Chapter Twenty-One

Callista walks beside Phillip, her mind running rampant. The memories came back in a series of flashes, none in the correct order. She remembers the guard who took her and simply handed her over to the two men, a wad of cash in his grip as he watches them drive away. She remembers a small boy, who denied her anything when he visited her in the dungeon after she was captured. The boy and the man tortured her for days before she woke one day and the face of Tamara and Lukas looking down at her. They proclaimed to be her parents and just moved to a new town, settling into a new home.

There is so much she is remembering, nothing as painful as the memory wipe that she gave herself. Warrior Princess, the term of her line. When Callista asked him, Philip merely nodded, allowing her time to remember. When she did, she realizes that she did a good thing, but now that she is closing in on her eighteenth birthday, her life is about to get worse.

"So, about this Warrior Princess," she starts, her mind drawing a blank, "why me?"

Philip tosses his head in agitation, his eyes rolling. "It is getting annoying that your full memory has not returned," he sighs, "But when a child of the Warrior Princess line is born, a small pocket opens from our world to the Demon Realm. The King of Demons tries to escape, and the Warrior Princess has to be the one to shove him back in before it closes, leaving him here."

"Warrior Princess line?"

"Yes, your mother is part of it or was, but she fought this demon years before you were conceived. She came close to losing because the demon had an advantage over her." Philip explains, merging into his human form in mid-walk. Callista blanches, still not used to him shifting. Not that it should be that surprising for werewolves exists, as well as werecats.

"And when I was born, the pocket opened and since then?" She asks, the only thing she couldn't quite grasp.

"Yes, it has been open since you were born. Thanks to the King of Vampi, you lost a lot of practice. This journey will be hard, but with us you have a better chance." He pulls her to a stop, his eyes of amber stare at her as if trying to get a read of her emotions.

"And again, why me?" she asks, "What if I didn't accept the destiny?"

"It would've gone to your cousin, Kayla. If she refused, then the King of Demons would've taken the world. He would've stripped this realm dry, killing both the supernatural and mortals."

The memory of her mother and father sitting her down, with her brother. They explained everything, to what the prophecy will ensure. They always said nothing is set in stone when it comes to the future. The Fates could only help so much, so they give prophecies to help save this realm. Her brother grew irritated that it wasn't him, due to him being the first born. Mother has merely smiled, explaining that the King of Demons murdered the husband of the first of line. So, the woman has the power to pass down the certain fire to make sure he doesn't stay in the realm for long.

"I need the Warrior Flame." Callista mutters, studying Philip's face, "That is what I need to beat him."

"No, that is one thing you need. That is the weapon, but you need motivation and compassion to wield it."

Her eyes widen as she finally takes in their surroundings. They are still on the path, entering the cluster of trees, but the ground is full of blossoming blue flowers. They grow slowly, inching closer to her. A line vine curls around her leg, climbing her leg. It stops at her thigh and she tries to kick it off, sending a look to Philip, but he is gone.

Panicking, more vines crawl toward her, covering her slowly. A pressure in her chest begins to build, but she exhales, her muscles relaxing. Nothing is going to take her away from her only family left. Callista doesn't understand the importance of this tests, taking extremes.

Finally, she controls her panic and the vines come to stop, still covering her body. Callista lets out a slow breath, taking a shaking hand and brushing the vines off her body. Once she is free, the vines snake back into the ground or tree where they came from. Trembling, she looks up and Philip stands there, still in his human form.

"Another test?"

"Patience," she says, her voice steady, "learning to control panic."

Philip studies her, his eyes wary. A glitter of pride reflects his eyes as he stares at her. A sadness seems to float around him as he looks at her. "You're ready."

She raises her eyebrows. "Already? After two tests?"

The unicorn shakes his head, irritation crossing his face. "I cannot say anymore. Other than, once we get to the end of this path, I cannot go any further."

Callista nods, but her mind travels along the words he speaks, a certain undertone radiates. "Wait, then where does this lead?"

He smiles sadly, his eyes darkening with a certain troubled look. "That is for you to choose, my dear. I may not be fond of being used to lead a clueless girl, but you have a future that I cannot choose for you."

The trees open, and once again, Callista finds herself in a clearing. This one stretches from the left to right, nothing stopping it, so it seems endless. Then across the clearing is a dark forest with gnarling trees and dead leaves. Knee high grass sways, shadows darting in between the first line of trees. Philip morphs into his unicorn form, tossing his mane in agitation. She turns to look at him, but he is simply gone. She frowns, something bothering her about this whole ordeal, but she sighs and steps out of the forest behind her.

A bright light slams into her and floods the whole clearing, causing her eyes to close as it glows against her eyelids. A soft gasp escapes her, floating with the winds that yanks at her. The light dims and she cracks open her eyes, gathering in her surroundings. She whirls around and a certain familiar feeling fills her as she sees nothing but a clear land behind her. Callista faces the dark spindling forest.

Amber eyes flash at the edge and a sleek grey, muscled body inches toward the clearing. A small part of her feels like a prey, being hunted by the animal with amber eyes. The body slinks forward, catching rays of sun as it lunches itself at her. Callista freezes in fear, but then her body moves on its own. She rolls to the right, the impact knocking the air from her lungs.

