“Not at all. I’m sure I had it on when I escaped from the prison, but why is it gone now? Did I drop it?”
Vione touched her neck several times, then stood up. She searched her body as thoroughly as she could, checking every inch of her clothing, but she still couldn’t find it.
“My necklace,” Vione whispered, her voice shaking. Her face grew pale and a shiver ran through her body-fear of loss. “I must find it.”
Panic began to creep into Vione’s mind. The possibility that she had lost the half-moon pendant necklace made her heart ache. She couldn’t imagine if the necklace was really gone. It wasn’t just any necklace; it was a gift from Usher.
Vione couldn’t afford to lose it. So, she bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Her fear was replaced by an unshakeable determination. “I have to find it.”
After making sure the necklace wasn’t hidden in her clothes, Vione carefully checked the floor of the cave. She pushed aside some obstructing rocks and carefully examined every nook and cranny. She still couldn’t find the necklace.
Vione had no choice but to retrace the route she had taken during her escape. She knew it was risky, but she had to ignore the mysterious man’s message. She clenched the paper in her hand, the note the mysterious man had left asking her to stay hidden in the cave.
Besides, the half-moon necklace wasn’t the only reason for Vione to leave the cave. According to her original purpose of escaping from prison, she wanted to see Usher; she had to see Usher, she had to know how he was.
Vione set out with determined steps. She left the cave, not knowing where she was going. She had been unconscious when the mysterious man had brought her there. So, retracing her escape route would be a challenge. Occasionally, she would stop and look up, surveying her surroundings, trying to recognize the area.
Vione’s brow furrowed. Her eyes narrowed as the evening wind blew. Her cheeks felt like they were being caressed, and a sense of familiarity washed over her.
Vione was certain that this was the first time she had set foot here. She had never been to this place before, for the Amerotha Forest was vast. As far as she could remember, she had only been to two places in the Amerotha Forest: the Sacred Land and the Judgment Ground. Nothing beyond that.
Strangely, Vione felt an eerie familiarity with the place. There was a comforting feeling that made her feel at ease, and if she dwelled on it any longer, a tightness would bind her chest, like a deep-seated longing. It was as if she had been gone too long, and it was only right that she return.
There was a void in her heart. There was a feeling that was hard to explain, as if the place held a part of her that was missing. And so, it all boiled down to a desire to stay there.
Vione blinked in confusion, and a tear rolling down her cheek reminded her of the inner turmoil she was experiencing. On the one hand, she wanted to hurry, find her necklace, and see Usher as soon as possible. On the other hand, she was reluctant to leave; she wanted to stay and enjoy the peace.
The dilemma began. The two desires fought within her, making Vione take a deep breath and solidify her wavering resolve. Her feet continued walking, ignoring the whispers that tried to stop her.
Vione walked on until her foot stumbled slightly, and a magical sensation brought her quickly to attention. She held her breath, taking in the surroundings, and one particular sight caught her attention.
Above, it was as if something had struck the air, causing delicate blue cracks of light to appear. The cracks spread everywhere and then disappeared.
Vione stood stunned. She didn’t know what was happening, but the blue color immediately reminded her of her wolf’s eyes. The color was exactly the same and…
The rustling of the leaves shattered Vione’s thoughts. The breeze no longer felt refreshing and her body immediately tensed. Her instincts flared, sending signals of something threatening.
Vione spun around and kicked with anticipation. She knew that she was no longer alone. There was someone-no, more than one person. There were probably three of them, and Vione was certain that they were no ordinary humans.
Were they Mireya’s people?
The thought immediately put Vione on high alert. She tried to find a way to escape. But suddenly someone appeared in front of her, cutting off any chance of escape.
Vione quickly stepped back. She looked at the man and was sure she didn’t recognize him. “Who are you?”
The man did not answer, but stepped closer to Vione. His demeanor seemed calm, but there was an intimidating aura about him that couldn’t be ignored.
Vione felt a shiver run down her spine. The man’s movements indicated more and more danger. She didn’t want to take any chances. Without wasting any time, she turned to run.
The presence of another man made Vione suddenly stop running. Her path was blocked. But she was not out of options. She changed direction and started running again.
Unfortunately, Vione couldn’t run very far. Another man blocked her way. Even as she changed direction again, another man joined in the obstruction.
Vione was trapped. Four unknown men had her surrounded on all sides. There was no way for her to escape.
“You won’t be able to run away from us, Vione. You might as well surrender.”
Vione bit her lower lip. She tried to calm herself as her heart raced with a wave of panic that was beginning to take over. She clenched her fists at her sides and replied, “I will not.”
“Very well. You leave us no choice. I hope you don’t regret your decision, Vione.”
Vione knew that she was a weak Omega. She had no claws, could not fight. She could clearly gauge her own abilities; facing these four men was like seeking death. But that didn’t mean she would surrender easily. So, when the four men attacked her, she ran and jumped into the air.
Vione’s scream turned into a growl. Her mouth opened to reveal sharp fangs, ready to tear through anything. The unequal battle began.
*