More snow crunched and she snapped her head around. She was surrounded by a brown werewolf and three wizards, ready with magic swirling around their hands, to attack her. Was the werewolf, Kaizan?

For once her heart plummeted to her stomach. How could she fall in their trap? They knew who she was... all the time.

In agitation, she threw the magic from her hands at the werewolf. He leapt from there as fast as he could but a strong current of yellow lights caught her magic. Stunned, her limbs grew shaky. She followed the trail of the light and found that it was Ileus who had done it. He was truly powerful.

From the corner of her eye, she saw that a wizard had torn her magic from the couple she had been following. They got up and ran away. Seeing them only made her realize that instead of trapping them, she was trapped. And this realization only made her angrier.

"So, Maple," said Anastasia, as she walked in front of Ileus. His shadows touched her as if caressing her, protecting her. "You came to take me back?" Energy in her heart thrummed like it wanted to burst out of her.

Maple looked at her like a serpent. "You bloody heathen." She sniffed the air and sneered, "Don't tell me that now you are in the protection of overgrown dogs and second hand magic wielders. How terribly disappointing."

"Disappointing?" Anastasia repeated. "And where are the faes who were with you? The ones who stand with me are loyal, and the ones who are with you are betrayers-they betrayed the king and the queen."

"Ouch," Maple frowned. "Does that hurt you?"

"Oh no!" Anastasia replied. "It is going to hurt you, and badly."

Amused at her, Maple burst into a chuckle. "Have you forgotten how I whipped you?"

At the mention of that dark, Ileus' golden eyes flickered and obsidian. "Watch your tongue Maple," he snarled.

Every part of her screamed with pain at the memory of being whipped, but Anastasi masked it.

She snarled at him, "And watch your head vokudlak! My royal guards are about to come and they will attack you!" Maple rotated slowly to gauge her situation.

A low roar from the forest emanated. It was followed by heavy footfalls. She tilted her head with a smile forming on her lips. "My guards are right behind you fucker!" However, when a huge silhouette of a lion came to stand right behind Anastasia, her gaze turned wide.

"Not your guards, Maple," Anastasia said in a menacing voice. "But my guard!"

A shaky breath left her. Where did that lion come from? He was massive, impressive and... regal.

"This is Seashell, and he has killed those royal guards," said Anastasia. The magic that pulsated in her body tried to force itself out. Suddenly, white, yellow and green lights burst from her hand. They started coiling around her palm until they reached her elbow.

"H- how?" Maple was doubly surprised. She didn't know what question she was asking.

Anastasia took a step near her as Seashell walked with her. "If you are asking how did he kill them, then let me erudite you. Seashell can see faes. He chased them around the forest and mauled them. You can't find their bodies either, for Guarhal has burned them."

Anastasia started circling her.

"The moment you entered the inn, Ileus had sniffed you. Did you forget that vokudlaks have strong sense of smell?" she chuckled. "We knew about you as soon as you came to the inn. That was your first mistake. While you continued to keep a watch on the inn, we had shifted to the alehouse and it gives me immense satisfaction to say that we were just in the next dormitory, and you couldn't even detect us." Anastasia giggled. "While you are watching and scanning the rooms at the inn, we were just waiting for you to take your next step."

She felt like an idiot. The entire team was watching her, yet she believed that she was watching them. What would Aed Ruad think about her? She clenched her jaw as fury rose inside her. The trap was perfect. "It's nice to see that little, dull, boring and useless Anastasia has grown up!" mocked Maple.

"Isn't it a shock?" said Anastasia. Magic sizzled menacingly around her hands. "After all those green magic suppressants you gave me, this must be quite a deterrent to your eyes."

Maple barked, "You think these men can take me down? I am a fae!" Her wings susurrated and then flared. "What about your wings, Anastasia? The ones that broke." She flapped her massive wings, as if to scare her.

Ignoring her comment, Anastasia said, "I do think that they can take you down. You thought that Kaizan was there in his room?" She let out a soft laugh as she looked at Kaizan who was growling. "He and Tadgh were there only to derail you. And that girl-she was a part of the plan." Anastasia tsked her. "For a woman who plans to rule the Fae Kingdom of Vilinski, you are such a twit Maple!"

Maple smirked. "Or maybe you are a twit. Every word that comes from your mouth irritates me. I am going to make sure that I take it all out on your parents!"

Anastasia's body screamed with fury, but she didn't show any emotion.

"They are in the celestial prison and I am going to visit them myself. I will make sure that their time is less than pleasant. I would love to hear them scream."

Anastasia's jaw clenched.

She looked smugly at Anastasia. "Don't you want to beg me now, poor little cousin?" She cocked her head to see Ileus. "He is so handsome. I will make him the leader of my harem."

"Harem?" Anastasia interrupted. "I think you are delusional!"

"Oh! And you are not?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No Maple. I have come out of it. You and Aed Ruad are nothing but monsters of bitterness and greed, whose ambitions have been fanned by their equally twisted mother."

"You bitch!" Maple shouted.