Lienna.
I had only spent days in this place, but it felt like an eternity. The walls seemed to close in on me, suffocating me with every passing moment. I had lost so much weight, I was barely hanging on by a thread. My skin clung to my bones, and my eyes had sunken.
Ever since I arrived, my captors had fed me nothing but inedible food and dirty water that made my stomach churn. The stench of rot and mold filled my nostrils, making me gag. Knowing I was still healing from the over-exertion caused by using the Moon Goddess’s power made every day a struggle.
Veronica didn’t relent in making my life hell. She’d visit me regularly, her eyes gleaming with malice as she taunted me, her insults cutting deep. “You’re nothing but a weak, pathetic thing,” she’d sneer. “Your friends are losing the war, and you’re powerless to stop it.” Her laughter would always resound in my ears, long after she had left.
Her stories of the war’s brutality sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t shake the visions of Adonis, Hermes, and the others, fallen and broken. The thought of their suffering was a constant, gnawing dread.
Two days ago, Veronica’s cruelty had reached new heights. She’d beaten me to a pulp because I refused to answer her stupid questions. My body still ached from the blows, my ribs throbbing with every shallow breath. I was yet to recover, my strength dwindling.
Luckily, no wandering soldier had strayed into the tent to try and molest me. Even if they did, I didn’t think I had the strength to fight them off. I was trapped, vulnerable, and completely at their mercy.
The darkness closed in around me, suffocating me. I wrapped my arms around my knees, holding on to what little sanity I had left. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Even in the face of adversity, I needed to be strong.
Knowing we were still at war, I would spend random moments, untouched by worry, praying for our victory. Exhausted by the gruesome stories and miserable life I’d endured lately, I yearned for liberation.
“Please, Moon Goddess…” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “If you’re up there, please help me. Help us. Get me out of here. I don’t want to die like this.” My voice cracked, emotions overwhelming me.
Hours dragged on, and I heard approaching footsteps. My heart pounded in my chest. After days of listening, I could recognize those footsteps anywhere.
The tent flap opened, and Veronica stormed in, fury etched on her face. My heart sank.
“You!” she snapped, shadows swirling behind her.
Groaning, I muttered, “What do you want?”
Suddenly, her shadows shot out, lifting me off the ground, constricting my throat. I winced, unable to scream.
“You’re going to die tomorrow,” Veronica snarled, her voice dripping malice.
My eyes widened in shock. I thought she wanted to torture me for days on end. What could have possibly caused her to change her mind?
Veronica’s gaze burned with intensity. “The shifter kings have finally crossed the line with their stupid games and I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when I end you in front of them.”
Fear gripped me, my mind racing. Tomorrow, my life would end. I struggled against the shadows, but they held firm. This can’t be happening! I don’t want to die like this.
“W-what did you do to them?” I stuttered, my face burning as she cut off my breath.
Veronica’s smile twisted. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is what we’re going to be doing to them soon. Be expectant.”
With that, she vanished, leaving me choking, shadows still strangling me. I gasped for air, desperation clawing at my heart. Finally, the shadows disappeared and I collapsed to the ground, getting into a coughing fit.
Tears streamed from my eyes, and my lungs felt like they were being incinerated. I didn’t think I would have energy left to cry but I did, sobbing profusely, my body racking with with its intensity. I sobbed till I was exhausted and just as I was about to drift into a restless sleep, I whispered another prayer to the moon goddess.
“Please, help me, moon goddess. ”
.
.
.
The next day, just like Veronica had promised, two burly soldiers stormed into the tent, their boots thundering against the ground. They yanked me out, chains clanking as they dragged me into the blinding morning light.
I stumbled, my legs trembling beneath me. Days of confinement had weakened me, and the sudden movement sent my head spinning. The sunshine was a dagger to my eyes, and I squeezed them shut, desperate to alleviate the pressure.
Without mercy, the soldiers continued to drag me, their grip heartless. I stumbled, my feet bare and bruised, scraping against the rough ground. They led me to a massive cage, its steel bars glinting like razor teeth.
Like an animal led to slaughter, I was pushed into the cage. I stumbled, my shoulder crashing into the unforgiving metal. Pain erupted as I sustained multiple wounds, my skin scraping against the bars.
As I looked around, soldiers leered at me, their eyes aglow with lust and surprise. They couldn’t believe their luck, having someone like me in their camp, hidden away. My blood ran cold thinking about what they could have done to me if they had discovered me sooner.
Lowering my gaze, I bit my lip to stop it from trembling. Soldiers bellowed orders, their voices a cacophony of chaos. I was led out of the enemy camp, my heart lodged in my throat.
Memories flooded my mind, and I was transported back to the day my father sold me off after I rejected my betrothed. The same paralyzing fear gripped me, if not more. And just like then, there was no escape.
The carriage jolted forward, snapping me back to reality. The treacherous journey to the battlefield had begun. Hours went by and I tried to be brave, doing my best to endure the rickety ride. The dread in my soul worsened as me moved on forward and by the time I got close to the field, I felt close to passing out. Even from far away, the eerie atmosphere settled on the battleground was getting to me, and I couldn’t get Veronica’s words out of my head.
The soldiers continued their relentless march, leading me through the battlefield’s gruesome landscape. Burnt flesh and rotting blood assaulted my nostrils, and I gagged, retching the nonexistent contents of my stomach. My empty belly heaved, protesting the horrors surrounding me.
Bodies littered the field, unburied and unmourned. The stench of death clung to everything, and I retched again, my vision blurring. Fear and anticipation kept me from collapsing, despite exhaustion’s creeping grasp.
A twisted part of me yearned to see the shifter kings again. If I was to die here, I wanted one last glimpse. As we neared the front lines, Oberon’s men clashed with the shifter kings’ forces. I curled into myself, backing against the cage.
“No, please no. I don’t want to die like this. I can’t die like this.” I whispered, covering my head with trembling hands. I prayed no stray arrows would find me.
The cries and clangs of battle filled the air, and I whimpered. Time lost meaning as we navigated the chaos. Finally, we reached the front lines, where the battle raged fiercest. Soldiers cut through each other like hot knives through butter.
Some had shifted into beast forms, lost to their feral instincts. But the shifter kings stood out Adonis’s majestic wolf form, Hermes’s sleek tigers. My heart swelled, seeing them, if only for a fleeting moment.
It took a moment for them to notice me, but when they did, they froze, shocked. Adonis’s eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a glimmer of desperation. Caspian who was the only one holding his human form as he fought Oberon froze as well, his eyes widened in shock.
Oberon’s smile spread, satisfied. “Surprise…” He drawled, his voice dripping with malice.
This was my worst nightmare coming to life.