The Hunter Academy

~Çhapter Sęvęnty-Fįve~

My eyes snapped open and the world jolted around me.

Not, that my eyes opening actually made any difference at all considering it was dark and I couldn't see anything.

I closed my eyes, always feeling like my other senses strengthened when I had my eyes closed, I could hear footsteps and could smell blood.

It was also at that moment that I became acutely aware of the stinging pain in my back, like I'd fallen and cut open my entire back.

A door off to my left opened, but I couldn't move my body, I had been clamped down to the table with metal bonds around my ankles, calves, thighs, wrists, forearms and neck.

A quick click and medical white lights flickered to life. I could recognise the walk pattern and the sound of her, apparently, favourite pair of black heels that she's always wearing.

I could feel a tendril of magic stalking it's way towards me, even when Victoria paused. It wrapped itself around my torso and I grunted through clenched teeth.

"I know you're awake." Her voice rang through the empty room and I glanced at her through the corner of my eye.

"Why am I here and what the hell have you done to me?" I shouted and I clenched my fists as that magic burrowed itself into me. She could kill me right now. "What have you done with my friends?"

She didn't answer as she walked towards me, letting the silence overwhelm me. Wherever my friends were, I hope they're okay.

I clenched my eyes shut, hearing the metal on metal sound of a lock and key. The clamps released my wrists and ankles, but she left the one around my neck.

"As you can probably tell I have charmed your collar to dampen your abilities and I'm sure you can't take me in hand-to-hand combat, not in your state."

I instantly knew what she meant when my feet touched the floor. My legs buckled and my body moved sluggishly while my back continued to burn.

"Sorry, I just couldn't risk you lashing out, you're far too powerful."

"Can I at least put a shirt on?" I asked as I finally spotted some ink sitting next to the metal slab I had been lying on.

She threw a thin black top at me and I couldn't even move my body fast enough to catch it. My back felt like it was on fire.

I slipped it on and ran my hand over my braided hair. "You braided my fricking hair?"

She shrugged, tapping her nails against each other impatiently. "It was getting in the way."

I arched an eyebrow as the door opened behind me. "Getting in the way of what?"

She just turned around and a hand grabbed hold of my wrists, before someone else walked towards the metal slab and I easily recognised Artemis in their grip.

My head whipped to Victoria as she grabbed a needle and dipped it into the ink, but I could smell both the wet dog and blood in the room.

I tried to reach for the energy that had always been a hairs breadth away, but now it seemed impossible to reach.

My mind spun as I watched Victoria slowly start marking down Artemis' back.