Aria's Revenge

CHAPTER TWELVE

Aria’s POV

“I thought the changing room was somewhere here?” Riven asked.

I clamped my palm against my lips as I stood still by a corner looking at Vega’s shadow as he dismissed Riven.

I heaved a sigh of relief as Riven walked back to me. “ You should be careful snooping around here,” he voiced out his concern.

“What are you doing here?” I questioned.

I had been taken by surprise when he had pushed me down the corner and exposed himself to Vega and the latter didn’t push down the fact that he was outside the cage.

“Today is a spectacular night for the rogues. Prisoners are allowed to watch the epic fight. I saw you by the corner,” he replied.

“And they don’t care if one should escape?” I queried further.

“No one can escape. On a night like this, the bane birds are released. Anyone the bane birds sight leaving the perimeter of the premises is shot down by wolfsbane.” Riven explained.

“Bane birds?”

The bane birds are a rare type of bird that has gone extinct now. In the past years, they followed the wolves to the hunting ground. When they sight a target they alert the wolves by making a sound. Sometimes, their beaks are soaked with wolfsbane so when they make a sound, the wolfsbane drops on their target.

“They are used by Eldrid soldiers but Vega seemed to have gotten his hands on some,” Riven explained again.

I shot a glare at him as I looked at him marvelling at his knowledge of this place. “ Since when have you been locked up?” I asked.

Just then, the whistle blew, signifying the start of the fight party. Riven placed his hands on my shoulder, “ Use the skills I tell you without hesitating no matter how big your opponent is,” he assured me. I gave him a gentle nod and turned back to where one of the guards had been frantically searching for me.

“ Where the hell have you been?” The guard roared.

“I missed my way,” I replied.

Angrily, he grabbed my arm and led me down to the place where the fight was to begin.

I looked up at the pavement where Vega sat, a smirk playing on his lips. Beside him was someone covered in a veil and my instinct told me it was Ryder.

The announcer called out my name as the guard gave me a gentle push urging me to go inside the fighting ring, which I did.

As I stepped into the centre of the fighting ring, a spotlight light shone on me revealing my face to the people who growled in anticipation.

My heartbeat quickened, I wondered who my opposition was going to be and if anything, I was unsure if I would leave tonight. It seems like Ryder wanted me, but what if he meant me dying?

My opposition stepped out, and as he made his way to the centre, I saw that he was big; he was in his wolf form, while I was in my human form.

“ The phantom executioner,” they called his name.

The bell rang for us to fight and he lunged at me while I duck.

The crowd booed as they were expecting me in my wolf form, but how would I explain the fact that my wolf had stilled ever since that night I left Raven’s Peak? A wolfless wolf is an abomination and if people get wind of that, I might die here. So, I need to show them that I am strong in my human form.

I tried to attack him but he stopped me and slammed me on the ground. Pain surged through my body with the momentum I used to hit the ground.

“Fight as I told you to,” Riven’s familiar voice whispered in my head, and I attacked the wolf with my little strength, and he went flying. He remained there for ten seconds and I was declared the winner.

I looked back at the wolf only to see Riven on the ground.

I had been declared the winner and the crowd were cheering.

“Riven, what are you doing here?” I asked.

“I thought I would be uncontrollable; that’s why I taught you those skills, but you couldn’t use them, and yet I was able to subdue my willpower. Everything has changed since you came,” he said.

“I won. Does this mean you get to stay, and I get to leave?” I asked, disheartened.

“Even if I had won, I can’t leave,” he replied as he stood up.

I watched him cuffed with silver chains and rushed to stop the guards.

“Why are you restricting him?” I asked as I watched him whimper in pain as they dragged him away.

“Punishment for losing the game,” one of the guards said as they led him away.

I moved to follow them, but a hand stopped me, and I came face to face with Vega.

“You have earned your freedom,” he started, the wicked smile still playing on his lips.

“ It's a shame I couldn’t have you in my bed before you leave. However, thanks to you, I got to have Riven’s sister warm my bed for a month before the next fight.” he finished strolling away casually.

My heart broke in pieces. Riven had helped me gain my freedom in exchange for his sister’s.

The guards walked up to me. “ We are to lead you outside the rogue's territory.”

“Can I see Riven before I leave?” I asked.

“No, you are to leave immediately.”

As they walked me towards the rogue's border, I looked back with a wish to see Riven again and hopefully in good condition.

I stood alone in the dark forest, unsure of whether to go to Eldrid, which was no longer my home.

I had been banished and yet not once had Kael even come to look for me. After standing there for an infinity, I turned away from the direction of Eldrid hoping one of the other packs would accept me as a refugee.

Suddenly, an arrow passed through my ear hitting the tree in front of me. I looked back to see Ryder walking towards me with some guards who paused in their steps as he walked closer to me.

“Aria, it's time to come back with me,” he said.

I scoffed at his statement as I looked at him. “ I will be damned to go back to Raven’s peak.”

“Being my mistress is better than being a wanderer. At least you have a home.”

“Home is Eldrid.” A familiar voice said from behind him. It was Kael.

Ryder’s eyes opened in shock as he saw his guards lifeless on the floor. “ If you don’t want to join your guards, you should leave.”

Ryder raised his dagger to attack Kael, but he was up in the air, gasping for breath as Kael held him by the throat.

Kael threw him against one of the trees, and as Ryder picked himself up, “ Your parents,” he muttered under his breath before he took to his heels.

I moved to run after him, but Kael held me back.