"We give you a minute prior," Rema enlightened me as shivers ran down my spine.
A layer of cold sweat covered my body. My lips twitched, and my heartbeat raced as I couldn't take enough oxygen to calm my nerves.
"Fuck," I muttered before dashing towards the exit.
My legs moved on their accord as everything went in a fast motion.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
My eyes desperately searched for an opening, any clue of escape from this place I didn't even know what to call. Considering stone walls and floor, it could have been a castle. It was devoid of any decoration.
After some sharp twists and turns, which almost caused me to slip, Abigor erected in front of me. I barely managed to halt my brisk and clumsy movements.
My face twisted in an expression that portended nothing good as Abigor cut me off before I could cuss him out.
"Follow me," he said emotionlessly and led the way.
What had I gotten myself into?
I followed him hurriedly as he lectured me the whole tour, "If you're gonna win the trial, you'll have to master some moves."
"Is it the right time for training?" This man wasn't real.
"I control emotions. And then my prey with them," Abigor kept a cool demeanor while my heart would jump out of my chest. I was getting impatient. His magic was horrible. He could manipulate emotions. He could rule the heart and brain. Abigor truly was an alarming creature.
But it wasn't the time for his boast!
"Abigor!"
"You can do it! Your mother could. Imagine a feeling and try to aim it at your opponent."
"What?"
"First turn to left and flee, baby," Abigor smirked down at me as he suddenly lowered his head to face me. The glowing orbs of light shone on his malevolent face as ominous energy leaked from his blue eyes.
"Sweetheart, we are coming!"
Rema's voice crept to me as my skin pricked in adrenaline.
Abigor gave me a jerk of his head as he straightened, and I had no other choice but to comply with his instructions.
I sprinted forward, and as the light burst from my left, my pulse quickened in relief and excitement. Exit!
I turned left abruptly—a window. I was dead.
There was a freaking window! And god knows where it led to. What if we were at a higher ground? I would suffer a fatal landing.
"Princess?"
Gosh, it was Rema! And why the fuck was his voice so close?
"She is a queen already, you idiot," Luke corrected, and his words were heard from even near. They were in my trail.
I had no time for stopping, so I did it. I bolted to the wide opening and let my legs part from the surface.
The cold air slapped my face as my heart pounded rapidly. I hung high in the sky, and gravity pulled me down savagely. It wasn't the first level for sure!
"AH!"
"She did it!" A perplexed voice followed after me mere seconds later.
I was this close to losing their game.
Thud echoed in the forest as I landed on my feet and quickly rolled over to avoid an ankle sprain. My body ran and ran after that, not worrying about the dark forest that engulfed me.
A howl was shot in the sky, accompanied by a loud growl. They had shifted in their wolf forms. FUCK! How the hell was I going to outrun them? They were the wolves, for god's sake!
I snapped my head back to be met by a castle disappearing behind the trees every second I advanced further. So it was a castle. There wasn't a cue of the beasts yet, though.
I had a time.
I discarded my clothes, tearing them in the way as I had no luxury of halting in place to make the job easier.
Another howl rang loud in my ears as droplets of sweat rolled down my temples.
I used my grey shirt to wipe the wetness from my face and turned to my left as I threw the shirt in the opposite direction.
I winced as the sharp pain stopped me. I gazed down to scrutinize my feet that were bloodied due to not wearing shoes. Damn it! Those bastards literally yanked me from the slumber. My face drained of color as the stomps of the paws increased.
Rema and Luke.
I got rid of my shorts and sprinted to the further left as I hurled the piece and veered off. I had to scatter my scent to perplex them.
I felt a humid air as bliss washed over me. Maybe there was a lake or river nearby. That would work like magic in hiding my scent. Masking up your whiff, aura, energy, and presence overall was an advanced technique. You had to master your powers fully, know their limits and then you could try covering them up.
The sound of water crashing on the rocks made my eyes widen as I ordered my depleted legs to increase the speed.
As I ran through the woods, the trees became scarce. I left blood traces on the woods in different directions and hoped it would work out for me.
As the light made its way through the trees, I came across a small waterfall.
A growl shook me out of my planning as I turned back to study my surroundings. I could make out something moving between the trees. A brown fur? It was them for sure. My time was tickling as I jumped into the lake, and as the water deepened, I swam to the waterfall, which would brush my scent off of me for last.
The thundering sound of water made my ears go numb as my knees glided across a surface. I stood up, shut my eyes, and blindly walked forward. I felt an opening as my hands didn't collide with anything. A cave was ahead of me, and I would use this opportunity.
I couldn't stabilize my breathing even when I rested against the wall of the cave. I had a few seconds before I ran away. I didn't plan to hide here forever. As tempting as it could be, it represented a trap any mouse would step on. A predator would check on the perfect hideout for its prey.
I caught a breath and risked as I went in the water again. But this time, I chose not to advance the way I came. I bolted to my side, and once I was out of the water, I melded with the trees behind the cave.
Gosh, I had to look back, and I did so. But was left speechless as the only brown wolf was sniffing the area in front of the water. Where was the other one? Immediately, I turned around but flinched as a pink wolf growled at me.
A pink wolf? If I weren't frightened to death, I would admire him. It was definitely Rema.
I backed away and plastered against the surface of the cave as another growl deserved a petrified eyes of mine.
I was doomed.
I didn't want to surrender to them, but their bared fangs made my skin prickle.
To my surprise, Rema fell and started grimacing as I had no idea what was happening. He shrank in size and twisted in anguish. Was he returning to his human form?
Rema's body curled violently as his fangs, deadly nails, and fur disappeared. Rema kneeled while he regained his composure, and then he stood up, showing off all his glory in a naked state. I couldn't help but blush.
Pink-haired smirked at me as I tried my hardest not to steal a glance at his hardened member. Oh gosh! Rema's power! I panicked as the man before me chuckled huskily.
Luke groaned as he also started shifting, but so I supposed. I couldn't look away from Rema. He could attack me anytime.
"Our girl is so smart, trying to hide her scent like that," Luke growled.
I held my head high. How the hell did they find me this effortlessly?
"If you're wondering how we didn't lose you," Luke trailed off as he strode closer, "I have a naturally see-through vision. I can see through trees, water, caves. Anything but your cute little underwear." Luke was already by my side as he slid his finger over the hem of my panties, making me flinch. Instantly, I slapped his hand away as I glared at him, but Luke only laughed.
"Now, now, princess," Rema sauntered to me with a wicked grin, "how about you give up on your fake bravery."
"Bravery is never fake," I retorted, fuming and raging inside.
"How so?"
I jumped in sudden of Luke's voice as it ghosted my ear. He stroked my arms with his fingers while his body was so close to mine I couldn't look up at him in shame.
"Will you be kind enough to explain it to us?" A smirk played in Luke's voice as his fingers continued with their ministrations.
"Standing up to the fear is never fake," I went on, but only my lips moved as I was petrified and frozen in the place, "if you dared to go against the fear, you had enough strength to be called brave. The intention to beat the fear is a step you deliberately take, and just doing it for whatever reason makes you brave. Call it fake bravery, but I'm still standing."
I felt more powerful as the words slipped my lips. The vicious grin on Rema's face had disappeared as a hint of amusement as well as consideration built on his features.
"Wise girl, huh?" Luke uttered as his words were invisibly embedded on my skin.
"Luke?" Rema caged me as he placed his hands on either side of my head. "I'm tired of waiting."