Chapter Seventeen

He looked at my neck intensively. It was an awkward atmosphere around us. The air felt thick and I had problems with breathing properly. He lifted his hand and I closed my eyes thinking he would slap me across the face.

I squinted my eyes open and saw him standing there. His arm wasn't raised anymore, it was hanging besides his body. I looked back into his grey eyes and he stared right into my soul. "What happened", he asked and I knew that even if I told him what actually happened he wouldn't believe me. He would believe his own guard more than me.

"I provoked someone." I told him the same lie that I have told Ophelia before. He studied my face and scanned my body. "And what's that", he pointed to my big purple stain on my gown. I nervously laughed. "I spilled some juice over me."

He wrinkled his nose and walked off. I breathed in deeply as the tension left with him.

Didn't werewolves had better senses than other species? He should have known that my blood wasn't any juice. Or maybe my fairy blood smells differently than werewolf blood? Maybe that was the reason why he cutely wrinkled his noise and wait. It wasn't cute at all. He is ignorant and an asshole I reminded myself.

I slapped my face and got rid of my thoughts. I turned around and looked behind trying to catch a glimpse from the king itself but he was long gone. My brain didn't stop working and I wondered why he even talked to me or why I wasn't killed yet.

Turning on my heal I made my way back to my chamber not knowing where to walk. I knew that I was in the maiden corridor but didn't know where to go. Wandering along the halls was an exiting feeling. Since I got here I never could be alone besides in the chamber.

I reached another corridor and instantly knew that I didn't know where I was and how to get back to my chamber. Fear clouded my mind as I thought of the punishment for wandering in this gigantic castle with no one by my side. I began running around but somehow always ended up in the same hallway. Groaning in frustration I jogged around a corner and quickly halted as I saw two guards walking towards me. They didn't acknowledge my presence as they talked to each other. I tiptoed back to the other hall and pressed my body against the cold wall. Hoping they wouldn't smell my fear radiating from me.

"What are you doing?", an angelic voice asked me. My heart skipped a beat and I shut my eyes in fear. "You know that I can still see you even if you don't see me", she laughed. Deeply I breathed in and opened my eyes. A tall young woman stood in front of me. Her thick black hair framed her face perfectly. She had gorgeous hazel eyes which roamed along my body. Her nose was sharp like the rest of her face features. She had a beauty mark on her cheek which complemented her face perfectly.

"And?", she asked me while crossing her arms. Nervously I tapped my foot against the ground. "I know that I shouldn't be roaming around", I silently admitted. Her brows raised and she looked to her right and then to her left. "Are you the fairy everyone seems to talk about?", she questioned me. My eyes widened. How many people knew that I was in this kingdom and how many of them would kill me on spot if their king said so. "Yes."

She nodded at my response and looked back to her right around the corner. "Don't worry they won't do anything", she said. She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the hallway were the guards were located at. They both snapped their head to our direction and quickly scanned my whole body. "She's with me", the woman said. Her words echoed along the hall. The guards looked at each other and then nodded at her statement. Who was this woman and why did they listen to her?

"The maid needs her in her chamber before the sun sets, officer." My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. She was an officer. That means she had a good connection to the king. She flicked her slim hand towards the guards and they instantly bowed their head and showed off their neck before scurrying away. I released a deep breath as the guards were out of sight and the clacking sounds of the armor silenced.

The woman turned back to me and stretched out her hand. Hesitantly I looked at it and then back at her face and she nudged her hand against mine. I took her hand and she shook it. "I'm Azuna." I blinked several times before introducing myself to her. "Hi. I'm Elyana nice to meet you."

"So you are an officer", I nervously asked. She nodded her head. "Yes but I'm not the scary kind", she smiled. "And you are the infamous warrior fairy everyone seems to talk about. You look quite skinny for a warrior thought", she added. "It's not always about muscles", I snapped back and quickly shut my mouth at my sudden outburst. Where did that confidence come from? "Sassy", she commented.

