"How are you today, my slave?"

Kestrel has just landed in front of me, having teleported to try and scare me but she fails. As always. Now that I know what exactly happens during a teleport, I am unable to be shocked because of her sudden appearance.

I don't know how many days have passed since they locked me down here; in the dungeon under the underground dungeon of this castle. The rocks of this wall are too cold. The cold has now become my friend even when I feel the fire burning within my veins.

If that fire is unleashed, the cold of this wall wouldn't stand a chance but the cold knows that I am trapped and that's why we are friends. Once my fire comes out, the cold will retreat and allow the fire to breathe in my veins and make me whole.

I am lucky that the cold ice outside this wall and embedded inside the wall has found me worthy enough to live. Otherwise, I would've long turned into stone.

"Answer me!"

The loud screech of the witch brings me out of my thoughts and I am forced to open my eyes to look at her ugly face. I wish I had burned her when I had the chance.

I just want to get out of these chains then I will exact my revenge. But that's not happening today.

Sighing a little, I look up into her eyes and softly smile at her. She frowns but then regains her composure and I somehow feel what she's feeling right now about me. She thinks that I am not stable. That I am mentally unstable somehow, deranged.

A soft laugh escapes from me as her emotions peek through her mind.

"What do you want today, Kestrel?" I ask, knowing full well what she plans to do. She has done it before.

Kestrel smirks at me, waving at my chains and that easily those chains leave my wrists. But before I can summon my energy, she has me under her spell and then she's touching me. She has a firm hold on my hand and my neck as she sucks my energy from out of my pores, draining me little by little.

"No," I gasp as once again the pain sets in and I become helpless to do nothing but let the pain flow through me.

"In pain, are you?" she asks but I don't respond. I will not give her the satisfaction of knowing how badly her and Wulfric's torture hurt me. The day of my eighteenth birthday was just the beginning.

But since that day, all I'm feeling is pain. Wulfric raped me multiple times. Then my powers were unleashed. Then Kestrel got her hands on me and I was subdued. Then they tied me here in this dungeon to rot. Now she has been coming to drain my energy because she knows that these chains are not helping to keep my energy from flowing.

It's like a tub filling with water. The moment she drains me, my will and heritage pour their magic into me, filling me up, just on the brink of overflowing. But before I can overflow, she gets to know about it too. I don't know how but this has happened now twenty-six times since I was bound to these chains.

Every time I feel that my energy will overflow, Kestrel shows up the next moment and drains me of my energy making me go back to feel nothing but pain.

"Do you know what day it is, my slave?" she asks, bending down to lift my face. I shake my head slightly because I can't think beyond the pain.

"You turn nineteen today, my slave. Happy birthday," she laughs in my face and that fast I recall my twin sister. She's always on my mind making me wonder if she ever had a man's dirty hands on her body. If not then it's good.

I just hope that she's living a good life, far from these monsters.

"On the occasion of your birthday, Xavier has allowed you to be freed for some time," she whispers but I don't feel happiness. All I feel is dread. I know something bad is going to happen. She smiles her mischievous smile and my heart starts thudding inside my chest.

I feel cold, no I feel hot. I don't know. Is this fear?

"Come on," Kestrel whispers completely unaware of the storm raging inside my mind. I let her pull me to my feet and then she holds onto my hand. The next moment I feel the air vibrating beside us and I know that we are teleporting to someplace.

I can't help but hope that it's not in front of Wulfric. I am too weak to kill him and, in this state, he will force himself on me.

Unfortunately, the place that I am being teleported to is not someplace good.

No. It's another... dungeon?

"Confused?" Kestrel asks from beside me and because I am caught off guard, I react to her words and whip my head in her direction. She smirks once again and then shrugs her shoulders. The next moment I feel chains made of Lead Silver surrounding my hands and thighs and down to my legs.

But this time, there is a chain wrapped around my neck like a leash. I try to take this humiliating chain off my neck but the Lead Silver here is too concentrated for my palms, causing my skin to burn.

Kestrel laughs at the smell of my charred skin and shakes her head at me. "Don't even bother to fight, Dusty. This is your new home, until next time. I'll see you in two weeks," she laughs and then disappears from my sight.

I take bearings of my surroundings, noticing the chains embedded in the wall.

