The King's Prey (Unedited Edition)

Chapter 34 : Risen from the Dead

Execrable • [ex-i-cra-bole]
Extremely bad; detestable.

🖤

~+~

~ Anatasia~

My body shivers, shaking me from unconsciousness. But a surging migraine sends pins and needles spiking through my body—through my head. I squeeze my already closed eyes, groaning out at the pain to only realize my mouth is gagged with a cloth tied around my head.

My heart races and my breathing turns heavy as I begin to collect the events that led me here, and suddenly the world begins to spin. I quickly sit up, only for my head to hit the very low ceiling above me. I scream at the added pain as my eyes shoot open, inflaming my brain even more, but I push through the agony as I try to recognize where I am.

Everything is pitch-black. And a faint, low, continuous rumble sounds in the background. Whatever I'm in shifts slightly as it moves underneath my body. A car. I'm in the damn trunk of a car.

At first, tears threaten to consume the little clear mind I have left due to my rising distress. But I shove it all down—shove it all away—regaining my level-headedness and thinking through what to do.

Twisting around on the felt floor—struggling against the tight ropes that keep my hands tied behind my back and my ankles connected—I search for anything that can cut me free from these restraints. My body barks at every movement, still sore from the aftermath of the crash.

I don't want to imagine how beat up I likely look right now, I don't want to consider what's happened to Sterling or who even in their right mind thought kidnapping us would be a good idea. All that fills my mind is getting out of here in one piece and getting help.

For all I know, we could be miles away from anyone—we could be miles away from Phantomridge...From Samuel...

We could be in the Ancient Woods.

The tears unwillingly begin to stream down my face. This is all my fault.

If I had just listened to him—if I had just stayed instead of running off with Sterling, this would've never happened. Who knows how much time has passed since that argument. Who knows how long I've been in this goddamn trunk for.

The vehicle I'm in slows as the terrain under its wheels changes disturbingly to a crunching sound--snow. As if we're coming to a halt on the side of the road. My eyes widen despite the fact that I can't see a thing. I frantically continue my search for a sharp object, or at the very least, a weapon. My feet kick at the walls of the trunk, pushing me around to feel for something—anything. My bad leg burns with every fiber of energy I use up. Yet the trunk is completely empty other than my hogtied body.

The sound of more wheels crunching against snow resonates from beyond the metal, alarming me further that there's more than one car. The vehicle I'm inside of comes to a stop as the engine continues to run. I hyperventilate, unsure of what to do now.

Several car doors open and shut as voices begin to murmur from outside—male and female—, approaching the trunk. Someone—several someones—cock their guns and I feel the blood drain from my body. They can't possibly be planning on killing me? Why the hell else did they purposefully blow out Sterling's tires unless they needed us alive?

A set of keys rattle too close for comfort to the trunk's opening as someone begins to unlock it. I think through my options and before I can reconsider, I begin to reposition myself so my feet face where the entrance will soon be as I curl my legs up to my chest. Stifling a groan from the pain lying against my tied arms shoots through me, my teeth clench against the disgusting gag and prepare for what comes next.