Episode 3. The Escape

— Take her! shouted one of the men.

— No! Please, don’t take her! cried Melinda.

She received another violent blow to the head. A sharp pain exploded in her skull… then everything went dark again.

When little Camilla opened her eyes, her vision was blurry. Her head throbbed painfully.

She was locked in a cage.

Cold metal bars surrounded her. Around her neck, a collar pressed tightly against her skin… she could feel it suppressing something inside her.

Her magic.

Panic rose in her chest.

The small wooden cabin creaked… then began to tremble.

— Calm down, girl.

The walls vibrated more and more.

Camilla’s breathing became irregular. Her hands trembled.

— I told you to calm down!

The man stormed forward, opened the cage roughly, grabbed her by the arm and dragged her outside.

Before she could even understand—

Crack.

The whip struck her back.

— No… please… it hurts…

Another strike.

Her body jerked. Tears streamed down her face. Warm drops of blood slowly stained her clothes.

— Stop! Don’t damage the merchandise, said another man.

— No matter what she is… she’s still a child, replied the second, his voice less certain.

The third man let out a cold laugh.

— Too late to grow a conscience.

The whip stopped.

Camilla’s vision blurred again… the pain, the fear, the exhaustion—

Everything went dark.

When she woke up again, the world felt distant.

Her body was heavy.

Voices echoed nearby.

— We’ll move her tonight… but are you sure she’s alright?

— Of course. A few lashes won’t kill her.

— Maybe… but she hasn’t woken up in three days…

Three days…

Camilla barely moved.

Her eyes shifted slowly.

The cage door… was slightly open.

Her heart skipped a beat.

The men weren’t watching her.

Slowly… very slowly… she pushed herself up. Every movement hurt.

She bit her lip to stop herself from making a sound.

Step by step, she slipped out of the cage… then hid beside the cabin door, her small body shaking.

Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure they could hear it.

— Where is that brat?!

The men rushed to the cage.

Their backs were turned.

That was her chance.

Camilla ran.

Branches whipped her face.

Her breath came in short, broken gasps.

Her feet scraped against stones, roots tearing at her skin.

She stumbled.

Got up.

Ran again.

— There she is!

— Catch her! NOW!

Her vision blurred with tears.

“I don’t want to die…”

She ran faster.

Her legs burned.

Her lungs felt like they were on fire.

She tripped—

And crashed to the ground.

She couldn’t get up.

Not anymore.

Leaves rustled behind her.

— She runs pretty fast for a kid, said one of the men, grabbing her arm. Your run ends here.

— I should have broken your legs earlier, growled the other.

— No… let me go… please…!

Her voice broke.

This time… she really thought it was over.

Suddenly—

An arrow cut through the air.

It pierced one man’s eye.

He collapsed instantly.

The other froze… then tried to run, dragging Camilla with him.

— What the—?!

Thud. Thud. Thud.

More arrows struck his body.

He fell.

Silence.

A heavy, unnatural silence filled the forest.

Camilla didn’t move.

She was shaking uncontrollably.

Then—

Movement.

Shadows shifted in the trees.

Figures appeared above.

Watching.

One by one, they descended from the branches, silent… controlled.

— It’s been too long since they’ve been trampling our lands without consequences, said a woman calmly.

Her gaze fixed on Camilla.

Sharp. Observant.

Not cruel… but not gentle either.

Camilla held her breath.

The woman stepped closer.

Her name was Emmanuela.

She was a creature of the forest…

A Naerith.

© Jameila pose – All rights reserved.

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