Chapter 71


    ~Zirah~


    "I''m afraid I can''t let you do that," says King Theron’s voice behind us.


    Regan’s steps falter for just a moment, but he quickly recovers and continues walking, ignoring his


    father''s words. I can feel the tension in his body, in the way he grips me tighter as we move through the


    dimly lit corridors of the castle.


    A loud bang echoes through the air, causing me to flinch. Regan suddenly grunts, and his entire body


    turns rigid. His lips part as if he wants to say something, but no wordse out. I look at him in


    confusion and fear, searching his face for an exnation. Lyon gasps from the stairs, and Zeke peers


    up at his brother, his eyes wide with shock.


    Another bang reverberates around us, and this time, Regan drops me as his back arches in pain. His


    eyes flicker to his Lycan side, and a deep, menacing growl escapes him as he turns to face his father.


    Only then do I notice the bullet holes in his back. A thud sounds behind me, and I nce over my


    shoulder just in time to see Lyon copse to the ground on the stairs. His face twisted in agony.


    My heart races as I peer back at Regan when Zeke suddenly copses next to me, too. Regan


    staggers forward and then snarls. He takes another step toward his father. King Theron stands with a


    gun in his hand, a cruel smile ying on his lips. He pops another vial of bluish liquid into the chamber


    and takes aim at Regan. Before he can shoot, Regan copses on his knees just as Mchi and the


    King''s guards rush out of the dungeon.


    "What have you done?" Mchi gasps in surprise as he stares at the unconscious forms of Zeke and


    Lyon while Regan is on his knees, gasping for breath.


    "What I had to..." King Theron answers at the same time that Gnash roars, racing towards King Theron,


    determined to rip him to shreds for hurting his master. But in the next second, the gun fires again, and


    Gnash hits the floor, just as Regan copses. King Theron’s eyes meet mine, filled with cold,


    calcting fury.


    “Grab her! And lock my sons in the dungeon,” he orders, his voice cold and ruthless. As the guards


    move to obey, I scramble back, fear coursing through me as I try toe up with a way to escape.


    Desperation fills me, and I nce at the fallen bodies of Regan, Zeke, and Lyon. Just as the guards


    reach me, I throw my hand out, my hands glowing as I muster every ounce of my power to summon air


    to push them back. They fly across the room, mming into the walls with sickening thuds while I move


    to get to my feet.


    I stumble towards the door, my breathing in ragged gasps as I run. I can hear the guards behind


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    me, their footsteps heavy on the marble floors. I run for the double doors leading out. Only when I rip


    them open do Ie face to face with Shelley.


    "Hello, Zirah..." She then lifts her hand and blows ck powder in my face. My vision flickers, and my


    throat burns fiercely as I struggle to breathe.


    "You should have run when I told you to. Now you''ve left me no choice, nothing personal, but I can''t


    have that curse broken," she whispers while I w at my throat, trying to stop the burning sensation


    that moves to my lungs. The footsteps chase me slowly beforeing to a halt as the guards catch up


    with me.


    "Grab her!" King Theron orders behind me, yet I can''t seem to think clearly. Whatever Shelley used on


    me steals my breath. My vision tunnels, and I grab onto Shelley''s arms, trying to steady myself and


    regain my bearings when suddenly, everything turns ck.


    My eyes flutter open, and the darkness of my surroundings slowly gives way to dim, flickering light. My


    head throbs painfully, and it takes me a moment to realize that I''m not in a familiar ce. The cold


    stone walls and iron bars enclosing me send a shiver down my spine. I''m in a cell. Panic surges


    through me, and I try to move, only to find that my hands are chained.


    Voices echo through the dungeon, drawing my attention to the source of the noise. Mchi is arguing


    with King Theron, their voices raised in anger. I struggle to focus on their words, but my head feels like


    it''s filled with fog. In the cell across from me, I see King Regan, Zeke, and Lyon, along with their


    wolves.


    "Finally, you''re awake!" King Theron growls, approaching the cells.


    "Where am I?" I ask groggily, trying to get to my feet, yet I find my ankles bound too.


    "Don''t y dumb with me, witch. You know exactly where you are!" I stare at him, confused. Why does


    he think I am a dead witch? Peering around, I find guards peering at scrolls and the walls.


