The Golden Core | Secrets of the Core #1

Chapter Eight - Part Two

Facing Phoenix, she stared intently at him, making him look over in her direction. Winter lifted her arms up, stretching her back and moved around Blake just a little more. She wanted Phoenix to see what she was trying to do, but he seemed oblivious. He wanted out, but wasn't doing anything to help her. She should've known it was going to go this way.

Blake didn't realize what she was doing so she stretched her arms out again, just barely touching the keys in his back pocket. Winter lifted them up as slowly as she could, but as soon as they got out of his pocket, they fell to the ground with a clang.

Immediately, he turned around and grabbed her arm. "What are you trying to do with my keys?" She winced in pain as he twisted it.

"I-I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to do anything!" She wanted to slap herself for not even trying to use magic, but with people that she didn't trust around her, she didn't want to use it. Blake held her tightly, now grabbing both of her arms and crossing them behind her back.

How could she let herself get caught like this? Phoenix definitely wasn't worth this. Now who knows what's going to happen to her. All because she tried to steal keys to get him out.

Phoenix just stood there, not saying a single word as she walked over to the next cell by them.

"Put your head down!" Blake yelled, forcing her to look at the ground.

Was she really going to go into this cell just because she tried to steal keys? Apparently he has no idea that she's a princess. She can't just be stuck in here because of that.

He pulled on the silver bar to open it, but it wouldn't budge.

The chime of the lock smashing against the cell filled her ears when she looked to the ground. The keys were still laying there, waiting to be picked up, but he hadn't realized the cell was locked.

After a few moments of Blake pulling the door, he remembered that the lock was there. He sighed, letting go of her arms. "Wait here. Don't move." He shuffled over to the keys and kneeled down to pick them up.

Meanwhile, Winter took this as a chance. It would be a risk, but she had to get out. She ran as fast as she could to the other wall, where there was an opening to lead her out. She was almost in the hallway when Blake yelled. "Hey! Get back here!"

Continuing to run, she made it back to where the puzzle was, but there was one problem. It formed again, which meant she would have to solve it and she didn't have enough time. She knew she needed to break the lantern first, but how was she supposed to get her magic to show up so quickly? She couldn't do it without concentrating hard.

She didn't have a choice.

Winter imagined a block of ice piercing through the lantern when Blake showed up, completely out of breath, breaking her concentration. She turned around and realized she was blocked in. There was no way she could get out.

"I've got you now," he spoke in between taking small breaths. He grabbed her again, this time immediately twisting both her arms behind her back so hard it made her scream.

It was going to be impossible to get out of this now. She was in so much pain, but she couldn't be weak. Not to him, not to anyone. She had to face what she did. Being a princess didn't mean she got out of every little bit of trouble she caused.

He forced her to walk back to the cell, pushing her head down with every step she took. When they made it back to where Phoenix was, she saw him sitting down with his legs crossed and a frown on his face.

She couldn't help it that she got caught. Winter tried her best to get him out and look where it got her. Who knows how long she would be stuck in this cell.

The keys rattled in front of her as Blake pushed one into the lock, twisting it to the left to unlock the door. As he pulled it open, a loud squeak appeared. It must not have been opened for a long time.

Winter was pushed in the cell, making her fall to her knees, the click of the lock ringing behind her. This was it. She was stuck and she had no idea of how to get out. She stood up, brushing the dirt off of her knees and a little of her face and walked to sit on the cot. She could only think of one plus to this. At least she didn't have chains on her wrists like Phoenix did.

Her hopes of not having them on didn't last long. The chains were in the corner of the cell. It only took Blake a few moments until he walked over, opening the door as if he was going to let her out. She jumped up and walked forward, smiling brightly when she thought she was leaving.

"Not today, Princess."

Winter stopped in her tracks. How did he even know? Did Phoenix tell him? Her chance of him knowing she was royalty and being able to get out had left her. A frown appeared on her face, then again, he did work for her mother. No wonder he knew.

He continued towards her, grabbing her arm again. "Come with me."

She didn't want to move. She wouldn't move if she could help it. Knowing exactly where this was going, she wasn't going to be hooked to those chains.

Blake yanked her arm. "Come on!" He grabbed one of the chains and unlocked it.

She pulled as hard as she could away from it, but he had more strength. He placed her wrist in the chain and locked it with the key so she couldn't move.

Winter wanted to cry. She wasn't as strong as she thought she was. All she could hear was her mother telling her that she was just like The Voided. She didn't want to be like them. A small tear left her eyes and crawled down her face, but she couldn't let Blake see it.

He placed her other wrist into the unlocked chain and locked it. Pushing her down to the ground again, she landed flat on her back.

For a moment, she couldn't get up. The wind got knocked out of her from the hard fall. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't.

She laid there as he looked back at her with a grin on his face, walking out of the cell and locking it in front of her.

Just leaving her there, scared and in pain, without knowing if she was ever going to get out.