Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 33• Tension

"Valeria," Serena started. Valeria held up her hand, cutting off the she-elf as she spoke. She turned her head to look at Orlando. "I created another vision when I was searching for you. It's now or never." She tells him, "You need to get into that castle. You need to open the door in the highest tower." She added. Serena sucked in a breath. Serena was chained up, with her hands above her head. Erix groaned and slammed his hand against the wooden door. Serena let out a chuckle. She stuck out her tongue and licked the trail of blood beneath her nose away. "Oh, is it bad that I am enjoying this?" She asked him. Erix glared at her. "Oh, I am loving this." She said. Eric hit her across the cheek. "Honey, you're gonna have to do a lot more than that to knock me out." She tells him. Erix balded his fist again and knocked against her nose. Serena let out another chuckle. "You are weak." She said. Erix hit her again, and again, and again. Serena only laughed at the man. "Even my mother can hit better than you." Serena informed him, "And she's dead." She added. Erix grabbed her face harshly in his right hand. "You're getting on my nerves." He tells her. Serena smiled at him. A small cut was on her lips. "Trust me," She started, "I can get worse." She whispered to him. Erix tightened his grip on her face. "You're going to let us inside that room. Right now. Do you understand me?" He tells her. "Oh, I understand. I'm just not interested in helping you. You're not my type." She tells him. "You're going to help us, creature! Or I will skin you alive and hang you on my wall!" He yelled in her face. Serena rolled her eyes. "Ooh, I am so scared." She said sarcastically. Erix let go of Serena and took a step back. "You're right. You're right! You're not scared." He said. He pulled out his dagger from his holster. "How about I give you something to be afraid of." He continued. Serena let out another chuckle. "You can try all you want, honey. I am not letting you into that room." Serena replied sternly. Erix tilted his head at her. He tightened his grip around his dagger. "You will." He assured her. Valeria noticed Serena's mental absence. "Serena?" She called out. Serena snapped out of her thoughts. "Erix wanted me to open that door." She explains. Valeria nods. "Both of you have to go." She tells. Hayes shook his head. "No, she's not going back. I'll go." He spoke sternly. 

Valeria rolled her eyes annoyedly. "Or what? You'll cut off her head?" She asked him. Hayes bit the inside of his cheek. He put his hand on his sword in his holster. Valeria stood up from her seat. "I'm not having this conversation with you. This has to happen now. Our safety depends on it." She said. Hayes stepped closer to the mermaid. "He needs to become the emperor before it's too late." She added. Hayes furrowed his eyebrows. "And why is that, fish face?" He questioned. Valeria turned to Serena. "Do you still have the pearl I gave you?" She asked. The she-elf nodded. She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out the pearl Valeria had given her. She handed it back to her friend. "If you won't listen to me, listen to the prophecy. The vision I created." Valeria spoke. She opened the palm of her hand and placed the pearl on top of it. She whispered a few words. The pearl lit up brightly. "A new emperor rises. Blood will flow. But the light will come back in these dark times." She spoke. Hayes scoffed. "And what happens if we don't?" He asked her. Valeria's eyes remained focused on the white pearl in her hand. "Erix is determined to exterminate the Adelio bloodline. He's looking for him. And he will burn these lands to the ground if he has to." She tells. Serena stepped forward. She placed her hand on Valeria's shoulder. The pearl lost its glow. Valeria narrowed her eyes, glaring at Hayes. "Serena was in the right place. She was in the tower. And you got her out." She spoke, "You changed the prophecy. You endangered our entire world by getting her out." She continued. "I wanted to save my sister. She would've died if I hadn't gotten her out!" He exclaimed. Valeria hissed at him, showing her dangerously sharp teeth. Hayes took a step back. "Serena knew why she was there. And you got her out!" She snapped back. "She almost died!" Hayes barked at her. Serena stepped between the two. "We don't have time for this." She said. Asher carefully pulled Hayes away from the conversation. "She's right, we don't have time for this." He tells him. Hayes roughly pulled his arm out of Asher's grip. "And when did you start listening to the fish?" He asked. "Since she's right. A glowing orb usually means serious business. Even wolves know that." He replied. 

Serena and Valeria both looked into Asher's eyes. Valeria couldn't help but blush when their eyes met. "Hello, Asher," she spoke shyly. Asher smiled at her. "Hello," he replied. Misty stood by and watched the mermaid turn bright red only by a glance into Asher's eyes. She looked at Serena. Both girls rolled their eyes. Serena gave Misty a nod. Misty got the message. Get him out of here. Misty grabbed her best friend's collar and pulled him away from the scene. Orlando walked up behind Valeria. He carefully placed his hands on her shoulders. "We should get you something to eat." He tells her. Valeria turned to him and nodded. "Thank you." She replied. Orlando looked at Serena. "I'll be with you in a second." She assured him. The two removed themselves from the scene. Serena turned to her brother. "I cannot believe you." She complained. Hayes rolled his eyes. He opened his mouth, about to speak. Serena quickly cut him off. "No! From now on, you're quiet!" She exclaimed. The elven princess looked up at the two werewolves. "We need a plan. Now. We don't have that much time left." She said. She sounded extremely serious. "Remus and my father cannot know about this. Or her. Distract them. Do whatever you have to do. They cannot be a part of this." She ordered. Asher nodded in response. "We'll take care of it," Misty spoke up.