Page 44 of Chasing Luna

“I came to warn you.”

“Yes, I know. We need to alert the others. Also, I thought your prediction was ‘foolproof’? What happened to that? You send half my family away and signed off our death certificates in the process.” I push at a dent in the wall, to reveal my box of silver daggers.

“It is foolproof. I wasn’t counting on a counterattack from them though. And, the last time I checked, I’m not part of your militia. I’m your hostage,” he spits out before backing away at the sight in my hands.

“Okay, fine. I’m sorry. We need to gain control over this situation. Katarina is out there trying to contact the Queen. You should go and alert those out for patrol. Also, Gregory, you should step back.” I look back and see him already against the wall, sensing the pure silver in my hands. “I need to go find my sister.” I conceal my weapons inside the waistband of my jeans. I secure the thigh straps and squeeze in three daggers on each leg.

“I’m going with you,” he breathes out.

“You can barely stand being around my daggers. You need to go sound the alarms. The security room is in the back room of the garage.” He nods and slides out of my room silently. Once I’ve properly tightened the straps, I head out too.

Okay, Isabela. Deep breaths.

I make my way to the main hall, ears pricking at every disembodied sound I hear. Heat picking at my skin, I notice a dull, orange light flickering from a distance. “Is that… fire?” I break out in a sprint. The light gets bigger and bigger the closer I get to it. “It is!” I exclaim as I push open the door to the saloon. “Fuck!” I watch the entire room start to get engulfed in flames. I search the room for anything I can use to quell the fire. “There’s nothing in here but alcohol. I’m going to burn.” I turn back and try to head to the dark corridor, but I hear a creak coming from above. I look up just in time to see a part of the beam fall in front of me. I raise my arms to protect my face, but splinters from the beam hit my bare flesh.

I’m trapped.

My eyes start to water from the heat, my lungs fill up with smoke every time I inhale. “I can’t see.” I frantically try to cover my face with my shirt, but the fumes feel like they’re sticking to every part of my body. I gasp for air, for anything before kneeling on the floor, unable to stand for very long.

I try to open my eyes one last time, only to be met by the orange flames. My hands feel like they’re about to burst from the searing heat, and I collapse onto the floor.Think, Isabela. There must be some wayout. I try to limit my breaths, but it’s already difficult to inhale without coughing from the toxic fumes.

I stare at the fire dancing around me, ready to accept my fate.

Chapter Forty-Three

No, I refuse to die this way.

Before I even know it, my mouth moves on its own accord, uttering an incantation I know all too well at this point.Please work. As soon as I close my eyes, frost creeps up from my hands and surrounds my immediate vicinity all at once.

I kneel and mumble another spell, this time I target the flames on the walls. A larger mist of frost shoots out and smothers the fire until it’s extinguished. My eyes keep losing focus, but I welcome the cool air coming from my hands. I repeat this until the fire is completely out.Good thing I’m alone, or else I wouldn’t be able to explain this to others.

Alone and exhausted, I try to calm myself down. The room, though old and dank, holds itself well against the attempted arson made by the intruders.Though it may not be safe to stay here for long. I need to get out of here.Other rooms might also be in flames. “Alright, fuck staying silent. If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you’ll get.”

I barrel out of the saloon, and start yelling at the top of my lungs. “Where are you sons of bitches?” I start turning on all the lights in all of the rooms I run past. “Come and get me if you can!” I scream, letting my feral instincts take over. “I’m here!” I yell and run and bang on all the walls and doors.

I hear footsteps running in my direction and I grin before reaching for my silver daggers. “Sorry, Your Highness,” an unfamiliar voice calls out to me and I spin on my heels fast, swinging my silver dagger in the process. It makes contact with something soft and I plunge it deeper into the person.

A gurgled cry echoes in my ear before the person falls to the floor, writhing in pain. I look closely at the female’s face. A stranger with a cut on her jugular, gasping for air and foaming at the mouth, clawing at my face before succumbing to death. “Did you really think it would be that easy to kill me?” I giggle before securing my silver dagger back, and continuing on to the main hall.

“We’ve got intruders in the estate!” I shout as I burst into the room.

“Your Highness! We’re—” One of the sentinels comes close to me, but another voice echoes in the room.

“Isabela!” Katarina grabs me by the shoulders and scans my face. “What the hell happened to you?”

“I got stuck in the saloon.” I step back and stay by the door frame, afraid of my pack members finding out my secret weapons. “Come on, we need to snuff them out before they burn the whole place down.” As soon as I say that, multiple pack members turn into their wolf forms and follow me out the door. I run fast, keeping to myself, ensuring that I don’t stick with my pack for too long.

“Isabela! Stay with me!” Katarina yells, but I ignore her.

You’re the last person I want to be around. I scoff.

Okay, Isabela. Here they come,I think as I hear numerous thuds coming from different directions. “I’m right here!” I shriek and lead them to the garden. Four people appear before me, and I slide out two daggers and throw them at those attempting to turn. The daggers hit them in their chest and stop them in their tracks, foaming at the mouth almost instantaneously.

I don’t waste time patting myself on the back for my aiming skills, and instead lunge at the enemy closest to me. With my brass-knuckled hand, I pound on his face repeatedly until I can hear him choking on his own blood. Sensing the other person inching closer to me, I elbow him on his chin. I do a backhanded flip, making sure to kick upward, hitting the other man square on his head.

I feel for another familiar dagger from the waistband of my jeans, pull it out, and haphazardly stab the man in front of me. “You’re nothing but a bunch of amateurs.” I let out a strangled laugh, feeling my bloodlust grow. I slash upward and feel warm, dark liquid spray on top of my head. I walk to the other two casualties, and pull out my daggers from their bodies.

“Who else wants to play with me tonight?” I say a little too loudly, just in case someone else had been listening in on my recent activities.