4

My head banged heavily and I opened my eyes, groaning in pain. I slowly looked around and saw other people chained against the wall.

I remembered how I ended up in this situation.

Coen was responsible. He was sending me away. But to where? Most of the people in here were asleep except for a boy who was wide awake, staring at me.

He crawled forward, while I watched him in silence and then he pulled the gag out of my mouth.

“Where are we? What’s happening?”

“We’re being sold,” he said simply, still accessing me.

“Why? To whom?” He cocked his head to the side.

“The Witches”

My eyes almost popped out of my skull. The witches? Communication was forbidden with the witches. They were as bad as the werewolves.

From the stories I heard, there was a power tussle between them. The witches lost and they were driven out of the kingdom. They mostly stayed amongst themselves.

“It’s illegal”

The boy scoffed. “We’re humans. Nothing is illegal with us” his voice was empty.

Another surprise. He was a human male. I’ve never seen any.

“How…. Coen sold you too?”

“Who is that?”

“So you aren’t from Lord Ulysses' estate?”

“No”

“Then where are you from?” He didn’t respond and just continued staring at me.

After a long time, I figured he didn’t plan to respond but I wanted to find out more from him.

“So we’re all humans here?” I looked around and noticed more boys. There were so many of them.

“No. A few half breeds and a werewolf”

I gasped. “How were they able to capture a werewolf?” I asked.

“It only means that they’re working with a very influential person. Maybe the king is aware of the trade. A way to keep the peace with the witches”

I pondered over his words. That could be true but would he go as far as sending his own kind? The humans are understandable since they’re hated but the others….

“I don’t think it’s the king” I mumbled.

“Why? You know him personally?”

“No, but….” The wagon came to an abrupt stop and I fell forward.

“Can you hear that?” His voice dropped to a whisper.

“No…” then I heard it. Yells and growls.

“Someone is attacking”

Oh shit! Was another group going to take them from us? Tears filled my eyes. I would have been peacefully resting in my room if I didn’t attack Coen and Gaia. But I let my anger get the best of me and now here I am. In the middle of nowhere.

“You must pretend to be asleep like the others”

“What?”

“Pretend to sleep. And if it’s another group that captured us, do not mention anything about the man who sold you or where you’re from”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask stupid questions. Just do as you’re told. Say you don’t remember how you got into here or where you’re from”

“You…” the back door moved and he dropped to the floor. I did the same, hiding my face behind the body of the person next to me.

“Move them” a gravelly voice commanded. I tried to still my thumping heart as I heard the sound of the others being moved. It got to my turn and I was yanked by my ankle and then thrown over a shoulder and transferred into the back of another wagon.

I stayed silent until I was sure they were done and then I lifted my head. But I couldn’t see the boy from the other wagon anymore. I heard footsteps and I lay down quickly again.

“That’s all of them. Let’s return” and then the wagon started moving again, to another unknown destination.

“Help me goddess” I muttered in prayer.

Somehow, I slept off despite my fear. When I opened my eyes again, the wagon had stopped moving. I hastily sat up and noticed that the others in the wagon were now awake. The back door was opened and a large man stood with his arms folded.

Another man whispered something to him and he nodded.

“Let them out”

One by one, we were brought out of the wagon and the chains were loosened. We stood side by side. I watched closely, to see if I could see that boy from the wagon and finally, I did.

His presence brought me relief. But he didn’t look at me. He kept his eyes down as they brought the others out.

Finally, it was finished and the man stood in the middle.

“Can you remember your names?”

“Yes,” people chorused.

“And can you remember how you ended up in the wagon?” Silence followed.

I looked at the boy, and this time, he was looking at me.

Nobody remembered how they got into the wagon except for me. Was that why he asked me not to say where I was coming from?

“Nobody? Not a single person?” The male asked again.

I looked at the boy and he subtly shook his head again and mouthed a no.

“No” I joined the chorus this time.

“Very well. You were rescued from being sold off as test subjects to the witches”

Murmurs broke out and the once silent place was now noisy.

“Silence” he yelled out and everywhere instantly went silent.

“Thank you for saving us” a girl stepped forward. She was tall and beautiful.

“You’re a wolf?” The man looked surprised.

“Yes and even I can’t remember how I got into the back of the wagon. I thank you for saving me. My father is very influential. A close friend to the king. Return me to him at once and you’ll be greatly rewarded”

Someone snorted and laughter broke out. The girl's confident face changed to one of confusion. Even I was confused.

Why did they laugh at the promise of a reward from her father?

“We don’t need any reward from your father she-wolf”

“Why is that? Like I said, he’s close with the king and you’ll be rewarded handsomely”

“We are guards of the king honey”

He looked around.

“Welcome to the castle”