I wake up feeling disoriented. My mouth feels like I ate cotton, it's that dry. My hands and legs ache from the slightest movement, making me wince as I pull myself together.

The first thing I note about my surroundings is that I am sitting on a chair in a dark room. And that I am tied to it. But there are no ropes, holding me tied to the chair.

These are chains. Lead and Silver.

Memories from my captivity surface at the forefront of my mind, making it difficult to breathe as the painful memories make themselves known. Breathing through the pain and humiliation that the memories bring me, I close my eyes, pushing away at the memories, however, this time they refuse to be controlled.

My mind refuses to push the memories away. One by one every moment since my birth runs past my mind. The bright light when I entered the world along with the disorientation. The confusion when mother was running away with me and Sascha in her arms. The pain when she cut my fingers to lock the wall. Then after that incident, everything in my life was either painful or numb.

I push through the memories of when I turned 16, the age where my body became my enemy and my beauty became my tormentor. Kestrel hated me because I look like my mom.

Because of my unique appearance, Xavier chose me to sell to Wulfric. Because of my otherworldly nature, Wulfric decided to cut my already fragile wings. Because of them, Xanthos thought it his blood right to treat me like a slave.

But then my memories take a shift. It's when Fenris comes into my life, barging in through the broken wall as dust flies around him. He broke my chains! He freed me.

My entire life rolls in my mind as if it's a movie.

And then it stops when I reach this moment.

Here, trapped as I am in this room, I wish I had lived my chance at life a little more. I wish I had the guts to confront Dominic about me being his second mate. I wish I had the guts to demand from Fenris that he be lenient with Sierra. I wish I had Myla's and Catrina's daring nature to push the past behind and embrace the future. I wish I had Sierra's fearless attitude to fight my demons.

A sob escapes from my throat as I realize that I might never meet my family again. I might never meet Dominic again. I was too late to realize that I had something precious and now it's lost.

"Done with the pity party?"

The smooth drawl makes me jerk in my seat and terror seizes my heart as I recognise that voice. It's Wulfric.

I look around, my movements are frantic as I react in panic, trying to get away from this chair and this place. But it's impossible with the way these Lead Silver chains are holding me to the chair. They are wrapped like a wise, covering my neck, my arms, my waist and all the way down to my toes.

I am numb to the pain that Lead Silver brings me as I deal with the realization that I am at Wulfric's mercy. Once again!

The room or whatever this place is; is dark, and pitch black, making it very difficult to see Wulfric but from the intensity of his voice, it's clear that he can see me. Still, my eyes dart around, trying to catch him, to make sure that he's not here. Perhaps my mind's making things up. Maybe I am going crazy!

"No, you are not crazy, my flower. You are fully conscious of your fate," he laughs, sinisterly.

No!

He's in my mind! And I am helpless because of these chains. I can't push him out!

The realization makes my heart thump loudly in my chest. I can hear my own breathing. It's heavy and the smell of my fear permeates the air.

"Is it too dark for you to see me, flower?" he asks, his voice dripping with fake concern.

I close my eyes, trying to shut down my brain. I want to cover my ears, to stop his voice from falling on my ears but it's not possible with the chains holding me down.

"Scared of me, are you?" he laughs, taunting me and then goosebumps rise on my skin. It's instinct. I know he's close. He might be even visible to me now, with how loud I heard him but I refuse to look up. I don't want to see him.

"Look at me, flower," he cajoles and I resist the urge to shake my head in denial. I shouldn't answer him. No matter how domineering he might be, I am not the same naïve girl anymore. I have my magic now, even if I am subdued, I can unleash hell on him with my fire.

The knowledge calms me but only a bit. It doesn't help me curb my fear as his smell wafts over to me. He smells like roses and ash, of black magic. And arousal.

The smell burns through my nostrils and soon, my fear crawls through me. I gasp in pain as the memories haunt me.

"So, you have grown claws," he whispers and my eyes open but I refuse to look up. I do not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me like this, trembling in fear. But all my courage flies out of the window when cold fingers hold my chin and I am forced to look up, into the eyes of the monster who ruined me.

I cry out when his fingers bring back the feeling of being molested and I shrink away from his touch. His lips curve up in a smile, a cruel one as if he's enjoying my fear. And maybe he is. Yes, he is, definitely. Sadistic bastard!

