Asrai

Chapter7:Can't catch a break

“Who are you, girl—and what business do you have wandering through our territory?” His voice carried a menacing edge, eyes narrowing as he stepped forward.

I stayed quiet, torn between revealing my identity or making a run for it while I still had the chance.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” he teased, stepping closer. “I said—who are you, girl? And how’d you get past the entra—”

His eyes widened suddenly. Recognition flickering in his eyes.

“Well, I’ll be…” he chuckled, voice softening with a hint of mischief. “It’s you, isn’t it? I haven’t seen you in years. Thought one of those wild things dragged you off into the woods and made supper out of you.”

“It’s been quite a while, huh?” he said, eyes scanning me slowly from head to toe. “All grown up, I see.”

I found my voice. “Yes… I remember you too, Mr. Greene.” I tried to sound firm, but the words came out soft, uncertain.

“Yes,” he interrupted, his tone sharpening. “And you remember I’m good at finding things.” His sneer deepened, twisting into something darker.

There was a beat of silence. I knew he was thinking on what to do with me. I was about to exchange more pleasantries

“Now come,” he said, extending a hand. “Don’t make this difficult.”

I didn’t move.

“We’ve had a few of our people go missing,” he added, voice low and deliberate. “And you… you’ll make the perfect bargain to get the answers we need.”

“I… I’m not going with you,” I said, firm and steady. “And I’m not that little girl who left this place five years ago.”

The moment the words escaped, I regretted them.

“Left?” he echoed, incredulous. His eyes narrowed. “So those little rumors were true. You—of all people—actually made it out.”

His disbelief quickly twisted into fury. “Why!? How1?” he barked. “What makes you so special? How’d you do it?”

He stepped forward, voice rising. “Get over here. Now. Or I swear I won’t hesitate to crush you beneath my feet.”

With a sudden motion, he drew an alabaster whip from his side. Its handle shimmered with a royal blue glow—an enchanted weapon, infamous for its unbreakable grip once it found its mark. It sank deep into its prey’s skin, unrelenting. I’d seen him snatch flying dociles—gentle little greenish birdfae with singing chirps—straight out of the air when he thought no one was watching.

“You can do whatever you want,” I said defiantly, locking eyes with him. I’d seen that whip in action before—its grip was merciless cutting up its prey. Digging its thorns into the skin. But I knew one thing: if I didn’t get caught, I still had a chance.

A scream was building inside me, tight in my chest, ready to burst. I just hoped he wasn’t the only one out here.

“Oh, trust me—I’ll get you,” he sneered, voice low and venomous. “Might just keep you in my basement for a few days… until I find the right bargain.”

He stepped closer, eyes glinting with cruel intent. “Time to teach you a lesson in authority—one your rubbish pack clearly failed to deliver.”

His gaze swept over me, calculating, greedy, already deciding how to use me.

The whip split the sky with a thunderous c***k, striking the ground just inches from where I stood. I dove to the side, heart pounding—but he wasn’t aiming to hit. He was toying with me. His laughter echoed, sharp and cruel, as I stumbled to the ground.

My bag flew off my shoulder, landing with a thud.

“What’ve you got in there, girl?” he mocked, eyes gleaming with curiosity and menace.

He cracked the whip again, the sound slicing through the air. I rolled aside just in time as it hit where I once laid.

“Enough games, you rotten scourge,” he growled.

He snapped his weapon into motion, twirling it high above his head. The air split with a shriek as it swooshed—sharp, piercing, a sound so brutal it felt like it tore through my eardrums.

I was frozen, unsure of what to do. But deep down, I knew—if I didn’t move now, this might be the last time I saw the outside world for a long time.

The Ihumani Guards were merciless, patrolling Huntings Lane like a militia with orders to crush anyone who dared step out of line.They had strict rules and curfews for their occupants. I understood their cruelty. It wasn't like they could just march into the Pavlov mansion and demand respect or resources. So they turned their frustration inward, wielding what little power they had against their own people. And with their numbers thinning, that desperation made them even more dangerous.

The men held power, ruthless in their control—trading away women they deemed useless, all in pursuit of magic they could bend to their will.

I scrambled to my feet and darted off, weaving in a frantic zigzag, hoping to dodge the c***k of his whip.

“Ha! Yes, run, you little wretch!” he bellowed behind me, his voice wild with fury. “There’ll be a high price for you yet!” He charged after me, the ground seeming trembling beneath his steps.

I braced myself for the sting of the whip, knowing it was coming—but before I could run far, before me a White furred beast suddenly came into view. I was momentarily shocked. It was the fairy steed. charging with fury. Its white mane streamed like silk , and its glowing hooves pounded the earth with supernatural speed.

Something deep inside urged me to duck—and I did, grateful and instinctive. In the next instant, the fae steed opened its mouth and a whirl of wind roared over my head and swept behind me.

Then came the sound: a s guttural scream as Timothy’s body took the full force of the impact.I turned just in time to see him slam face-first into the hard ground, motionless. The wind had knocked him out cold.

Without wasting a second, I dashed for my bag and bolted, sprinting past the steed in case it decided to unleash its elemental fury on me next. That creature was a temperamental beast—so wild even the fae couldn’t tame it. Rarely seen, yet somehow always present in the strangest places throughout town.

I once watched it vanish into the dark woods, certain it would be devoured. But it reappeared days later, whipping up storms and terrorizing the town like nothing had touched it.

I’d never seen it on Huntings Lane before. Most animal fae avoid the Ihumani altogether. They’re known to kill them for the pixie power they carry or for a roast— its rumored even they used their blood to heal their sick humani who stumble into the woods, somehow find their way out, and return crazed.

I ducked behind a crooked house, crouching low as I struggled to catch my breath.

The air trembled with the sound of furious neighing and hooves pounding the earth—it was searching for me.

Dusk was creeping in, and I knew better than to be anywhere near that steed once night fell. Darkness does something unholy to the fae. Their colors shift, their minds twist. They grow cruel, wild—some even murderous. That steed in particular turns pitch black, its teeth jagged like blades. And I had no iron to ward it off.

Rumors whispered of it dragging people into the woods, never to return—feeding on their flesh beneath the twisted canopy. I swallowed hard and peeked around the corner. Nothing. No glowing hooves. No snarling breath.

I bolted again, darting behind another house, heart hammering. This had to be my way off Huntings Lane. It would take longer, but my only hope was to reach the Ember Coach - a magical carriage stationed in the middle of the road. It was enchanted to carry people swiftly to their destinations—far better than walking the 15 miles that would keep me exposed well into the night. And even then, I’d still have hours to go before reaching the pack house at the far end of Wolfan Lane.

I kept to the privacy behind the homes on Huntings lane, careful to stay out of sight. Every so often, I’d catch a glimpse of a child’s face peeking through the blinds—wide-eyed, silent. I kept my head low, praying not to be seen, not to be called out. Another Ihumani guard showing up was the last thing I needed.

I crept forward quietly, each step heavier than the last. The emptiness of the street gnawed at me—it was unsettling to be the only one exposed. My grip tightened around my bag as intrusive thoughts clawed their way in: memories of being cornered, alone, mocked by my peers. I knew my anxiety was spiraling when I nearly screamed aloud—just as a gust of wind howled past my ears, followed by a chilling wail.

I froze.