Pov, Evander.
"Let go of me, you bastard! "She says, staring at me with sharp eyes. I pull her arm and tie the enchanted chain around her wrists. Then I tie her to the bedpost to make sure she can't escape or vanish.
She tries to free herself, but she can't. I push her down on the bed and grab her lower jaw with my fingers, squeezing it hard. She just stares at me with hatred. "Try the feel of the chain on your skin, just like me."
She swallows, and in a weak, hateful tone, and I notice her eyes glistening with tears, she says, "I hate you, Evander. I hate you."
"You've split my heart in two, Cynthia." I say. I act like I'm shocked and upset by this, and I can see the angry looks she's making. Then she just stays quiet.
I go out, and one of the magicians says to me, "It's a temporary barrier, at least until Cynthia stays away from you while you complete your search for the remaining rings, so try to hurry."
I nod and take off, but then I'm surprised by a bunch of goblins that jump out from behind the trees and start coming at me.
Cynthia had taken extra precautions.
I spread my wings to escape, but as I rise from the ground, I feel an arrow pierce my right wing, which makes me lose my balance and fall to the ground.
"Oh, shit!" I can't get up because of the impact of falling from such a high altitude, and I can hear their footsteps approaching me.
"Just one more step and you'll be kicking yourself!"
I hear a voice I recognize, and I quickly turn my head to see the person standing right behind me. My eyes widen in shock as I recognize him.
"Dad? What are you doing here?"
I'm staring at the thing he's holding, confused. He's pointing it at the goblins, almost as if he's threatening them.
A twig?
He's waving that thing around to scare them, and some of them are backing off.
"I'm a crazy magician! if you come any closer, you're gonna end up ashes. Get out of here!" He shouts, and I can see his legs shaking.
Everyone's quiet, and I narrow my eyes as the twig starts to glow blue.
Hey, isn't that my little fairy's sparkle?
You're so brave, Dad.
He takes a step closer to them, snarling, "I'm not kidding here, I'm not kidding!"
He kneels in front of me and helps me up. Then he whispers in my ear, "Let's get out of here before they tear us apart!"
"Oh, shit!" My dad shouts in surprise as I take the chance to rush to pick him up and try to fly again, even though my wing is hurt and my dad's weight is holding me back.
I head to one of the caves overlooking the mountainside to hide, but a single goblin follows me and clings to my legs, preventing me from fighting back and trying to make me fall.
But then, the sound of my dad's terrified screams hits me like a punch to the gut. He gives me a hug, but it's a little too tight. He's got his face all up against my chest, and he's moving around a lot, which doesn't help the situation.
"Dad, the pond is pretty shallow, no need to worry!" I tell my father, and without giving him a chance to realize what's going on, I throw him into the crimson lake. Then I turn back to face the goblin, who swoops down to give me a punch that makes me so dizzy that my body tumbles back to the ground.
He grabs me by the collar of my shirt and keeps punching me. I try to stop him by grabbing his wrists, but he just keeps fighting me, doing his best to follow Cynthia's orders. She wants to torture me even though she's not here.
But what happens next is even worse.
Then, we both have to turn toward the sound, and my eyes widen in shock when I see the swarm of goblins that keep approaching.
I'm in a bind. There's no way to escape.
Shit!
That evil got a whole army of goblins after me. They're out to get me.
I use the strength I've got left to kick him with both feet, making him move away from me.
I get back up off the ground before they can reach me, trying to move my overloaded wings.
I turn to the goblin, who's clinging to me from behind, stopping me from flying away.
"Get off me!" I yell and scratch him with my nails on his face until blood runs down his face. Then, I push him roughly against a rock behind him. He falls and hits his head on it. Then, he doesn't move anymore.
It's like another arrow hit me right in the heart when I saw one of my own kind dead in front of me, and I'm the one who killed him.
"Sorry," I say quietly as I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Then they come, ready to make a mess.
"Evander, I want you to hide inside me!"
My dad suddenly addresses me, so I turn to him. He's all wet and breathing hard. I don't say anything. I'm just staring at him, surprised. He gets louder when he says, "I saw you do that to that boy. Do the same to me!"
I've never seen my father look so serious. Is this what you'd call sacrificing for someone you love?
"Trust me."
I see his warm smile and he takes a step closer to me, his arms wide open, and I run towards him.
...