Chapter 6

• Ayla
• The chill of the stone dungeon seeped into my bones, a stark contrast to the humid New York summer I was thrown out from.
• My attempt to explain my modern origins had clearly backfired. He wouldn't buy the truth, not in this world of magic and mythical creatures. Desperation forced my hand. I had to rewrite my narrative, even if it was a flimsy, half-baked lie.
• "I... I don't remember anything," I stammered, pitching my voice with a tremor of vulnerability. "Just woke up in the forest."
• It was a weak story, a stupid one. Rex hadn’t even looked at me twice to consider the story at all.
• “So you’re no longer from this New York you speak of?” He asked, raising his perfectly arched brow.
• My heart thudded in my chest.
• “That’s all I can remember. That’s all in my head.” I insisted, grasping at straws. “I’m from New York City.”
• “I’m not buying that story.” He walked closer to me. His breath fanned my face and for a second, I forgot my life was actually at stake.
• Something in me yearned to lean closer to him. But I was sane enough to push that thought to the very back of my mind.
• Am I insane?
• “I-I’m being honest.” I found myself stuttering.
• His gaze almost made me choke on air. If he was from the world I lived in, he was going to be a star. He had the looks, the body. I could already imagine him on the magazine cover. His millions of followers on instagram.
• He’d have girls dangling from his hands.
• And I? I would be one of the simps liking his every post and every post relating to him without being noticed.
• But this world was different. He was so close to my face, just a breath away. Even though he had the power to kill me at that point, he was still close to me.
• His intense gaze had lingered on me for a moment before he turned and vanished, leaving me bound and alone in the dimly lit prison. I knew he didn’t believe my stupid lie. For a minute, I could’ve sworn he was looking at the painful scratches on my knees.
• Now, trapped in the cold, damp silence, panic began to set in.
• How long would I be stuck here, at the mercy of a brooding werewolf and whatever else lurked in this world?
• What if I’m actually killed here?
• I had read somewhere that fantasy worlds are just fictional and if that situation ever happened in real life, it would be deadly.
• I strained against the rough ropes, the hemp biting into my wrists. The chair creaked in protest, the only sound in the oppressive stillness.
• "Playing the amnesia card, are we?"
• The voice startled me. I hadn't remembered I wasn't alone. From the shadows in the corner, a figure stirred. I recognized him as the spy Rex had shown me earlier, his face a swollen mess of bruises and dried blood. He was chained, his posture slumped in defeat.
• He hobbled closer, his movement restricted by his restraints. "Don't think you can fool me, girl. I've seen liars in my time, and you reek of it. What village are you really from?"
• He let out a chesty cough while turning to look at me. “You’re a spy , aren’t you?”
• My heart pounded against my ribs. Was I truly that transparent? I knew I wasn't a good liar, but I had hoped the sheer absurdity of my situation would buy me some time.
• If a prisoner could see through my lie then how stupid did I look in front of Rex.
• "I'm telling you the truth," I insisted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm from New... from New York City."
• He snorted, a sound filled with clear disbelief and disdain. "New York City? Never heard of it. Sounds like some fancy tavern in the capital. You think I'm stupid? You think Rex is stupid? You're playing a dangerous game, girl."
• I wanted to scream, to tell him the truth, to explain that I hadn't asked to be here, that I was as lost and confused as he was. But something in his eyes, a mixture of pain and hardened resentment, told me he wouldn't believe me. He'd only see me as another liar, another pawn in some elaborate game.
• "Just tell me the truth," he pleaded, his voice hoarse. "Maybe I can help you. Maybe we can help each other. Our stories could align, young girl."
• "I am telling the truth! I don't know what else to say!" I cried out, tears stinging my eyes. "I don't know how I got here. I just want to go home."
• “You must be loyal to your pack. Rex will break you till you confess so if you’re lying, try to be bold with it.”
• The man looked dead serious with his advice and panic set in me. This wasn’t one of my books that had a happy plot. This could be a brutal world where spies were killed off.
• Before he could respond, we heard the heavy clang of the dungeon door being unbolted. The spy instantly stiffened, his eyes widening in fear.
• "He's coming back," he hissed, his voice barely audible. "Listen to me, girl. Rex won't hesitate to kill you if he thinks you're a threat. Play your cards right, understand? Tell him what he wants to hear, even if it's a lie. Survival depends on it."
• My survival depends on it.
• On a lie.