Hex tossed and turned on his bed, sleep evading him as his mind churned with worries. Every time he closed his eyes, anxious thoughts crept back—tomorrow's trip to the ruins, his transformation into a monster, and his looming execution.
What am I going to do? he thought. I don't want to die. I've got so much to live for. Even if no one wants me around… I still want to live. Frustration simmered within him, growing stronger with each second. He raked his fingers through his hair, then gripped his head in both hands before jumping out of bed. "This isn't fair!" he muttered, pacing. "Tomorrow I have to go back to the same ruins that turned me into a monster. And for some reason, the Frjals want me…" He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. "At least they're interested."
He glanced down at the bracelets around his wrists, shackling him to his captors. "If it wasn't for these bloody bracelets," he whispered, "I could escape and leave all this behind me."
Then, a thought sparked, and he stared at the bracelets, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Wait a minute… I've never actually tested if these things work. For all I know, they could be faulty—or maybe she was bluffing." A mischievous smile crossed his face. "Let's give it a try."
Hex crept across the room, easing the door open with care to avoid any creaks. The residential building was dark, the narrow hallway lit only by the faint moonlight streaming through a distant window. He slipped out, every footstep hushed as he descended, hugging the walls and peering cautiously around each corner. The silence of the building amplified his heartbeats, and his muscles tensed with every creak of the floor.
Floor by floor, Hex moved stealthily downward, keeping to the shadows. When he reached the fourth floor, he allowed himself a small grin. "I knew it," he whispered, his voice filled with cautious excitement. "It was just a bluff. I must be well over fifty feet from Perus by now, and nothing's happened. Freedom's so close I can taste it."
His confidence renewed, Hex started down the staircase toward the third floor. But just as he took his first few steps, a sharp, seizing pain shot through him. His muscles clenched as if bound by invisible chains, and he collapsed, tumbling down the stairs in a flurry of limbs. When he reached the landing below, his body lay paralyzed, pinned to the cold floor like a rag doll.
Hex's mind reeled. He tried to move, even an inch, but his muscles wouldn't respond. Only a weak, strained motion was possible, barely enough to rock himself slightly. Minutes passed, each second stretching painfully long as he lay helpless, fighting the urge to panic. Footsteps echoed from above, slowly growing louder. No… someone's coming.
As the steps approached, Hex braced himself. To his surprise, the lantern light revealed Perus, dressed in a nightgown and cap, looking sleepy but not surprised.
"Trying to run away, are you?" Perus asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hex tried to respond, but only managed a weak mumble, his mouth frozen. Perus sighed, grabbed him by the leg, and started hauling him back up the stairs. When they finally reached the hallway outside his room, Hex felt the paralysis fade and could move his limbs again. He sat up, testing his arms, still embarrassed from the situation.
"How did you even know…?" Hex asked, looking at Perus in disbelief.
Perus held up his hand, revealing the ring tattoo etched on his skin. "It alerts me when you're out of range."
Hex's face turned red. "I wasn't trying to—"
"Save it," Perus replied dryly. "Now get back to your room and get some rest. We're heading out early tomorrow." With that, Perus turned and walked away, not bothering to wait for a response.
With a defeated sigh, Hex trudged back to his room, feeling the weight of frustration settle over him. He collapsed onto his bed, exhausted, and drifted into a restless sleep.
---
The next thing he knew, a loud banging jarred him awake. Hex's eyes snapped open, and he squinted blearily as the pounding continued. A voice shouted from the other side, unmistakably irritated.
"Get up, you lazy urchin! It's time to go—don't make me come in there!" Dahlia's voice cut through the door.
Groaning, Hex dragged himself out of bed and opened the door to find Dahlia and Perus already fully dressed in their uniforms. Dahlia looked alert and ready, while Perus appeared as tired as Hex felt.
"Get dressed. Let's go. There's no time to waste," Dahlia ordered briskly, then turned to Perus. "Stay here with him. I'll go downstairs to make preparations." She left with her usual determined stride.
Hex sighed, muttering under his breath as he pulled himself together. Soon, he and Perus headed outside, where the pale morning light washed over the courtyard. Near the entrance stood the dwarf who'd brought them into town previously, waiting by a sturdy horse-drawn cart.
Hex walked up to him, yawning. "Hey, nice to see you again, mister…?"
The dwarf nodded with a faint smile. "Ooka's the name. You boys look tired. Late night?"
Hex and Perus exchanged a glance before Perus answered with a wry smile. "You could say that."
Dahlia's head popped out from behind the cart, where she was stowing supplies. "He tried to escape, didn't he?"
Hex put on an exaggerated look of shock. "I did not!"
Perus didn't hesitate. "Absolutely."
Hex shot him a glare. "Snitch."
Dahlia rolled her eyes with a smirk. "I expected as much. Both of you get in—we've already packed up while you two were wasting time."
They climbed into the cart, and soon they were on their way, passing through checkpoint after checkpoint as they left the town and entered the shadowy forest leading toward the ruins.
After a while, Dahlia leaned over and tapped Ooka's shoulder. "Stop here. There's a faster way."
Hex and Ooka exchanged puzzled glances, but Dahlia had already hopped down from the cart. She stretched out her hands, murmuring under her breath, and a shimmering light gathered around her fingers. In moments, ice formed around the carriages wheels and turned it into a sleigh and a path of smooth ice formed beneath the cart's wheels, glistening in the dim forest light, while spiked hooves appeared on the horses' feet.
Turning to Perus with a mischievous grin, Dahlia said, "It's time."
Hex swallowed hard, a sense of dread settling in as he watched the transformation. If this shortcut was only the beginning, he wondered what dangers awaited them at the ruins.