The moment my consciousness returned, I felt as if a big boulder had hit hard and crushed my limbs so hard that my body went numb out of pain. I couldn’t even lift my eyelids and see where I was, but I could feel a cold surface beneath me. A long time passed before I could move my fingers.
After ten more minutes passed when I could finally open my eyes. But as soon I opened my eyes, I could see nothing but darkness all around me. I squinted my eyes but I could still see nothing.
Where am I?
I wanted to mutter this under my breath, but as soon as I opened my mouth, my voice couldn’t come out of my mouth. My throat was dry and horse as if I haven’t drank water for a long time.
I could even feel something cold around my neck, but I didn’t have the strength to lift my hands and see what it was!
That was when I suddenly remembered what had happened. I was with Liam a while ago when I was KIDNAPPED!
The incident sent a wave of shock through my heart, and I started to panic. Even though I was afraid, I had a faint idea about who these people might be.
No! This was not the time to panic. If the kidnappers were really from the hunters group, I had to get away from here as soon as possible. I had just killed two of their valuable people. How would they let me off easily? I believed that they would at least try me in oil, and cook me alive! No, I couldn’t stay here!
Thinking like this, I struggled to get up as a groan escaped my lips. The numbness in my body was gone, and a sharp stinging pain replaced it. I gritted my teeth and got up, staggering forward.
But no matter where I went I could only feel cold walls. The only place where I felt a little different was in the east. I could change in temperature and the texture of the surface I was touching. It almost felt like wood.
I frowned at that. This didn’t seem to have a handle. The more I looked for a way out, the more realised that this small room didn’t even have a window or a door handle.
After a long time of searching and crawling along the wall, I stopped and dropped to my knees, extremely frustrated. Just as I was about to move for a round two after a while of resting, I heard a ‘click’ sound coming from the direction of the door.
I froze, and silently crawled toward the corner where two walls met. I was afraid, truly afraid. Back when I was first in such a situation and pushed inside such a similar dark room, I had no choice but to tremble in fright. After all, I was a weak human without a special power at hand
Wait, I wasn’t a human anymore. Why was I being afraid?
Suddenly, my own actions made me feel as if j was a stupid girl. Mentally slapping myself on my head, I struggled to get up, and stood at a fighting stance. I silently whispered a spell to activate the energy running within my body, glancing coldly at the door.
The crack appeared and light poured in. I had to squint my eyes as I shielded my eyes with my hands. Footsteps echoed in my ears, but I still couldn’t tell who was at the door. Now that two of my greatest enemies were dead, I was suddenly at a loss. They were at least the people who I had seen, but this person was unknown to me. An inexplicable fear rose in my heart. I pursed my lips and continued to watch the door.
Suddenly, a cold female voice echoed in the room. “There’s no use scheming against me. Your power won’t work because of the necklace you have.”
Around my neck? Suspiciously, I raised my hands to touch a round locket tied to a silver chain hanging around my neck. I was stunned. So I won’t be able to use my power just because of this small thing? Thinking like that, I tugged it only to feel an electric current blasting off of it making me flinch. I instantly took my hands off of the locket and looked at the other person in surprise.
“Don’t even think about taking it off. Only I can help you, and no one can.”
I could smell a hint of darkness in her voice that made me shiver.
But more than her words, what shocked me was her voice. It wasn’t that I could recognise, but I could feel alterations done to the voice. As if I was suddenly inside a music studio where the director had changed the tone of voice deliberately making it sound very girly.
It was clear that this girl was trying to hide her true identity from me. Do I know her? If yes, then her decision to alter her voice was reasonable. I felt my heart going cold at that.
But after that, my attention went to the remark “your power won’t work here.” I instinctively circulated the energy within my body and brought the energy on the top of my palms. The energy fluctuated for a while as purple sparks appeared on my hand, but they suddenly vanished into thin air.
My pupils constricted at that. I really couldn’t use my powers! How could I save myself from these people? I felt a chill on my spine as if a bucket filled with ice was pouring down on me.
