LUNAFEY

CHAPTER 23

My parents had told me tales of desperate people who made pacts with the witch Vilda, only to fail in keeping their end of the bargain and be transformed into hideous beasts or monsters. These creatures, with their contorted faces, hunched backs, protruding teeth, bony fingers, and icy breath, seemed like the stuff of nightmares. But weren't they just fairy tales? This creature, however, I could feel it – it was once human.

I stood there, grasping for air, as the cold air slipped into my skin. "Take her away," she said, gesturing with her hand. "You," she called, pointing to the creature on my right, who appeared more dressed up than the others, with a bag slung over his shoulder. "No harm should come to her," she added, as she walked towards the castle. The creature groaned in response, his hand cold against mine, but his breath warm. In his eyes, I saw a depth of sorrow that surpassed my own. His breath was shaky, and I felt drawn to him. But as I tried to look deeper, he swiftly turned away, hiding his face from me.

He dragged me away, farther from the castle, which enraged the other creature to my left. In his fury, he pulled me with claws that were once fingernails, digging them into my skin. As soon as he did, the creature on my right groaned and roared angrily, confronting him. The creature released me, and I backed away in panic.

"Beau, beau," the creature said, walking towards me. He raised his fingers to my face, and I quickly shut my eyes. For a moment, I hesitated, then slowly opened them to find the creature looking away, his head bowed. "Beau?" I said, both a question and a whisper. The creature looked at me again, and I was struck by something in his eyes – a deep sadness that evoked my pity.
Was his name Beau? I wondered. He motioned for me to follow him, and I hesitantly obliged. As we walked, I hugged myself tightly, my life literally depending on it. I was freezing, shaking uncontrollably, my teeth chattering against each other, and my feet numb I couldn't feel the shoes I was wearing. I feared I wouldn't make it to wherever they were taking me.

We walked until we reached the lake. I stopped, despite the heavy snowfall, unsure if the water was completely frozen. The thought of crossing frozen waters terrified me. Beau walked over to me and gently picked me up, cradling me in his arms as he began to cross the lake. The ice creaked and cracked beneath his feet, and I saw a faint crack forming, but we didn't fall in.

When we reached the other side, Beau helped me to my feet and handed me an old, worn-out cloak from his bag to ward off the cold. "Thank you, Beau," I said, but the creature merely kept walking towards the forest. Though I wasn't warm, this was better than before.

As we approached the trees, I saw a glint of light. In the blink of an eye, the other creature to my left was pushed by an unseen force, pinned to the trees with his feet suspended in the air. He groaned, struggling to breathe, before passing out. Beau was next, pinned so tightly that I quickly turned to see who was behind this.
A young, beautiful lady walked towards us on the icy lake, as if floating across the surface. She wore a stunning black jubba with golden embroidery, her long, glossy dark hair and brown eyes sparkling like a princess. Those eyes seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place them. "Are you alrigh'?" she asked, her accent thick and rich, with a distinctive roll on the "R" sound, a characteristic of Middle Eastern dialects. Her voice was like music, with a gentle cadence that commanded attention.
I could only manage a nod as it all came flooding back to me - Cedric! She had Cedric's eyes. Was she someone related to Cedric? "Can you stand?" she asked, standing close to me. "And the witch?" I inquired. She responded with a furrowed brow, her eyes darkening to a deep red. She clenched her fist, then suddenly took off her jubba and ripped the cloak off me. "Here," she said, handing me her jubba. Just then, a piercing cry echoed through the air - "Lunaaa!" It was Cedric! How was he here? I saw him dismount his horse, with Bay following close behind. Overcome with relief, I crumpled to the icy snow as I felt my fear disappear.
"Cedric!" I exclaimed, shocked, as tears flowed from my eyes. "How? How are you here?" I asked, my voice trembling. Cedric crumpled to the ground with me, his eyes locking onto mine, their red-rimmed depths filled with emotion. He pulled me closer, holding me tight, I felt his body trembling. "You're safe," he whispered, his voice cracking with relief. "I'm never leaving you again."