EVANGELINE.
One minute I was looking down at Zedkiel at the table and the next we were being whisked away. Apparently, our first round was meant to start simultaneously, or so we thought.
âWhat is this?â Maryka asks holding up the envelope in her hand.
We were each given one; they are identical aside from the name on it. Mine reads âZedkielâ in gorgeous gold embossed writing.
âWell, this is part of your first test.â Jean says. âLetâs say you are the queen and this city is under attack, and you are most likely going to be kidnapped or killed. Now, to save your people, you have the chance to leave your Alpha a message. Where will you put it, knowing that time is short, and he must find it before anyone else?â
âIs this part of our test?â Celia asks, frowning.
âYes, it is. Itâs a good chance to display how in touch with your Alpha you are.â Jean replies in a clipped tone.
Celia looks down. âThen thatâs surely unfair. Some of us have been married for far longer-â
âThere is no place for protests.â Jean says calmly, yet her eyes are hard as she glares at Celia. âYou have five minutes to think of a place and then you have a further five minutes to tell one of our messengers who will place the envelope exactly where you ask them to. It can be anywhere, in your Packs even and the rest⦠well, that depends on if your Alpha can find it.â
âSo, itâs a combined examinationâ¦â Kayla murmurs worriedly.
Iâm no longer listening, focusing on what Jean just said and staring down at the letter in my hand. Think Evangeline think!
Where should I put this so that Zedkiel will find it? Celia wasnât wrong to panic. Zedkiel and I donât really have a place weâve spent much time together, aside from our bedroom. That is the first place that comes to mind, but where could I put this in our quarters?
I close my eyes, trying to think where Zedkiel would look.
A sudden thought comes to my mind, and my eyes fly open. When Zedkiel is angry, he bangs doors! I can use that!
If I have it placed above our bedroom door on the ledge, Iâm uncertain itâll be considered a valid place, but it is worth asking⦠if not, I should think of a backupâ¦
âIt seems that we at least have two Lunas already trying to think of a solution. The clock is already ticking.â Jean says, giving us all a hard stare.
H*ok up to see Poppy. The Luna of the Moonshine Pack is also silent as she thinks deeply.
âIâve decided.â I say suddenly. Jean raises an eyebrow.
âTake her to the adjoining room, take note and then place her in the allotted areaâ¦â Thereâs something about that sentence that makes me uneasy, but I donât think much of it as I follow one of the men to the adjoining room.
I quickly and politely ask them to place the letter above the door on the ledge of the door to our quarters. âWhat if he doesnât find it? Are you certain this is your final choice?â He asks me and I nod. âVery well, I will place this above the door, on the doorframe to yours and the princeâs quarters. That is correct, yes?â
âYes please.â
Even if it doesnât fall, at least after he goes to the bedroom, maybe heâll spot it.
âVery well then, letâs take you to your destination.â I nod and Iâm passed onto another man and told to follow.
Iâm nervous, something tells me, Zedkiel finding that letter is vital.
I sure hope I made the right decision!
We head down the hall when one of the men stops. âThere are some warmer clothes for you to change into inside the washroom and please do use it. The night will be long.â
âOh, of course!â I say surprised and grateful for the consideration, but at the same time, Iâm concerned by what he means that the night will be long.
âWe will wait for you.â The man nods and motions for me to enter the bathroom.
I step inside and find Iâm not the only one there.
âPlease change into these clothes Luna.â The dark-haired woman says, holding out a bag.
âThank you.â I say, taking the clothes and putting them on. There are sweatpants and an oversized hoodie that I slip on. Once I exit the toilet, I wash my hands and the other woman gives me a smile.
âGood luck Luna!â She says.
âThank you.â I say before I exit the bathroom. Spotting the guards down the hall, I walk towards them and they continue to lead the way.
Ten minutes later, Iâm no longer hoping but praying that Zedkiel finds that letter as Iâm led through to the back of the castle and down into the lower grounds of the castle. Itâs clear this area isnât really used anymore.
âPlease donât be alarmed, Luna.â One of the two smiles. âPlease come in.â
My heart thumps as I walk down the dirty steps into the empty pool and into the middle of it, where they gesture for me to stop. Itâs dark and empty, without any light. One of them bends down and binds my ankles together.