I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. It’s okay if I wasn’t able to use my power. I could stay here and figure out what was the purpose behind kidnapping.
Just then, I heard someone’s voice from the outside that made me even more dumbfounded.
“Boss,” the man outside said. “Let’s not waste our time with her.”
That was when I noticed the lady standing before me. She had a mask on her face, but her eyes were cold and indifferent. Her straight hair had a touch of brown color and yellow highlights that rested on her shoulders. She dressed almost like a model, giving off an aura of a CEO.
Wait, did I hear correctly? That person outside said ‘boss’ to this lady. That means, was she the leader? If I had assumed correctly, this should be the hunters organization. So did that mean this lady was the legendary leader we had all searched for?!
My eyes widened at that. I never thought the vile person who had troubled mine and Liam’s life would be a lady!
“You’re the boss?” Words almost blurted out of mouth in surprise.
The lady seemed to find my reaction quite satisfactory. I couldn’t see her expression because of the mask, but I could tell that the lady must be smiling evilly at me! Instantly, anger rose in my heart. I remembered how Barbara had talked to this person about how she hated me. I looked at her sharply. “Why do you hate me?”
A hint of amusement flashed in her eyes as if she seemed to expect my question. This reaction made me feel even more irritated.
She walked over to me and cocked her head. “You’re as arrogant as ever. You can’t even figure out why I hate a person like you.”
After saying this, she turned around and left the room, leaving me stunned.
But why was this person here? Just to tell me that I couldn’t use power in this dark cell? No! There should be a reason behind her actions! But the more I tried to think about it, the more I couldn’t understand this behavior. After a long time of contemplating, I gave up on thinking about it.
The next morning, I had just woken up when I felt a strong urge to vomit. But since there wasn’t a bathroom nearby, I could only bite my lips and endure.
Soon, a girl unlocked the door and looked at me coldly. “Get up. You’ll be transferred to a new place.”
I wanted to ask more about it, but the girl had her lips sealed. I could only give up on asking. We passed several empty rooms before she stopped at a door unfamiliar to me. In my heart, I had already assumed that this place would be worse than that dark room. But who would’ve thought that I’d end up face a room filled with a big round bed, colorful curtains, and a cupboard filled with many clothes? My mouth was hung open as I looked at the room. I was so surprised that I even forgot about the urge to vomit for a second.
I should’ve felt relief after seeing this type of room, but I didn’t. Instead, I felt even colder, and I shivered. These people were trying to give me attention all of a sudden. Just what was their purpose? Didn’t the leader hate me? Then why would she agree to giving me such a luxury?
I darted my suspicious eyes at the girl, who seemed to ignore me and closed the door behind her.
Just as I was about to rush over the bathroom to relieve my upset stomach, the click sound appeared again.
Damn it! Who was it again? Why couldn’t you people let me have a peace of mind for once? I cursed these people in my heart.
But I couldn’t do anything. I was also helpless. So I silently took a few deep breaths and endured the urge to vomit. I didn’t want to die at the hands of these criminals. As soon as I remembered how these people had even killed their own men, I couldn’t help but shiver.
At this time, a familiar lady from yesterday entered the room. And as soon as she saw me, her lips stretched to form a smile as if she was in a good mood.
Seeing her face, my face turned darker. They dared to make me feel afraid and smile like this. I would like to see who in the world could smile like that after my powers are unlocked. I gritted my teeth and looked coldly at the woman.
“Take this book.” She threw a black colored book similar to the one I had used back then to practice with Olivia. I caught it and gave it a curious glance. “Practice these spells.”
“What are these?” I couldn’t help myself from asking.
The smile on her face widened. “This is a way to kill your dear husband and bring his blood dead or alive.”
I froze. Blood drained from my face as my eyes widened. I continued to stare at this woman in disbelief.
