My, my.... look what has stumbled into my forest. A little wildcat and her guard dog."
The voice dropped from the canopy like honey mixed with poison. The voice spoke as I looked back to see how Lukas was holding up, but all I could see was a pissed-off look. Why is he mad and being so quiet about it? Lukas never behaved like that; he's always so bold about how he feels, but now it's like there's a threat standing in front of us, but before I could even blink, a figure appeared, leaning against a massive oak with an effortless grace that made my skin prickle. He was beautiful in a way that felt wrong... like a flower that smells like a graveyard.
That's when he walked up to me.
"I swore I'd seen you somewhere before, little wolf," he said, glancing at Lukas with a smirk, "but I can't quite put my finger on it. Nonetheless... welcome to my domain. I am Kyra, Lord of the Fairies... or the Elf Lord, if you prefer the formal titles, and you... little cat, you are?"
He pushed up closer, circling us like a predator stalking its prey. This guy's behavior was almost creepy, if not gross, so being myself, I snapped at him and yelled.
WHO AM I????
WHO ARE YOU???
you dont just waltz in a place and act like you own anyone here because this place is yours just because you're royalty, and frankly, I think your tone isnt quite nice because you're making my friend Lukas uncomfortable.
"Oh my... you have such fire in you. I'll enjoy breaking you bit by bit, but for now my background is... complicated. Ever since the King and Queen retired. Well, 'retired' is what I tell people to keep them from asking questions. But you, my fine lady... you are the most beautiful creature to ever stumble into these woods. If you didn't have such a pure, kind spirit radiating off you... you wouldn't have left this place alive."
I stood there, frozen. Fairies? Elves? What's this guy talking about? Fairies don't exist. I would have thought so, but after meeting vampire royalty and a psychotic princess, nothing felt impossible anymore... I wouldn't even be surprised if a flying dinosaur did a drive-by right now.
Before I could snap a comeback, Kyra took my hand, kneeling before me with grace, and placed a lingering, gentle kiss on my knuckles.
The air suddenly turned icy. Lukas didn't just step in; he exploded. He grabbed the Elf Lord by the collar, hoisting him into the air and shaking him violently like a ragdoll. But Kyra didn't fight back... he just laughed, his smile never wavering as he was manhandled.
"You haven't changed a bit since I last talked with your big brother," Kyra chuckled, his voice airy even as he was being choked.
Lukas's face went pale. Without a word, he threw the Elf Lord into a tree with enough force to crack the bark. He didn't look back... his hands went into his pockets. I tried calling his name, but he was already gone as the air shimmered. He teleported out of the forest, leaving me behind with a secret he clearly wasn't ready to share.
"Well... now it's just you and me, wildcat, and relax; I won't eat you up, or at least not yet," Kyra said, brushing the dirt off his robes. "Since you are a qualified guest—even if uninvited—how about a tour? Unless you'd prefer to walk back alone? since your little pet made his grand exit, and I'm guessing he was your only way home, without him, no doubt youll get lost."
Get lost? I have no idea what you're talking about. I know this forest like the back of my hand, so I don't need help from a creep like you!!!
"Ouch, Princess, you wound me, but then again I can just leave you to the creatures that lie in the dark; your choice."
I looked at the dark woods and then at him. I was headstrong, but I wasn't stupid.... I knew when to hold my head down. I nodded, hesitantly reaching for his hand, but he didn't take it.
Instead, he grabbed me by the hips and hoisted me up, plopping me right into his lap as he mounted a massive, winged beast that looked like a nightmare and a dream had a baby.
"This is straight-up harassment!" I snapped, my face heating up. "Wait until I tell Dracarus about you!"
I bit my tongue the second the words left my mouth. I hated that scum bag. Why was I using that cold-hearted jerk's name!!!.
Did I really just use that jerk's name as a threat? Kyra just chuckled, unfazed. "The predator will just have to catch his prey, then... let's see if he's fast enough to snatch you back."
"We shall see," I murmured. "He will come for me; I just know it."
He held me tight, and the beast surged upward. We flew through what looked like a regular, muddy forest filled with ragged cabins... but then we hit the barrier. The air rippled, and suddenly, a massive, gleaming city appeared where the trees should have been. It was an entire civilization hidden by a magic trick Dracarus had mentioned once. No wonder they'd never been at war... they were flat-out invisible, just like me in school.
hours later The beast landed in front of pearly white gates. By the gods, I fell asleep on this man's back. What a betrayal, body!!
The entrance to Kyra's palace was bigger than he described it along the way; showing off was all he could talk about along the way. I stepped down, dizzy from the flight, but the awe I felt vanished the moment I looked at the floor.
Two bodies. Cold and still on the silver floors.
I couldn't tell if they were human, elf, or vampire... but it didn't matter. The message was clear. I had just entered one cage for a much deadlier one.