Sianna and the Soulweaver

Chapter 14- The Transformation

I will not be a boring kill, an easy target, a helpless plaything among the beasts that'll end up drained and eaten. My mother wouldn't just lay down and die, neither would my father or James and if Aunt Nettie was here, neither would she. I'll be damned if I let them down.

I must survive.

••••••••••

I wake to the jarring realization that I am no longer in the fighting pit, nor am I back in my chambers.

My surroundings resemble an infirmary, fairly bare bones except for a glass medicine cabinet full of vials and wrappings. Some of the vials are bubbling and others are stagnant, a variety of colors displayed throughout the concoctions. A cough to my right makes my stomach drop, the person hidden behind a privacy curtain in the center of the modest room. I begin to panic, wondering who they are and also where the hell I am. I recall grabbing Luke's arms, preparing to push him out of the circle, hearing Alistar yell...

"Lukas, no! I said no-"

And that's all I can remember. A flash of electric pain, the blackness of unconsciousness, and then waking up here in yet another unfamiliar section of this gigantic magical castle. The pain I experienced during the duel has increased by a thousandfold, sending waves of ache throughout my limbs. I try to move and gasp when I notice the leather straps on my wrists and ankles, unable to free myself without assistance.

I am so sick of this bullshit hostage treatment. I just want to go home.

I want to call out for help but fear the person on the other side of the room, their unknown identity making me increasingly nervous by the second. Struggling against my restraints to no prevail, I take a calming breath and assess my surroundings more carefully.

Maybe there's a scalpel or knife around that's within my limited grasp, I think, and begin searching for something sharp that I could reach to cut the leather straps. I cannot sit up properly but crane my neck as much as I can, desperate in what could possibly be a fruitless mission. Sighing in defeat, I regret the breathy action immediately as I realize the dire mistake I have made.

Noise.

"Is someone there?" The other person sounds male and scared shitless, the panic in his voice obvious. I remain silent and wait, my indecision interrupted by another distressed plea from the man. I could swear he's actually crying, his voice choked up and raw. "Please, answer me. I don't remember how I got here!"

He certainly doesn't sound very threatening, that's for sure, but he could be lying to trick me.

Surprisingly I find myself wishing Alistar was here, if only for a semi-familiar face to act as cushion between this stranger and I. He did rescue me from that asshole Lira when he stuck me in that carriage, after all, and he's never directly harmed me during my tumultuous time in Glimmerwilde.

"I know someone is there. I just want to talk, please. I'm tied down!" He's tied down too? The suspicion that he's lying strikes me again but if he was free to roam around, I assume he'd just walk over here. None of this is really making any sense, but at this point I've become accustomed to that.

"What's your name?" I ask, testing the waters tentatively.

"Miles. My name is Miles and I don't know what I'm doing here! Please undo these straps!" He sounds sincere and very scared.