I emerged in a dark cavern with a long tunnel. My eyebrows furrowed as I looked around. There seemed to be nothing other than the damp, musty surface of the rocks. Ducking my head under the crude ceiling, I proceeded towards the tunnel.
Drip! Drip! Drip! The sound of trickling water was the only noise I could hear apart from the soft swishing of the air.
After walking for about a mile, I was made aware of a soft thudding in the vicinity. It was followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
I slipped behind a jutting section of the wall as the sound of the footsteps drew closer. Pressing myself against the cold surface, I held my breath. If Stella had dared to fool me, I wouldn’t forgive her this time.
Moments later Cassius came into view, his restless gaze darting all around. “Are you sure Miraya used that ring?”
“Hmm…” Stella’s voice sounded as she emerged from a corner. “A magic fieldprotects this place, Cassius. If there is any disturbance, I can sense it.” Her gaze flitted in my direction. “She should be around here.”
Letting out the breath that I was holding, I got out of my hiding place. “Cassius, I am glad that you are safe.”
He spun around, a small smile playing on his lips. The moment his gaze landed on me, his eyes widened in horror and he gasped, “What happened to you? Why is your face covered in blood?”
My hand flew to my head reflexively, my fingers brushing against the scab of caked blood. “Oh this. It’s nothing.”
“How can it be nothing, Miraya?” He snapped in a concerned voice as he took out a handkerchief and pressed it to my forehead. “Does it hurt a lot?”
My lips curved into a wry smile. I took the handkerchief and rubbed the region vigorously. “See, it’s already healed.”
Unconvinced, Cassius proceeded to inspect my head and hair, pressing gently but firmly. “How did you get hurt, Miraya?”
“Umm… Let’s just say Alpha Azrael didn’t like my answer.”
Cassius froze and his eyes burned up with rage. “That bastard needs to pay for everything he has done.” His expression turned cold and his eyes lit up with determination. “Every time I think of the things he has done to you, my blood boils. I am filled with this intense desire to destroy everything. If you don’t come up with a plan, I will attack him blind.”
“Cassius, Don’t be silly!” My eyes widened in horror at his words. Cupping his face, I entreated, “I don’t want you to ruin your life by focusing on revenge. As far as you are safe, I don’t care about anything else.”
“But, I care Miraya.” He took a step away, his smoldering gaze boring into mine. “I swear I will find a way to destroy every single one of them who conspired against you.”
His gaze lingered on me for a moment before he left in a huff. I made a move to go after him, but Stella stopped me. “Give him some time to recollect his thoughts.”
My gaze darted from her to the opening Cassius had stepped into. “What if he wanders and ends up in a dangerous place?”
“I have reinforced the barriers of this place. He won’t be able to leave the secure zone.”
My eyes narrowed, and I crossed my hands over my chest, “Doesn’t that technically imply that we are your prisoners now?”
She pursed her lips and let out a sigh. “I know this is going to be difficult after everything I have done, but I hope you will trust me again someday.”
“Come with me,” she said as she held my hand and led me in the direction opposite Cassius. After walking for some time, we came upon an underground waterfall. We walked around the ledge and emerged in a secluded section behind the waterfall.
A flash of light blinded me as Stella grabbed a jutting piece of rock and twisted it. “This Alzurite Crystal powers the shield of this place. If you want to deactivate the shield, all you need to do is pull out that crystal. But for that, you should be able to wield magic.”
“So, this is how you plan to earn my trust?” I scoffed and shook my head. To think that I had wavered even for a moment.
“You know that I can’t use magic.” I shrugged. “What is the point of showing me this?”
Stella’s eyes twinkled. “What if I told you that you could?”
“Stop taunting me, Stella.”
“Have you ever thought how you could be turned into a vampire when you were born a werewolf?” She took a step closer to me. “Vampire venom is lethal to werewolves. They can’t survive even one bite but you; you were able to go through the entire initiation process.”
“That is because of my rare magical blood, right?”
“If you are from a magical bloodline, don’t you think you should be able to do magic as well?”
My lips parted, but no words left them. The idea seemed a bit too far-fetched. A strange silence fell over the place; one filled with the rhythm of water crashing against the rocks.
A tiny flame of hope flared in my heart, but faded as quickly as it had ignited. The whole thing seemed like a crazy idea. I was already a part vampire and part werewolf. If I could do magic, wouldn’t it make me invincible?
“Stop wasting your time, Stella. I am too exhausted to let flights of imagination waver my judgment. I won’t change my mind about you just because you came up with a crazy possibility.”
“Even if this is just a theory, there is no harm in trying. Please think about it, Miraya,” she called after me as I walked away from her.
***
Wandering around the maze of tunnels, I found Cassius seated on a boulder with a glum expression. A pang of regret hit me as I took in his appearance; messy hair, crumpled clothes, and a shadow of worry that seemed to have swallowed his cheerful charm.
I sauntered over and sat on the boulder beside him. Keeping my gaze fixed on my entwined fingers, I spoke in a heavy voice, “I am sorry, Cassius. You have no idea how guilty I feel about everything that has happened. You had such a bright future, but here you are… Running and hiding like a fugitive; just because you got involved with someone like me.”
Cassius reached over and clasped my hands before kneeling on the ground. Raising his head to look at me, he said in a sincere tone, “I have never regretted falling in love with you, Miraya; not once. The time I spend with you is worth more than decades of a life filled with fame, wealth, and glory.” His eyes brimmed with unshed tears and his voice choked. “Miraya, being your boyfriend in this life I am already content. I wouldn’t mind even if I were to die this very moment.”
“Cassius! Please don’t say such ominous words.” I croaked, covering his mouth with my hand, “I promise that I will find a way out of this.”
He clasped my hand covering his mouth and slid it to his cheeks. Blinking at me with those star stricken eyes, he said sweetly, “I know you will find a way to crush all those wimps. After all, you are MY girlfriend. You are the best.”