Once Upon a Midnight: Wanted

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Aeryn?"

"Claudia! Kristianna!" Aeryn rushed to hug her friends after she was pushed into the same cell as them. "Are you guys alright?"

"We should be asking you that! Where did you go? It's been months." Claudia said, brushing her hand against Aeryn's hair and she hugged the girl close.

"I found Raleigh." Aeryn started once the three broke apart.

"You did? That is awesome!" Kristianna exclaimed. Her excited look didn't last long though, as Aeryn's own face fell. "What is it?"

"She was killed, when Casper stormed the area I was in." She said, the bitterness in her voice unmistakable. "Her, and so many others, killed just so he could find me."

"Aeryn this is not your fault. Do not start blaming yourself." Kristianna put her arm around Aeryn, shaking her head. "You could not have helped this."

Aeryn let out a sigh. Even though she knew Kristianna was right, that didn't stop the guilt from clawing it's way up her chest. It was a worse feeling than before she had found Raleigh in the first place.

"Have you guys been here this whole time?" She now asked, stepping away from Kristianna.

"Yeah. They threw us in here the moment we returned." Claudia sighed, nodding her head. "I suppose it is better than the alternative."

"What alternative?"

"Any alternative." Kristianna said, crossing her arms. "This is considered nice, for the Council."

"Oh do not get too cozy." The three turned to see Casper walking towards them. He had his hands in his pockets, and the two Shifters that had been with him before were standing behind him.

"Casper. What do you want? Is it not enough you threw your friends and sister into here?"

"Of course not. Do you honestly think the Council will be okay with just the three of you rotting away in his cage?" He smirked, running a hand through his hair. "Since you mentioned it, Claudia. The Council is giving you a choice. See, finding that little hideaway gained me so much favor with the Council, they are allowing me to watch trail father, to get a glimpse of what my future job will be. And since you are my sister, I pleaded with them that you were under the influence of this human, that you could not help yourself. They agreed that instead of killing you, you would be allowed to live as long as you stayed under my watchful eye. Claudia, you have to accept this offer. Despite what you may think, I do not wish to see you killed. You are my sister."

"I do not have to do anything." Claudia hissed. "And you stopped seeing me as a sister when you dragged me into this."

Casper looked as if he might have responded, but his eyes hardened and he shifted to look at Aeryn. "As for Aeryn. They opted not to kill you as well. Seeing as they have never seen another of your kind before, they want to study you."

"Study? You mean run experiments on?" Kristianna interrupted.

"It is not my place to question the Council on the decisions they make. But it is good you spoke up, Kristianna. Unfortunately, the Council did not offer any alternative for you."

"What are you saying?" Claudia asked, already knowing and dreading the answer.

"Well somebody has to be made an example of. And why not have it be the one with the least amount to lose?" He looked at Kristianna as he said this, the smirk never leaving his face. "The execution will be at dawn."

"So soon?" Claudia now said with a gasp.

"You two have until then to decide. You can accept the offers, or die alongside her." With that Casper turned and left the room, the Shifters close behind them.

Once the three were alone again, Aeryn turned to Kristianna, tears already in her eyes.

"Oh, Aeryn do not cry for me."

"But none of this would have happen if--"

"Do not." Kristianna shook her head, a firm look on her face. "Do not blame yourself Aeryn. It was Casper who did this to us, not you." Her face softened into a smile. "I am happy to die if it is for something like this."

"It isn't fair."

"Kris..."

"Claudia we knew something like this could happen. Remember, we talked about it at the hotel? No-one would miss me were I to die. Better me than either of you two."

"That is not true." Claudia said, pulling Kristianna into a hug. Although her chest felt constricted she managed to keep the tears at bay, and there wasn't a trace of them when the two pulled away.

"Claudia. Aeryn. I want you both to promise me you will chose their offers come tomorrow."

"What?"

"No!"

Aeryn and Claudia spoke at the same time, both faces showing their surprise.

"Listen to me. It is okay if I die for this, but it is useless for the three of us to all go. At least if the two of you live, there is a chance of the Council being brought down."

"Kris, that is asking for a lot. I cannot do much if Casper is breathing down my neck all day every day, and Aeryn will be subjected to who knows what? Just the two of us alone cannot hope to bring down something as powerful as the Council."

"I am not saying it will be easy, but someone has to. We are not the only ones being hurt by them. I am sure there are countless others who want to see the Council stopped just as bad as I do, as I am sure you do."

Aeryn knew Kristianna was right. In the short couple of months she'd spent in Haven, she'd met so many people who had been wronged by the council. If they were here, she was sure they would agree with the Rahktar wholeheartedly.

But Claudia was also right. There wasn't much the two of them would be able to do alone, with Casper and the Council holding the reins so tightly.

"I need you both to promise me." Kristianna now said, gaining Aeryn's attention once more. "Promise me no matter what you will continue living. You will find a way to stop the Council."

"Kris--"

"Promise me, Claudia. Please."

"Alright." Claudia said after a few moments of hesitation. There was a sigh in her words, and she lowered her eyes. "I promise."

Kristianna nodded and turned to Aeryn, who also nodded and muttered, "I promise too."

"Good." She smiled, though Aeryn noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes. And then she repeated, a bit quieter, "good."