Prologue 

Faster!

I glance about, only to see the blur of the trees

Faster!

My gaze trails toward my feet, which are in motion, running bare on the crackling dead leaves and twigs. Coming to an abrupt stop

"CRAP!"

I clench my teeth as my eyes bulge wide. Getting cuts and scrapes from the sticks, I come to a complete stop, just inches from falling

"What the-" I scorn, glancing down the cliff's edge as I fall back in relief.

"That was a close one" I look back towards the woods I emerged from, moments before looking back at the cliff edge

"I could've died" I sigh, taking a deep breath in

"Speaking of which!" in a panic "are they gone" Silence falls for a moment. I listen for anything. I smirk, bobbing my hand about. 

"I'm safe for now" I gesture facing the cliff "but seriously, that was a close one" I cross my arms in disbelief. I stand, dusting off my tattered, dark blue stained with blotches of black and green, silk gown, pinching just below the knee. 

"This just won't do" I mutter, gripping the fabric and giving a hard yank. The fabric tears from one knee to the other, resulting in a slanted mess. Tearing the extra fabric in two, I wrap each one around my feet and ankles.

"Better, now I can move" I glance in one direction, before looking in another, finally looking towards the skies.

My brows furrow "That is not good" I sigh as I rush to seek shelter.

I scour the area finally finding a small cave at the corner of the cliff.

"This will have to do until the storm passes"

Hopefully

My thoughts interrupt.

Moments after settling into the cave, the skies as if angered rage down. The air that felt sticky seconds ago, feels breathable and cool. The smell of rain comforts me, knowing full well they ran back with their tails between their legs.

"He's probably soaking right about now" I smirk, looking off to the side

"Oh well, his fault" I shrug it off, trying to think of a plan

"There is just so much I can do in this tattered dress, should I try my lucj and sell it, it is silk after all- is it even repairable" I hesitate, as my thoughts hush and vision blurs, before I know it everything is dark.

"Snort"

My body flinches to the sound, resulting in my eyes jolting open.

"Put me down" I demand as he carries me princess style

"Who do you think you are" I squirm to free myself from his grasp tossing his overcoat off my shoulders. However, he holds strong to the point I cannot even wiggle my legs anymore."Victor, I said put me down" His glare towards me sends a shiver down my spine. My mouth runs dry, my fingers tighten around part of the coat on my arms. "Why are you doing this to me" My gaze away trying to ignore the stares from the knights around us.

"You know full well why" Victor's tone cold and emotionless

"You have Isabella, you don't need me" My voice strained, looking directly at him inches away from his ear

"She and you are different"

"Yea I'm just your pawn"

Victor falls quiet, placing me on the mate black steed.

"Hey Kuro" I stroke the mane with a weary smirk, as Victor prepares to mount.

"Snort"

Kuro pulls away with a snippy tone, leaving Victor to scowl. Seeing his expression made it hard to choke back but I managed to suppress my snicker by looking away and biting my lip. "Serves you right" I mutter glancing away, Victor takes a leap in one fell swoop "What-" I gasp looking up towards Victor, that sits arrogantly smirking down from behind me on Kuro. I huff crossing my arms as I look forward "Whatever" I snip, closing my eyes trying to foreign ignorance of his stare. "Go before I run again" I mutter under my breath, just to feel his arm wrap tightly around my stomach "What do you think you are doing" I glare shifting to face him "Don't touch me" I push, slap, pull and any other method I could, however, my strength was no match for his.

"Do you really think I will let you go- again" He whispers in close "You must earn back my trust" he demands "As you are to-" He falls silent as we both hear it. The vibrations get closer, the screech gets louder, and before we can fully prepare, it hovers over us.

Formation! NOW!" Victor's orders resound withing the knights that stood before and behind us.

In front stood four knights, now stands three knights forming an outward arrow. The knight shift swiftly resulting in two knights on each side, leaving three knights behind forming another outward arrow, ensuing one huge diamond, with me pinned in the middle.

