Chapter 15: Can't Escape

"You will have to kill me to get out?" Arawn repeated with a smirk, measuring her from top to bottom. He closed the door behind him and ambled to sit on the sofa, his leather boots soft on the wooden floor.

Elize watched him with caution as she took a step back. Her back collided with the counter table. She watched the man with wide eyes as she held the edge of the table, her claws digging in it.

Arawn put his legs up on the table, crossed his arms across his chest and jerked his chin in the direction of the chair opposite him for her to sit. Looking at his casual disposition in which she didn't read any threat, she walked towards the chair with extreme caution and then sat down. She crossed her legs and pulled her shawl tightly around her. She waited for him to speak as every part of her body tensed. Arawn tilted his head and curiosity was apparent on his face. Elize didn't feel any anger or rage from him or that he didn't like her.

"Well, too many things happened and I know that you are pretty shocked, but Caleb has taken precautions to protect you."

She scoffed. "From whom? From him?"

"We know that you were being attacked by several men over the past few months you've been here."

Elize's eyes flew wide open. "I have been attacked or Caleb was sending his people to threaten me. He wants me to get scared of his power and wants me to succumb to his plans! Well, then I got news for you!" She snarled. "I will never ever come back to him. Because of him my father died, because of him my family has shunned me." Fury rose in her chest, tightening it, heating her up, making her feel angry as hell. She retorted, "And because I escaped from those men, he abducted me along with you and his cousin, Ileus. My god!" she shook her head. "You people are unbelievable! This is how you are going to keep me? This is how Caleb is going to keep me? Then I refuse. I will kill you and I will kill him but I will never stay with him. He violated my beliefs. He violated my soul. Do I even have a soul now?" Her breath was hot as her chest rose up and down because of her anger. "Are you a part of his gang? You bloody kidnappers!"

The centaur's eyes narrowed. The girl was so… misinformed. Or she just didn't have the idea of what was happening around her. "Your anger is valid, Elize," he said, "But all that you are saying is untrue. I am not a kidnapper, we did all this to protect you."

"From whom?" she retorted. "I don't need anyone's protection. I can take care of myself, so leave me."

Arawn chuckled, which didn't reach his eyes. He asked, "How many times have you been attacked in the past few months that you have stayed in Yorkshire?"

"Three times," she said, her voice clipped.

"And what kind of men were they who attacked you? Were their bodies like mine or did they look like normal humans to you?" Arawn asked.

"They— they were like you." What the hell was he getting at?

"Then let me tell you one thing lady—those men were from the Lore. There is someone out there who wants you dead. We don't know who, but yes that someone knows that you are the queen of Ixoviya, that you are Caleb's mate and that is why he or she wants you dead," Arawn said in a deep voice, meaning every word. "And every time you were attacked, it was Caleb who protected you from them."

Elize couldn't believe him. "From what I can see, it is possible that he was staging a play to lure me in his trap." She shrugged. "Because none of them came after me. I dodged them very efficiently!"

Arawn let out a mirthless laughter. "The first time they attacked you, you ran. Did you even know who it was who stopped them from coming after you? Men from the Lore have a strong sense of smell. Don't you think they could sniff you and reach you?"

A shudder surged through her. Sniff her?

"When you ran from them, it was Caleb who fought them and stopped them from reaching you. He has been thwarting all their attempts and he has been keeping a close watch on you. Have you ever racked your brains as to why would he do that, when the man like him, the most powerful sorcerer in the world, has a kingdom to look after, has a huge business to look after? But he is here looking after you in his own silent way."

Her hand shot up to her neck and she realized that she wasn't breathing. "This is rubbish. I won't believe a word." And she refused to believe it. Memories of her father's death, her brother's disgust in her, Nessa's acerbic words… They were too fresh.

Arawn lifted his hands up in the air. "I don't care whether you believe me or not. My job here is to protect you until he returns."

"Until he returns? What do you mean?" she asked, feeling like a captive. "I want to go back!"

"Caleb has gone for fifteen days to help Ileus. Ileus had something important come up and only Caleb can help him secure the…" Arawn's voice drawled. "The thing he seeks. So you will be staying here for two weeks. And for those two weeks," he waved his hands around the cabin, "Be my guest. There is blood kept for you in the fridge. Animal blood. You can do whatever you want, but don't try to run, because it won't do you good. You won't be able to escape. The reason—" Arawn put his feet down and leaned forward. "Reason being that I am the keeper of Fulshire forests. No one can enter or leave this forest without my permission."

Elize's mouth fell to the floor.