Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Walking into a Trap
The Bone Witch’s lips curved slowly as she lifted the orb higher, as though she was inviting me to come for it.
The glow pulsed again, and Golden grew weaker in my hands. My chest clenched. I could feel her slipping away and the thought of losing her was unbearable.
Before I could think, my legs moved on their own.
"Wait, Aeris!" Rhydian shouted, reaching for me, but I yanked my hand free and sprinted forward. The battle around me blurred into noise and light. I only saw the orb. Every step pounded in my ears, my lungs burning, but I pushed harder. I had to get to it.
The Bone Witch did not move away. She stood perfectly still, her dead eyes fixed on me. Her followers hissed and snarled, their bodies twitching, but they did not block me. They wanted me to come.
My heart hammered painfully, but still I reached out. My fingers brushed against the golden light, so close that I could feel its warmth against my skin. I tried to grab it, tried to tear it from her hand, but the moment I touched it, something snapped shut around me.
Chains of black magic coiled around my arms and legs, freezing me in place. My breath caught as the weight of it pressed down, pulling me to my knees.
The orb was right there, glowing faintly above me, but no matter how much I fought, I could not move. The Bone Witch tilted her head, her crooked staff tapping against the ground as her lips curved into a smile.
"Such a foolish little princess," she whispered. Her voice was dry and sharp, like it was cutting through my bones. "You ran straight into the cage."
I struggled, my arms jerking against the binds, but they only tightened, biting into my skin. Golden gave the faintest flicker in my palm, her light weaker than ever, and my chest ached so badly I thought it would tear apart.
"Aeris!" Beowulf’s growl thundered across the battlefield. He broke from the witches he was fighting, his massive white body charging toward me, but the Bone Witch’s staff lifted before he could reach. The chains around my body tightened like a vice, and her voice rang out clear.
"Another step, and she dies."
Beowulf skidded to a halt, his claws scraping the ground. His silver eyes blazed with fury, but he did not move. Midnight growled at his side, his black fur bristling, while Theo crouched low, his golden coat streaked with blood.
Rhydian’s wings twitched violently, his hand glowing with unstable magic, but even he froze at the sight of the chains wrapped around me.
The witches’ chanting slowed, their hands still glowing as they circled. The Bone Witch’s followers hissed and laughed, their forms swaying like shadows in the firelight. I was caught in the center, and every eye was on me.
My throat burned. "Let me go!" I screamed, but the Bone Witch only laughed, her dry chuckle echoing through the air.
Beowulf’s head lifted, his massive chest heaving with every breath. His growl was so deep it shook the ground beneath us. "Release her," he snarled, his voice carrying through the bond of his wolf form. "Or I will tear you apart."
The Bone Witch tilted her head again, her lips curling. "And if you do, she dies first." She dragged the staff lightly across the ground, and the chains coiled tighter, pulling me down until my knees scraped against the stone. I cried out, my fingers twitching as Golden flickered faintly in my palm.
Beowulf took one step forward, his massive body tense, but Midnight darted in front of him, his golden eyes locked on mine. "We cannot risk it," his voice carried through our minds, firm and unyielding. "Not with her life in their hands."
I shook my head. "No, no. Don’t listen to her, don’t surrender." I cried out, I tried to wriggle my body but the chain tightened, almost crushing my bones.
I whimpered, I felt a wave of anger and fear coursing through me. Damon must really hate me now, not that I cared. But I didn’t want to be the one that would lead them to their doom.
Theo glanced at me, his prowled restlessly. "If we fight, they’ll kill her. If we surrender, maybe we have a chance to save her."
The words sank heavy into the air. "No." I muttered crying.
Beowulf’s growls deepened, his furs bristling with rage, but he did not move again. He let out a thunderous growl, instilling fear in every living creature.
Then, his massive claws retracted, and his shoulders slumped. Midnight let out a long breath and stepped back, while Theo pulled away from the circle of witches. One by one, they surrendered their fight.
The Queen’s witches lowered their hands but did not break formation. "Let her go, Bone witch, she belongs to us." The leader held her hand up, ready to start another fight.
"You wouldn’t dare. Expect you want to watch me kill her, and the Lycan King..." she turned to the werewolves who were now surrounded by her followers. "If I were you I would stand down, except you want to see your Queen die." She added, with a smirk, her followers hissed and laughed, their blackened teeth bared at them.
The witches hesitated, but ended lowering their hands.
The Bone Witch’s eyes gleamed as she lifted her hand, the orb pulsing once more. "Good. You finally understand."
Rhydian’s wings retracted into his back, his jaw clenched, his hand shaking with the magic he had been about to release. He stared at me, his eyes burning with frustration and helplessness. "Aeris," he muttered, his voice cracking, "why did you do this?"
Bile rose in my throat, I couldn’t answer him. My chest heaved with shallow breaths, my body heavy and weak under the chains. My gaze dropped to Golden in my palm. Her glow was faint, barely a spark, and I felt tears sting my eyes.
This was my fault.