Chapter 4 – The Forbidden Gathering
The final bell echoed through the palace grounds, sharp and cold as it signaled the last few moments before the dreaded dark minute. Miley's heart pounded, but her mind was set. Tonight wasn't like any other. She refused to hide in the maidens' quarters where nightmares lived. Instead, she slipped quietly out of the hallways, clutching a bundle of leaves, ropes, and thick bark she had scavenged earlier in the day.
She ran through the shadows, careful not to alert the Zuzus that patrolled like silent hunters. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she dug into the soft earth, making a shallow bunker. She lined it with wooden planks, stacked bark around the edges, and camouflaged it with branches and leaves. From above, it looked like nothing but another patch of the forest floor. As the last bell rang at 11:55, giving five minutes before the dark minute struck, she dove inside, covering herself with branches.
A deep breath escaped her lips. I made it.
Then the world turned black. The dark minute had arrived. Unlike the suffocating pitch black inside the palace, outside was eerily beautiful. Faint, glowing fireflies floated like tiny lanterns across the forest, and strange luminous plants pulsed with a bluish glow. But Miley knew this beauty masked danger—terrifying creatures roamed here when the palace slept.
Carefully, she lifted a branch and peeked out. The coast was clear. Heart hammering, she crawled out of her hideout and made her way to the riverside. The sound of rushing water grew louder, and a strange, soothing voice echoed in her mind, beckoning her closer.
She dipped a foot into the river—and jolted back instantly. A tingling sensation zapped through her body, like a warning. But curiosity burned hotter than fear. She stepped in again, slowly this time, until the cool water hugged her calves, then her waist. All her pain—the stinging cuts, the bruises from the brutal stoning—melted away as if the river washed not just her body but her soul.
She scrubbed away dried blood, letting the water soothe her wounds. For the first time since arriving in this cursed palace, Miley felt… free. By the time she finished washing her maid dress and herself, the moonlight revealed not a terrified prisoner but a girl reborn, defiant and unbroken.
After wringing out her clothes, she slipped on her old torn garments and headed back to her hidden bunker. Lying down, she stared up at the faint glimmers of fireflies dancing above her. Her eyes grew heavy, and before long, sleep claimed her.
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Sunlight—bright and warm—bathed her face. Miley blinked, confused. The forest was lush and vibrant, flowers blooming in colors she'd never seen before. Birds chirped sweet melodies. It felt like a dream, yet so real.
Then she saw him.
A blurry figure of a man stood far ahead, walking away from her. Something about his stance felt familiar. "Hey!" she shouted, running toward him. She tried waving, screaming louder, but he didn't turn around. Desperation clawed at her chest as she caught up and reached out to touch his shoulder.
The moment her fingers brushed against him, the world twisted.
The once-beautiful forest shriveled to ash, flowers blackened, and the warm sun vanished. Darkness consumed everything.
And there he was—Jake. The feared, cold-hearted prince, but this wasn't the same Jake she had met. His wrists were bound in chains that glowed faintly with ancient runes. His face was pale, drained of its usual arrogant cruelty. He looked helpless.
"Jake?" she whispered, stepping closer. But he didn't see her. He didn't move. It was as if his soul had been ripped from his body.
Before she could process it, a chilling wind swept through. A woman's blurred figure appeared, seated on what looked like a throne of shadows. Her presence was suffocating, her power undeniable. She chanted in a language Miley couldn't understand, but the words felt heavy, dark.
The ground beneath them cracked open, and an army of demons surged upward—grotesque beasts of all shapes and sizes, snarling and clawing at the air. Terror gripped Miley's heart. She bolted, running blindly through the nightmare.
Suddenly, iron bars slammed down around her. She was trapped inside a high cage dangling above a pit where demons roared hungrily below, ready to shred her to pieces.
A voice slithered from behind. Miley spun around. The blurry woman was there, this time crystal clear.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet monstrously terrifying. Her smile was wicked, her eyes pools of crimson fire.
"Do you think you can outsmart me?" the woman hissed, voice echoing like a curse. "You are nothing but a foolish little pawn."
From the corner of her eye, Miley saw Jake again—still chained, still soulless.
"What do you want from me?!" Miley shouted.
The woman's smile widened into a dark laugh. "To watch you fail… as they all have before you."
She waved her hand, and the cage snapped open. Miley plummeted into the sea of demons, their claws reaching, teeth gnashing—
---
Miley jolted awake, drenched in sweat. Her chest heaved as if she'd truly been falling. "It felt too real… it was real," she muttered, clutching her pounding heart. Thoughts spiraled. Who was that woman? Why was Jake chained? What does this mean?
