Bound to the North {Complete!}

32| Rescue

Serena POV   

It had been almost two days since I'd been captured. Four days since Irene died. One day until I was supposed to be married. There were no other prisoners down here, so I'd been left alone since Amara had beaten me, except for the one time yesterday that an elf had brought me mushy food and dirty water.

I lay motionless on the floor, knowing any movement would make the gashes on my stomach continue to bleed. They'd finally stopped late yesterday. Why hadn't she just killed me already?

There was one small window above my head that provided a bit of dim light, but it was night now, so it was dark in the room. This morning, I'd heard someone trying to open the door to the dungeon. It was probably Finn; Amara must have hidden the key.

I whimpered a little as I heard the door open. I moved toward the back corner of the cell, facing the wall.

"Serena." I looked up confusedly as I heard a vaguely familiar voice say my name.

"Wh—who are you?" I stammered nervously. Through my hazy, limited vision, I saw a dark skinned, concerned elf looking at me. "O—Ozio?"

I recognized him from the time in the forest Finn had broken up Amara and Irene's fight. From Finn's descriptions, I knew this had to be him.

"I'm gonna get you out of here," he whispered.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked hoarsely.

"I'm...trying to atone for something I did to a dear friend," he told me. He scooped me into his  arms like I weighed nothing and started to carry me out of the palace.

I wheezed in pain as I felt the cuts on my stomach start to bleed. "Sorry!" Ozio hissed quietly. My consciousness began to fade as I felt myself being lifted onto a horse. I was only dimly aware of the ride back to fairy territory, and my vision went totally black as the fairy castle came into view.

Ozio POV

"Serena, can you hear me?" I asked sharply as her eyelids fluttered closed. I saw her squint as the falling snow hit her shut eyelashes. I chuckled a bit to myself. Finn's  found himself a hot girlfriend. My horse's fur was stained red, and I gasped when I looked down to see her pale stomach covered in blood. I flipped the reigns again, signaling my horse to go faster.

I galloped over the drawbridge, and pulled to a stop on the snowy ground in the courtyard. "Hey!" I yelled as I dismounted. I was running the risk of getting captured myself, but I didn't really care. I didn't want to watch this girl die, or see Finn in any more pain.

Someone ran outside toward me. He was a well groomed fairy, his dark skin glistening in the moonlight. "I'll take her," he said breathlessly, his voice deep.

"J—Juergen?" Serena stammered, squirming as I passed her to him and pressed two healing runes into his hand.

He nodded to me. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "Go home, and don't get caught by the night patrol."

I saluted formally, and rode off quickly, anxious to get home. As soon as I reached my dwelling, I left my horse in the stables and washed my hands in the bathroom, managing to get most of the blood off.

I entered my bedroom exhaustedly, deciding to sleep in what I was wearing. I'd stayed in the castle almost all night waiting until the coast was clear to smuggle Serena out.

"Hello, Ozio," a cheery voice said. I jumped backward, yelling. I lived alone. Who the hell was in my bedroom?

Amara was sitting on my bed casually, her legs crossed. She knows... I was a dead man. "H—how did you get in here?" I demanded.

She stood up and walked closer to me. I backed away cautiously, knowing this woman was not who she said she was. She pressed a finger to my lips. "I have my ways," she whispered. She placed her other hand on my chest. My heart was racing in my ears. What was she doing?

Removing her finger from my mouth, she closed the small distance between us and locked her lips with mine.

I let out the breath I was holding, dissolving into the kiss. I'd wanted this for years. But something felt... wrong.

I turned my head to the side, pulling away from her. "Wh—what are you doing?" I stammered.

"What does it look like?" Amara asked, looking into my eyes and smiling. She kissed me again, this time pushing me toward the bed.

I moved away once more. "Let me rephrase my question. What do you want, Amara?"

"You," she said innocently.

"No you don't. The only time you ever notice me is when you need something. So spit it out." I knew what she was doing to my best friend, and I knew what she'd done to Serena. There was no way I would ever let her close to me. "You can't seduce me into doing what you want, Amara."

Shooting a glare in my direction, she whipped around and left my dwelling, slamming the door behind her. I collapsed on my bed, exhausted. It had been a hell of a night.