Chapter 5

I thought I would die fighting for my freedom, but instead my own sword was about to end me. I closed my eyes, and it was nothing I imagined my own death would feel like. No images of my life flashed before my eyes; there was nothing to remember as I waited. The pain in my bleeding hand became unbearable, and I felt a familiar warmth engulfing my panic-stricken body. I opened my eyes in shock; his hands covered mine, keeping the sword away from me. A light was emerging from behind me, forcing the sword away from my being.

"What…?" I gasp.

"Only when I say, then you must let go of the sword," he said urgently in my ear.

"Its enchanted!" I was just confirming my own suspicions. I heard a chuckle in his straining breath. The heat from the blue light imitating him was blazing, feeling like my skin would melt.

"Now!" He yelled and I let go of it. He pushed me out of the way and crashed to the ground, every muscle in my body throbbing. All I could do was lie down paralyzed and keep my eyes transfixed on the light that took over the entire ring. He swung the sword, making the crowd gasp in fear, and he buried the sword in the ground. The last thing I remember before my eyes closed was the white light circling me and the white wolf appearing outside of it, taking over the black wolf. Growls and snarls filled the air as I fought to keep my eyes open, but soon everything turned black.

When I come to consciousness, a foul smell makes my eyes open in a snap, and I raise my hand to cover my mouth, only for it to be restricted by the clanking of chains. I scan my surroundings: the dark ceiling, a single fire torch hanging on the wall, and the bars. I sighed; my hands were chained, and I was sleeping on a cold slab of stone.

"They are thinking about excusing you."

My head was raised; Eddard was standing there with a smug face. I couldn’t fake my annoyance. I can’t get annoyed. I should find a way to run rather than to fight. I touched my head, flinching. It hurts; someone should patch my wounds. I rotted the bandage thread in my fingers.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I asked, not looking at him. I hate asking him.

"This must be killing you for you to put aside your pride and ask me."

"Can you even put away that smug attitude?" I burst out, oh my head. I grab it. Why does this hurt so much?

"I can’t remember anything," I gasped.

"What do you remember?" Eddard stares at me solemnly, and I turn away.It makes no sense that he is concerned about me.

"My sword was out of control; I remember the heat and the white light..." the white wolf jumping over me, the same wolf that appeared outside of my quarters." Was it Lord Xendroite?

"Your sword was enchanted; the word has it you used your witch friend to enchant it and try to kill the Alpha Prince."

"I have not!" I protested.

"I know you can’t do that."

"You do?" I asked with surprise; he was the last person I thought would trust me.

"But can you be sure about Sansa?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Sansa would never…" It was a reflex to defend her immediately, but then suddenly I remembered leaving my sword alone, and that's when I came back for it. Sansa had it in her hand, and she looked startled.

"She would never..." Not if my life was in danger, I told myself, letting a bitter feeling sink in. Wolves and witches don’t see eye-to-eye, but Sansa has come here to support me; she wouldn’t do this.

"She has disappeared after you fell; she is nowhere to be seen."

"You know what? If you have come here to gloat, just leave," a lump formed in my throat. My best friend... No, Why?

"Oh, if only," he said, raising his hand with a key chain.

"What are...how?"

"This is one way out of everything. Father is preparing to leave, and you won’t have any allies in the Lunar Valley, so take this chance and leave as far as you can." He unlocked the iron bars and opened them. Did I ever have any allies? Saying that my father was leaving me here to rot says a lot about my allies, or lack thereof. He went inside and reached for my hands; instinctively, I pulled them away, and he looked at me.

"You are not serious, are you?" He looked at me shocked. I bit my lip, blood racing to my pounding ears.

"Still..huh?" He shook his head as he pondered this question."You won’t be free if you don’t let me open the chains; I will be quick."

I moved my hand towards him, gathering all of my courage. He did quick work on my chains.

We stepped out of the prison gate.

"Are there no guards?" I was curious.

"Do not worry, they will be occupied; you leave!"

We started to quicken our pace and took a turn. I soon realized this was an underground dungeon, and I looked at my brother, who kept two feet away and walked ahead. Coming all the way here, the wolves must have guards everywhere.

"Why are you helping me?"

"We still hate each other," he deadpanned.

"Good," I nodded, and silently we made our way out of the dungeon. There were wooden ladders that led to the opening. Eddard climbed first, and then I followed him. The moment I set foot on the ground, I saw Eddard's terrified face. I turned to see what he was staring at. The glowing eyes staring right at me with his teeth seething and snarling. He stepped forwards.

"Run!" I screamed the moment Eddard snapped out of his panic-stricken state and took off, and at the same time I ran to the opposite side. Several growls and snarls followed me as I ran with all of my might across the dark forest line. I didn’t see which way I was going; I just made sure that one step was ahead of the other as fast as I could manage to get away from the growls. Blood was pounding in my ears, the adrenaline burning in my veins, I ran blindly, something came under my feet, and I tripped, the crash. The ability to scream. I sprinted quickly through the damp earth to get on my feet, but the growl behind me froze my blood. I slowly turned, and the creature behind me was no wolf. It was a deformed being, stuck between half wolf form and half human, twice the size of a human, with no hair on its thin, translucent body. I have never seen anything so deranged and horrifying in my life.

Its dark, inky eyes glared coldly at me; it barred its teeth and pounced at me.