Under the scorching sun, a small feminine figure walked along an empty path in the middle of what seemed like Badlands, frowning and groaning with displeasure. She wiped off the sweat dripping on her forehead with a humph, then she brushed a loose strand of hair back with her fingers. Her face as well as eyes were red affected by the heat and daylight respectively.

"Tessa, Tessa. What have you gotten yourself…" She was yet to complete her statement when the sound of horses racing down her way.

"There she is!"

"Don't let her get away!"

Tessa could hear their exclamations due to her heightened hearing ability. Taking a pause, she placed both her hands on her waist while letting out long, tired sigh before turning around to face the incoming trouble. Hugging the small bag that lay across her body, she took in a deep breath before dipping her hand in it, and fished out a small bottle. It was clear and filled with a purple powder.

An evil smirk formed on her lips before she started chanting some strange incantations. The powder in her hands burst open and spread into the air, spreading like dust. With every single word coming out of her mouth, the yellow powder increased forming a dust devil, dancing across the path like a mischievous spirit on a rampage, while approaching the men heading towards her.

With a triumphant smile, Tessa opened her eyes dusting of her hands as she awaited the doom of her enemies. "Tessa, Tessa. What a witch you are."

Her smile broadened and was about to turn away when she saw the incoming horses that had already past across her own made dust tornado. Stupefied at what was happening and why her magic did not work, the horsemen managed to surround her. It was only after a trap net was thrown at her did she come back to her senses.

"Gentlemen, it's not wise to trap an unarmed lady with a fish net, is it?" Her voice resounded as she tried to wriggle out but she couldn't. Something felt off about the net and if her suspicion was correct, it was the arcane net which was used to trap any person who used magic.

"You are too weak for witch, my lady." A man who was going around the circle formed to entrap Tessa spoke up.

"Says the man who has been chasing a woman for a whole four days. Aren't you weak for a soldier?" Tessa retorted kneeling still because she was aware of the consequences of trying to fight her way out of the arcane net. It sucked in a person's magic and worst life leaving them for death.

"A soldier?" The man laughed out loudly. "Weak and ignorant too. You should be executed for calling the Crown Prince of Eryndor a mere soldier, don't you think so, my lady?"

Tessa froze and her expression turned numb and unreadable. 'Of all people I had to offend it had to be this fool.' She scolded herself inwardly, hoping that the man would not recognize her. Luckily for her, they had only encountered not more than thrice when they were very young. He was arrogant and boastful which made led to their rivalry when they were kids.

From experience, Tessa knew it was safer for her not to argue with him when he had realized who she really was. "Forgive my negligence, Your Highness. I didn't mean to offend you." Tessa felt like spitting blood on the man's face when she heard him laughing at her mockingly.

"What about the trouble caused for me and my guards in the capital?" Prince Lucien questioned halting his horse few meters away from Tessa.

Tessa clenched her fist recalling how Prince Lucien had tried to manhandle when she refused his invite become one of his maidens. He had taken a liking to her but Tessa ignored and even used illusion magic on his men making them turn against one another. Unfortunately for Tessa, she had only mustered a few tricks and so her spell could not last long. She escaped from the capital and has been on the run for three days until now Prince Lucien had caught up with her. She could even fight anymore since that was the last bottle of purple powder and she could not perform anymore magic with the little knowledge she had.

"Take her!" Prince Lucien gave his order before riding away his horse.

Taken prisoner by the person she hated most, all Tessa thought was how to escape. She wanted a way out and would do it before they got to the palace where she knew her fate would come to an end. In there, she could be easily tracked by her family since they had a close relation with the royals and visited there often. It had taken her a great deal of practice for to escape from her home and would not let herself be taken back there.

***********

The palace stood tall and grand, with massive stone walls covered in ivy. As Tessa was brought in being dragged side by side, she was not too much amazed because it was not her first time there, but this time she was led away to the dungeons.

"Wait up!" Prince Lucien stopped them before they could lead her away. "Make sure she is taken care of well." Unlike his words that sounded caring, his evil smirk indicated otherwise.

Tessa could not hold anymore since her fate had already brought her to this. "Make sure we don't see each other again… fool." The last was stressed and as she had expected, the smirk on his face fell replaced by a cold angry glare. Tessa knew well how much Prince Lucien hated that word ever since they were young and from the look of things, nothing had changed.

"Lock her in the Obsidian Maw!" With that, Prince Lucien left fuming his eyes burning with rage and something else.

Unlike Tessa who was unaware of what the Obsidian Maw was, the guards holding her shuddered with the mention of that name and she could detect fear in their eyes. Reluctantly, the took her away and their anxiety only grew as they neared the place.

Tessa had never seen a place so dark considering it was a few hours for twilight to edge its way to the evening. Even the torch flames held by the guards seemed to flicker and weaken under its oppressive shadow, as though the very air devoured their light. The air was becoming colder as they walked in and before Tessa could figure out the surrounding, she felt the guards stop.

It was only after looking clearly did she see the ironed door in front of them. The door was locked with chains running from top to bottom and left to right forming a cross. Tessa frowned wondering what kind of criminals were locked there.

The guards unlocked the door and threw Tessa inside, then locked the door instantly. Due to the unexpected push, Tessa fell down and landed on something hard yet warm. Letting out a painful groan, she held on the thing she had fallen on trying to stand up.

"What place did that fool send me to? Wait till I get out of here and I'll teach that Lucien a lesson he would never forget." She was mumbling to herself still trying to stand up when all of a sudden, a blinding light lit up and made her fall back to the ground, precisely, on top of the hard, warm thing.

After a moment of silence, Tessa raised her head warily only to meet a pair of blue eyes staring at her frozen in surprise and amusement.