Page 53 of Dark Captivation

“No, you’re the princess. The children need you here to protect them.” I argued.

She glowered at me, seeming to think of a good argument to counter with. But instead, she softened her features realizing there was no choice. “Be as quiet as you can and call me if you need backup.”

I nodded firmly, opening the door and squeezing through it. Ferina locked the deadbolt behind me, and I sprinted down the long hallway.

The patter of footsteps running around the homework rooms let me know most of the other rooms heard the banging and likely didn’t have a clue what was going on.

I warned the attendants in the other three homework rooms to lock the doors and now all I had left to do was get down to the first floor to the administrator’s office. Then I could warn the entire center and get help.

I reached the staircase, gripped the railing, and peered down. My heart scampered as I watched the intruders race up the staircase.

A small shadow flickers across the corner of my eye. I spun around to see a child, no more than four or five running past me, he started down the stairs.

I grabbed him, pulling him to my chest and covering his mouth as he started wailing.

“Shhhh! I’m trying to help you.” I whispered. “It’s dangerous to go that way.”

I recognized him, he was from the last homework room I warned. Why the hell did the attendant let him out?

I wasn’t sure what the intruders wanted. But if they would break into a packed community center with swords and bombs, I had to assume they weren’t above hurting children.

I ran with the boy, trying to contain his thrashing and calm his resistance. I tucked into a broom closet locking the door. The boy screamed so loudly my hand couldn’t fully contain it.

I set him on his feet and turned him around. “Shhh! Didn’t you hear me? I’m trying to help you. There are bad men out there. Now, why did you leave the homework room?” I asked in hushed tones.

“It’s snack time. I want milk -” he said a bit too loudly and I covered his mouth.

“Okay, okay. I’ll get you all the milk and cookies, whatever you want. But first I need you to stay here and hide while I go get the-.”

Footsteps thundered outside the door and my voice cut.

I placed a finger on my lip, signaling the child to stay as quiet as possible.

His brow twitched with annoyance, and he drew himself back. “I don’t like this game. I want to go now!”

For the love of the gods.

Someone tried the doorknob and I pulled the boy deeper inside. My heart rate quickened as the door started rattling. The sound of a foot ramming the door raged through the air.

Frightened, the child grabbed a hold of me. The lock broke and the door eked open.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I initiated the shift. Only Mellow could save us now.

The bones in my spine began to buckle as the door flew wide. Three men rushed in, engulfing me like deadly flames. My wolf fangs had already started to show when the men set their blades to my neck.

“Don’t even think about shifting.” One of them snarled. “If you do, it’ll be the last shift you’ll ever have.”

I canceled the shift knowing there was no way they would let me complete it.

“You can take me. Just, for goodness sake, don't hurt the child.” I put both hands in the air.

The men drew to the peripheries of the closet, gesturing for a fourth male to enter.

I recognized his dark hair and sunken eyes the moment I laid eyes on him. He was the leader of the resistance movement, the man I met in the church.

“Varcus?” I asked as his dark and stern eyes perused me.

His sights gleaned over the child then back to me. “Where is the king?”

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