Chapter 18

There is a clause that states a way that a slave is able to win their freedom. Aurora knew about it but when she found out about it, she just newly arrived here, and as much as it was hell, compared to the life she had on earth, she never thought twice about the clause. It's incredibly dangerous and ridiculously risky and she'd be stupid to think that she would escape without the risk of discovery but she has no choice now. There is one problem with this plan and that is getting registered for the race. Afterward, she will be safe throughout her journey, only being captured by the twelve will be able to stop her but now she has every daemon trying to stop her before she reaches the alter. As a participant trying to win her freedom, she will have twelve of the highest-ranking houses against her. It is said that she has the advantage of acquiring help from other daemons but she knows that is not true because what kind of daemon would help her free herself? Go against the twelve families? Even though she would be free, the price is being paired with one of the twelve houses, which is another reason no daemon would help her. No, she would be on her own. The good thing is that they cannot kill her since she cannot kill them. The contest is fair that way. If she was a human, the daemons would be unable to use magic. One cannot do what the other cannot. Of course that is only once she's a contestant. Which she's not - not yet. Aurora knew that if she doesn't reach the altar, the family has ordered a kill order, and all because of a mistake. She looked at the thing that caused the mistake but it just lay harmlessly in her palm. Her only daemon friend died because of this, she was a slave like her but because she was a daemon, her death did not go unnoticed and she was deemed responsible. She would not have had a trial or anything so she did the only thing she could, she ran. It is said to help strengthen your powers but it consumed Cemsy and killed her instead. Aurora never questioned Cemsy on how she acquired such a thing because they were not that good friends. She knows that slaves would never be able to afford such a thing but she was fascinated with anyone's knowledge and so she only learned what it is and how and why it was used. She never tried it and after what happened to Cemsy, she never wants to try it. She didn't even have time to grieve so she tucked the amethyst away. She was loathe to leave this place but she had enough rest and any more time would be too risky. The more she's in one place, the more traces she leaves for the family's hunters to find.

***

The place was too blurry to see properly. Her tears of joy just wouldn't stop so she could see it! She's here, finally. After so long it seemed, she reached her destination, the altar. This is just the start but it felt like she made it to the end already. She stumbled on the steps and stopped when she saw daemons loitering in and around the place and she fled up the path as fast as she could and non of them tried to stop her. They just watched her run to the altar. She stood in front of the altar, surrounded by huge stones and daemons.

Aurora didn't know what to do and no one was offering her anything! She was supposed to sign something right? The daemons seemed to be waiting for something but she didn't know what. All of a sudden she felt the presence of those that were chasing her and in fear, she looked around. She wondered if this was trickery. If there was no clause at all and they were going to kill her now, but when she spotted the hunters with the family that bought her as a slave so did the others, and eventually, everything became quiet

"You managed what few ever did and you also managed to survive the journey, congratulations" stated Sean, the leader of the family.

"I was told that I can get my freedom now" Aurora mumbled although what she wanted was to be confident in her attitude but also she wanted to test the waters a bit.

"You not getting your freedom! " he snapped but with the muttering happening around, he calmed down and stated plainly "You just getting a fair chance to win your freedom, which ninety-nine percent has failed, and I guarantee, you will too"

Aurora frowned at that, wondering if that was a promise that he would personally ensure she fails. She knows his family is not one of the twelve but he does have dealings with them. It's how she met Cemsy because she worked for them and she passed messages through her "Is that a threat? Because you can only interfere if I come to you for help, which will only be when hell freezes, otherwise it's only the twelve contestants, who can only ask their immediate family for advisory help" she stated boldly.

"Well... It seems she was just testing you and getting information, shame on you, Sean. My dear, please follow me" Aurora looked to the speaker, and icy chills spread through her although her breath stuck in her throat a bit, she straightened her back and moved forward in purpose while ignoring the fact that she was laughed and mocked at behind her back.

She feels so lost and everywhere she looks just makes her feel like there's no place for her to go. She lost everyone that she could count on and now she's buried under all this emotional drama. What's wrong with her that she can never belong? Why do they reject her? How does she move past her problems with no place to go to comfort her and raise her up from her failures? There's no place for her to go, to call home that would heal her. She's tired of fighting! It's why she came here in the first place, so she didn't have to fight! This was Aurora's thoughts when she was instructed by the lord, the head of the leading family about the rules and introduced to the twelve single heirs to the head of the family that she would go against and pair to one of them if she's to win. She was not allowed to speak until the end or she would ask how she would be paired if she was free and wanted to leave this world. Not that she thought of going back to earth but what if?