It's only now that I understand a way to calculate two weeks and then a year.

~~~~~

She has come to drain me again; I think as she makes her way towards me.

"Your birthday is in two weeks, Dusty," she murmurs as she drains the last bit of energy from my body. I do not reply as usual and wait for her to leave.

I don't know but I think I am losing hope. Being trapped inside this place with no food and water but only the nourishment that she provides me through a syringe during her visits, have made me feel defeated.

If only I could get out then I might be able to exact my revenge but I don't think I'll be able to escape now.

"Do you know, your brother is alive."

The news is so unexpected that I am surprised. My eyes automatically go wide at this news and I watch as Kestrel has her shrewd eyes trained on me. Does she think that I knew of this? No!

More than that, my brother is alive? What does that mean? I have a brother? I didn't know.

Wait. If he is my brother, then does he not know about me, about Sascha? Has he found her? Do they know remember me? Or do they think that I am dead?

But before I can ask Kestrel about my brother, she disappears from my sight.

That's the first time I understand what the meaning of frustration is.

~~~~~

Chaos!

That's the only thing I can make out from the noises that are erupting from above the ceiling of my prison. I look around myself or at least try to, but my vision is blurred. I can't make out even a single thing as pieces of rocks and dust fall on the ground beside me.

Loud screams and horns blare in the distance. Kestrel was supposed to come, to extract my energy but she's late. Or maybe, she's dead. I hope it's the latter but then I want to be the one to kill her so I can't say that this thought pleases me.

The last time she came to visit me, it was my birthday and that's when she had brought me back to this dungeon. The very first one where I was put. That means that this is the castle where Wulfric raped me, where Uncle Xavier had kept me trapped.

The sounds of what seems to be like footsteps echo in the distance. Being alert and completely confused about the sound, I wait, hoping that it's a familiar face.

But it's not.

A young woman, very similar to that of Kestrel walks into the dungeon. I didn't know there was a door to this dungeon in the first place. Ever since I was trapped in this dungeon, the only mode of transportation for me was through teleporting, that too, under Kestrel's whim. I am always bound to these chains making it impossible for me to move.

"You are Dusty?" the girl asks while stepping into the dungeon and closing the door behind her. There's no light here but she has a small lamp in her hand, giving me some light to have a look at her face. Who is this girl?

The girl watches me too, waiting for my reply which I don't give because Dusty is not my name and I don't want to give them a clue that I remember all the things that have happened since my birth. She tilts her head, frowning at me and then squints her eyes a bit as if not yet knowing the reason for my presence here.

"My name is Helena. I am Kestrel's daughter."

Oh! Now, I understand. She must be exactly like Kestrel. Equally mean and equally evil. However, she doesn't know that I am maybe like my mother, too. I hope I am a good being but I have never had the chance to really know if I am.

"Where's Kestrel?" The question escapes my mouth before I can even fathom it. Once again, the girl tilts her head and watches me. Silently. Eerily, one might say but then I am watching her in the same manner as well.

"She died," whispers Helena.

"How?" I ask, not exactly feeling any sadness or happiness. I am numb. 

Why? Maybe because I wanted to kill Kestrel and now even if she's dead, I am still trapped inside this place.

"Your brother killed her."

I watch the girl's, Helena's face as she informs me about her mother's death and all I can feel from this girl is indifference. Why? Didn't her mother love her? Or was she cruel to her too?

Before I can make out what's the reason behind her indifference, she shows me exactly how evil and similar to her mother she is.

Within seconds, Helena's moved in front of me and is looking me right in the eyes. I don't cower instead look into her eyes as she tries to gauge me. I know that look. She's trying to make out how powerful I am. However, I cannot be the judge of that because I have not seen many witches.

"You are Dusty," she murmurs as if she knows me and before I can ask about my brother and his intentions, she has my chains removed.

She's slow in sucking my energy which gives me the chance to deflect her move. With quick reflexes, courtesy of my regained and almost overflowing magic, I flick her wrists and let out a stream of fire. Her hands burn but she deflects the fire in a few minutes with her magic. But my victory is very short-lived.

"Feisty, aren't you? Mother had warned me but I thought she was foolish to fall for your tricks. Perhaps she was afraid of you and your brother for a reason," she muses to herself and I realize that this mother-daughter relationship was not normal.

"What do you know of my brother?" I ask, feeling my energy pulsate through my body. She hears my words and then her lips form a cruel smirk.

