A tightening sensation was felt in her throat. Her throat was being crushed by an unseen power, it was pressed tight in a way Cerys couldn't breathe. Reyna stood before her, her hands stretched forward, fingers folded in a squeezing motion. The look in Reyna's eyes was filled with hatred and pain.
"You are not Cerys. Cerys would have thrown that mushroom soup in my face. Even if you forgot your memory, your body would still react to mushroom soup since that's your bane but it didn't" her eyes reddened as she squeezed harder. Cerys kept on scratching at her throat for freedom. For air. For anything.
"Your father sensed it yesterday. He knows you are not who you are. Yesterday I also checked and placed Crystal's family gem in you and you sweated. You shouted. You clawed at my fingers. Why would a crystal family member shout and feel as if she is burning from her own family's blood gem? Unless…you are a soul that shouldn't be here. You are unrest and you must return to wherever you come from"
Sweats formed on her forehead, and cold ran down her spine. Black beads started to appear in her eyes as she felt her consciousness slowly leave her. Still, she struggled to force out the sentence.
"Kill…me…you…kill…her" it was no use covering it up. She wasn't a bad person she was just unlucky to be reborn into such fate. To die and die again.
"Better to have a dead body than an infected soul" Cerys had thought it would lessen her punishment but it became worst. Reyna became angry and squeezed harder.
Her eyes drooped close, her arms weakened, and fell frail beside her.
Thud!
A body hit the ground. Cerys opened her eyes once, to see Tala laying on top of Reyna on the floor
"What are you doing Reyna? Have you gone mad?!" Tala shouted, using all her strength to hold Reyna's hands down.
"No. That's not my friend. That's an enemy. An infected soul. Cerys died…that thing is a virus and has attached itself to that body. It must be killed. Cerys must rest in peace" Reyna struggled with Tala's hands. Even though Tala was stripped of her power, she was still strong. During her years of hardships, she had trained to be strong.
"You are babbling nonsense right now. Have the spirits you talk to entered your head?"
However, Reyna was a guard, a warrior, and also a lady-in-waiting. She was stronger. It didn't take long before Reyna used her leg to kick Tala off her. She used her finger to hit Tala on the neck, knocking her unconscious.
"I am sorry Tala. You just won't understand"
Meanwhile, Cerys had escaped. She had taken a green cloak from the room and rushed out with slippers and her nightwear.
Cerys tied the cloak real tight. She walked towards the gate and tried to appear strong even though she wasn't one bit. She looked composed when she arrived at the gate. The guards bowed at her and she smiled at them.
"My lady have you decided to go on a walk outside the estate?" one of the guards asked.
"Yes I would" Her voice still came out shaky and rough at the edge due to her feat but they suspected nothing.
"Would you like the guards to follow you, my lady?"
Cerys shook her head. "I am fine on my own. I appreciate your help"
They didn't bother to ask where she was headed, they just nodded and opened the gate. They do not have the power to question the daughter of a powerful man. Cerys stepped outside taking in a deep breath of the new air. Since she was reborn this was her first time out of the estate.
Cerys wondered how long they must have known that she wasn't Cerys. Was she that obvious or was it because they could sense different souls? She was scared about what they might do to her if she got caught. The fear she felt when she was being strangled was within her heart. The lack of oxygen had made her heart skip a beat. She didn't know how she died like Eloise, she couldn't remember the pain or what had happened but when she felt like she was dying just now. That was scary. Scarier than normal.
Cerys had only walked a few miles when she started hearing bells from inside the estate. She brought her hood over her head and walked faster. She had no idea where she was headed. She was just walking.
Just as the estate was no longer in view, Cerys launched herself into a race. The road was lonely but she could hear faint chatter coming from afar. The estate was located on top of a hill far away from the people of the city. She ran until she reached the edge.
She couldn't see how vast the city was from where she stood but she could see half of the beauty. It was a pretty city with a picturesque harbor and well-preserved buildings. There were few tall buildings like skyscrapers, it looked modern but the roads were not filled with cars but rather horses and donkeys. The hill wasn't that high but jumping from there would probably break her leg.
Cerys knew she didn't have much time so she rushed down the hill toward the harbor. Her only way to freedom was to leave this place. If she were to stay then she would be killed. Brutally for something she couldn't control.
She could hear the sounds of the waves hitting the shore, the sounds of birds, and the shuffling of feet. She could also hear the sounds of armor clanking together, and swords being drawn. She stood behind a house and peeked at the soldiers passing. When their back was turned against her, she rushed out towards the harbor. Her slippers sank into the sand.
Cerys hid behind the crates on the docks. She looked towards her left where she sees the guards rushing down the streets, their heads turning left and right, probably searching for her. They didn't come to the docks, probably thinking she had nowhere to go. True she does not have anywhere to go but this ship would land somewhere and her hope was she would be away from these people.
They are powerful…she was not.
"Hey, you! What are you doing here?!" The voice was so close. The man was rushing towards her anger on his face.
There was no escape. Before she could turn and run away, he grabbed her hand with force. Pulled her up from where she was hidden. Her hood fell from her head.
Adrenaline and fear ran through her veins. She was trapped.