More people flood from the door. There's innocent people - Families, children, babies, elders - all shrieking, crying and trembling, shoving each other to compete for safety
“Dreamscreechers!” Someone yells. “Run!”
My heart leaps to my throat to escape. I can't just stand here and let this happen to my people.
I look back to Erasmus. He gives a knowing nod. We're going in there.
I grab my pistol from my pocket and keep it lowered in front of me as we run towards the mall. I won't walk away.
If I can save just one innocent person before getting mauled by a dreamscreecher, I'll do it.
Chapter 8
Ignatia
“Vasilisa, please,” father pleads. “Don't do this.”
Vasilisa scowled at him, tightening her grip on my wrist. Her purple eyes glowed viciously in the absence of light, bold against cobwebbed bricks and the shadows.“I'm giving our daughter her best chance.”
I trembled, unable to move my eyes from Vasilisa. I snapped at her after hearing her ideas for the kingdom. She was debating killing those who spoke against her to make the kingdomstrong.Even as a ten year old, I knew the idea was insane.
I expected her to be pissed but she had never dragged me to the dungeon. What was she going to do to me?
I could feel the curious stares of prisoners on my skin. Every little hair on my body prickled. All of the prisoners were nastily scarred, their teeth glinting in faint light as they prowled in their gloomy cells. Some paced in their human form, smirking and enjoying my fear. Others had shifted into dreamscreechers, on all fours flexing shiny claws as if they were hunting me.
I didn't want to stay here. I couldn't! How could I defend myself against these criminals when I was only ten?
“I know you're worried about the prophecies.” Father’s gaze softened with understanding. “I know you're just tryingto obey Godusa, but please. This is our daughter!She doesn't deserve this!”
Godusa? Why would the Gift of dreams want to put me down there? Were my words really that violent?
“Don't you think I know that?” Vasilisa shouted. “There isn't any other choice! Either I make her strong this way, or I kill her. I'll prove to Godusa that Ignatia can handle things.”
My gaze shifts between father and Vasilisa. Kill me? Why does Godusa want me dead?
Father took a deep breath, reaching a hand out towards her. “That's what Godusa told you to do. It's not what you have to do.”
“But if I ignore her, something terrible is going to happen!” Vasilisa shook her head. “I should've ran! I should've ran when I had the chance!”
“And you can still run if you think that's best for our daughter,” father said, approaching us slowly.
“I can't, Eli.” Her watered eyes dodge his gaze. “I will fail the people if I let go of my crown. I'm the only descendant of the Last Women alive. Godusa made my ancestors different for a reason.”
The Last Women; The last ten women that survived out of the original Somnians that came here. They were the only reason the blood of the original Somnians is still alive. No one would accept another lineage taking the throne.
Father replies. “The next ruler doesn't have to be of the Last Women. That's what your mom taught you, but it's not the truth.”
“It's always been a queen born of the Last Women of Somnia. It has to be me. I have a gift from Godusa herself.”
Her grip on me loosened, and I didn't miss the opportunity to jerk my arm back. Without even a glance myway, she fiercely tightened her grip. My lungs only constricted further, each breath clawing in and out of them.
Let me go!
“I'm the only one getting prophecies. The Kingdom can't thrive without me.” She looked down at me, her eyes shining with tears. “But I also want to be a good mother…”
I stayed silent, hyperventilating, unsure if I should respond. I don't know if I could if I tried.
“You don't need to cage up our daughter in the dungeon to be a good mother,” father said.
