3

Calista 

By the time my eyes opened, it was already dark. I was still alive. He must have missed my jugular vein, but I couldn't say the same for my trachea.

“Freya, please help me…” I mouthed blood gushing from my mouth, almost choking me. My voice was inaudible, but I knew she would hear me.

“Please…,” I begged, sobbing as I looked up at the sky.

I could see the blood already pooled around me black and almost dried. But I couldn't feel anything. 

The pain tugged again in my chest as my heartbeat slowed. I could feel my soul leaving my body. 

Was this it? 

Was this the end?

I don't want to give up, I had to keep the promise I made to Armin. He had failed to kill me, so I must end him. I folded my fist as hatred knotted in my heart. 

If only I could shift into my wolf. I wasn't up to eighteen yet so I couldn't call her forth, but I had to try. 

“Please!” I begged, biting my tongue as hard as I could. 

I shut my eyes, trying to cling to life. 

“Freya, please!!!” I mouthed. 

The hatred in my chest sent a burning sensation through my body, and I could feel my already broken bone shatter into more pieces, the pain was more excruciating than the fall. Blood ran down my eyes. 

I could feel my eyes burning, even though they were shut. But when I opened them, I felt a warm glow from within. 

“Nyx,” A familiar voice called out slowly before going silent. 

Nyx?

 Who's Nyx? 

A low growl escaped my lips. 

Then I felt a sharp pain in my head, and it was an instant blackout. 

****** 

The murmuring of whispers pulled me back to consciousness.

“Where did you find this one?”

“Just by the rocks close to the waterfall, I thought she was dead because there was so much blood around her.” 

“And why did you bring her here?” 

“She’s still young, and her body looks fresh. She can be of use.” 

Who's body looked fresh? 

“She has been asleep for three days and hasn't consumed any food. We're not at a loss here,” the voice spoke again lastly before going silent. 

My body still felt numb but my head wasn't throbbing as much as earlier. 

The scent of lavender filled my nostrils. It didn't smell familiar. 

Where am I? 

I tried opening my eyes but they stayed shut. After a while, I gave in. 

******

The scent of burning sage filled the room. I opened my eyes slowly. This wasn't the same place I was earlier. It smelt different. 

I had no idea how long it had been since the horror I had been through at the hands of love. 

Would anyone even look for me? Maybe Maria. 

I tried moving and my fingers twitched. I froze. Did I imagine that? I tried again, and this time, they moved. My heart swelled with something I hadn’t felt in a while—hope.

I looked around and everything felt different. The room was small and looked old. It had markings on the thin walls. 

Where am I? 

Words from earlier taunted me. “She can be of use.” Be of what use? What were they planning? I had to get out of here as soon as possible. 

The door creaked open and a tall man stepped in. He was almost a giant, but his body wasn't disfigured, he was well-built. He had a cloth and a bowl in his hand. 

I shut my eyes instantly as fear crept up my spine. 

I tried staying still. 

He took off the towel covering my body and cleaned me up. Uneasiness and irritation clawed at my skin. 

Though his movements were precise, I felt irritated being touched by a man. 

As soon as he was done, he stood up and left. I released a breath of relief, though my heart still pounded in my chest. 

I placed my feet on the ground, trying to stand, and a cold sensation filled my legs. My legs staggered as I tried to maintain my balance. 

It felt like I was a child trying to walk for the first time all over again. I took the towel on the bed and wrapped myself in it. 

I moved carefully to the door, and when I opened it, fear gripped me. I was in a room among many rooms in a large hall, each with a different room number on the door. I looked at mine—it read 529.

529?

What am I? An object to be sold?

I paused.

My eyes widened in realization.

Am I in Slaver's Bay?

It couldn't be. Maria had always talked about slavers and how she'd lost her sister to them. But we always laughed—Maria loved making jokes.

But this didn’t feel like a joke.

A voice called at a distance, “519!” My heart skipped a beat. I looked at the number on my door again. 529. 

It wasn't me. A loud slap echoed towards me, and a voice followed, “I told you to feed the pigs! If you don't feed them, then how can I feed you pigs!” He yelled.

What have I gotten myself into? My hands shook as I entered my room and gently closed the door, careful not to make a sound.

I am definitely in Slaver's Bay, and there are no two ways about it. Did things just turn from bad to worse for me? 

Then, I heard footsteps as I stood by the door. I tried rushing to the bed, but my legs gave out, sending off a loud thud that echoed in the silence. 

Sh*t, what do I do? I tried pulling myself eagerly towards the bed. My heart thundered in my chest, as my body trembled. I had escaped death only to be thrown in Slaver's Bay. 

The footsteps stopped directly at my door. 

My heart pounded harder as I turned toward the door. The horror of what might be waiting behind it felt like something that could change my life forever.

The knob creaked slowly as the door began to open.

A lady stepped in with a mop and a bucket in her hand. Her hair was all scattered, and she reeked of urine. 

I couldn't believe my eyes. 

Long curly, black hair with bright brown eyes. 

Maria? 

At the sight of me, she froze asif she had seen a ghost. 

There was no mistaking it. This was Maria. 

How is she here? And why does she look so disorganized?