I walked for a pretty long time with Azuna. She showed me the castle so I wouldn't get lost again and would know the way back to my chamber. She also said that I was lucky that she found me and not another officer or the king itself or else I would be six feet under the ground.

It would be a lie if I said that the things she said to me didn't make me more nervous. I was practically shaking and sweating at the end of the day. She brought me back to my chamber and wished me a good evening before disappearing in this huge castle. Shortly after she left me alone a maid entered my room and brought me a piece of bread with some jam and a glass of water.

Thankfully I accepted the meal and swallowed it down in seconds. She then took the tray she brought along and exited the room. I heard no key locking the door as she exited the room. Was she in a hurry? The maids always locked my room whenever I was inside. I couldn't go out without the presence of another maid, expect for today. I stared at the door debating if I should get out. My mind screamed no at me. If they would find me wandering in the castle they would behead me.

I decided to be a good prisoner and stay in my room. I went over to my bed and laid in it. What seemed for hours I stared at the ceiling. Soon I drifted into a slumber and was woken up by a loud noise. My eyes fluttered open and I looked around in panic. My heart thumped inside of my body and I put my hand over it to calm myself.

Another noise came from the hall and my noisy self stood up and went over to the door. I put my hand on the cold handle and for a second debated if I should dare to go out and investigate. I pushed the door handle down and quietly opened the door. I looked through a small crack I created and saw nothing. The corridor was pitch dark. A few candles were lit on the wall but even they couldn't light up enough to see clear. Werewolves had a better eyesight than fairies and they probably could see everything in this corridor. Slowly I stepped out of my chamber and my feet were in contact with the icy ground. In my chamber I had a small carpet and I underestimated the upcoming winter in Rivakh. A breeze of cold wind hit my bare face and I shuddered at the contact. I walked into the middle of the corridor and looked to my left and right. There was nothing in sight expect for these lit up candles.

I made my way to the end of the corridor and looked to my right to the other hallway. The loud noise returned and it seemed louder. I spun around observing my surroundings. Hoping that no guard would catch me outside of my chamber. The temperature was even colder than expected and I wrapped my arms around my torso trying to keep it warm. With small steps I walked towards the noise that awakened me. Another wind blew into my face and I wondered where it came from till I saw the open window at the end of this hallway. Quickly I detached my arms from my torso and jogged towards the window, leaning my upper body over the frame and looking out of it.

This was it. This was the chance to escape this castle. To escape Rivakh. But one small thought, a thought I couldn't get rid of stopped me from escaping. Ophelia.

I sighed and watched my breath turning into a fog as it exited my mouth. Only this time, I thought to myself and stripped off my dress. The tingles spread across my body and I sucked in a deep breath. Imaging myself as a elegant bird with thick feathers to warm my small body. I looked at my arms and they slowly transformed into two wings with white feathers. My world shrunk and I found myself sitting as a bird on the windowsill. I grabbed my dress in-between my beak and took off. I let myself glide across the castle as I tasted the small amount of freedom I had. I fluttered with my wings and flew to a nearby tree and let my dress fall on it. No one would question a bird flying around but they would if I would carry a dress.

I fluttered with my wings and flew towards the highest point of the castle and let my body fall. Before I would reach the ground I spread my wings and glided over the ground. Internally I giggled at the exiting feeling that was in my heart. I did a small turn and flew over the forest that was near the castle. I completely forgot about the noise as I enjoyed my small amount of freedom in this castle.

A loud growl echoed through the whole forest and I got startled. I fluttered with my wings around and searched the tree where I dropped my dress. I flew around till I spotted the tree and landed on a branch. Automatically I transformed back and leaned against the tree stem as I tried to catch my breath. The shifting took a toll on my energy since I haven't eaten nor drank nor slept properly since a few weeks.

Quickly I dressed myself and climbed the tree down as the growl echoed once again through the forest. I froze in my position. It was near me. I heard it huffing somewhere near the tree were I was stuck. Slowly I continued climbing down and pressed my back against the stem. I controlled my breathing and shut my eyes.

The growling and huffing silenced and I squinted my eyes open and slowly got out of my hide out.

There it was. Standing in front of me.