Chapter 44

 Chapter 44

My fingers trace across the water, as I wade across the stream that separates me from the woods. I want answers, I don’t care if my friends have a plan. I want answers. From Zelena, from Lamia, from all those weird cloaked figures, from the person who drained our power in the first place. I don’t expect the answers on a silver platter, waiting for me, I expect them to require me to be smart. And I know I can be; if I try. So I take a step farther, a step closer to the truth. Maybe Zelena will have hidden something in here. Maybe she will have thought that I would be here. Or maybe there's nothing here at all, maybe this is a trap. I sigh, so many ‘what if’s’ My soggy shoe makes its way out of the cold water and I shake it off, trying to make it dry. But the chances are low of me not being cold- icicles of wind parch my cheeks and cold bites my skin. 

No one knows that I am here; in the forest. As far as my friends are concerned, I am in my room- still trying to figure out a plan on how to proceed. I am past that point. If no one will give me answers, I will make them give me answers. I have trained, I have thought, and I have planned this on my own carefully. I know what I am doing and there’s nothing that can stop me. Unless the russell in the leaves ahead starts something. My eyes dart toward the upturned pile of leaves and immediately see a black cloaked figure coming toward me. I am not scared. I am prepared for this. “Give me answers, and I won’t have to use this.” I conjure up a nasty fireball. The figure laughs, not caring anymore about stealth. “You really think I haven’t thought about ways I could defend myself against an element dragon? After all, my boss is one.” 

His face shadowed by his cloak but I think I might see a faint smile curling onto his lips. “I want answers, and you will give me them.” My words radiate confidence so much to the point where I am starting to tremble.  “Confidence is such a tricky thing. Isn’t it? You can’t be too confident, or else you’ll overestimate yourself.” He stalks closer, his raspy voice making itself so much more clear. He takes another step; I step back anxiously. “This will be simple, and painless. You sit down and surrender. I take you to our hideout and we interrogate you. If there is nothing worth keeping you alive for, we kill you. Does that sound good to you? Or are your little friends gonna come save you? I don’t think so.” He takes two steps closer, I can practically feel his breathing on my neck now. I don’t even bother to step back again; it’s no use. “What if I don’t listen to any of that?” I retort. I throw the fireball at him. It bounces back and hits me in the chest. “Yes, that’s right. My cloak is fireproof, and waterproof, and earth proof.” He explains.

I grit my teeth as I notice the burn marks appearing on my neck. “Wasn't prepared for the air?” I muster up all the strength I have and knock him down. He clutches his stomach, and tries to get up. It is useless. He falls back down again. He scrambles up. He resists my next gust of wind, running toward me at full speed. He grabs my arm harshly, and drags me away. “You're coming with me.”