Chapter 5 – Blood in the Snow
816 Words
SERENA
The assassin who called me Your Majesty grabbed for me again, but I twisted away. My hands were still glowing hot. I pushed them out and another small burst of energy hit him in the shoulder. He yelled and stumbled back.
Elara was breathing hard. Blood soaked the side of her dress, but she kept throwing spells.
"Go, Serena!" she shouted. "The back tunnel. Now!"
I did not want to leave her. She was the only person who had given me any answers, even if they were small ones. But the cave was shaking. Pieces of rock fell from the ceiling. The sanctuary was coming apart.
"I cannot just leave you," I said, my voice cracking.
She looked at me with fierce eyes. "You must. Find Mooncrest Academy. Survive. That is all that matters."
One of the assassins laughed. "Neither of you is leaving."
He threw a knife at Elara. She tried to block it with her magic, but it was too fast. The blade sank into her chest. She gasped and fell to her knees.
"No!" I screamed.
I ran to her side and caught her before she hit the ground. Her blood was warm on my hands. The glow under my skin mixed with it, turning gold for a second.
Elara coughed. Blood came out of her mouth. She reached into her pocket with shaking fingers and pulled out a small pendant on a silver chain. It looked old, with strange carvings on it.
"Take this," she whispered. Her voice was getting weaker. "It will guide you to the academy. Trust no one until you get there. You were never ordinary, Serena. You are so much more."
I took the pendant. It felt warm in my palm. "Please do not die. I do not know what to do without you."
She smiled a little, even though it clearly hurt. "You will figure it out. The old blood runs strong in you. Now run. They are coming for you."
The last standing assassin stepped closer. "Enough talk, old woman. The girl comes with me."
Elara used the last of her strength. She raised her hand and sent a powerful blast right at him. It threw him against the wall hard. The whole sanctuary shook worse than before. Cracks ran across the ceiling. Snow started falling through the holes from outside.
"Go!" she said one last time. Then her eyes closed. Her body went still in my arms.
Tears burned my eyes. I wanted to stay and cry. I wanted to scream at the people who did this. But I could hear more footsteps coming. More assassins. I kissed Elara's forehead quickly, whispered thank you, and ran toward the back of the cave like she told me.
The tunnel was dark and cold. I held the pendant tight as I ran. Behind me, I heard the sanctuary collapsing. Loud crashes and the sound of rocks falling.
I burst out of the tunnel into the open mountain air. Snow covered everything. It was deep and cold. My bare feet sank into it right away. The wind whipped around me, freezing the tears on my face.
I kept running. Down the mountain path, slipping and sliding in the snow. My breath came out in white clouds. Every step hurt, but I did not stop.
Kael was probably already looking for me. Those assassins worked for someone powerful.
After what felt like hours, I stopped near some big rocks to catch my breath. I looked down at the pendant in my hand. It was beautiful up close. The carvings looked like dragons and stars mixed together.
"What are you?" I whispered to it.
As if it heard me, the pendant started to vibrate. The top part clicked open by itself. Inside was a folded piece of paper that glowed softly. I pulled it out carefully.
It looked like a letter. The writing was elegant and old fashioned. My hands shook as I read the first lines.
"Dear Serena," it started. "If you are reading this, then the time has come. You were never meant to live as an orphan..."
My eyes widened. This letter knew my name. But Elara said the pendant would guide me to the academy. How was there already a letter inside waiting for me?
I kept reading, but the snow started falling harder. Wind howled around the rocks. I needed to keep moving before I froze to death out here.
The pendant had opened on its own. Like it was alive. Like it knew exactly when I needed it.
I folded the letter and put it back inside. The pendant closed with another soft click. I slipped the chain around my neck and hid it under my dress.
I looked out at the snowy mountains. Somewhere out there was Mooncrest Academy. I had to find it. Before Kael or those assassins found me first.
- Writer
