~Steph~



8 stared at the mirror for a few minutes. My heart couldn't just overcome the growing feeling of guilt I had.

Guilt that I put Emily in jail. I deserve worse than her for what and who I've associated with.

But rather it is her, who gets jailed and not me. At this point, I had a growing feeling to turn myself in at this point.


But I have one more mission to finish. To take down Zayne, for all the inhuman things he has done to humans of our kind.



I was carefully brushing my hair, line for line when I heard a thunderous knock on the door.

Who could possibly be at my door at this ungodly hour?

'Who's there?" I yelled out in annoyance.


'It's Thorn, now open the door!!"


I dropped my hair brush, I dragged my feet to the door.


'Yes?"


'Luther needs you, right now!" Thorn said, to my annoyance.


Can't Luther leave whatever it is, till tomorrow?


'Okay, I'll be there in a minute." I turned back into my room and grabbed my coat before leaving my room.


Reaching, Zayne's room, his door was partially opened. I could hear loud whispers from it's direction.


I gently pushed the door open, its creaking noise disturbing the silence of the whole castle.


All the figures present in his room, all turned instantly to my direction.

Luther, Reta and Thorn.


'Ahh.. The hero of today, come and take a seat."

Luther said, his voice moderate.


I gently walked to the couch. Slowly putting one foot in front of the other.


I sat on his couch, next to Thorn, and just across Luther and Reta.


'Well, Steph, we couldn't have done it today without you.

Step one is done, but tomorrow, we can't afford to waste time, so we began step two."

Luther said in a husky voice.


'And, Steph, you are the one who's going to put the icing on the cake to take out Luther."


'Me? Why?" I was surprised when Luther singled me out to finish off Luther.

He normally doesn't trust me with things that are very delicate like this.


'Well, today you proved your loyalty and dedication to us, giving us reason to trust you. And also you are the only member in our group who Zayne isn't too familiar with, and we'll use that to our advantage."

Luther carefully explained his reasons.


'So, Reta and Thorn are carefully planning step two.

So, I will need you to go and inject Flora's dose today."


'Really? Like right now?" I was very reluctant to do that.

Not by this time.


'Yes, Steph. You're doing it and that's final!" Luther said in a stern voice.


I remained silent, to his next words. I couldn't say anything else that wouldn't look disrespectful.


Reta handed me a syringe and a small bottle of her dosage.

I reluctantly took it off her hands, then slowly turned to leave.


I walked back out to the cold night. The strong coming from all directions.


'Luther can be very annoying. I could easily be enjoying my night, in the warmth of my room, but rather I'm freezing out here in this intense cold."

I mumbled under my breath.


Moving through the castle, I could hear faint noises from behind me.

It was as if someone was following behind me.

I vigorously turned my neck a couple of times, but there was no one.


I continued walking through the cold, and past the courtyard to the stables.


I wasn't too familiar with the horses here yet. So I mist picked anyone, that seemed very beautiful.

I got on a white horse, with milky stripes , mane.

I really loved its pattern.


And, on it, I rode past the castle and in the direction of the forest.

And shortly after, I reached the borders of the forest.

And looking behind me, the castle had since faded into the darkness.


I left the horse, just outside the forest. And then, I went in.

This was the first time I had gone to the forest, all alone.

I usually go with one of Thorn, Crystal or Reta to give Flora a dosage.


I cautiously walked past long trees, side stepping one after another.

My foot marched the dried leaves laying stagnant on the ground.


I went deeper and deeper into the forest. The temperature, getting even colder than it once was.


I finally reached the small cave where we left Flora in.

I managed to squeeze myself into it.

And suddenly the temperature drastically changed here.

There was a great warmth in the cave. I had a feeling, or urge to just sleep in here until it was morning.


But, I had to continue through the cave. I walked a few more steps and went into the room, by my left.


There she laid, so peaceful.


'Hello? Who's there." Flora spoke, her voice very faint and weak.

She could barely keep her eyes open. My heart grew heavy, seeing the state she was in.


She doesn't deserve to go through this, at all.


'Hi, Flora." I whispered to her.


'Steph? Steph please let me go. Please! My family is worried sick, I can't stay here any longer."

Flora's desperate plea really moved my heart.


But, I can't do anything, not right now at least.


'I'm so sorry, Flora. But it's not up to me to free you."

I carefully mixed in the dosage, into the syringe.


'But.." before she could say anything more, I injected her dosage, straight into her neck.

And instantly, her eyes went shut, her mouth slowly closed, and she fell into her twenty four hours sleep.


I stayed for a few more minutes, staring at her innocent face.


I finally decided to leave, retracing my steps from where I just came from, before finally squeezing myself out of the cave and back into the intense cold of the forest.

My body was heavily shivering.

I was as though I should just turn back into the cave and stay the whole night.


I retreated my steps through the trees. And I was almost out of the forest, when I heard a stern voice from behind me.


'Hey Steph!"


