5. Lyra

5

LYRA

" N O!"

I jolt awake, my heart pounding in my chest. The nightmare still lingers, a haunting image of a horned beast carrying me through the sky. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. But as I move to stand, a sharp pain shoots up my leg. I look down and see a chain wrapped around my ankle, securing me to the bedpost. Panic sets in. Have we reached land already? Are they going to sell me into slavery again?

I try to quiet my thoughts and take stock of my surroundings. The room is small and dimly lit, with a single porthole letting in a sliver of light. The bed I'm on is hard and uncomfortable, but at least it's better than the cold, damp floor of the ship's hold. I notice a tray of food on a small table next to the bed, but my stomach turns at the sight of it. I can't eat, not with the fear gnawing at me.

I reach up and feel for the necklace Brin gave me before we escaped. It's still there, hidden beneath my ragged tunic. I clutch it tightly, feeling a small sense of comfort from its presence. But what good will a necklace do against chains and slavery?

I hear footsteps outside the door and my heart races. Are they coming for me? I brace myself, trying to prepare for the worst. But the footsteps pass by and I let out a sigh of relief. For now, at least, I'm safe.

But for how long? I can't stay chained to this bed forever. I need to find a way to escape, to get back to Brin and the others. I start to tug at the chain, trying to loosen it, but it's no use. It's too tight, too strong. I need a key, or a tool, something to break the lock.

I scan the room, looking for anything that might help. But there's nothing, just the bed, the table, and the porthole. I feel a wave of despair wash over me. I'm trapped, with no way out.

The door creaks open and I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. The monster from my nightmare stands before me, his horns casting a menacing shadow on the wall. I scream, but no sound comes out.

"Silence," he snarls, and I clamp my mouth shut, my whole body trembling.

With a swift movement, he releases the chains and grabs my arm, dragging me outside. I stumble, trying to keep up with his long strides. The cool night air hits my face and I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. But it's no use. My mind is racing, trying to make sense of what's happening.

As we walk, I can't help but stare at him. His dark skin, lithe frame, and long ears resemble my former dark elf master, but there's something different about him. His ears are longer, almost pointed, and he has thick black horns protruding from his forehead. And his eyes...they seem to glow, casting an eerie light on the path ahead.

The more I look at him, the more I realize he doesn't have dark skin at all. He's covered in dark, almost translucent scales that make him look like a dark elf. But he's not. He's something else entirely. Something I've never seen before.

I try to pull away, but his grip is too strong. He drags me through the tunnels, the space filled with a suffocating heat that brings beads of sweat to my forehead.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask, my voice sounding pathetic even to me.

Instead of answering, it only gives a disgusted glare in response.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask again, my voice trembling.

The horned being stops and turns to face me, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Silence, creature," he hisses, his voice low and menacing.

I shrink back, my heart pounding in my chest. This isn't the same being from my dream. That one had a kind of twisted charm to him, a mischievous glint in his eye. This one is pure malice, his scales shimmering with a dark, ominous energy.

He turns and continues down the tunnel, dragging me behind him. I stumble over the rough ground, my legs aching from the effort of keeping up. I try to pull away, but his grip is like iron.

As we walk, I can feel the heat intensifying, the air growing thick and suffocating. Sweat drips down my forehead, stinging my eyes. I gasp for breath, my lungs burning with every inhale.

I try to swallow the lump in my throat, but it's no use. My mind is racing with thoughts of what's to come. Is this my punishment for running away from Master Viccar? For daring to dream of a life beyond slavery?

I look up at the horned being, his dark eyes boring into mine. He's so different from the elves I've known, so different from anything I've ever seen before.

But is this what I deserve? Being dragged through tunnels, chained to a bed, facing an uncertain future? I can't help but feel like I'm being punished for something I didn't do.

I think back to the night I escaped with Brin's help. The way the stars shone in the sky, the way the wind felt on my face. It was the first time I had ever felt truly free. Now, it seems like that freedom was just an illusion.

And then, it hits me. I'm going to die. I'm going to die here, in these tunnels, at the hands of this horned being.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and my hand automatically comes to rest over the necklace hiding beneath my clothes. Why was it so important that I take this with me? Why wasn't anyone at the docks like Brin said there would be?

If this necklace is so important… is there a way it can get me out of this?