"My little flower has grown up, so very lusciously," he murmurs as his gaze runs over my body, roaming over my breasts and then down to my mound, and my hips. He licks his lips, and I shake my head, in disgust and humiliation.

"You are at my mercy," he laughs while stroking my cheek with his disgusting cold fingers.

I shiver in fear, shrinking away from his touch but he holds me in his place as his fingers take their time to roam over my skin. He lets go of my chin and that easily, I look into my lap, hoping that if I block his image out of my vision, he'll somehow disappear.

"So beautiful," his voice whispers in my ears, and my vision blurs as I register that he wants to scare me. He wants me scared of him, so much so that I retreat into my mind and let him do what he wants to do to me, to my body.

Closing my eyes, I squeeze out the tears but then I feel a finger on my cheek, caressing me. I want to turn my face away so that he doesn't get to touch me, but I can't because he holds my chin firmly, once again.

"You appear to be quite distressed, my flower." He moves around me in circles. He's prolonging my torture. He's making me think of how he's going to torture me and then he's going to attack so suddenly that I'll be caught off-guard, adding to his perverse pleasures.

A few more minutes pass by and then he walks out, but not before holding my chin up, making me look into his deep red eyes as his fangs peek out of his lips, reminding me of how they punctured my skin. How he drank my blood before forcing himself on me.

I shiver in dread as he smiles at me sinisterly, and then winks before letting go of my trembling chin. A click of a door is heard and then Wulfric steps back from me, once again shrouded in darkness. I hear his footsteps, signalling his leave and I sigh in a little amount of relief. 

However, the future looms over me and with the dreadful realization that I might have walked into his trap.