I slowly turned my head. Wishing it was Luther or Thorn.


'Rowan!"

My heart skipped a beat, when I saw his stoic figure standing directly across me.


'Hey Rowan. What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice trembling.


'I should be asking you that question." Rowan answered his voice firmly.

Emitting light echoes to the forest.



'NO-ot-thing, really, I just enjoy the moving trees."

I answered my words, stuttering a little.


'Really?"


'Yeah. I do that every night."

I said. A faint smile of satisfaction appeared on Rowan's face.


I turned to leave, when his voice halted me again.


'Steph, tell me what's inside the cave."

His words, almost made by mind, fly away. I stopped motionless, my back turned against his.

I couldn't even muster the words to answer him.


'Steph, I'm asking you again. What's inside the cave?"

Rowan's question came again.


'Phew!"

I took a long deep breath before slowly turning to face Rowan.


'I can't tell you. I'm sorry, but you need to leave!"

I answered him, exuding confidence I never knew I had.


'I'm not leaving until you speak to Steph. Spare the troubles and speak!!"

Rowan raised his voice even more. Taking me back a bit.


'This isn't you Steph. You're not this evil, I know that. All these things you do, I know Luther compels you to do them.

The least you can do is tell me who or what is in there."


I remained silent to him again. I lowered my head to the ground.

Pondering my next words.


'I can't let you Rowan." I said my voice was trembling.

The corner of my eyes heated up. A few lines of tears escaped and rolled down to my cheeks.


'Steph, this is your last chance. Tell me what's in there, and then I will let you off lightly, because I know you.

But, if you don't tell me, I will go in that cave and find out for myself and when I do trust me Steph, you won't go off easily."

Rowan gave me an ultimatum. I could see in his cold glare, that he was dead serious and certain.


'... It's Flora!!"


'What..!"

Rowan said in disbelief, his lips parted.

I could see the shock in his eyes.


~Rowan~


I left Zayne's room and returned back to mine. I still couldn't comprehend the events of today.

But, one that was for sure was that it was going to Luther's plan.

Forcing Zayne's hands to get rid of Emily was just the first phase of his plan, and who knows what's next.

The best I could do to stop that, was to do as Zayne instructed.

To keep a very close eye on Luther's associates.

Reta, Crystal, and their wolf in sheep's clothing Steph.


I took a light shower, and was wiping off my face, when I saw through my exposed window, Thorn returning from the direction of the maids quarter.

And barely two minutes later, I saw Steph cross my window.

Dressed in a black shirt, and a very large coat.


I instantly stormed to my door and peeped through.

I watched as Steph walked to Luther's room and pushed the door open.


What could they be planning now? I could only wonder.

I returned back to my room, I was barely settled, when another figure passed my window.


I rushed to my window and squinted my eyes tightly.

I saw Emily's distant figure disappearing into darkness.


She was heading in the direction of the castle exit and not to her room.


I'm not going to let her off so easily.


I grabbed my jacket and stormed out of my room in bliss.


I moved each step in front of the other quickly, but still managed to remain discrete and silent.


I followed her, hiding behind bushes and buildings when she turned back a couple of times.


She reached the stable and took a horse out of the castle premises.


I waited till she was out of my sight and hearing before getting on a horse.

Judging from the direction her horse went in, I could tell she was headed to the forest.


I rode through the cold wind blowing across my face, until I reached the forest.


I stopped a fair distance from the forest, to avoid getting spotted by Steph.


I stayed from afar, and squinting my eyes tightly, I spotted Steph a great distance into the forest.

She squeezed herself into a tiny cave. Not just any cave, the one me and Zayne played a lot in, when we were kids.


What could she possibly be hiding in there? I have to find out!


I carefully walked into the forest, making my steps light as possible.


I gently stayed at a corner of the forest, patiently waiting for her.


And after a few minutes she finally squeezed out of the cave.


Walking out of the forest, I called her out, my voice stern.


She seemed to freeze on hearing my voice, before slowly turning her head to face me.

'Rowan!"

'Hey Rowan. What are you doing here?"


'I should be asking you that question." Rowan answered his voice firmly.

Emitting light echoes to the forest.



'NO-ot-thing, really, I just enjoy the moving trees."


'Really?"


She turned to leave when I called her back.


'Steph, tell me what's inside the cave."


She remained silent forcing me to ask


'Steph, I'm asking you again. What's inside the cave?"


But she still refused to spit out any answers.

But neither was I relenting.


'Steph, this is your last chance. Tell me what's in there, and then I will let you off lightly, because I know you.

But, if you don't tell me, I will go in that cave and find out for myself and when I do trust me Steph, you won't go off easily."


I had made up my mind to go and check what's in there, even if I spend all night doing so.

'... It's Flora!!"


'What..!"

Her words left me speechless. Could Luther be so heartless to kidnap Flora leaving the whole kingdom to worry.


'This is getting to Zayne's ears right away!!"