What the hell?! Did I hear it correctly? For the first time in my life I wanted to doubt my hearing skills. The expressions on my face twisted into a unique combination of confusion and anxiety.
The lady seemed to love seeing my distressed face, and she continued. “If you want to live, kill him. It’s that simple.”
Simple?!? Hearing those words again, I confirmed that I wasn’t hearing things. She really wanted me to kill my own husband! Even though I was having a little dispute with him, that didn’t mean I would jus plot a murder for him! I still loved that guy! How could I just casually agree to this? And what did this woman think before asking this question to me? I was a devoted wife! I would never do this even in my dreams!
After cursing this lady and her entire family in my heart, I turned my back to her and started ignoring her presence.
I still wanted to vomit my heart out, so I practically ignored the lady boss and bolted toward the bathroom, leaning toward the basin. I literally threw the entire thing I had eaten yesterday. Since it had already been morning and I hadn’t eaten much, the vomiting ended with gagging noise as I rinsed my mouth.
Just as I turned around to face the lady, I could see coldness in her eyes. She glared at me as veins popped on her forehead.
Seeing her angry figure, I sneered in my heart. Wasn’t she the only one trying to intimidate me? I had to give back what she deserved!
Perhaps I really had forgotten the consequences of entering a tiger’s den and deliberately provoking a man-eating-animal. The next words of the lady brought me back from the clouds.
“Looks like I have to teach you a lesson.” Her sharp gaze was directed toward me before she said, “Agree or I’ll kill the child in your belly.”
Wait what? Child in my belly…
When did I get a child in my belly?
How come I didn’t know that?
I was so shocked that my knees felt soft as I fell on my ground with my eyes wide open. I had a child! I was pregnant! Suddenly, my hands trembled. Tears formed in my eyes.
Why was I pregnant now out of all the time? Liam wasn’t here anymore! And I was kidnapped on the top of it! Everything was such a mess. How could I become pregnant now?
Drop of tears fell from my eyes as I slowly registered the rest of the sentence.
‘I’ll kill the child in your belly’
Kill who? My child? The proof of Liam’s love for me?
Suddenly, breath stuck in my throat. My shaking hands covered my abdomen in a protective stance. This child was so unlucky. It wasn’t even born, and there was already a threat to its life.
Wait, how did this girl find out? She wasn’t bluffing, was she?
I glanced at the woman suspiciously.
She ignored my expression and uttered a spell. White light emerged out of her hands that went directly toward my belly. Before I could do anything, it entered my stomach and showed a scene as if somehow my stomach had become transparent. It was an egg that was getting slowly transformed in the womb.
I was even more shocked! I turned my head toward her with my widened eyes. So shocked that I didn’t even know where to start and what to say. I just continued staring at her like a foolish girl.
The lady boss seemed to be satisfied with my current behavior. “There, if you want your child to live, learn the spell and complete the mission!”
My hands trembled as my lower lips quivered. I couldn’t. Even in my dreams, I couldn’t choose between my child and Liam. Tears continued to pour as I let out a soft sob.
After a long time, I said, “I won’t.”
“I knew you’d say that!” Then she muttered another spell as white light danced on her fingertips. “I can kill you’d little child in just a few minutes. It’s not a big deal for me. Even though I have less power than others, killing a mere foetus is very easy!”
“No!” I stopped her before she could do anything. How could I forget this? I remembered from the book how the power within the magicians was distinguished. The most powerful was with purple energy, but the weakest one would contain white power within their energy veins.
That means this boss was the weakest of them all, but she didn’t seem like it.
I took a few steps back in fright. My hands automatically went to cover my belly. What should I do!? This arrogant lady boss would really kill my child! No, I have to think of something.
Just then, an idea popped up in my head. What if I agree on the surface and escape when they would have their guards lower against me? I could even kill a few hunters and leave!
The more I thought about it, the more I felt like it was a really good plan. Licking my lips in anticipation, I nodded.
I wanted to save both my child and my husband, and no one could stop me from doing this!