"Hmm. How would I know? Why don't you tell me something about your twin sister?" she asks and for the first time in my life, I feel shocked.

How did she come to know about Sascha? Is she safe? Or did these monsters kidnap her too? Where is she? Is she even alive? Wouldn't I feel something through my twin bond with her?

While I am so busy digesting this news of them knowing about my twin-sister, Helena has caught me off-guard, effectively getting hold of my body. By the time I realize her intentions, she has already started sucking off my energy.

The action is humiliating as well as scary because now they know about my sister. My only reason for enduring this pain. I just hope she's safe.

Seconds pass by and I feel her malignant glee from the buzz of my energy through her veins. However, midway from sucking out my magic, she lets go of my hands and holds her head instead of as if she's feeling too tired.

The next moment I feel the chains being wrapped around me like a vice. The witch disappears from in front of me after securing the chains but my mind is now filled up with a lot of questions.

First, how did they come to know about Sascha?

Second, who is my brother and did he kill Kestrel?

Third, if he really killed Kestrel, then why did he not come to save me?

Fourth, does he have Sascha? Does he even know about us?

And lastly, why couldn't Helena suck all of my energy?

~~~~~~

Helena now visits me every week because she cannot absorb all of my magic altogether. And today is probably her visit day but I think she's late.

The last time a witch got late to suck my energy, she ended up dead. So, does this mean that Helena is too?

I can feel my energy building a bit, steadily. It's not full but it's not even half. And that's why I think that Helena is being attacked. Also, the war that's definitely raging above me, is a clear sign that something evil is going on there.

There's a sense of urgency in me as I wait quite impatiently to be rescued from these Lead Silver chains. I feel pathetic even. If only someone broke these chains for me, I would be a free bird. Ready to fly out.

As if granting my wish, the door in front of me bursts into pieces. Rocks fly around me as someone stands in front of me. It's not a witch, not a woman. No, it's a man.

Not Xavier. Not Wulfric. He's someone else.

Father?

I watch closely to make sure if I am not hallucinating when the man in front of me growls loudly. The growl is so wolfish that my hackles rise and my heart beats a little loudly.

I'm excited? For what?

Oh, yes. I going to be freed. By my father?

No, he's not my father. He's someone else but he looks so similar.

"Who are you?" I ask, my thoughts coming out of their own accord.

The man in front of me stills, then focuses his pure black gaze on me before closing his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he opens his eyes again but this time, his eyes are blue. Sparkling blue just like father.

"I am Fenris, the King of Wolves. I've come to rescue you. Don't be scared," he whispers or tries to. His voice is so heavy that his whisper also sounds hoarse instead of soft. "Who are you?" he asks, his forehead creasing and frown lines appearing on his face.

Somehow his presence in this place, so close to me doesn't scare me at all. I feel a little safe. Safer than I have ever felt before.

"I am Nikita Vlček," I reply before I can even decide if he should know my real name. I'm not sure if this really is my brother. He claims to be the King of wolves but is he my brother or just some imposter who took the rightful place of my father's heir?

"Don't be confused, sestra. You are my sister. I've been searching for you since last year. I had just hoped to find you before Xavier did," he says and his voice emits so much sorrow that I don't even need to peek in his mind to understand that he's guilty of this.

But why did he start searching for me since only last year? Wasn't he aware of my existence before? Or did he not want to look for me? Does he know about Sascha? Is he the one who told Helena about my sister?

I am so engrossed in my own conflicting emotions and thoughts that I don't even realize that my chains are now being removed by him. He takes hold of all those chains, cursing a bit as they burn his skin. The burning makes me realize that he indeed is my brother.

He is a half-witch, half-wolf like me to be affected by the Lead Silver chains. If he's my brother then why was he so late in saving me? Why didn't he come to save me before Wulfric defiled me?

And wasn't my brother's name Anton? I remember Lilly telling me about my brother's name being Anton Vlček and not Fenris.

The confusing and conflicting emotions overpower me and I pull my hands out from Fenris's hold. I take a few steps back but fall on my butt, unable to walk. My legs feel numb and I have this instinct of flying away from Fenris.

