The One Who Was Chained

15

The shadows cast on the cavern walls by Finn's light-orb were strange things. They almost seemed alive, like they hand minds of their own as they flickered in and out of existence. Like my existence. It was quiet, too quiet. I had no idea where Finn was going, but I knew never to trust silence.

"Where are we going?" I asked Finn.

"To get the key, of course." His response was calm and smooth. Practiced.

"And how far away exactly is the key?"

"Thirty minutes walking distance, give or take." Finn shrugged his shoulders. "Then we have to get past Alan's miserable security. Trust me, he's never really taken protection seriously down here. Not when he's got millions of monsters above him."

"How come this cave isn't flooded? It's underwater, isn't it?" I was indeed curious. How could water have not touched this place?

"Magic, of course. The answer to any problem. Well, except for this one, it seems."

"What kind of magic?" I pressed further.

"Why are you all of a sudden so curious about magic?"

"It's... it's just very interesting." Queenie, focus! I scolded myself for the hasty and badly structured response.

"Uh huh." Finn was definitely suspicious now. "A question for a question, then." He paused for a second. "How did you get turned into a hawk anyways? Or were you just born like that?" The question startled me. I had deflected that question for eleven years. Then again, nothing ever stayed hidden for long.

"Do you really want to know the answer to that question?" A question in return. But Finn must have known better than to fall for my tricks.

"Yes, I do. You know something, Queenie. Something that might help us. And you're hiding it." I sighed, then landed on his shoulder, not stopping my talons from sinking in, whispering my secret in his ear.

"My name is Joan Arthurs. And you killed me."