[CONTENTID1] Sunlight [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2] Chapter 7 [/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

Everything hurt. As my consciousness stirred awake, I slowly became aware of a burning, scorching pain. Groggily opening my eyes, I  was met with unfamiliar surroundings. What happened? I panicked. As I attempted to stand, a soft clink and sharp tugging stopped me. I looked down in horror, iron. Iron shackles, strikingly similar to those I wore while I lived with the vampires. Though my Source was immune, it still burned at old scars. Suddenly, it everything came flooding back. The girls, the kidnappings, and the underground complex I was now trapped in myself.

“Finally awake I see.” I whipped my head around to see a smiling Henry looking at me. My fists curled in disgust.

“You,” I seethed, resisting the urge to give him a good whopping. Clearly he did not know about my immunity to the manacles, as evidenced by the untouched sword that still hung around my waist, and it was something that could be used to my advantage later.

“I have to say, you gave me a good shock when those Fae girls showed up at Ildathach in the middle of the night.” Henry’s eyes darkened. “You’ll pay for that, little fairy.” He spat the old nickname into my face. If the girls had managed to make it back, why wasn’t anyone coming? Perhaps, they were coming now? Hope filled me from within, there was a chance I could still survive. Maybe if I could get Henry to stay her-

Strong arms gripped me from the side, pulling me up from the ground. I cried in protest as the iron rubbed against my arms. Pulling me by the chains, Henry dragged me towards the opening.

“Wha-”

“Shut up,” Henry demanded. “Thanks to your silly deeds, I’m going to have to move to another hideout.” I took a glance at the small complex. It was no longer littered with needles and bottles. Another underground base? Just how extensive…

The cool night air greeted me as Henry dragged me out of his dugout base. Given Henry’s clothes and rushed demeanor, I guessed that I had only been out for a short while. Briefly, I wondered how much time I had. I could wait for reinforcements from the school or… I glanced up at the sky, searching the stars. When I found the constellation I was looking for, I secretly rejoiced. There was only an hour until sunrise. If I can make it until then… I thought, a plan already beginning to form in my mind. If I could somehow distract Henry until the sun came up, I would be able to escape. The problem was, however, was that the plan involved using magic, and using magic in the presence of iron was risky — especially if I was to fight Henry until sunrise. Despite this risk, I realized I had little choice. Judging by the lack of rescuers, I would not be surprised if no one was coming at all. Henry’s return told me the girls had made it back to the school, but I doubted some, such as the Winter Princes, would be eager to help me –– that is, if the girls chose to tell them at all. I was completely and utterly alone –– perhaps I always had been. I knew what I had to do, I could only believe in myself and myself alone.  

I abruptly came to a stop, wincing as the iron bit into my wrists. From ahead, Henry turned back to me with a murderous look. The moonlight glinted off his sharp canines and I shuddered at the sight.

“What is it?” he growled, impatiently tugging me forward. I stood my ground, slowly feeling my Source. The iron, both in my bloodstream and on my wrists hungrily snatched at the tendrils of energy. Before I lost anymore, I let loose a sharp burst of heat to my manacles, melting the metal off. I rubbed my sore wrists as Henry gaped at me in surprise. Taking advantage of his momentary shock, I pulled out my sword in one fluid motion, pointing it at him. I attempted to look confident despite a sudden wave of weakness. Can I really fight like this? I tried not to reveal the effects of the iron.

“Look, the little fairy still thinks she can fight,” Henry sneers and reminded of sword practice back in the vampire capital, a time I had tried to put behind me. L