Using my teleporting skills, I think of my childhood room, which must be somewhere on top of this dungeon. Imagining the room, I feel similar vibrations and soon find myself in a pile of debris.

What is this place?

Did I forget my skills?

Looking around myself, I recognize the fallen pillars of the castle and the debris beside them. The entire castle is down in a pile of debris. Only the remnants of the vast regal castle are visible.

Who did this? Fenris?

I can't say that I feel remorse for the destruction of this castle which harbours so many of my painful memories but I remember Xavier saying that this was my parent's home. Seeing my parent's home being defiled by Xavier just like Wulfric defiled me makes me think if Xavier really won this battle.

No!

I am still alive. And I feel Sascha's life thread beating strong. She's alive and doing well from what I can decipher.

As long as I am alive, I won't let Wulfric and Xavier humiliate me anymore. Kestrel is dead. That's good. That way I can focus more on ending Xavier and Wulfric's evil lives.

"Hey!"

I turn around to look at Fenris standing in front of me, heaving a bit. His eyes are still sparkling blue yet he has a lot of stress lines on his face. He looks older. How many years old is he? Tilting my head to one side, I try to gauge his emotions and feel an abundance of relief and happiness.

He's happy to find me?

"I sense your confusion?" he asks and that's when I feel him inside my mind. His presence is hesitant but it's there. Does he have some magic in him?

"You have magic in you?" I ask, unable to keep my thoughts to myself. His eyes go wide at my voice. He smiles a bit, his fangs peeking out from under his lips and for the first time in my life, I feel a genuine smile form on my own lips.

He smiles like my father. It's the same way when father had looked down at me, cleaning me with his shirt. I remember the day so clearly. My first day in this world.

"Yes, I have magic in me. But I am more like our father. You are more like mom, aren't you?" he asks and I feel something wet in my eyes. Tears. But I am not feeling any pain. Then why are my eyes wet?

"I want to be like mumma but not like those witches," I whisper and realize that it is my deepest fear. In wanting to exact my revenge I do not want to end up like them. I don't want to become a black witch. Will the hatred in me turn me into a dark witch, too?

Once again, my thoughts take over and I become lost in my thoughts. Still, not wanting to lose my chance, I quickly ask the question that I had been so curious about for a year now.

"Did you kill Kestrel?" I ask Fenris.

"No," he says and then shakes his head. Looking at me, he smiles and then whispers, "she injured me with a stream of molten lava in battle. I lost my consciousness but my mate saved me. Along with a friend's help, she killed Kestrel and saved my life."

Mate? What is a mate?

He senses my confusion maybe, as he continues to speak.

"Kestrel kidnapped you?" he asks.

"Yes. She killed mom," I whisper and immediately feel a burst of pain through my body.

It's too late when I realise that the pain is from my own heart. I am no longer feeling my brother's emotions, however, they are very clear on his face.

For the first time in my life, I recall the beginning of my bad luck. That's my mother's death. I don't know how my father died but his death led to my Mumma's death and in turn, my life turned to hell.

"Xavier killed our father, didn't he?" I ask, my intuition speaking on its own.

"Yes, he did. And I killed him. I... he... He didn't hurt you, did he?" asks Fenris. His eyes are so open, so clear in their emotions. They are hoping that my answer is a no.

But I can't say it. Because it's true. Xavier hurt me. He gave me to Wulfric who hurt me. Xavier knew all along what Wulfric would do to me.

The light in Fenris's eyes dims as he takes in my silence.

His eyes moisten a bit but a tear falls from my eyes as I recall the horrific event of my life.

How cruel Wulfric had been with me! How cruelly he ripped my insides to pieces just to watch them bind together for him to tear into them again.

Is every man like this?

"I am sorry, Nikita," he says and then raises his hand to wipe at my tear. The action is so loving and tender that I feel some foreign emotion.

Not able to reply to anything, I close my eyes and try to recollect someplace to go. I don't want to see anyone's pain-filled expression for me. It makes me feel something. 

What? I don't know. But it makes me feel so alone. I have nowhere to go, now. I never thought of this. But I should g somewhere, away from Fenris, at least for now.

The wall!

Yes, the wall. I remember mom standing in front of the wall. Bringing the image of the wall in front of me, I close my eyes and soon feel the air vibrating around me. I hear Fenris's calls behind me but I ignore them. If I wait here, I will feel many more unknown emotions.

That's why it's better to get away from here. 

~~~~

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