His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 123: Taken (4)

My toes were growing painfully cold. I could feel the chill creeping up my legs, and the sting of ice sickness gnawed at the edges of my mind. It had been hours since they’d left me alone in this cabin, shackled and immobilised, and the cold seemed to sink into my very bones. Every breath I took was icy, every movement in the thin, dry air stinging my skin.

My toes were turning numb, the edges of them stiffening as if they no longer belonged to me. The fire crackled faintly on the other side of the room, but it wasn’t enough to reach me, not with these old wooden walls and the persistent, biting cold that seeped through the cracks.

Weres had warmer bodies but I wondered if the silver chains kept my wolf’s abilities weakened, including it’s usually much higher body temperature. That didn’t stop the Northern Weres from still getting ice sickness if the weather is that bad.

The ice sickness will set in soon. If they don’t kill me, I might freeze to death in this forsaken place. But as the cold seemed to slowly overtake me, my thoughts shifted.

I thought of my mother.

She’d been executed years ago, a false charge laid against her by my father’s advisers and the court—seducing and controlling him into accepting the treaty with the South. The accusations had been cruel, twisted. My mother, who had always been so kind, so warm and loving, accused of manipulating my father? It didn’t make sense. None of it did.

I couldn’t shake the questions that had been festering inside me since Cazimir told me of their plans. Had she known? Had she realised what she was? What she might be linked to?

The Fae bloodline, the power that had been lying dormant, waiting for someone like me—someone with their magic running through her veins. Did she work toward the same goal these Fae had in mind? Had she been just another pawn in their scheme, just as I was?

The thought made me sick. No. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to. My memories of my mother were so precious, so pure. How could I tarnish them with those words? How could I allow the idea of her being part of this madness to take root?

No. I had to push that thought away. She wasn’t like them.

The cold tightened around me, squeezing the air from my lungs, and I shut my eyes tightly to push the pain and the doubts away. I couldn’t afford to fall apart. Not now. Not when I had to be strong, when I had to focus on surviving.

That was what I was good at—surviving.

I needed strength.

With what little energy I had, I dragged myself closer to the fire, my stiff limbs protesting as I crawled toward it. The silver chains strained at my wrists even more. I was at an odd position, my arms and shoulders aching but I didn’t care. It was better than losing my toes.

The warmth kissed my skin as I neared, and I collapsed onto the ground near the hearth, my body aching with every movement. The fire wasn’t much, but it was enough to slowly thaw my frozen limbs. I could feel the heat seeping into my chest, my fingers, my toes.

I closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would come, that I could regain the strength I needed to think, to plan, to escape. The High Fae couldn’t keep me here forever, could they? Surely they must have known I could possibly die before they returned?

There was a way out of this. There had to be.

What about Eryx and the others?

Could they track me down? Could they find me and rescue me? The thought of them, of Eryx, coming to my aid kept me going. I couldn’t rely on their rescue but I could imagine it, imagine they were almost here. I had to, simply to hold on.

But the weight of my eyelids grew too heavy, and despite the chill still clawing at my skin, I finally surrendered to exhaustion. The fire crackled faintly in my ears as I drifted into the darkness, wondering how long I would have to wait for rescue, and if I could last long enough for them to find me.

The cold air stung my skin as the door to the cabin slammed open, the noise rattling through my already fragile nerves. My eyes snapped open, and my heart skipped a beat, but the sharp pain in my shoulders and arms quickly reminded me of my uncomfortable position. My body was stiff, aching as though I hadn’t truly slept at all, despite the hours I’d spent curled in the corner near the weak, dying fire. The cold had bitten into my bones, the chains had dug into my skin, and even in unconsciousness, the discomfort had never fully released me. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

And then there was Ciro. He was standing in the doorway, framed by the faintest light of dawn. His eyes locked onto me, those ruby irises gleaming with cold amusement. The harsh light of the morning didn’t seem to bother him. He looked like he belonged there—like the shadows and coldness of the cabin were where he thrived.

Ciro studied me with an unnerving calmness, his lips curling into a smirk. He sauntered into the room, his movements casual, almost lazy, as he plopped down into a chair opposite me, his arms hanging by his sides. He didn’t seem concerned by my state—by the fact that I was tied up and clearly struggling. Instead, he seemed entertained by it all.

"Still here, are we?" I muttered weakly, pushing myself up slightly to get a better look at him. My body screamed in protest, but I forced myself to meet his gaze, determined to maintain my composure.

"You know Fae blood is the sweetest and the most addictive," he said, as though making small talk. "Too much, and it is also poisonous."