"Stay put" Victor demands, dismounting Kuro, I glare momentarily before huffing down 

"Like I'd listen to the likes of you" I grip the hilt at his waist, unsheathing his gleaming sword. the hilt solid midnight purple with a ruby stained black just like his hair and eyes. "I'm actually surprised you still have this" My expression subtly sour before rage takes its place. "You are such a hypocrite" I glare, tapping Kuro to move. Leading him to leap without hesitation. Following my lead, we aim for the creature towering the trees. 

"JADE!" 

Ignoring Victor's bellow, Kuro rushes full speed ahead. "Okay Kuro, just like all the other times, we got this"

My sword swings high, pointing towards the creature that is colored a forest green, a head like a driver ant, the body mirrored after a centipede, and its poison replicating a millipede's as it is released through the body. 

Kuro races closer, as I prop myself upon his back, my feet still wrapped in tattered silk, my knees exposed as I bend to leap through the air. The blade dancing in the moonlight, as I flip over the towering beast. 

I smirk with a swift swing down. The blade sings lapping the small amounts of blood of the creature. The beast squeals as its poison fills the air surrounding me, my feet land on its back.

"You think your poison can do me harm" I chuckle pitifully "I've been through worse" I mutter clashing my blade with its hard exoskeleton repeatedly. The clanking and clashing echo, leading 

the knights in the distance to cower over. I peer over the blade to see Victor racing forward. 

He never gives up- 

I drown out the thought.

"This is my chance, don't ruin it for me" I grimly smirk at the beast "So, I guess this is goodbye" I look with a gaze mixed with gratitude and pity as my blade swings down once more sinking through the wound I have been carving, resulting in the best to tumble down. Taking the opportunity, I attempt to slip away once more, leaving the blade in the monster's body. I leap for Kuro as he passes me. 

"Goodbye, Victor" I hesitate, meeting Victor as he approaches the creature "Don't come looking for me Victor" I demand tugging the reins on Kuro "If you do-" I glance towards the beast "It will be a different beast I fight next" Pressing my lips, I look away, queuing Kuro, we take off towards the woods once more.

"You think- you think I will give up" Victor growls taking a full sprint behind me, only the crackling of the dead leaves gave him away before he met up with me, yanking the reins back."You think I will just give you up- you belong to me" his expression enraged as he grips my wrist tighter leading me to wince.

"Let go you're hurting me"

"Just so you can run"

"So you don't break my wrist" I wince for his grip tightens, he yanks me down from Kuro. "Victor" I try to pull away "Explain to me" Attempting to hold my own "I demand answers, you say I can't leave you; you say I belong to you; you say I must stay put even if you have somebody else in your heart" I glance down choking back the heartache "How do you expect me to live like that, how do you expect anybody to live like that" I yank away when his grip loosens up, my hand to my heart "You expect me to live by your side- no- you expect me to live behind you as you love somebody else- you want me to watch as the man I love- love somebody else"

His expression grim, with him remaining silent

"As I thought- so just let me g-"

"I- I just cannot" His expression grows darker, as my vision blurs.

"JADE!"

A metallic taste fills my mouth "What" I mutter as Victor scans my body, his blurred hand comes in view "Blood? Monster blood" I question, his gaze grows angry

"Your blood" He clenches his fist, then carries me princess style

"No- you- let m- go" I stutter trying to catch a breath

"You- you need divine healing immediately" Victor scowls "After you are better" His arms flex beneath me "You can decide then if you still wish to leave" He shifts away his gaze

"Victor- I- I don't wish to leave" Victor flips back towards me, as my fingers caress his cheek.  "I wish to stay by your side; however, you have another" My mouth pools leading me to cough

"Save your energy Jade" He speaks directly to me for the first time tonight

"Victor, I love y-"

My arm heavy, my vision blackened, I gasp one final time before I cannot take another. For the last thing I heard was Victor calling my name.