Callista gets back to her feet and ducks as the creature lunges again, but a nail catches her shoulder. She cries out and places her hand on the wound, blooding seeping through her fingers. She clenches her jaw in pain, but levels herself. The creature came to a stop in front of her, sitting down and cocking its head at her. It was a coyote, with a sleek grey body. Amber eyes that hold the same spark of intelligence that Philip had.

Callista holds her breath as it stalks to her, its body rippling with sheer muscle. The trees behind the coyote sways as a breeze blows pass. She scrambles back, trying unsuccessfully to get away from the natural born killer in front of her.

'Welcome, Callista Shawcross.' A female voice growls inside her head. She flinches away, the sudden invasion making her step back. The coyote gives a wolfish grin, before pacing in front of her, making a small patch in the dirt. 'You have met Philip, but he is not like us here in the forest. He can transform from one to another, a lot like you werewolves. I cannot, just like my kin. We can speak to anyone who has an open mind, and since your memories are coming back, your mind is way open.'

"What is going on?" she asks the coyote, hoping figure out what exactly this will lead her.

The coyote tilts her head and stares at her, the muzzle foaming. 'Everything and nothing. But you need not to worry. All you have to do is go through this forest and meet me at the end. This is a punish forest, it will react to every bad memory or thought inside your head.'

Callista stares back, her mind blank as she tries to decipher her words. The coyote moves, slinking pass Callista, heading behind her to the forest. She takes some time to glance around her, before heaving a sigh and following the coyote. She enters the dark forest and a burst of cold air caresses her bare skin. The trees seem to lean to her, gnarly hands reaching for her. Her breath left her, terror seizing her.

Her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, she shakes off the fear. Callista had be kidnapped and tortured, trees will not scare her. But an irrational part of her tells her there is more to this forest. She stays beside the coyote, allowing her to lead her. They come to a rundown shed, where the wood is rotting and caving in with holes. Callista reaches out a hand and the coyote nips at her, her front teeth gleaming from a snarl.

'No. This is a sacred ground, only a chosen few can come see it and live. You, Callista Shawcross, are a special case.' the female growls, her body rumbles with each word she speaks through her mind. 'By the end of this, you are prophesied to save us or doom us all.'

"If I am this savior, I have been in this realm for over two weeks. I have went through many different towns and none of them have recognized me. Not even the prince that kidnapped me." Callista lets out, the woods amplifying her worries, "So please, I am mostly concerned to getting to my brother and figuring out everything from there."

'That is not what you agreed to do, this will not just simply hand you to your brother,' the coyote snarls, 'you can't ignore your destiny after you accept you or you will be in mortal danger.'

"Aren't I always?" she scoffs, "I was kidnapped by vampires, chased down by wolves, held by a witch, yanked through a forest with a unicorn that can morph into a human, and now I am being lectured by a coyote in a very dark forest." She finished her rant and her heart is pounding in her chest.

The female tilts her head again, the long snout twitching as if amused. Her amber eyes glitter with a predator gleam that she had seen in Lintel. The creature is pure animal, but with an intelligence of a human. 'So what? I was berated by humans before sending me here. I found my kind and made a pack for myself. I have lived a horrible life, Callista, but I accepted where it led me. Good things happen to those who wait,' she manages another wolfish grin, 'fine words, aren't they?'

Callista shudders and turns her back to the coyote, thinking on the memories that race through her head. She sees Julius's face, the male that made her blood boil. She sees the kingdom, a looming city that buries her story beneath a sadistic king. The trees before her parts, allowing her to see a shadowy figure that twists and turns like it is dancing. She squints, moving closer, realizing the shadow is humming softly.

It is an enchanting song, that makes Callista sway as the music enters her body. Quickly remembering the brush of the Fae music, she snaps out of it and the shadow figure stops humming. It continues to dance and weave between trees. The silence seems to implode around her as the shadow seem to get closer with each weave. The sky darkens and the shadow figure turns sharply, and white ovals are where the eyes would be.

The thing seems to smile at her, a wide strip of white stretching across the face. Callista takes a step back, feeling the rough bark of a tree. She whips around and comes face to face with an old oak. Wood vines snake toward her, wrapping around her upper arm in a tight grip. She yelps and tries to yank her arm back, but it grips tighter. She mumbles curses at herself for doing what everyone does. She squirms, hoping to loosen the tight grip.

A loud crack explodes through the trees, stopping the shadow figure's advances. But then it fades away, reappearing next to the tree. The thing bent and scooped up a broken branch, that matched the dark brown of the oak. The figure looks up, tears sliding down its face.

���Fear is a delicate thing, Callista Shawcross. It is a bitter feeling and a confusing one." The shadow figure flickers, morphing into a woman for a split second, before fading into a puddle and disappearing.

Stunned, Callista stands there, her eyes on the imagine this forest gave her. Though for everything the coyote mentioned, she can't figure out why it gave her a glimpse of her mother.