Bab 158: The Vortex (2)

Her entire life was a lie. Marlena wiped a tear from her cheek as she walked through the woods. She had always known about the curse of the vortex, about the king who caused ruin to his kingdom by forcefully taking a woman he shouldn't have. However, how could her mother not tell her the curse involved her too? 

She didn't know she was so deep in the forest until she heard a roar. 

"What was that?" She cried. 

As if she summoned it, the tiger showed itself. Her first instinct was to want to run. 

"What did Mother say about tigers?" She mumbled, but she was too terrified to think straight. 

"Don't give me that look. I'm not your dinner!" She snarled at it, making it roar in return and charge at her. 

She bolted away and ran as fast as she could. Her lungs were on fire and she knew the tiger was catching up. She looked over her shoulder--which quickly proved to be the wrong move. She tripped and fell on her face.