*Please vote, comment and/share if you like this chapter!*

"It doesn't matter. I'll win in the end." He said, smugly walking back towards the door

"And why is that?" The King called out.

"Because I can resort to savagery if I need to. She won't stoop so low. I'll kiss your boots if it means I get to stick a knife in your throat later."

"Good to know."The king muttered when the doors closed behind Thanatos.

"I'm coming for you, Ulrica." Thanatos grinned, "Be ready, my love."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"Damn it, Zala! I thought I'd made it clear that we have a 'no abduction policy.'" A dark-haired witch scolded an older woman. She had a plump figure with pretty blonde hair showering down to her shoulders. Zala crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from the scolding.

"She was about to go into another wolf's territory. I knew she wouldn't cooperate. What did you expect me to do, Dot?" Zala frowned, her brows wrinkling like a child being told they couldn't have their favorite toy.

"Oh I don't know, LEAVE HER ALONE!" A males voice yelled in the distance. "Like we were told to do! She's not ready-" Before he could finish, Zala threw her hands towards the open door, a gust of wind rushed through the room slamming the door shut.
"We've left her alone for her whole life!" Zala argued, turning to Dot, the youngest of the two, "She needed help this time." Zala continued, Dot threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Grandmother Luciana specifically told you not to interact with her." Dot said, motioning to the sleeping girl in the bed.

"Well, Grandmother also said to leave the vampires to their fates. I don't hear anyone scolding you for bringing them here!" The male's voice came through on the other side of the door. He wriggled the doorknob for a few seconds before pushing the door open.

"Grandmother also said you weren't allowed to use magic for a whole week, Emlyn," Zala says, sticking her tongue at the teenage boy. He smirked before lifting his hands, revealing a long thin piece of metal.

"Good thing I can follow the rules." Emlyn bragged.

"For once." Dot muttered under her breath, Emlyn cocked an eyebrow at her but said nothing.

"Seriously, though," Zala broke in looking at the girl, "What are we going to do when she wakes up?"

"Let her leave in peace." A smooth, sultry voice broke in behind them, causing all three to jump a foot in the air.

The witch scowled at the three witches and pulled her hat from the patch of greying black hair on her head. The effect was to make her look deranged, the hair had been hacked in random stabbing motions, presumably by a person with little patience and less eyesight- and indeed it had. More than once, the ax blade she had used nearly took her head off. She wore a bright orange sundress that reached well below her ankles, that at times she tripped over the ends. Her dark brown eyes held a sort of wicked glimmer as she gazed at the young witches.

"Grandmother," Dot gasps, trying to gain her composure, "We were just coming to get you." Grandmother Luciana held up her hand, silencing Dot.

"Why are there vampires on my land?" Luciana asks, staring down at the red-haired girl in her bed.

"Didn't we strike a deal with them? Wasn't that deal specifically made to help each other if we were ever to be attacked by that monster!" Dot protested, waving her hands and on the verge of tears.

Luciana took a step towards the sleeping child, but Zala stepped in front of her.

Disarmed by the movement Luciana looked at Zala with interest. She slowly raised her hand and Zala barely held back her flinched when Luciana placed her wrinkled bony hand on Zala's cheek.

"Be still, my child, and I mean this girl no harm." Luciana pleaded and then turned her head to Dot, "I mean the vampires no harm as well. Their fate is not up to me to decide." Luciana said, gently pushing Zala away from the child.

"She must be the one to pass judgment." Luciana says softly, leaning to pat the child on her cheek, "I am sorry this is happening to you, my child. But we have waited centuries for your arrival." A tear slipped out from Dot's eyes, and she quickly wiped it away before anyone could notice.

"Leave us," Luciana commanded, and the three shuffled out of the room with no protest.

When the door was closed softly behind them, Luciana flicked her finger and heard the lock slide into place.

"I truly hope you are the one child." Grandmother Luciana whispered before placing her hands on the sides of the sleep child's head.

"Show me what you see." She whispered before closing her eyes, entering Anala's dreams.

-Anala-

It's dark, so incredibly dark and cold. I move my hands to try to rub my arms when I realize that I don't have a body. It's just me. Suspended in this black void. I can't tell if my eyes are open. I can't feel my fingers or my legs.

Nothing.

There was something in the darkness that was like a promise, like a world before dawn.

I should feel scared, want to fight whatever was happening to me. But I can't.

There is nothing I truly want to do but rest.

So incredibly dark, but it's like a place without time.

Somewhere I could rest...maybe. A part of me is expecting one of my nightmares to come out and haunt me. But I don't care.