âFear not Luna, Alpha Prince Zedkiel will find you. Remember, the rules are simple. You are not to free yourself or try to escape. This test is for prince Zedkiel. If you break the rules, you will immediately fail this round.â One of the men says nervously. Itâs clear heâs terrified about doing this.
I guess Zedkielâs wrath is something everyone should be afraid of!
âWhat are you going to do to me?â I say as I look at the dirty empty pool Iâm standing in. It isnât the largest, but itâs big and dirty. This place hasnât been used for yearsâ¦
âYou are just to wait until the prince comes, and depending on how fast he finds the letter, heâll be assessed and graded on how efficiently he finds you.â
I nod as Iâm tied to something in the empty pool, but because my ankles are bound, I canât turn.
âOh⦠but is it necessary to tie me?â I ask.
âYes.â The dark-haired one replies with a smile, as he then ties a cloth around my mouth.
âThis is part of the contest, good luck Luna.â The other says as I stare at the huge rock that the other side of the rope is tied to.
At least my wrists are free.
I thought that too soon because the next thing they do is tie my hands behind my back.
Itâs just part of the contest⦠I tell myself, taking a deep shuddering breath. They wonât hurt me. Iâm trying not to panic when they tie my hands painfully tight and then they turn and climb out of the pool.
I hear a gurgling sound before I hear water gushing.
Looking at the edge of the pool, I see the two men who stand at the top looking down into the pool. Only then do I realise how deep it is. They are standing a good foot above my head⦠if this pool fills up⦠Iâll drownâ¦
Itâll take time⦠itâll take timeâ¦
Hoping for one last sentence of encouragement from the two guards, I watch them, but they donât bother looking back at me, not even once.
I close my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself when I hear the door shut and the old rusty padlock reapplied to the door, leaving me all aloneâ¦
Time feels slow, yet fast. I donât know how long Iâve been here, but my legs that are tied together feel heavy and numb. The icy water that smells of mould and copper is making me nauseous, and it isnât clean. I can feel bits of something or other in the water brush against my hands at times.
Iâm beginning to panic; I can no longer feel the lower part of my body and the water is past my shoulders now. I canât swim, the weight tied behind me keeping me bound to the floor.
If no one comes, Iâm going to drown⦠Surely they are watching this? Right?
Maybe they lied to me⦠maybe Iâm meant to free myself.
Panic settles into me as I begin to tug at the bindings around my hands. My heart is pounding, and my hands feel numb.
A part of me tells me I must obey the guards who said I was to remain in one spot and not try to free myself and the other part of me is telling me to fight for myself, that no one will come until itâs too late.
I canât waste any more time!
The water has reached my chin, fear settles into me and Iâm unable to stop myself panicking as I begin yanking and wriggling against the binding around my wrists, scolding myself for not trying to loosen the ropes sooner.
They burn into my skin. I can feel it through the numbness of the cold as I yank on my hands, trying to tug free. I gasp when I stumble and go toppling sidewards into the water.
No!
I rip and pull at the ropes; something goes into my eyes and I squeeze them shut despite the sharp pain of whatever it is lodged into my eye. I try to tug free, but the weight of the rock Iâm tied to is dragging me deeper into the water.
No, this canât be happening. Surely the cameras must be here somewhere! They must know Iâve fallen! Help me!
âNo one will help you Evangeline, only me⦠Let me out. That same voice commands.
âZedkiel will come.â I say, despite the panic Iâm in, no longer able to breathe as I struggle to free myself.
The ominous tone in her voice unnerves me.
âHe wonât. No one will ever come for you, Little Evangeline. Iâm the one who should have survived! LET. OUT!â
I canât think straight, I canât breatheâ¦
My entire body is screaming in agony and my head feels heavy. Iâm struggling for air, but there is none.
I look up to the surface of the water as a surge of strength rises through me and I tear free from the bindings around my hands. I rip the cloth from my mouth as I squint down at the rope around my ankles and begin fumbling with them, b***d from my wrists is seeping into the water as I yank at the rope, and the dirt is stinging my eyes, and my strength is failingâ¦.
My vision darkens and Iâm no longer able to breathe. I gasp only for a huge gulp of water to fill my lungs and I claw at the rope fruitlessly.
Zedkielâ¦
My eyes flutter shut, and I reach up towards the surface, but⦠itâs⦠too farâ¦
Itâs too lateâ¦