Chapter Three
1110 Words
“Stay down.”He commanded
Just then a growl cut through
My body stiffened
“Who…who are you?” I asked
When did I become worthy of anyone’s sacrifice?
He said nothing to me. Steel clashed as a soldier lunged at him from the left
I watched him turn and dodge until…he slashed him across the throat
“Listen , you only move when I say so, understand?”
I shook my head. “No, I can’t just…”
“Well, I’m sorry this is your only safe choice.” His eyes travelled between us scanning every corner. “…or you die.”
I was as good as dead either way
Marina’s wicked laugh cut right through my thoughts. “Aww, how sweet.” She turned towards me. “It’s funny how you always seem to hide behind something, first it was your stupid hope of a better life with your fated mate and now it’s a stranger who might just end up ending your miserable life.”
A lump formed in my throat. “Shut up this minute or I’ll…”
“Ouuu, I’m scared, the little Luna has a voice after all” she laughs. “Or you’ll what? You can barely stand without trembling. You are no more than a pitiful shadow. You are…nothing”
“Ignore her” The stranger pivoted raising his sword
“Well, it’s hard to not hear the truth, Mr hero.” Marina smirked. “Alpha Blackthorn rejected her for the same truth you want her to ignore, she’s worthless…this is just a waste of your time, but what do I know.” She tilted her head to the side, deepening her smirk. “Or maybe… it was her cursed blood that scared him away…I mean, who would want to be associated with that?”
My heart dropped. “Cursed blood? My…blood? What…what are you saying, Marina?” I stuttered
“Okay that’s enough.” The warrior snapped at no one in particular. His sword clashed with another as he sent the last of the rogue flying right back. “This isn’t the place or time for this, and you? Marina, is it? You shouldn’t be here.”
Marina’s laugh grew louder. “Now this is delicious. She’s so clueless, she knows nothing about herself.”
I stumbled back, the ground tilting beneath me
“What about myself do I not know, Marina?”
“Aria!” The warrior barker
“This could be a trap, let’s get out of here first. Ignore…”
“You’re not weak because you lack strength, you poor thing.” Marina interrupted him, her eyes locked on mine. “You’re only weak because you are…cursed.”
Cursed?
“What… are you talking about?” I blinked hard, my voice cracking
“I said that’s enough! The warrior barked at us. “Marina, let her go now, send your men away, I’m being easy on them.”
“No!” I blurted
Leaves rustled around us as more soldiers began to appear, circling us
Marina’s lips curved into a satisfactory smile
“It’s all lies, Aria.”
Marina’s grin widened. “Oh, do I?”
“Listen to me, Aria.” he spoke, moving his blade from one place to another. “ you can trust me…she tried to kill you, there's no way your believing just anything she says.”
My gaze darted between them. My breath ragged. “But what if she isn't lying? How would I ever find out the truth?”
“Later!” he snapped. “We’ll find out later, for now, you're going to breath and stay right behind me, okay?”
We? This was a first
I swallowed hard, nodding as though it was easy to understand anything other than the fact that I was a single question away from clarity
Marina didn't stop anyway. “Whatever. You'll find it soon enough regardless. And when you do?” she let out a short wicked laugh. “You’d wish Damon actually killed you instead of merely rejecting you.”
“Silence!” the warrior snarled. His blade tearing through a soldier lunged directly at me, blood spraying across us
My eyes stayed glued to the warrior forgetting the confusion clouding my whole mind for a minute.
More wolves circled us. Their eyes glowing red and ready to attack
My heart hammered. “There's just too many of them…what…”
“Just, stay with me.” he interrupted
“I can't do this…”
Moving towards me, he took my hands into his, his eyes still darting around the wolves
“You do have to do anything, Aria.” he whispered. “Just stay alive.”
I let out a shaky breath. “I can't even fight…”
“Then don't.” he growled.
“Let me worry about that.”
A rogue lunged at me the second time,
I let out a loud scream
Steel clashed. A wet sensation on my skin…
Blood
The warrior’s blade cut right through another just inches away from me
“Stay behind me, now!” he barked
“I’ll die out here, I can feel it.” Tears blurred my vision
“Not while I'm standing.” he stated
Marina now sitting as though, this were a show organized by her and for her, let out a loud cackle
“How noble of you, hero, you'd die for pitiful Luna here? Now that's sweet… Such a waste.”
“Try me then.” he shot back at her, his blade dripping with blood
A different group of rogues charged at us as we went further into the woods, bodies fell to the floor as steels clashed. His voice thundered loud the chaos as he tore them apart, never leaving my hands.
Still, they came forward, attacking
Suddenly, distracted by another, one slipped right past me, pulling me away from the warrior.
The rogue’s claws dug into my arm as I screamed in pain, fighting to break free of his grip
“Aria!!” The warrior roared, his brows furrowed
“Let me go!” I clawed at the rogue, panic threatening to tear in half
The world spun around me as he dragged me backwards.
Marina’s laugh echoed loudly in my head
“Yesss! Run my little lamb!” She teased
“Run into the dark, perhaps if your savior makes it out of this alive, he just might come save you.”
“Aria!!” He roared, fighting off the soldiers coming at him at the same time
I kicked and screamed as the darkness swallowed me before I could see his face again
- Writer
