Prophecies and Lies

Chapter Thirty-Five

Hiya! Another day, another chapter, right? I've got enough to spare right now, so that'll be alright. NaNo is going good for me (I'm at 20.000 words! :D), though it's tough. For some reason I cannot comprehend, I am trying to keep up with a rocket, and barely managing it...

So let's hope it will run out of fuel soon, right? Either that, or I need a rocket of my own...

Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! It's got all fun things that ended at the lest cliffhanger...

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          Hazy, June came to from a strange, dreamless sleep, her senses strange and almost numb. She saw nothing but black, which only brightened the slightest bit when she made an effort to open her eyes. There was something stuck in her mouth, she couldn't close her jaws, and it felt like she was slowly choking. Her arms were tied behind her back, but she for some reason, she did not possess the strength to rip apart those ties and break free. Her legs were bound as well, and she couldn't move from this position that would have been uncomfortable, would her senses work properly. A cold breeze caused her to shiver.

          Although she couldn't see anything, she was able to hear what happened around her. There were footsteps in the grass, not far from her. They were coming closer.

          “Is she awake yet?” she heard Nikolai growl.

          “You told me to get her conscious, so I did.” June didn't recognize the second voice—at least, not immediately. But as some footsteps came closer and someone prodded her, to see if she was awake, she smelled the stench of alchemy. Coldflower. “She doesn’t look like it, but she’s conscious. Give it a minute for the drug to wear off; right now, most of her body is still paralyzed.”

          “But she can still hear us?”

          “I suspect she can, though I’m not sure if she can talk…”

          More footsteps, and June heard how two hands closely passed her ears as they pulled at something. Suddenly, she was blinded by the light of a campfire. She wanted to shield her eyes, but her hands were still tied behind her back, and she toppled over into the grass. With rough hands, someone sat her back up against a tree. Nikolai stood in front of her, casting his shadow over her face. He smiled.

          “Hello,” he said. “Sleep well?”

          She struggled, and he grinned.

          “You can't break out of this one, we've made sure of that. There's a few different potions in your system, to paralyze you, to block your magic, to keep you under control. You're conscious, but harmless... Don't worry though; your senses will come back to you soon, and you'll be able to move again.”

          She wanted to growl at him, but almost choked on the cloth in her throat, and had to settle for an angry glare.

          “Angry? Don't be; you asked for this. Coming into Oakes, taking my pack from me, pretending to be the Immortal Fox—I know she died in Broadlakes, you stupid bitch. Who do you think I am, some newly bitten werewolf that can't tell his tail from his head? Like you are... oh, yes, I can smell that. It's obvious now we're out of the stench of the others...” He bend over towards her, his nose only inches away from her face, and took in her scent. “Yes, you're a newly bitten one, no doubt about it. How you managed the smell of an Immortal, I don't know, but I'll find out soon enough. You'll tell me.”