Fractures of Eternity

When I woke up, I found myself on the floor with the most annoying headache I had ever experienced raging within me. A groan left my lips as a little girl wept nearby, alerting me that I wasn’t alone.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Gerta sighed, sitting by one corner of the cell we found ourselves in.

The entire place was darker than I could clearly see, indicating there were no windows for light to enter. Wincing in pain, I shook my head only to feel someone still clinging to me. It was the crying little girl, Luna, while Gerta struggled to get up and walk over to us before kneeling beside us. Next to us, on the other side of the cell, was a sleeping wolf, Thea, who had a visible metal collar on her neck, with a bright red gem in the middle.

Crap… That’s an inhibitor, isn’t it?

“What happened?” I asked, shifting my gaze around to gather any information that was to be found.

Luna clung to me for some reason as I tried to ignore her since she was the least of my worries.

“Well, some strange people took us. How do you feel?” The elderly woman asked.

“Urgh… My head’s killing me.” I complained, reaching towards where it hurt most, and the moment I touched it, moist liquid dripped onto my fingers.

Blood… Hah… Damn…

It caused me to withdraw from it as I stared at my stained hand.

Whoever hit me didn’t hold back.

Most of it was dried, which meant it had been a while since they knocked me out cold. Gerta also had dried blood on her face, as they didn’t care she was a elder when they stuck her too.

“Yeah, they hit us pretty hard. I just came to myself. Though I think they drugged the Lycan girl. Luckily, they didn’t touch the child. Although I think she has some scratches on her. I can’t make sure, since she won’t let me near her.” She gazed towards the little Luma, who clung to my dress for dear life.

Her constant sobbing didn’t help the headache I had, though.

“Rem’s kids,” I mumbled, gazing at the sleeping teen next to us, who luckily, appeared to be uninjured.

But that collar is going to be an issue. It’s probably draining you of the crimson moon’s power.

The complications wouldn’t end there, though, as I could do nothing without exposing myself in front of these women. Unlike Thea, Gerta and Luna were wide awake, leaving me trapped with them for now.

“I know, but I’ve never personally met them. Seems this little one likes you, though, by the way she’s clinging to you.” The old woman’s assurance prompted me to bite my lips.

This isn’t what I had in mind when I became bait. Hah… This is the worst scenario! What a pain!

I felt stuck between walls that were slowly closing in on me. Though it appeared to be the coven’s doing, which meant part of my plan worked.

Seeing Thea here… Does that mean they were going after Leo, but opted for their daughter instead? Why would they change their plan to include her? Hm… Luna too… But I suspect… Crap…

“I don’t know why. Today’s the first time I met her.” I sighed, gazing at the little Luma who wouldn’t let me go.

The moment I saw her, my maternal instincts flared, as she was so tiny that every fiber of my being was telling me to hold her, yet she was part of the enemy, which meant I couldn’t afford to get too close, even though she was the one jumping the gap.

“Probably because she saw you with Loki. She adores that troublesome vampire.” Gerta giggled, “Every time she comes, she needs to see him.”

No… She saw me from her dad’s shoulders, but that didn’t make her clingy. Argh…

“Maybe,” I mumbled, wishing to move on from that. “Is it just us here?”

“Yep, I don’t think anyone else was taken from the ball, but it was a disaster. Who would ever do this?” Gerta sighed, shaking her head.

Luckily, it seemed Loki and Oswald were still alive and well, since I was still breathing.

But if they harmed a hair on their heads… I’ll…

“Luna… go with Thea,” I suggested, turning my gaze to the sleeping wolf.

The drug they had used on her appeared to be a potent sedative—something I didn’t know how long it would take her to recover from. It could’ve been hours before the Lycan was useful, but with the collar, even those abilities were limited.

Where the heck did these people get a Cerberus drug from? Argh… Even the collar is from that organization.

The Luma shook her head, gazing at me with those purple, teary eyes of hers.

“No! You’re the princess who will save us!” Luna pouted, clinging to me tighter.

I felt my eye twitch.

Oi… This kid’s insane. Are all your kids like this, Rem?

“Princess?” I muttered.

In the poor kid’s defense, I appeared like one thanks to the dress, but I wasn’t of royal blood. A soft cackle left Gerta’s lips while the little Luma didn’t back down.

“Yes, you!” She repeated, as the hope in her eyes caused my heart to throb.

This little girl has no idea what she’s saying! All I wanted to do was rescue my ass and get rid of these worms! Urgh!

“What?” I mumbled, trying to shake her off my dress, but it was no use.

She was stuck to it like a snail to a rock.

“You’ll save us!” Luna repeated, holding onto me as Gerta sat down next to the wall beside us before wincing.

However, that moment of discomfort was quickly melted by Luna’s demeanor as her eyes were full of affection towards the little girl.

Eh? Do you like kids? That’s a quality we don’t share at all.

No matter how much my instincts wanted me to protect her, this child was a thorn in my side.

“Seems she thinks you’ll be our savior,” Gerta pointed out the obvious, prompting me to scowl.

This time, she reached for her head and held her hand there for a bit.

“The kid’s crazy.” I huffed.

Screw it, Vivian. Let the kid be. Focus on gathering information.

Yet where I would find it was yet to be seen.