"Good story." Rawn gets out of the bed. "No one has killed a Firne except…" Her words die in her lips as she looks at Ju Xiang questioningly.
The latter nods. "That's right. It's Lyecan. He's my savior. And as the young woman I was then, I fell for Zeonath and followed him like a fool. It happens I still am a fool."
"H— hold on a second. All this time, you…" Rawn can't believe it. She can't acknowledge or even understand what kind of life fate has for her. Why is she bound to the Rhothelis no matter what? "Then… the game you talked about. You are a player as well. I'm just a pawn… god..." Her voice vibrates with misery as she runs her fingers through her hair, turning her back at Ju Xiang with a scoff and a bellow, "…to ALL OF YOU!"
"When I found out Lyecan had a new plaything that wasn't willing to succumb like the rest of his toys, I came," Ju Xiang explains softly, yet it doesn't make sense to Rawn. Women—playthings… TOYS? "I've been a victim of harassment so many times that it makes my skin crawl. I smelt your misery and sought to save you, so I challenged Lyecan for his actions. Trust me, I wasn't in his game—"
"I trusted you once." Rawn turns to face Ju Xiang. "Look where it got me."
The latter moves forward as if approaching the younger girl. "Lyecan threw me into the jail on his own, and that was how I met you—"
"And got the inspiration to send me into another bondage?"
"Zeonath will make you feel good."
"Of course." Rawn snorts, throwing her hands helplessly in the air while rolling her eyes. "HOW?" she screams. "HOW DOES ONE FEEL GOOD IN CAPTIVITY?"
"You'll know."
"God… fuck me. I'm fucked. My life is fucked!" Rawn can't control her breathing. She's starting to hyperventilate, and even her chest, head and throat now aches from all the shouting.
"Listen to me," Ju Xiang soothes. "I've walked in your mind and seen the many times you've longed for death—"
"Don't go messing around in my head, witch!"
"But you're too scared of it. Too scared that you thought power could save you from it's terrifying grasp. How well is that chase for power faring for you?"
Rawn bursts into tears, shuddering in her plight. She doesn't realize Ju Xiang has crept to her side.
"What if I tell you there is a way you can die without being scared of it," the woman whispers into her ears while holding her in a tender embrace. "Zeonath is very good at making people's wishes of death come true. You'll only feel pleasure and delight until you're beyond."
"No…" Rawn croaks out, shaking her head.
Ju Xiang rubs her back. "Rawn, listen to me."
"No. You're sick. You're all sick," Rawn mutters as she pushes herself from Ju Xiang's hold. "What a relief it'll be to meet people with actual sanity!"
"Hey." Ju Xiang tries to reach for the girl who abruptly moves away. "I'll give you time to think things through…." Rawn storm out without hearing the woman finish her sentence. "...cos it might be the last time you actually think."
Outside, Rawn takes in the environment; a small green area surrounded by forests.
A pile of logs seems like the perfect place to sit as she sniffs in fresh air while reveling in everything good about nature.
She watches a mother hen loiter with her cheeks, pecking on whatever they could find. But when a hawk dives down from the skyand steals one of the chicks, Rawn can't help the throes of laughter that jerks out through her lungs.
But her laugh soon mingles with wails as she senses the mother hen's anxiety at her child's brutal kidnap. Her agitation to protect the rest of her chicks grows. And Rawn can't help finding the scene funny, but also saddening; a plain portrayal of reality.
Her shoulders shiver as she let out her cries, raising her voice above the hen's constant clucks. That's before one sound silences them both—a wolf's howl.
Rawn rises to her feet on instinct. She scans the trees with wide, scared eyes before she spots him; the devil himself.
He's standing between two trees, naked. And, somehow, even with how faraway he is, Rawn can see his jaws grinding, his eyes sparkingan intensity too hot it may melt her.
The Alpha's brother emerges from behind. That one's long hair must have read the script. Because it gave off the proper demeanor—the aura of the scornful devil's incarnate.
Cold hands on Rawn's shoulder jerks her back to reality, as she flinches and turns around to find Ju Xiang.
The woman looks calm, relaying some of the most disturbing words Rawn would ever hear, "We have no time, Rawn. The wolves are here!"
Rawn looks back at the woods, ready to tell Ju Xiang they've already been caught. But what she saw earlier isn't there anymore.
Was she seeing thing?
Certainly she isn't hearing things now. It was a wolf's howl before. Now it's a pack howling, calling into the woods and speeding between the trees—ready to pounce on their prey.
Panicking, Rawn quickly turns to Ju Xiang once more, only to come in contact with whitish powder blown on her face.
And then the world becomes a blur.