The darkness in that way was a sanctuary, a place to recharge and forget the world that hates me.

It wasn't that I believed I couldn't get out of this, I didn't want to. This darkness had the sense of stepping out of the craziness that the world held for me.

So, in this darkness, that even stole my own form, I feel...content.

I want to let the night pass and awake when daylight streamed in with its bold confidence and reminders.

Is that really what you want? A beautiful smoky voice asked in the darkness. The sound circled me and caressed every fear that made my hair stand on edge. I try to open my eyes, searching for the voice. It's not Ulrica's voice, but it feels safe.

Do you want to stay in this darkness forever? The voice asked again.

Who are you? I asked, still trying to find the source.

Answer my question first. Do you want to stay in this darkness forever? The voice asked again. I take a deep breath, and suddenly, I feel suffocated.

I could smell the damp mold. I could feel the cold winter breeze in the small window in my attic.

I opened my eyes, and I'm standing in an attic.

My attic.

My heart drops into my gut, and I feel my body shiver violently.

"No," I whisper, falling to my knees.

"Please, no!" I cry a little louder. I don't want to be back here. I don't want to see the pictures out of my old books! I want the real thing! I wrap my arms around my legs, willing to get away from this place I once called my sanctuary.

"I don't want another prison!" I scream, turning to locate the voice.

Then escape. The voice reassures close to my ear. I whip my hands around, grabbing at smoke from the fire starting at my knees.

It burns the skin off my bare feet, and I scream in the unexpected agony. I crawl my way to the trap door. The fire following me, the smoke was ensnaring me and suffocating my lungs. I reach out my hands, but I can't find the trap door. I start banging on the wood, trying to break anything.

The flames engulf my old mattress, the dry paper from my books and pictures destroyed in a matter of seconds.

I throw my fists on the floor.

Rica! I scream

NO! The smooth voice screams in my face.

Save yourself! She commands, my fists stop banging on the floor, and I stare into deep brown eyes.

Think She whispers, her eyes warming with an emotion I've never seen before.

I take a shaky breath, holding my coughs from the smoke tearing at my throat.

Escape she whispers.

Escape she repeats in my ear

I close my eyes and ignore the flames licking at my arms. I wanted to scream and cry, but I have cried all of my tears, all that is left is my anger.

That's it she cooed in my ear, take me to where you want to be.

I open my eyes, and suddenly, I'm not surrounded by burning wood. The soft spring breeze brushes my face, caressing the hair out of my eyes. The sweet smell of flowers cut through the delicate scent of the morning's dewy grass. I didn't see my meadow but instead saw an assortment of colors of bright yellow and oranges. Flowers are standing almost as tall as me, just barely reaching my chin. I touch the soft petals of the flower. I am marveling at the silky touch of the beautiful yellow leaves.

Sunflowers the voice speaks behind me, and I whirled around to catch sight of a faint figure of an older woman.

Witch Ulrica murmurs to me, and I take a cautious step back. The woman takes a step back as well, raising her hands.

"Stay calm child. I am called Luciana, and I mean you no harm." Luciana quickly gets down to her knees but keeps her eyes on my face. I take another step back, drawing my hands close to my body.

"I merely wanted to see what you desired." Luciana consoles.

"And what do I desire?" I ask, my eyes narrowing. Luciana moves her eyes behind me, and I turn my body to look as well. Keeping her in my line of sight.

"You want what we all do." She whispers, but I am too entranced by sight to notice.

"Beautiful." I breathed, unable to hide my tears. The sun rose like a flower opening its petals unto the world and bathing the sky in a rosy crimson glow. The hues illuminated each crevice of the land and the mountains before me. The sunflowers shined with a new found color as if they were wearing golden crowns and had fire dancing around their petals.

"To see another sunrise. To find peace in the world." She says in my ear.

I opened my eyes with a start, breathing as if I had been revived into a new life, staring into the deep brown eyes of Luciana.

"Hello, my Queen."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

BIG NEWS!!!!!!! 

Today, July 3, 2019, marks the fifth month my story has been up on Wattpad!!! AHHHH!!

I HAVE 14.4K VIEWS, 3.8K VOTES, AND 541 FOLLOWERS!!!!!!!!

WHAT!!!!!!!!!

You are all amazing and have been so supportive and I am so thankful for everyone who is reading my story!!!

I REALLY HOPE THAT IF YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER YOU CAN LEAVE A VOTE, COMMENT, or SHARE MY STORY!! 

NEXT CHAPTER...THE PROPHECY MIGHT BE REVEALED!!!!! WHO KNOWS!?!?!?!