Before she could gather herself, a whisper cut through the forest. "Miley… is that you?"
She scrambled to her feet, recognizing the voice. "Rachel?"
"Yes," Rachel said, stepping out cautiously.
"What are you doing out here?" Miley asked.
"I never went inside," Rachel admitted. "I wanted to make sure you were safe."
Rachel explained how she had been watching from afar, noticing strange ritualistic movements among the creatures and even spotting some of the same twisted beings Miley saw.
"But wait," Rachel said, squinting. "How did you understand their language last night?"
Miley froze. She remembered the argument between the strange creatures earlier—their words made no sense, yet she understood them perfectly.
"I… don't know," Miley said, voice trembling.
Rachel's eyes widened in alarm. She stepped back as though Miley had transformed into something else. "Are you really Miley?"
"Yes!" Miley said firmly, placing a hand on her chest. "It's me. I swear."
Silence stretched before Rachel finally nodded, though unease still lingered in her eyes.
Miley clenched her fists. "We need to know what they're planning. Every day, people go missing. They're not coming back, Rachel. We can't just hide and wait to die."
Rachel's lips trembled. "You… you want us to go to one of their meetings? Miley, that's suicide!"
"Maybe," Miley said, voice breaking but strong. "But if I have to risk my life to save others, I will. Think about all those people trapped here—do you want to watch them vanish one by one until it's our turn?"
Rachel opened her mouth, no words coming out. Finally, she shook her head. "No."
"Then are you coming?" Miley asked, eyes glinting with determination.
Rachel hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. I'm in."
---
They prepared disguises from woven bushes to blend into the night. Miley was stunned when Rachel pulled out a nearly perfect bush outfit.
"When did you—?" Miley stammered.
"I copied you when you made yours," Rachel said with a sly grin. "I stay ready."
Suited up, they ventured into the forbidden forest, following the trail of monstrous footprints left behind after the last dark minute's exodus. Soon, the path split into three roads.
Miley crouched, placing her hands on each path, closing her eyes. To her shock, visions rushed into her mind—one road led to a fiery river of molten lava, another to a place shrouded in darkness with a massive chained beast, and the narrow path in the center led to a bustling underground market where strange creatures feasted and drank.
Rachel gawked. "How… how do you see that?"
"I don't know," Miley admitted, shaken. "But this middle path is where they went."
Rachel insisted on checking the other road. Miley reluctantly placed her hands again and saw the terrifying chained creature more clearly this time—so huge and vile that it made her heart stop. The vision overwhelmed her and she collapsed.
Rachel caught her, panicking until Miley stirred. "I'll explain tomorrow," Miley said, brushing it off. "Let's go."
They pushed through thick roots and tearing branches until muffled voices reached their ears. Crouching low, they crept closer until they saw it: a long stone table surrounded by creatures more hideous than nightmares. Some looked human but had twisted features; others were outright monsters.
Miley pressed a finger to her lips. "Stay quiet," she whispered.
---
The conversation grew heated.
"We must devour their flesh—it's delicious!" snarled one creature, snapping its claws.
"No, we should use the humans to replenish the land!" croaked another, a fish-scaled beast with hollow eyes.
"Silence!" boomed a cold, commanding voice.
At the head of the table sat Jake. Calm yet sharp, his presence silenced the room. "We haven't decided what to do with the maidens," he said. "But one of them… is far too stubborn." His crimson gaze darkened. "We begin with her."
Miley's breath hitched. She knew he meant her.
Then, one creature began sniffing the air. "Fresh humans… I smell them nearby."
Rachel's eyes widened. Miley whispered, "They're going to find us."
Before panic could take over, trumpets blared. Everyone turned toward the entrance.
A woman dressed entirely in black entered, face hidden except for blood-red lips. The air thickened with power and dread. To Miley's shock, Jake himself stood and bowed his head along with the others.
"Even the king bows…" Rachel whispered, shivering.
The woman's cold, melodic voice carried across the table. "Decide nothing yet. Keep them alive. Bring me more."
Then her head snapped toward their hiding spot. She raised a single hand. Branches ripped away, and Miley and Rachel were yanked into the air, their bush disguises fluttering uselessly.
Frozen with terror, they hung before the woman as she chuckled darkly. Her voice sw
itched to flawless English, cutting through the tense silence:
"Devour them."
Her laughter echoed as the creatures below roared in excitement.
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