Chapter 3 - Silent Danger
The cold nose of the monster slammed into the crook of her neck. The beast jerked away from her immediately, a growl tearing through him. Ismema hit the floor at the sudden release, her sight blurring immediately with pain and confusion.
She blinked as fast as she could, trying desperately to clear her head.
Through the fog of dust and confusion, the flickering lights from the hallway that cast enormous shadow into the secret passageway, Ismena saw the beast twisting and turning sharply while he continued to growl in something that sounded like agony.
Some part of him were human. Other parts, beast.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Horror.
She staggered to her feet and began to run. But she stopped almost immediately when she stepped on something.
Cold.
Sticky.
The dagger the Second had given her.
Ismena's face twisted with rage. Her heart boiled with the thirst for murder.
She grabbed the dagger in a flash and ran towards the monster, her eyes set on his human back.
Closer.
C-L-O-S-E-R.
CLOSER!
Close enough!
She thrust her hand forward but the beast turned at the last moment, shoved her against the wall and pressed her dagger that was still in her hand against her neck.
Ismena closed her eyes, accepting fate. Waiting for the dagger to cut, for the beast to rip her apart.
But a second passed.
Then another.
There were no growls from him, no screams of death and agony from her.
Yet his presence had not vanished. His hip was still tight around her hand. The blade still pressed to her skin.
Oh. The monster wanted to torture her. He wanted to draw out her death for his own enjoyment.
Her heart tightened with hatred but also with conviction.
She would not look weak and let him enjoy it. She would face him head on and die with honor.
She opened her eyes with a shaky breath and with determination, she looked right up at him.
But no where in sight was the bloodied smirk she was expecting from the monster. In fact, she couldn't see his face that had now been completely covered by his long black hair. But she could hear heavy breathing.
Then as if something had spiked in his head, he slammed his fist against the wall, so close to her head. Ismena's body began to tremble. Her tongue burn with a plea but she refused to give in.
She would not beg the enemy for her life.
Somehow, the blade in her hand hit the ground, and with his hand around her neck and her back against the wall, he raised her in her air.
Her legs dangled and her hands clawed against his to set her free. She fought to drag in the breath that was vanishing quickly from her lungs.
Dots of blackness were starting to blur her sight, along with tears. Choking sounds slipped past her lips but no air made it in.
As more and more darkness poured into her sight, she finally saw the beasts eyes. Silver. Filled with as much hatred she had for him, perhaps even more.
He wanted her dead.
Ismena's body went limp, and just as she felt herself about to lose her last breath, he let her go.
She hit the ground. She saw him turn sharply around to attack someone with a deafening growl as unconsciousness pulled her under.
——
——
Ismena woke up with a jolt. "Haron!"
"I'm here, my love." A hand held hers almost immediately, the bed sank slightly with his weight. "I'm here."
"Haron, by the Sun, you are alive." Her hands went around him quickly, her eyes shimmering with tears.
His fingers sank into her hair. "YOU are alive. I was afraid you would… I was afraid that monster would kill you."
Bella rang in Ismena's head.
The Monster.
She pulled away from Haron sharply.
"Is it dead?" She asked, rage boiling in her.
Haron's face clouded over. He pressed a cup of water to her lips instead.
"Drink."
That made her even more worried.
What was going on?
What had the monster done?
What had happened while she was unconscious.
Those silver eyes of hatred flashed in her mind again, and even as she drank the water, she felt no ease. No comfort.
But Haron was here, so whatever had happened couldn't have been that disastrous right?
He pulled the cup away from her when he was satisfied.
"What happened—-"
The Royal physicians rushed in, and once again receiving her answer was delayed.
Haron turned to the physicians with a smile as they bowed to him, then to her.
"Your Majesties."
The physicians fussed over, doing all they could to ensure she was actually of good health now.
Ismena could not be certain how long they had taken, every second of them being here was every second of her being without an answer from Haron.
That second felt like a century.
"Your Majesty, you have nothing to worry about. Although you have been asleep for three days, you seem to be perfectly well. It is a miracle from the Sun goddess."
Three days?!
A lot must have happened in three days.
How terrible were these things?
Why couldn't Haron just tell her?
The moment the physicians stepped out of the room, Ismena threw her question at him.
But Haron only looked at her for a second too long and sighed.
"Where would I begin?"