I should have accepted Connor's offer of help. But it's too late now.

~~~~~

I don't know how much time passes by as I sit in this chair, bound by the Lead Silver chains. After Wulfric left, all I had felt was fear for my safety and shame for being afraid of him. But now, all I feel is anger.

I am so angry about allowing my emotions and fear to rule me. Wulfric had his laugh when he raped me. He might have laughed at me earlier but I will not let him have the last laugh.

He will cry when he's breathing his last breath. That's a vow to my bruised self.

I knew that walking out alone in the human town will allow Wulfric to trap me. I thought I was prepared to attack Wulfric when he abducted me. That's what I wanted him to do. I couldn't trace him so, I let myself be traced by him.

Wait! Something doesn't feel right. It was not Wulfric who abducted me. 

I replay my memories, beginning from the moment I left Connor's house to the point where I was stopped on the road by that feminine voice.

Alcina!

She was the one who cornered me on the road. And she had someone with her. Was that Wulfric?

What was he doing with her? Did she aid him to abduct me? Maybe to disarm me with so many Lead Silver chains? But why?

My head starts throbbing suddenly at the onslaught of my thoughts and their predicaments. If any of my theories are true then it means that Alcina doesn't wish me well. She purposely helped Wulfric to abduct me.

How did she even know that Wulfric's my rapist? Was she involved in my parents' death? No, can't be. She wasn't even born then.

Then how?

I have no answer to this question as I try and try to connect the dots. However, there is a huge gaping hole, mocking me.

I try to pull at the chains once more but it's a futile attempt. Slowly, I slump against my chair, allowing the burn of the Lead Silver to embed into my skin. I absorb the pain as it helps me distract myself from the battle inside my mind.

Closing my eyes, I try to focus. As my brother taught me, I let go of my surroundings, desperately trying to forget that I am in a dark place, in Wulfric's dungeon perhaps, where he can walk in at any moment and force himself on me.

I am not scared of Alcina but Wulfric is another story, altogether.

Forcing my heart to beat normally, I take in deep breaths to calm myself. My blood flows evenly through my body. From my heart to my brain and then back to my heart. Same with all other organs as well. Focusing on the inside of my body, I try to locate my mind; my sanctity.

A soft white light bursts inside my mind and I focus on the inside of my body, in my mind, allowing a sense of serenity to flow over me. I trust myself that if at this moment Wulfric is to appear; I can and I will protect my dignity.

I am not the same captive girl anymore. I am a woman, a free witch and a pure one at that. I won't let his darkness consume my light.

Reassuring the scared side of my mind, I focus again on my mind. Slowly, I focus on my body now. One by one, I check each and every sinew in my muscles. I pause at my wrists, allowing the light to shed on my wounds. I am not sure if my inner magic would work but still, I give it a try.

And perhaps it's the Goddess's way of revealing her presence because my magic works. Bound by these Lead Silver chains doesn't stop my magic from bubbling inside my body, healing the inside of my wrists, but refraining from popping onto the surface of my skin.

I am scared of the burn from the Lead Silver.

Closing my eyes, I feel exhaustion creep into my bones. All my remaining energy is now spent on healing my body. Just as I am about to doze off, I am jolted out of my sleep-induced haze by a loud bang. It sounds like a door is being pushed open, however, there is no light or even a presence to indicate that it was the sound of a door.

"Well, well, well."

I jerk in my seat at the sound of that voice. It's... I know it. It's... Who's she?

Wait! She's my cousin. Yes, the Crown Princess of the Witches.

"Alcina," I murmur, my voice soft and appearing a bit haunted to my own ears. The witch still doesn't come into my line of sight. In fact, I don't know what's in my line of sight. As of now, everything is dark and I can only feel the chair and the Lead Silver chains around me, only because they are touching me.

The rest of this place appears cold and very evil to my senses. I know in my gut that this place might very well be my deathbed.

"Oh, so you do recognise me, cousin," she spits the last word making me blanch at the hatred flowing through her. I do not have my magic with me, at least not my empath skills to judge Alcina's emotions and still I can feel her hatred.

But why?

"Aww, confused, are you?"

Before I could fathom an answer to her evil question, bright lights flood my eyes and I blink. Pain splits through my head at the sudden light making me bow my head, blinking and blinking to push away the pain. I can't even close my eyes to heal myself. I am already exhausted and Alcina might detect that I can use a little bit of my magic and maybe she'd do something to take that away.

A few seconds pass and now I am able to see my hands, bound to the chair's arms with the chains. There are reddish welts on my skin. Burn marks.

Ignoring the memories that these burnt wrists bring me, I look up and search for Alcina. It doesn't take long as I spot her on my right side, but what catches me off-guard is the fact that I am not in a room.

No, I am somewhere outdoor. In the middle of nowhere. 

All around me are snow-capped mountains and barren land. It's wild and very frigid. I resist the urge to shudder in fear at the fierceness of this place. It has nothing to give but is very capable of taking lives.

What's this place?

As I look around more, I notice that I am not alone.

No! There are people around me, all bound like me but in a much-worsened condition. These people, men and women are naked, every single one of them. They are so malnourished that I can see the bones poking out of their skin while their sunken eyes look unfocused, troubled by the bright lights. They are all locked up in their individual cages, where their hands and legs are chained.

And it's then that I realize one thing.

These bright lights are not natural or even machine operated. They are completely a product of black magic. That's why the light hurts my eyes.

Any essence of black magic will hurt a pure witch or a pure supernatural.

It means that these people trapped as they are in the cages are all supernaturals. Like me?

Has she captured all these people? Goddess! How cruel is this!

"Quite a view, isn't it?"

I gasp, startled at Alcina's voice. For a moment, I had completely forgotten about a spectator here. Turning my head to look around, I finally settle my gaze on my cousin.

Like the last time, she looks flawless and regal.

Only this time I know that it's just an image. A perfectly fake image.

I do not answer her instead of focusing on the people around me. There are endless cages around me, and all the prisoners are held with chains bound to the metal bars of the cage. It's a horrible sight. But not a new one.

On taking a closer look at the cages, I recall something. Not knowing what it is about, I close my eyes and focus on the memory, pulling on the thin thread as it floats away in my mind.

There it is!

An image of a dozen people, trapped inside a cage, being chained in a similar fashion flits past my mind and I gasp in recognition.

It's an image of Xavier's dungeon.

I remember the day clearly. It was the day when Kestrel had had her way with me. How humiliated I had felt. Xavier had raped a woman in front of me. I had screamed in horror at the act of such cruelty. 

It was that day when I had a glimpse of his dungeon and this is exactly what it looked like.

Does this mean Xavier is alive?

A shudder runs down my spine as my blood chills at the thought of Xavier being alive. It would be a nightmare come true if he had escaped death at Fenris's hands.

No! He's dead. 

I recall Fenris's words and how he had burned Xavier's body and head separately, making sure that only ashes remain. He wouldn't be able to survive that. My growing fear stills. Xavier's dead! 

But then why is this dungeon a replica of Xavier's? Is this Wulfric's doing? Or is Wulfric carrying out Xavier's plan? 

What was Xavier's plan?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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