xiv

She waited until the moon was high in the sky before she snuck out of her room. Ophelia, dressed in all black: the sleeves flared out slightly, her shoes were boots. Ophelia had stolen a few daggers from the training room earlier that evening. She headed back towards the training room to take a sword.

She slowly made her way down the hallway, hiding in the shadows every time someone had walked past. Ophelia couldn't risk being stopped. She needed this to end.

Ophelia was almost to the training room when she heard someone walking around the corner. Ophelia pressed herself behind a statue, just as Caspian and a guard walked around the corner. Ophelia held her breath and closed her eyes, pressing farther against the wall. Caspan stopped, looking over his shoulder before continuing to walk. Ophelia stayed in her hiding space a while after Caspian had disappeared around the corner.

She pushed out of the space and rushed into the training room, grabbing a sword with a black leather grip. Ophelia secured it around her waist and looked over her shoulder to make sure that she wasn't being followed.

Ophelia stood up and grabbed a bag before noticing the bow and arrows hanging on the wall. I don't really know how to use a sword. She bit her lip before quickly undoing the sword and resting it on the table. "Dammit." She cursed underneath her breath and reached up and grabbed the bow and quiver of arrows.

She put both across her shoulders and jogged from the training room and made it to the front hall before someone stopped her.

"Where're you going?"

Ophelia jumped and sucked in a breath, turning and facing the source. "Gods, Caspian. You scared me." Ophelia rested her hand on her chest.

Caspian walked from the shadows of the tapestry and pursed his lips, looking at her attire. "You can't leave."

Ophelia shook her head and backed away. "You can't tell me what I can and can't do. I have to do this." Caspian became surrounded in black smoke before appearing behind her and grabbing her shoulders.

"Go back to your room." Ophelia shook her head and took a step towards the door. "I can't. It's something I have to do. I told you this," Ophelia kept her back towards Caspian. "Let me go."

Tears pricked Ophelia's eyes and Caspian felt his heart break.

"You don't have to do this alone!" Caspian tried and took a step forward. Ophelia turned around, tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I don't know what else to do!" Ophelia sobbed. "Everyone who has tried to stop these people has been hurt, failed, of Gods knows what else! I need to do this by myself!"

"No. I don't believe that you have to do this by yourself. I can't let you do this by yourself." Caspian walked up to her and wrapped her in a hug. "Don't go. Please, don't go." Caspian pulled away and rested a hand on her cheek.

Ophelia cried and rested her head against his shoulder. "How are we going to be able to win against them?" Ophelia breathed in some deep breaths before reaching up and wiping away the tears.

"We'll find a way," Caspian reassured, resting his forehead against hers. "I promise." Caspian pulled off the bow and quiver and set them beside the statue and held out his hand for Ophelia to take.

She slid her hand into his and both walked off towards her room.

---

"How is she?" Abraxas asked, looking up when Caspian walked into the study. Ophelia had fallen asleep while Caspian laid with her, talking about the future.

"She's okay." Caspian said, sitting across from him. Abraxas nodded. "We have to end this. We have to end this right now." Caspian said after a few minutes of silence. Abraxas looked up, eyes unsure.

"Where's this coming from?"

Caspian blinked at him. "Ophelia tried to leave. She's sick of this. Perseus won't stop until he has her. He won't stop until he has what he wants: A full demon." Abraxas knit his eyebrows together. "Ophelia's only a half-demon. She's not a-" "All she needs to do is drink his blood and the transformation is underway." Caspain said, glaring at the wall behind Abraxas' head.

"That's why he wanted Natalia..." Abraxas trailed off. Caspian shook his head. "Natalia wasn't a demon. She was just a witch. A damn good one, too, if she got the almighty King Abraxas' attention." Caspian corrected.

Abraxas looked down at his desk. "I... Why didn't I see what Perseus' goal was all along?" He put his head in his hands. "He only killed Natalia because he wouldn't give up her daughter," Caspian said. "But in the meantime, he fell for Ophelia, hard. So, he will do anything to get her and keep her alive. That's why he started stalking, following."

"He got his hands dirty himself because he didn't want her to get hurt or killed while they took her," Abraxas finished, pushing himself back. "Caspian, I want the security upped as soon as possible."

Caspian stood up, "What about the traitor?" "Yes, dear Abraxas, what about the traitor?"

Abraxas and Caspian looked towards the door. Perseus was leaning against the door jam, arms crossed over his chest.

He pushed off of the jam and walked all the way into the study. "If you'd like, I'll tell you who it is." He teased, looking between the men standing in front of him before waving his hand. "On second thought, I won't."

"What are you doing here?" Caspian asked, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "I'm here as a distraction." Perseus smirked and threw a dagger towards Abraxas, which Caspian blocked.

Meanwhile, Yuki had gone into Ophelia's room and stood over her, watching her sleep. She reached down and grabbed a lock of her hair and tugged on it lightly.

"They better be lying." Yuki murmured, yanking on it. Ophelia groaned before opening her eyes. She came face to face with the familiar face. "What the!?" Ophelia exclaimed sitting up and yanking her hair out of her grip.

"They better be lying!" Yuki repeated, clenching her fists.

"What are you talking about?" Ophelia questioned, slowly sliding out of bed. She wrapped her arms around her midsection.

"He can't love you! He just can't! It's not fair!" Yuki screamed, launching herself over the bed. Ophelia - albeit barely - jumped out of the way, landing on her wrist the wrong way. She cried out, but pushed herself off of the ground and ran towards her door, opening it and dashing to the right just as Yuki shot a blast of ice at her.

"Help!" Ophelia screamed, looking behind her to see that Yuki was chasing her. The sheer black and gold skirt flew around her legs as she marched along the hallway. Ophelia turned back around, and ran into an armored chest. She looked up, seeing that one of the guards was standing in front of her.

"Thank the gods, Gerald. Please, help me." Ophelia begged. Gerald just stood there, looking down at her. "I'm sorry, my princess. I cannot do that." He said deeply before reaching out and grabbing her by the arms, roughly. <i>He's the one who grabbed me that one day.</i> Ophelia thought, trying to pull away.

Gerald kept his grip tight as he spun her towards Yuki. Ophelia was trapped.