    It takes me a second to figure out that–this must be the dungeons where they kept Litha. The charred


    walls and bars are proof enough, yet what they wish to retrieve from the walls is beyond me. The


    carvings are barely visible when I notice one wall remains untouched, etched into the stone. I gasp


    when I see the curse embedded deep in the rock, and I begin reading.


    ~~~~~~~


    Regan. I bestow the sins of Wrath and Lust. May your anger consume you and your desires be your


    undoing.”


    Zeke, I curse you with Gluttony and Envy. You shall never be sated, and your jealousy will poison your


    heart.


    To you, Lyon, I grant Greed and Pride. Your insatiable hunger for wealth will leave you empty, and your


    arrogance will blind you to the truth.


    And to you, King Theron. I curse you with Sloth. You will never know the love which you crave. Your


    ~~~~~~~~


    To guide our path and set the course, I call upon the timeless force.


    In the hearts of mortal scorned lie seven sins: wrath, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, sloth, and pride.


    Amidst the vices, seven virtues stand, a beacon shining through thend—Temperance, charity,


    diligence, patience, kindness, and innocence.


    A woman of virtue, brave and true, to fix the damage and start anew.


    ~~~~~~~~


    Before I can read anymore, my attention is pulled back to King Theron.


    "All this time, I''ve had the Oracle right under my nose! Now tell me how to break the curse. Where is


    she? You''ve hidden her; I know you have!" King Theron yells, making my head pound more. I clutch my


    head against the noise as it throbs.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I am not this Oracle or whoever you think I am!"


    Mchi watches us with rm, his eyes darting from me to King Theron. "Your sons will never forgive


    you for this! She doesn''t know who you speak of!" Mchi argues.


    "Mchi is right, Theron. All witches use runes, but that doesn''t mean she is the Oracle. She is too


    young. The Oracle would be an old woman by now." says the strange man from the dungeon.


    "Because she is the Oracle''s daughter, it''s the only thing that makes sense! It''s why we could never


    find the Oracle. She''d be dead by now... so a new one had to be born!" King Theron says, pointing at


    me.


    As I look at him, I notice an uncanny resemnce between him, King Theron, and Mchi.


    King Theron''s cold gaze settles on him, his face an expressionless mask. "She has the same markings


    as the prophecy describes!"


    King Theron scoffs. If she isn''t the Oracle or part of Litha''s curse, James. Then why is she covered in


    Litha''s runes?" he asks, his tone mocking.


    "How do you know there are Litha''s runes?" James asks, staring at me peculiarly.


    "Because I''ve been staring at those fucking runes for thest twenty years!" Theron snarls, and he rips


    open his shirt, revealing the same runes that run down my back and arms, only his are in reverse,


    burned into his skin. Mchi gasps at the sight.


    "Kill the Oracle for the curse to be revealed through the Oracle''s blood. Our sins will be changed to the


    seven virtues. Then thest female Lycan will be born." Theron snarls. James shakes his head.


    Mchi''s eyes widen in horror. "What will be revealed?" he whispers, the color draining from his face.


    "The seven virtues!" Theron answers, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Litha will return. How else


    will thest female Lycan be born?" He turns to the guards who have been standing by, waiting for his


    orders.


    Mchi''s eyes fill with panic as he looks back at me and shakes his head. "What you’re saying makes


    no sense." he snaps at the king, his voice hoarse with desperation.


    King Theron roars in frustration. "With fire, she''ll fall, and thest female Lycan will rise. Litha will rise!"


    King Theron snaps. I blink, trying to take in what he''s saying, when Regan groans, diverting everyone''s


    attention to him as he sluggishly sits up.


    "We''re running out of time. I won''t lose my sons. Grab her!" King Theron orders his guards, and two


    guards move toward my cell door. They unlock it, and the door creaks open. Regan blinks, taking in the


    scene unfolding around him.


    "Wait... father, what are you doing?" he demands, getting to his feet. He runs at the bars only to be


    ripped back by the chains.


    "I''m sorry, son. But it''s the only way." King Theron tells him, just as the guards undo the locks holding


    my chains to the wall. Instantly I try to run, but I am yanked backward, and hands seize my arms. The


    two guards start dragging me from the cell while Regan screams and yells at them to stop, which


    wakes Zeke and Lyon.


    "Theron, listen to him," Mchi begs.


    King Theron ignores Mchi''s pleas, instead following as I am dragged from the dungeons.