretty gold and sapphire gemstone choker, not something I expect she could afford on her own.
The maid points to the chest of drawers behind me, vases at each side are brimming with coral flowers, ones I’ve never seen before. A large oval mirror in the centre shows my tiredreflection, with dark circles under my eyes, my cheekbones protruding above my sunken cheeks. Adorned on my neck is a similar choker to the maid's.
Leaning closer to my ear, she whispers, “Poema.”
Poema? The flower Kali mentioned, the magic suppressant. She’s wearing one too. I pull at the chain, trying to remove it, she takes my hands and whispers again, “They’re fused on. They will not come off easily.”
The second maid steps out of the bathing chamber, gesturing for me to go in. Disheartened at my latest predicament, I do as I’m bid. They linger in the doorway while I start stripping. “I can do it myself, thanks.”
Ushering them out the door, I slip out of my dirty clothes and descend into the large, gilded tub, scrubbing my hair with a fruit-scented soap. I refuse to leave the tub while the water is hot, burning off the dead layers of my skin, but the maids have other ideas. The other maid, taller than the first, but with a baby face, stands before me with a towel, and the other holds an elegant dress.
Looking in the full-length mirror, I have never worn anything as elaborate as this in my life. Elana would be jealous, that’s for sure. But I refuse to admit how gorgeous it is. Unable to remove my gaze, I memorise it, making sure I can elaborate on all its extravagant details with Elana. Red crystals cascade down the deep red tulle skirt, with a plunging neckline down to my naval, the straps are bejewelled, showing off my back, my mark visible for all to see. The baby-faced maid braids my hair to the side opposite my marking, pinning black gems down the braid.
Escorted out of the door by the maids, they lead me down a long hallway, arched windows stretch the length of the corridor, the floor and ceilings are the same glittery marble that covered my ‘bedroom,’ the hallway is lined with Poema flowers. Guardswalk beside us, two in front and two behind, wearing maroon tunics. Zury guards.
Shit. My heart flutters in my chest. After all the running, hiding, and killing, they’ve finally found me.
Two guards in the front open large double doors into an enormous dining room. A large oak table spans the length of the room, and I’m filled with a sense of fear, yet a taste of what my life should have been. Maids in fancy dresses, exquisite dining and balls, but here I am, a prisoner surrounded by Zury guards.
My heels click off the floor as I walk towards a man wearing a black suit, a red ascot pokes out of the lapels. This is a man who is not known for being kind. Throughout all of Vendyl, everyone knows of Adrian and his wrath. I stare at my feet as I walk, reluctant to look him in the eye.
“Welcome, Andrina. We are most thrilled to have you here with us.”
